[Qgis-developer] Default typeface to package with app

[Etienne Tourigny]

Hi Larry,

I agree with using a unique font - but it would be best to choose one
which would minimize the need to add size to qgis.

For example, deja vu font has packages in ubuntu (to name one linux
distro), so adding it as an external dependency would not add size to
the qgis package.
Don't know about windows, osx and other linux distros though. Any case
we could provide an extra package, to be installed when needed.

On another note - do you plan to allow user to choose his font of
choice, or hard-code a specific font - based on all your arguments
above?

Etienne

On Sat, Sep 15, 2012 at 5:33 PM, Larry Shaffer <larrys at dakotacarto.com> wrote:
> Hi,
>
> Not sure if this has been discussed before, but how about including a
> default typeface to package with releases/source? Here are several
> reasons for doing so:
>
> * Standard QFontMetrics allow for developing a GUI overhaul around a
> known font across all platforms (at least in a pointsize at dpi default
> sense).
> * Known font metrics allow for standardizing relative font sizes in
> app-wide stylesheets, and per platform where needed.
> * Adding tests for the labeling engine would need a standard font of
> consistent metrics and available/functional on all platforms.
> * Currently the only Qt default font on all platforms (Courier, I
> believe) is not necessarily of similar metrics, since it is from
> various sources, nor is it IMHO very nice looking (apologies to any
> Courier fans).
> * Have a better/consistent monospaced font for the Python Console and
> anywhere editor instances (e.g. QScintilla2) or code snippets are
> displayed.
> * Have a known set of available Unicode glyphs for translators to rely upon.
> * Have a default font that provides a known set of Unicode glyphs for
> font markers in symbology. (Could be spread across multiple default
> symbol fonts.)
> * Provide workarounds for QtDesigner bug where platform-specific fonts
> end up embedded in .ui files [0].
>
> There are probably other good reasons. I've looked at several typeface
> candidates and think the DejaVu project's family of fonts [1] would
> work well. While DejaVu (based off of Bitstream's Vera Sans) is
> already available for Ubuntu and other Linux distros, it is relatively
> unused, though fully compatible, on all supported QGIS platforms [2].
> Downside: about 5 MBs extra (compressed) for package.
>
> As a TTF DejaVu can readily be loaded into QFontDatabase [3] on
> platforms that do not have a compatible DejaVu typeface already
> installed. This would probably entail only loading 4 heavily-used
> faces, like Sans Book/Bold and Mono Book/Bold, though I think the
> entire typeface should be included.
>
> Any other ideas for embedded fonts? Note: fonts to consider should be
> in TTF format, offer enough font faces, provide enough language and
> Unicode character support, and be available under the SIL Open Font
> [4] or similarly compatible license.
>
>
> [0] Search for 'font-family:' in .ui files
> [1] http://dejavu-fonts.org/wiki/Main_Page
> [2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DejaVu_fonts
> [3] http://qt-project.org/doc/qt-4.7/qfontdatabase.html#id-5441ac2b-3b52-411e-b2be-7ee83eef8041
> [4] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SIL_Open_Font_License
>
> Regards,
>
> Larry
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