Beyond Linux® From Scratch (System V Edition) - Version r13.0-37

Chapter 10. Graphics and Font Libraries

FreeType-2.14.2

Introduction to FreeType2

The FreeType2 package contains a library which allows applications to properly render TrueType fonts.

[Note]

Note

Development versions of BLFS may not build or run some packages properly if LFS or dependencies have been updated since the most recent stable versions of the books.

Package Information

Additional Downloads

Additional Documentation

FreeType2 Dependencies

Recommended

harfBuzz-13.0.0 (runtime), libpng-1.6.55, and Which-2.23

Optional

Brotli-1.2.0 and librsvg-2.61.4

Optional (for documentation)

docwriter

Installation of FreeType2

If you downloaded the additional documentation, unpack it into the source tree using the following command: 

tar -xf ../freetype-doc-2.14.2.tar.xz --strip-components=2 -C docs

Install FreeType2 by running the following commands: 

sed -ri "s:.*(AUX_MODULES.*valid):\1:" modules.cfg &&

sed -r "s:.*(#.*SUBPIXEL_RENDERING) .*:\1:" \
    -i include/freetype/config/ftoption.h   &&

./configure --prefix=/usr            \
            --disable-static         \
            --enable-freetype-config \
            --with-harfbuzz=dynamic  &&
make

This package does not come with a test suite.

Now, as the root user: 

make install

If you downloaded the optional documentation, install it as the root user: 

cp -v -R docs -T /usr/share/doc/freetype-2.14.2 &&
rm -v /usr/share/doc/freetype-2.14.2/freetype-config.1

Command Explanations

sed -ri ...: First command enables GX/AAT and OpenType table validation and second command enables Subpixel Rendering. Note that Subpixel Rendering may have patent issues. Be sure to read the 'Other patent issues' part of https://freetype.org/patents.html before enabling this option.

--disable-static: This switch prevents installation of static versions of the libraries.

--enable-freetype-config: This switch ensures that the man page for freetype-config is installed.

--with-harfbuzz=dynamic: This switch ensures that HarfBuzz is loaded dynamically, skipping the requirement to rebuild this package after HarfBuzz is installed.

--without-harfbuzz: If harfbuzz is installed prior to freetype without freetype support, use this switch to avoid a build failure.

Contents

Installed Program: freetype-config
Installed Library: libfreetype.so
Installed Directories: /usr/include/freetype2 and /usr/share/doc/freetype-2.14.2

Short Descriptions

freetype-config

is used to get FreeType compilation and linking information

libfreetype.so

contains functions for rendering various font types, such as TrueType and Type1