Re: [ft-devel] Type42 handling

[Werner LEMBERG]

> I'm referring to the fact that the Type42 driver, as in version
> 2.3.5, loads the TT font; but does not treat it like one.  That is,
> the "PostScript-ish" interpretation of "the font" gets in the way.

Huh?  We have to interpret Type42 fonts exactly as Adobe wants them to
be interpreted!  It's their format.

> For one, FontName in Type42 doesn't necessarily always match the TT
> name.  For another, Type42 handler does not support "kerning info"
> query; this makes it useless for text composition applications.

Right.  And it isn't intended to use it for that purpose.

> A T42 font file should be viewed as a "user convenince" file: one
> need not have a TT font exist in two different font files, in order
> to use it (on screen) and also print it to PS printers.  But to FT
> clients, it should appear exactly the same as a TT font -- becaues
> that's what the font really is.

No.  This is not what the standard says.

> It is my question/suggestion that FT rid the PostScript style
> interpretation on T42 font, and treat it exactly as a TT font, in
> all aspects of operations as FT provides.

What do you want to do?  Type 42 fonts have a very limited purpose,
namely, to transport a (subset of a) TTF safely within a PostScript
environment to a printer.

> But please, do not restrict FT operations on a T42 font to what
> Adobe thinks its PS RIP should be -- a PS RIP doesn't ever compose
> text, so it can't care any less about kerning info, but FT lib
> clients almost always do.

Please explain for what purpose you would ever need that.  Note that a
properly reduced Type 42 font will neither contain a `kern' nor a
`GPOS' table.


     Werner