# X.org MS TrueType Fonts



## LordZ (Nov 27, 2008)

Hello guys. Sorry for stupid and bad question but is there a way to install MS TrueType fonts to FreeBSD. If there is one please  can you advice.


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## vermaden (Nov 27, 2008)

Install this port/package:
http://freshports.org/x11-fonts/webfonts


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## Djn (Nov 27, 2008)

Alternatively, just copy the ttf files from a windows install (c:\windows\fonts\ , I think) to /usr/local/share/fonts/ . This should work for the new C fonts (Candara, Calibri, Consolas etc) as well, if you've got them.


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## LordZ (Nov 27, 2008)

I'll try to find them on my laptop were i have windows vista...guess I'll erase it soon if I'll manage to do my wi-fi work.


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## caesius (Nov 27, 2008)

Also remember that if you have a Windows license to build with the
	
	



```
-DWITH_MSWINDOWS_LICENSE
```
 option to get the main pre Vista Windows menu interface font.


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## LordZ (Nov 28, 2008)

I observed that most fonts in Win Vista are Open Type, I try to get the fonts from an WinXP machine today.


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## Djn (Nov 28, 2008)

Opentype fonts should work as well, actually.


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## graudeejs (Nov 28, 2008)

you can also place them to ~/.fonts


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## LordZ (Nov 28, 2008)

I'll try that when I'll get home from work


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## kamikaze (Nov 29, 2008)

By the way, lots of the fonts stuff in the FreeBSD handbook is horribly outdated. The proper way to activate subpixel rendering and making sure that the system does not use bitmap fonts has changed. It's just getting into your _PREFIX/etc/fonts/conf.d_ directory and symlinking all the features you want from _../conf.avail/_.

Of course there are dialogues for gnome and kde, but doing it yourself makes it work everywhere.

Unfortunately I'm unable to find a decent howto in the Xorg.conf Wiki. But I suppose I can hack something together for doc@ to update the whole thing.


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## LordZ (Nov 30, 2008)

Thank you very much guys.


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## aragon (Nov 30, 2008)

Something I highly recommend is installing a Helvetica replacement font.  Xorg out the box ships only with a bitmap Helvetica, and it's the only Helvetica available unless you're willing to cough up for a licensed copy from Adobe.

But /usr/ports/x11-fonts/urwfonts is an open source font package which has a Helvetica look alike (among others).  Their look alike is called Nimbus Sans L and I think the default system fonts configuration mentioned above replaces the bitmapped Helvetica with it if it's available.

If you've ever browsed the web and wondered why some sites have horrible looking fonts, chances are they're using Helvetica and you only have the bitmap version running.


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## Djn (Nov 30, 2008)

Or you can use Arial, which was designed to be a Helvetica-lookalike.
(It's subtly different and arguably not quite as elegant as the original, but more than close enough for this use.)


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## aragon (Nov 30, 2008)

Yea, that's what Windows does.  I'm not sure if the stock font config will remap Helvetica to Arial though.  You could probably use something like this in ~/.fonts.conf:


```
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<!DOCTYPE fontconfig SYSTEM "fonts.dtd">
<fontconfig>
  <match target="pattern" >
  <test name="family" qual="any" >
   <string>Helvetica</string>
  </test>
  <edit mode="assign" name="family" >
   <string>Arial</string>
  </edit>
 </match>
</fontconfig>
```


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## kamikaze (Dec 1, 2008)

# cd /usr/local/etc/fonts/conf.d
# ln -s ../conf.avail/70-no-bitmaps.conf
# ln -s ../conf.avail/10-sub-pixel-rgb.conf

This makes a lot of difference. The most important font packages are to me URW, bitstream and webfonts. I put fonts that I use for graphics design like calligraphy or hand script fonts into my _~/.fonts/_ directory. So that I don't have to dirty _/usr/local_ with stuff that wasn't installed by a port.


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## LordZ (Dec 1, 2008)

The look of the web pages changed a lot after installing _/x11-fonts/webfonts_.

Thanks a log guys.


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## vermaden (Dec 1, 2008)

You may also tune font renderring by *~/.fonts.conf* and *~/.Xdefaults*

I use these settings:
http://forums.pcbsd.org/viewtopic.php?p=74641#p74641

Just remember to reload font cache by: *fc-cache -r*


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## SoulStealer (Dec 9, 2008)

I used the handbook info for font installation (TrueType), it does work nicely, anything I should know about it?


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## acottag (Apr 4, 2010)

*Truetype fonts path*



			
				SoulStealer said:
			
		

> I used the handbook info for font installation (TrueType), it does work nicely, anything I should know about it?



Hello!

I am trying to understand TrueType font installation; the Handbook states
Now make a directory for the TrueType fonts (...) and copy all of the TrueType fonts into this directory.

How may I know where are the TrueType fonts installed? I installed package xorg-fonts-type1-7.4; are there anymore packages with TrueType fonts?)

Thanks in advance.


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## PhenomII (Jun 8, 2010)

Greetings,
 I wrote something back in the '80's that still applies today. It should give a pretty
good understanding on how X(f86/org) deals with fonts. While I _do_ need to update
it to include some of the newer features that X has added, it's all still valid.
X11 : XFree86 : Xorg : making fonts look GOOD

HTH


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