Re: [Freetype] WIN CE Port and Usage ?

[Jeremy]

From: "Ed Keith" <address@hidden>

> Doesn't WinCE provide TrueType support directly like other Windows OS's,

Depends on the platform.  Either truetype or bitmap (but never both)

> or are you looking to use FreeType for low-level graphics to support paths
and bezier curves?

I don't have an immediate need for glyph outlines for paths, but in the
medium term it would be very good to get path information from font glyphs.
My private GDI uses polylines to describe paths, so I would need to get
access to a polyline version of a glyph.

> If WinCE native fonts are not TrueType, they are most likely pre-rendered
bitmap fonts (what is the font file extension? .fon, .fnt?).  If
pre-rendered WinCE bitmap fonts are already "*very* slow", I doubt FreeType
will help since rasterization to character bitmaps is an additional added
overhead that isn't needed with bitmap fonts.  Though fixed in terms of
given sizes, pre-rendered bitmap fonts should be the fastest to draw.

On the iPaq, which I am developing for, when a font of a given scale and
rotation is first referenced, the system freezes for significant periods of
time. (I guess it is generating bitmaps ?)  In my application, this means a
total freeze for 30 seconds or more at program initialisation.

In my application I need to know font metrics for character placement at
program start-up - this should be a zero cost operation. When I actually
generate images I use GDI calls to render the characters at the required
rotation and placement. I would like to be able to get a path for the glyph
and render it myself.  This is impossible under WINCE.  I was trying to find
out if it was possible under FreeType.

I will persevere with FreeType as it should be much faster than WINCE.  The
iPaq uses an ARM processor at 206 Mhz, so it is definitely no slouch.  The
problem seems to be an all or nothing approach by CE to managing fonts
rather than any limitation of processor.

One problem I see is how to access the CE truetype fonts for use with
Freetype.  I have no experience in this.  What do I look for and where?  I
assume CE works like WIN32 platforms in this regard.  Are they kept in
files?  DLLs? Is there a standard set of WIN32 API calls to get to them?  I
realise this is not core FreeType, but I guess other developers have been
down this route for programs on WIN32 platforms.

Jeremy