Re: [ft] Differences between FT1 and FT2

[Werner LEMBERG]

> Is there a document anywhere which lists the features that are in
> FreeType 2 but not FreeType 1?  The FAQ just says it "does a lot
> more".

It's quite simple: FT1 supports only TTFs (and TTCs), while FT2 has
support for a bunch of other font formats.  Additionally, FT2 comes
with an autohinter.

> The FAQ also says that FT1 includes OpenType layout processing but
> in FT2, it was moved to a different project which is not available.
> What's the status of FreeType Layout?  Without that, we really can't
> move forward.

The TTO code you've started a long time ago, and which I've completed
for OpenType support has shown to be remarkably useful, even its
interface.  A lot of improvements have been added meanwhile, and it is
now the basis for the very successful Pango library.  Pango's only
`drawback' is the use of glib, which makes memory handling difficult
if there isn't sufficient memory (this is what David says IIRC).

There are plans to rewrite OpenType support (using the new ftvalid and
gxvalid modules for simplified error handling), but AFAIK this is
still vaporware, unfortunately.


    Werner