[Fontconfig] Fontconfig language update proposal

Akira TAGOH akira at tagoh.org
Thu Nov 28 08:48:22 UTC 2019


On Thu, Nov 28, 2019 at 4:07 PM Nicolas Mailhot
<nicolas.mailhot at laposte.net> wrote:
> You're already doing it for
>
> <fontvariations>AXIS1=VALUE;AXIS2=VALUE</fontvariations>
>
> Except it's neither an XML nor a YAML list, it’s a one-of-a-kind dict
> format that can not be parsed natively by any off-the-shelf XML or YAML
> parser.

That is just a string *in* fontconfig. nothing more than that. Pango
API interprets it as is. that's all about it I can tell. they have
different situation and background. it wouldn't even become evidence
to have different language engines. in fact, we have XML only at the
moment.

> The whole locale-specific debacle for example, where you've wanted for
> years to try alternative approaches, and you can't because neitheir you
> nor other font packagers have any wish to rewrite all existing files.

Not exactly. you may be not. but I may. well, I didn't just go ahead
for something we didn't have any consensus yet. but anyway.

>
> That's 100% due to a bad abstraction level in fontconfig, where instead
> of telling the engine what locale a font file is good for (letting the
> engine compute the appropriate priorization strategy), users have to
> hardcode a specific handling strategy in their config files.

Hmm, I'm still not clear what you are trying...  in that sense, what
you are proposing would also introduce rewriting. it may be "only
once", but the above changes you referenced may be "only once" as
well.
Again, there shouldn't be that difference between them. that would be
"complicated vs simple" or "generic vs dedicated". both have pros and
cons. that would also looks different against POVs. it's simply hard
to say which one is good or bad.

Improving things are always welcome and I see that necessity too. as I
said at first, I agree with you for the point we need to have more
simple way in configuration. also there are an issue, such as
https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/fontconfig/fontconfig/issues/174. we
definitely need to revise it.

Thank you again for your suggestions. I'll take a look shortly how we
can improve.

>
> Regards,
> --
> Nicolas Mailhot
>


-- 
Akira TAGOH


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