Re: [Devel] C++ API for FreeType

[David Turner]

Hi Graham,

Graham Asher a écrit :
> 
> I somehow missed an earlier comment:
> 
> >  A - is there enough interest in a C++ version of the library
> >      (and more especially a C++ native API)
> >
> >  B - would doing so drastically reduce our development time
> >      (man-years ??)
> 
> I am very much in favour of a C++ version. I won't argue in detail for that
> now - I have done so on previous occasions - except to say that I have
> successfully re-implemented certain important parts of FreeType in C++,
> including the outline structure (in my version, a class) and both the
> monochrome and anti-aliasing rasterizing engines.
> 
> I converted FreeType code to C++ *very* conservatively, retaining nearly
> every line of the original code unchanged, partly because I didn't
> understand some aspects of the logic I was converting, but was able to
> create a system - as far as it went - that was more usable and easier to
> maintain than the original, mainly because of basic C++ facilities like
> constructors and private data members, although there are notational
> advantages as well, like being able to declare variables at their first
> point of use.
>
Thanks for your response. I'm actually extremely interested in knowing
precisely which C++ facilities you believe are important here. I'd like
to be able to distinguish between:

  - re-designing the API in OO fashion (be it in C++ or C),
    and knowing its benefits

  - C++ features that can only be implemented in C through
    painful tricks, and that add significant advantages
    to the project..


Just like the 2.x API is simpler and better than the 1.x one, I'd like
the 3.x API to be an incremental change in ease of use and expressibility,
so any point can be considered right now..

(note: there are many things that I do not like in the FT 2.x API myself
       but we couldn't change them due to backwards-compatibility issues).


> So I am reasonably well placed to comment on API design and conversion to
> C++, if my help is wanted.
>
Yes, your help would be greatly appreciated. Actually, I was wondering
wether you would be able to send us the header files that corresponding
to your C++ API, in order to have a better idea of what you're describing,
and be able to comment that.. ?

I would understand if you couldn't though..



Thanks,

- David