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HOWTO install infinality font-settings for Debian

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BubuXP
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Re: HOWTO install infinality font-settings for Debian

#81 Post by BubuXP »

stevepusser wrote:
BubuXP wrote:It's free software, you can do whatever you want until you respect the license :D
OK...I assume you mean until I "disrespect" the license.
Yes, change the "until" with "if" in my post to get what I mean (in Italian it sounds correct with "until" also, but probably it isn't :) ).

BTW, the Nimbus/URW fonts can be directly removed by uninstalling the packages "gsfonts" and "gsfonts-x11". They are installed because recommended by other packages, but the recommended dependencies can be removed (these packages only have a few hard-dependencies that you probably don't have installed).

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Re: HOWTO install infinality font-settings for Debian

#82 Post by bester69 »

Hi,
Im some lost about how this is going on, right now i've installed infinality files:
fontconfig-infinality_1-2_all.deb
freetype-infinality_2.4.12-1_all.deb
libfreetype-infinality6_2.4.12-1_amd64.deb
Im using stretch debian, and im using a Windows7/10 configuration fonts:
- Segoe UI fonts (Windows10)


Can i improve my "Segoe UI fonts" installing something new/different??


regards.
bester69 wrote:STOP 2030 globalists demons, keep the fight for humanity freedom against NWO...

jim_p
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Re: HOWTO install infinality font-settings for Debian

#83 Post by jim_p »

bester69 wrote:Hi,
Im some lost about how this is going on, right now i've installed infinality files:
fontconfig-infinality_1-2_all.deb
freetype-infinality_2.4.12-1_all.deb
libfreetype-infinality6_2.4.12-1_amd64.deb
Im using stretch debian, and im using a Windows7/10 configuration fonts:
- Segoe UI fonts (Windows10)


Can i improve my "Segoe UI fonts" installing something new/different??


regards.
The stuff you have installed is simply... ancient :P
Remove them and install their newer versions from here if you are on testing/unstable

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/ ... jgtaGV5U2c

or here if you are on stable (jessie)
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/ ... mM5TE5YVUE

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Re: HOWTO install infinality font-settings for Debian

#84 Post by Head_on_a_Stick »

If you're tracking testing/unstable then try removing Infinality completely -- the latest FreeType release has incorporated a subset of the Infinality patches and works better than before, it may be good enough for you now.

Alternatively, get a 300dpi display and switch off autohinting, the font outline lines up with the rasterised grid at this resolution and the rendering should then be "perfect" :)

See also https://www.freetype.org/freetype2/docs ... nting.html
deadbang

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Re: HOWTO install infinality font-settings for Debian

#85 Post by bester69 »

jim_p wrote:
bester69 wrote:Hi,
Im some lost about how this is going on, right now i've installed infinality files:
fontconfig-infinality_1-2_all.deb
freetype-infinality_2.4.12-1_all.deb
libfreetype-infinality6_2.4.12-1_amd64.deb
Im using stretch debian, and im using a Windows7/10 configuration fonts:
- Segoe UI fonts (Windows10)


Can i improve my "Segoe UI fonts" installing something new/different??


regards.
The stuff you have installed is simply... ancient :P
Remove them and install their newer versions from here if you are on testing/unstable

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/ ... jgtaGV5U2c

or here if you are on stable (jessie)
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/ ... mM5TE5YVUE
Nice!! :P , i installed them, they look almost the same, sometihngs seems better, others worse, perhaps a litle worse in my case right now, i shoul recalibrate the configuration for segoe-ui, and KDE5 settings fonts
- i installed Multiarch (all files)
- I set wm (windows preset)
- I choosed (windows7) in /etc/X11/Xsession.d/99infinality-settings

fc-presets check-->
30-metric-aliases-ms.conf is OK
37-repl-global-ms.conf is OK
60-latin-ms.conf is OK
65-non-latin-ms.conf is OK
66-aliases-wine-ms.conf is OK

Is it correect o is it missing something?
bester69 wrote:STOP 2030 globalists demons, keep the fight for humanity freedom against NWO...

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Re: HOWTO install infinality font-settings for Debian

#86 Post by bester69 »

I went back to old version, tha new one seems unstable, and fonts looks a litle bit blurry, i tried diiferents calibrations
such as changind dpi, or KDE configuration, and even tried "ultimate's settings", and went back to old infinality's versions. Perhaps with other fonts that are not segoe-ui it looks better.

I think what i've got now cant be improved..


regards.
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DebbyIan
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Re: HOWTO install infinality font-settings for Debian

#87 Post by DebbyIan »

BubuXP wrote:I compiled also the latest version of Fontconfig and patched it for best look when used with FreeType 2.7 (everything vanilla, no Infinality patches at the moment).
Basically, I enabled by default the full hinting (but you must enable it also in your desktop environment's fonts settings) and blacklisted the URW fonts (e.g. Nimbus). Other changes and details in the package changelog.

Download here:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B7AdL ... jJScGlWVGM

The sources compile just fine in OpenSuse build service, I tested it.
Unless there has been a recent modification to the sources for fontconfig and freetype, I am curious how you have managed to compile these sources without the updated libpng:

https://packages.debian.org/stretch/libpng16-16

Installing your packages, not that they have been named correctly for Debian bpo, requires libpng16-16 as dependency. Backporting libpng16-16 to jessie/stable results in the following compilation error:

Code: Select all

        make -j1 install DESTDIR=/tmp/libpng1.6-1.6.26/debian/tmp AM_UPDATE_INFO_DIR=no
make[1]: Entering directory '/tmp/libpng1.6-1.6.26'
make  install-am
make[2]: Entering directory '/tmp/libpng1.6-1.6.26'
/bin/bash ./libtool  --tag=CC   --mode=link gcc  -g -O2 -fPIE -fstack-protector-strong -Wformat -Werror=format-security -D_FORTIFY_SOURCE=2  -fPIE -pie -Wl,-z,relro -Wl,-z,now -Wl,--as-needed -o pngtest pngtest.o libpng16.la -lm -lz -lm 
libtool: link: gcc -g -O2 -fPIE -fstack-protector-strong -Wformat -Werror=format-security -D_FORTIFY_SOURCE=2 -fPIE -pie -Wl,-z -Wl,relro -Wl,-z -Wl,now -Wl,--as-needed -o .libs/pngtest pngtest.o  ./.libs/libpng16.so -lz -lm
/usr/bin/ld: pngtest.o: relocation R_X86_64_32 against `.rodata.str1.8' can not be used when making a shared object; recompile with -fPIC
pngtest.o: error adding symbols: Bad value
collect2: error: ld returned 1 exit status
Makefile:983: recipe for target 'pngtest' failed
make[2]: *** [pngtest] Error 1
make[2]: Leaving directory '/tmp/libpng1.6-1.6.26'
Makefile:1908: recipe for target 'install' failed
make[1]: *** [install] Error 2
make[1]: Leaving directory '/tmp/libpng1.6-1.6.26'
dh_auto_install: make -j1 install DESTDIR=/tmp/libpng1.6-1.6.26/debian/tmp AM_UPDATE_INFO_DIR=no returned exit code 2
debian/rules:13: recipe for target 'binary' failed
make: *** [binary] Error 2

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Re: HOWTO install infinality font-settings for Debian

#88 Post by stevepusser »

The MX Linux backports don't have that libpng problem.

http://main.mepis-deb.org/mx/repo/pool/main/f/

Building them on the vanilla Jessie virtual machines provided by the openSUSE Build Service also enforces that they are compatible.

https://software.opensuse.org/download. ... bfreetype6

These particular Freetype packages don't have to worry about having a "~bpo8" added to the end of the version to allow for the smooth upgrade to Stretch, since testing is frozen and it looks like 2.7 won't be in Stretch. The OBS claims they have a Debian:next Stretch build platform, but I can't find it.
MX Linux packager and developer

joefso
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Re: HOWTO install infinality font-settings for Debian

#89 Post by joefso »

can someone updated the infinality packages for stretch? I do not know how to do it myself.srry

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Re: HOWTO install infinality font-settings for Debian

#90 Post by BubuXP »

joefso wrote:can someone updated the infinality packages for stretch? I do not know how to do it myself.srry
The ones in my Google Drive are not working anymore?

It looks like bohoomil abandoned the project, no news from him since months.
I just find this page, I didn't read it thoroughly but looks like it contains some good info:
https://gist.github.com/cryzed/e002e705 ... 9e748c5671

However, I don't use Infinality, as I like the vanilla Freetype rendering with a good fontconfig configuration. And with 2.7+ versions, you can get an Infinality-like rendering enabling the full-hinting, but setting manually some font rendering is even better.
For example, Ubuntu font looks better with slight hinting, but if you set the default hinting to full, you can put a file like this in /etc/fonts/conf.d/ to tell the system to render Ubuntu font with slight hinting:

Code: Select all

$ cat /etc/fonts/conf.d/21-hint-ubuntu.conf

<?xml version='1.0'?>
<!DOCTYPE fontconfig SYSTEM 'fonts.dtd'>
<fontconfig>

  <!-- Ubuntu -->
  <match target="font">
    <test name="family">
      <string>Ubuntu</string>
    </test>
    <edit name="hintstyle">
      <const>hintslight</const>
    </edit>
    <edit name="autohint">
      <bool>false</bool>
    </edit>
  </match>

  <!-- Ubuntu Condensed -->
  <match target="font">
    <test name="family">
      <string>Ubuntu Condensed</string>
    </test>
    <edit name="hintstyle">
      <const>hintslight</const>
    </edit>
    <edit name="autohint">
      <bool>false</bool>
    </edit>
  </match>

  <!-- Ubuntu Mono -->
  <match target="font">
    <test name="family">
      <string>Ubuntu Mono</string>
    </test>
    <edit name="hintstyle">
      <const>hintslight</const>
    </edit>
    <edit name="autohint">
      <bool>true</bool>
    </edit>
  </match>

</fontconfig>

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Re: HOWTO install infinality font-settings for Debian

#91 Post by bester69 »

joefso wrote:can someone updated the infinality packages for stretch? I do not know how to do it myself.srry
Im using older version Infinallity-jessie version in Streetch+KDE 5,
fontconfig-infinality_1-2_all.deb
freetype-infinality_2.4.12-1_all.deb
libfreetype-infinality6_2.4.12-1_amd64.deb
they're easyier to manage and in my case seems to work better than new ones, i dont like newer version :? It has a extrange configurattion/setting
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Re: HOWTO install infinality font-settings for Debian

#92 Post by jim_p »

As it seems, there won't be any infinality patches for freetype 2.7+, so I guess this is the end of the road for infinality or it will be when freetype 2.7+ enters the debian repos...

https://github.com/bohoomil/fontconfig- ... issues/171

Any suggestions on what we do next? I did try the freetype 2.7 packages that bubuxp provides from his google drive on a fresh installation, but, as I mailed him, plain freetype is still no match to infinality...
For the record, I am using ms fonts (verdana 10 on the apps and andale mono 12 on the terminal) and numix as my gtk theme, so I have the "white fonts on dark background" experience, which is really really bad on plain freetype.

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Re: HOWTO install infinality font-settings for Debian

#93 Post by joefso »

There are infinality freetype 2.7 debs but for ubuntu https://launchpad.net/~no1wantdthisname ... ter=xenial . I read that not all infinality patches went into 2.7, hence these builds. I think this guy used fedora infinality patches. Not sure though. Perhaps rebuilding for Debian is an idea?

Looking into this myself ATM.

The replies so far have been of help so thank you all for that.

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Re: HOWTO install infinality font-settings for Debian

#94 Post by BubuXP »

A couple quote from here:
cryzed wrote:Since the future of the infinality-bundle is uncertain this is a good time as any to bite the bullet and remove it completely from your system until more is known. The font rendering won't be exactly the same, but with a few tweaks it will at least be similar.
stevenbenner wrote:I'll miss Infinality, it was easy to set up and looked great. The standard font rendering simply isn't as good. But it was always a hack, so I knew this day would come. Hopefully we can look forward to some new guides and tools to improve font rendering
In my GDrive there are now latest versions of FreeType [2.7.1], Harfbuzz [1.4.1] and Fontconfig (all vanilla of course). You should install both FT and HB, as they got new features (interdependece, this build of HB depends on FT >=2.7.1).

jim_p wrote:As it seems, there won't be any infinality patches for freetype 2.7+, so I guess this is the end of the road for infinality or it will be when freetype 2.7+ enters the debian repos...
https://github.com/bohoomil/fontconfig- ... issues/171
Debian is now in freeze state, I suppose there will not be new versions of FreeType until Stretch will be officially released (maybe 6 months).
jim_p wrote:Any suggestions on what we do next? I did try the freetype 2.7 packages that bubuxp provides from his google drive on a fresh installation, but, as I mailed him, plain freetype is still no match to infinality...
For the record, I am using ms fonts (verdana 10 on the apps and andale mono 12 on the terminal) and numix as my gtk theme, so I have the "white fonts on dark background" experience, which is really really bad on plain freetype.
You could try installing the latest vanilla FT, HB and FC and then install the fontconfig-infinality package.
Or, without fontconfig-infinality, add the following code to your ~/.config/fontconfig/fonts.conf, adding other settings and changing them to make Verdana font looks better:

Code: Select all

  <!-- Verdana -->
  <match target="font">
    <test name="family">
      <string>Verdana</string>
    </test>
    <edit name="hintstyle">
      <const>hintslight</const>
    </edit>
    <edit name="autohint">
      <bool>false</bool>
    </edit>
  </match>
Because some fonts looks better with hintfull, others with hintslight, some of them with autohint enabled, some others with a legacy lcdfilter, etc.
I suggest also to use a recent version of Verdana and other MS fonts (from Win10), as they got better rendering instruction than the mscorefonts installed in Debian/Ubuntu, that are ~15 years old (I made a package with those new fonts, you can find it in my GDrive).

joefso wrote:There are infinality freetypr 2.7 debs but for ubuntu https://launchpad.net/~no1wantdthisname ... ubuntu/ppa . I read that not all infinality patches went into 2.7. perhaps rebuilding for Debian is an idea?
I could recompile easily, but 2.7+ introduces many changes in the rendering code and, while Infinality is essentially a hack, adapting it to the new code without knowing what you're really doing could lead to unexpected results (bohoomil itself didn't know how Infinality code works, only the original Infinality developer really knew what his code do in details). So, re-read the two comments on top of this post and if you still want to stay with Infinality, keep the FT 2.6.3 version (in the meantime, FreeType default rendering could improve further).

For everyone considering to return to vanilla rendering I can help as much as I can (it depends on my real job duties) searching for your ideal fontconfig configuration (the page linked at the beginning of this post could be helpful, even if referred to ArchLinux).

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Re: HOWTO install infinality font-settings for Debian

#95 Post by DebbyIan »

After resisting much hankering I decided to take the plunge and upgrade from Jessie to Stretch. It was too much holding back until the official release date. I couldn't hold it any longer. These font package updates certainly give sharper results on both Jessie and Stretch. In order to install on Jessie however beware that there is a hack involved of installing libpng16-16_1.6.28-1_amd64.deb which is a package which only exists in the Stretch and newer repositories. NB. The harfbuzz (HB) packages won't install on Jessie.

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Re: HOWTO install infinality font-settings for Debian

#96 Post by BubuXP »

I just uploaded a new FreeType vanilla subversion (no Infinality, but partially related).
In this I enabled the possiblity to choose between the v35, v38 and v40 TrueType interpreter modes.
Read here if you don't know what that means (v38 is a lite version of Infinality built in the standard library):
https://www.freetype.org/freetype2/docs ... nting.html

You can choose also between the legacy CFF engine and the new Adobe CFF engine.

To change those parameters and others not directly listed, look at the new config file /etc/X11/Xsession.d/99freetype

The defaults values are "v40" TT interpreter and "Adobe" CFF engine (upstream defaults also).
You can try the "v38" TT interpreter to get an Infinality-like rendering.

More info on other changeable parameters as soon as I can study them.

You can get the compiled debs and sources of the new FreeType version from here.
For a better result I suggest to use also the new HarfBuzz version from here.
And if possible, use also the Fontconfig version from here.


EDIT:
I compared some v38 screenshots with some v40 ones and I cannot find any difference. There could be something wrong in my deb package or v38 and v40 look essentially the same. I'm investigating.


EDIT2:
Setting the old v35 interpreter I can see differences in rendering compared to v40, but only if using "hintfull" (rendering with "hintslight" looks the same).
Comparing the v38 interpreter with the v40 I cannot see any difference, both when using "hintfull" or "hintslight".

v40 is described as a simplified, speedy version of v38. v38 was never used by default in FreeType because of its slowness.
The v38 rendering could be changed by modifying some parameters, like Infinality does. But I don't know if those parameters could be changed via environment variables (like Infinality does) or only by changing the source code and recompiling (I can't find any information about this aspect, I should probably dive into the source code to find an answer).
The v40 interpreter has been simplified by removing the possibility to change the parameters and setting them to default values that should be good for all fonts.
FreeType developers wrote:The existing code base in FreeType (the `Infinality code') was stripped to the bare minimum and all configurability removed in the name of speed and simplicity. The configurability was mainly aimed at legacy fonts like Arial, Times New Roman, or Courier. [Legacy fonts are fonts that modify vertical stems to achieve clean black-and-white bitmaps.] The new mode focuses on applying a minimal set of rules to all fonts indiscriminately so that modern and web fonts render well while legacy fonts render okay.
I will search if it's possible to change v38 rendering parameters and how to do it.

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Re: HOWTO install infinality font-settings for Debian

#97 Post by jim_p »

I checked your gdrive infinality folder* today and I noticed there is a recent build of libfreetype6 there, but on the same version I already have (2.6.3-infinality5).. I also noticed thare are no infinality patched versions of libcairo-gobject2 and libcairo2. And I also read the new instructions, where it mentions the usual infinality guidelines.

So what shall I do now? Do I update libfreetype6 only? Do I update it and remove the other 2 by replacing them with their versions in the repo? Do I keep what I already have?

* https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/ ... 2FpLWhPTkk

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Re: HOWTO install infinality font-settings for Debian

#98 Post by BubuXP »

As the Infinality project is almost dead, I don't maintain those packages anymore and I suggest people to stay with vanilla FreeType, that has improved much in the last versions.

There are no new version, I simply recompiled the same source code, it's only a binary update (I should have appended a "+b1" to the version of the packages).
I also removed the libcairo packages, because they were optional and there is a new version now in testing, so better remove my modified libcairo packages if you have them still installed, and use the Debian vanilla packages.

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Re: HOWTO install infinality font-settings for Debian

#99 Post by jim_p »

Thanks. I upgraded to the most recent freeetype infinality patched package and replaced the infinality patched cairo ones with the originals in the repo. So far so good.

It is sad to see a project like infinality die because it is the only of its kind. I will stay with it as long as freetype 2.6 is in the repos. When 2.7 moves in there, I will make an appointment with my eye doctor, probably get new glasses, and then upgrade.

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Re: HOWTO install infinality font-settings for Debian

#100 Post by jim_p »

I looked at my panel's clock a few moments ago and I realised it's numbers seemed a bit slim...
I found an old screenshot from early December 2016, like 3 months ago, when all the infinality patched packages were installed and it seems the letters were not only thicker, but better looking. Could it be because of the removal of the 2 libcairo infinality patched packages? I do not see any major difference anywhere else.

The panel is fbpanel, the gtk theme is numix and the font is verdana 10 and no change has been made to this setup for 2+ years. In fact, numix has been my gtk theme for the last 2-3 years, fbpanel is my panel since late 2011 and verdana 10 is what I use since I first started with linux, back in December 2006. Even the font on the conky above has stayed the same since 2008!

http://imgur.com/a/EwoBP
Last edited by jim_p on 2017-03-11 16:50, edited 1 time in total.

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