[Fontforge-devel] Antialias .ttf files by default in Windows

[Steve White]

Investigating a longstanding bug with the GNU Freefonts:
The TrueType fonts look awful in Windows.

It's true, because they aren't anti-aliased.
Some programs such as PuTTY, can turn antialiasing on.
Then they look great.

Also, if I build .otf files using FontForge, these are antialiased in Windows.

So what am I missing with the .ttf files, to make Windows anti-alias
them by default?

Thanks!

[Michal Nowakowski]

Post by Steve White
So what am I missing with the .ttf files, to make Windows anti-alias
them by default?

Try to play with Element -> Font Info -> GASP.

Regards,

Michał Nowakowski

[Steve White]

Michal,

Good pointer, but no luck.

I tried every combination I could imagine
Font Info -> Grid Fitting
including the setups in DejaVu Serif and finally TImes New Roman.

The result was, Windows still did not anti-alias the Freefonts by default.

There must be another switch somewhere...

Post by Michal Nowakowski

Post by Steve White
So what am I missing with the .ttf files, to make Windows anti-alias
them by default?

Try to play with Element -> Font Info -> GASP.
Regards,
Michał Nowakowski
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[Michal Nowakowski]

Post by Steve White
Good pointer, but no luck.
I tried every combination I could imagine

I can't reproduce this under my WinXP :/
Even FreeFonts 20060126 look fine in grayscale.

George, shouldn't [default] GASP be rather
"Anti-Alias" than "No Anti-Alias"?

...

Mono looks bad in monochrome. This can be cured
with GASP and Hints->Edit 'prep':

PUSHW_1
511
SCANCTRL

Note that this also matters for XP's cleartype...
Vista allegedly has its fixed.

Regards,

Michał Nowakowski

[Steve White]

Michal,

I have only Vista here.

But people have been complaining about this FreeFont problem for many years.

Post by Michal Nowakowski

Post by Steve White
Good pointer, but no luck.
I tried every combination I could imagine

I can't reproduce this under my WinXP :/
Even FreeFonts 20060126 look fine in grayscale.

There are bug reports out that say it doesn't.

Could there be a system-wide switch in Windows that overrides its
default determination as to whether the font should be anti-aliased or
not.

Post by Michal Nowakowski
George, shouldn't [default] GASP be rather
"Anti-Alias" than "No Anti-Alias"?
...
Mono looks bad in monochrome. This can be cured
PUSHW_1
511
SCANCTRL

I'll give it a shot.

Post by Michal Nowakowski
Note that this also matters for XP's cleartype...
Vista allegedly ha

[George Williams]

Post by Michal Nowakowski

Post by Steve White
Good pointer, but no luck.
I tried every combination I could imagine

I can't reproduce this under my WinXP :/
Even FreeFonts 20060126 look fine in grayscale.
George, shouldn't [default] GASP be rather
"Anti-Alias" than "No Anti-Alias"?

The default depends on a complicated way upon the pixel size, which
isn't know when the default is set...

[George Williams]

Post by Steve White
The TrueType fonts look awful in Windows.
It's true, because they aren't anti-aliased.
Some programs such as PuTTY, can turn antialiasing on.
Then they look great.
Also, if I build .otf files using FontForge, these are antialiased in Windows.
So what am I missing with the .ttf files, to make Windows anti-alias
them by default?

The gasp table controls this. But I was under the impression that for
most pixel sizes anti-aliasing was on by default.

Things are more complex under ClearType and may have changed.