[GRASS-dev] font path question for Linux and Windows

[Glynn Clements]

Hamish wrote:

> > > I've added scripts/d.freetypecap, which generates a freetypecap file
> > > by scanning a (hard-coded) list of directories for .ttf files. The
> > > list of directories is currently:
> > > 
> > > /usr/lib/X11/fonts
> > > /usr/share/fonts
> > > /Library/Fonts
> > > $WINDIR/Fonts
> > > 
> > > The script is run during the build process to generate a freetypecap
> > > file. For binary distributions, it really needs to be run after
> > > installation, to identify the fonts on the user's system.
> 
> FWIW, the new script finds 61 fonts on my Debian/Sarge setup. Nice!
> The old freetypecap file copied raw from d.text.freetype has some fonts
> in it but it was totally useless as the paths and font names don't exist
> on my system.
> 
> Possible improvements:
> * use `uname -s` to look for dir by platform. (see lib/init/init.sh)

That's a bit messy, and not really necessary. If any of those
directories exist on a given system, it's probably worth searching
them for fonts.

> * quote "$GISBASE" on the final line as it may well have a space in it.

Will do.

> * regular modules shouldn't write to $GISBASE. Move the script into
>   $(ETC) or tools/.

I was under the impression that "tools" didn't get processed by
default, but it turns out that isn't the case.

The problem with $(ETC) is that it isn't in the path, so it's awkward
for the user to run it directly (and it won't get run any other way at
present).

But, it isn't a normal module, so it probably shouldn't be treated as
such.

> * make d.text.freetype a symlink to d.text.new, not in scripts/.
>   (see d.paint.labels or p.out.vrml for an example)

Symlinks don't work on windows (MSys' "ln" just copies the file, which
will be somewhat larger than the script). Also, a script allows for
e.g. printing a warning that the module is deprecated.

-- 
Glynn Clements <glynn at gclements.plus.com>