Re: [ft-devel] New `slight' auto-hinting mode

[Werner LEMBERG]

>> I can only repeat: Hinting and subpixel positioning *can* work
>> together!  There is absolutely no reason why this shouldn't be
>> possible.
> 
> The brilliance of lsb_delta and rsb_delta method is that it
> recognizes that two extreme edges of the glyph are hinted mostly
> independently.  For these two degrees of freedom it uses two numbers
> and then cleverly adjusts spacing between glyphs using these
> numbers. I doubt the information contained in two numbers can be
> squeezed into one fractional width. It is only possible if two
> numbers are related rather than independent.  This is pure theory.

Well, lsb_delta and rsb_delta are derived from the horizontal phantom
points.  Given that the idea of `phantom points' is originally a
TrueType concept, I don't see why this shouldn't work with TrueType
hinting.

> Secondly, hinted stems are rigidly fixed to the grid.  [...]

Who says that?  Proper ClearType hinting could easily recognize that
aligning to the grid is not feasible, thus trying a less aggressive
approach similar to warping.

> The discussion, however, started from 'slight" mode, see subject
> line, i.e., hinting disabled.  In this case, fractional width is
> indeed possible and can be just dropped in place of rsb_delta,
> remember lsb_delta is 0 and the spacing never adjusted in light
> mode.  Ok?

Thanks for updating the source code.  Let's see whether everything
works fine now :-)


    Werner