nanogui: Thread: nano-X, freetype and font caches?

Hi there,

I am using nano-X with freetype-2.1.4 on an small embedded system.

IIUC then when a font is used for the first time, the font file is read and all 
the characters are rendered by freetype into small bitmaps.

Unfortunatly this takes very very long. Especially when I am using several fonts 
at the same time. (Once the fonts are loaded its fast.)

Now my quetsion is if we could use some kind of cache mechanism in nano-X. I 
thought freetype knows about font chaching...

Thanks!

-- 
Steven

: Now my quetsion is if we could use some kind of cache mechanism in nano-X.
I
: thought freetype knows about font chaching...

Nano-X doesn't cache any fonts (except of course converted
.bdf fonts linked internally) directly.  There have been a couple
cases of extra code added to cache freetype fonts for speed.
I have an older version for freetype 1.x.  Gabrielle contributed
all sorts of changes for freetype 2.x with his win32 changes,
including font caching, which are included in CVS.  However,
I had to disable the cache code, since some applications
segfaulted when enabled.  There hasn't been time to debug
this contributed code.

Regards,

Greg

Greg Haerr wrote:
> : Now my quetsion is if we could use some kind of cache mechanism in nano-X.
> I
> : thought freetype knows about font chaching...
> 
> Nano-X doesn't cache any fonts (except of course converted
> .bdf fonts linked internally) directly.  There have been a couple
> cases of extra code added to cache freetype fonts for speed.
> I have an older version for freetype 1.x.  Gabrielle contributed
> all sorts of changes for freetype 2.x with his win32 changes,
> including font caching, which are included in CVS.  However,
> I had to disable the cache code, since some applications
> segfaulted when enabled.  There hasn't been time to debug
> this contributed code.

Thanks.

But my understanding was correct that when a truetype font is loaded
(i.ew use for the first time in an application) then the font file is
loaded and all character in that font are rendered into ram. So later
the rendered images are just copied, right?

--
Steven

Greg,

> : Now my quetsion is if we could use some kind of cache mechanism in nano-X.
> I
> : thought freetype knows about font chaching...
> 
> Nano-X doesn't cache any fonts (except of course converted
> .bdf fonts linked internally) directly.  There have been a couple
> cases of extra code added to cache freetype fonts for speed.
> I have an older version for freetype 1.x.  Gabrielle contributed
> all sorts of changes for freetype 2.x with his win32 changes,
> including font caching, which are included in CVS.  However,
> I had to disable the cache code, since some applications
> segfaulted when enabled.  There hasn't been time to debug
> this contributed code.

Any news on freetype 2 improvements? Caching? Speedup?

--
Steven

>> Gabrielle contributed
> > all sorts of changes for freetype 2.x with his win32 changes,
> > including font caching, which are included in CVS.  However,
> > I had to disable the cache code, since some applications
> > segfaulted when enabled.  There hasn't been time to debug
> > this contributed code.
> 
> Any news on freetype 2 improvements? Caching? Speedup?

There's no development occuring for FT2, to my knowledge.
The CVS version contains Gabrielle's enhancements to FT2,
but like I said I disabled his caching by default, since his
win32 demo apps segfault with it compiled in.  I didn't have
time to debug Gabrielle's submission.  Someone needs to
to find the problem with the cache/speedup.  If you want
to get involved, I'll certainly give advice :)

I am still using FT1...

Regards,

Greg