[Devel] [OpenType] Hinting question

[James H. Cloos Jr.]

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It implies that ttf (glyf) fonts can be the logical equivalent of
optical axis multiple master fonts given that point size, device
resolution and font transform are separate args to the bci.  As such,
if the point size arg is used to carry the design size and the
transform is used to modify that into the user's request size, the
logical equivalent of optical scaling should result.

Provided that the font designer and the rasterization engine coöperate.

Are there any implementation details in freetype of xft{1,2} that
would prevent this from working?

-JimC

(As you might guess, I'm a big fan of optically scaled fonts.)

> --- Begin Message ---
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> Subject: 
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> [OpenType]  Hinting question
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> Date: 
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> Fri, 7 Jun 2002 11:29:16 -0700
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> (If there is a better forum in which to post this question, please let me
> know.)
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> My understanding is that TrueType hinting takes the point size, device
> resolution, and font transform as separate components.  The point size
> indicates the optical size of the font, and is used to customize the
> outline of the glyphs for the intended optical size (control serifs, stem
> thickness).  The device resolution and transform are used to control
> rasterization, to avoid unequal stem widths and so on.
>
> In practice, do type designers, and rasterizers, make use of these
> distinctions?  Or do type designers seldom perform optical size
> adjustments, and rasterizers generally roll the data into one transform
> matrix?  If so, then it is not possible to distinguish the point size from
> the 'zoom factor', or to identify the actual intended physical size of the
> font.  Is this a problem?
>
> --- End Message ---