Nevermind, I see that freetype dropped it, and it was picked up later by the projects you mentioned... http://www.freedesktop.org/wiki/Software/HarfBuzz
On Thu, Apr 24, 2008 at 8:10 AM, Paul Ramsey <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Intriguing problem... is it possible that we could achieve this > through more sophisticated use of freetype? > > http://www.freetype.org/opentype/index.html > > P. > > > > On Wed, Apr 23, 2008 at 12:26 AM, Swapnil Hajare <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > > Hello All, > > I have been trying unsuccessfully to login to trac.osgeo.org/mapserver > > using my OSGeo userid (dreamil). After trying for last 2 days, I am posting > > here the bug report which I wanted to post there. Please go through this > and > > let me know your opinion on the same: > > > > > ******************************************************************************************** > > Title: Indic Support (using OpenType fonts) in Mapserver > > > > The current version of Mapserver can render labels on map using LABEL > > directive in a map file.For labels, you can use truetype fonts which is > > achieved using freetype.Due to this map labels can be displayed in various > > non-English languages such as europian and some Asian scripts. > > > > However, for rendering some CTL (Complex Text Layout) scripts, truetype > > fonts are not sufficient.Indic Scripts, for example, require much more than > > mere juxtaposition of glyphs from a font.Rendering Indic scripts such as > > Devanagari, Gujarati, Tamil, Telugu, Bengali etc. is much more complex than > > others.To handle this, "intelligent" fonts were designed which contain > > embedded rules to help rendering.These were called OpenType fonts (see > > http://www.microsoft.com/typography/otfntdev/indicot/default.htm). Though > > initiated by M$, OpenType fonts are are now Industry standard for rendering > > these complex scripts on Computer using script and language rules. All > major > > Linux desktops such as GNOME and KDE support OpenType font rendering.To > > handle OpenType fonts, various rendering engines have been developed and > > have become part of rendering libraries such as > > Pango(http://www.pango.org/)/ICU(http://www.icu-project.org/), Qt etc.It > > should be noted that, in absence of such a rendering engine, OpenType fonts > > act as Truetype fonts i.e. the embedded rendering rules are not used while > > doing the glyph formation. > > > > There are numerous OpenType fonts available free/proprietory for Indic > > scripts. We have ourselves developed gargi, the first GPLed OpenType font > > for Devanagari(http://savannah.nongnu.org/projects/gargi). > > > > Current Mapserver supports truetype fonts using freetype routines, but > there > > is no support for OpenType fonts. As a result, a text label in any of the > > indic scripts is rendered using justaposition of glyphs from the font > > provided, without using rendering rules.The result is incorrect rendering. > > To show you the difference, here is the snapshot of a map with labels in > > Devanagari script (which is a indic script), rendered in correct > > fashion(http://indictrans.in/~swapnil/mapserver/required_result.png) and > > here is the snapshot as rendered by > > > Mapserver(http://indictrans.in/~swapnil/mapserver/mapserv_no_render_support_for_ttf.png) > > You may not be able to make out much if you are not familiar with the > > script, but for someone who knows the script, its an incorrect or broken > > representation of the text. > > > > To solve this, we should add support for OpenType font rendering in > > Mapserver.This can be done by embedding some indic rendering routines from > > Pango or ICU into the label rendering engine of mapserver. I don't know the > > details of how labels are rendered in Mapserver, so somebody knowledgable > > should guide. I am prepared to take up the task on behalf of my team > > (www.indictrans.in) if I get some guidance about internal working of > > Mapserver.As far as performance is concerned, this will hit the speed > badly, > > but then this can be encoded as a configure options (--with-pango similar > to > > Firefox implementation > > http://developer.spikesource.com/wiki/index.php/Firefox_Indic_Build) so > that > > it becomes optional. > > > > You may have look at the temporary solution which we are using for the time > > being to show indic text on maps using Mapserver here: > > > http://www.indictrans.in/old/doublebyte/English/doublebyte_l10n_25march_4PM.html > > We have numerous localized GIS demo on our website using this approach. > > > > > ******************************************************************************************** > > > > regards, > > -- > > Swapnil Hajare > > dreamil.indictrans.in > > _______________________________________________ > > mapserver-users mailing list > > [email protected] > > http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/mapserver-users > > > > > _______________________________________________ mapserver-users mailing list [email protected] http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/mapserver-users
