Re: [ft] Font Height Problem

[Werner LEMBERG]

> After upgrading from version 2.6.3 to 2.9.1, I noticed that the
> DejaVu Sans font (and some others) now appear to be taller (for the
> same font size) than before.  For example, with DejaVu Sans Mono
> size 9.8 pt, the height increased by 2 pixels.
>
> I am absolutely sure that this is due to a change in FreeType,
> because installing the old version (2.6.3) restores the old font
> height.
>
> To correct the problem in the new version, I tried enabling autohint
> in the font configuration, and enabling AF_CONFIG_TT_SIZE_METRICS at
> compile-time, without success.
>
> Can someone explain what changed in FreeType, and how to get the old
> font height back?

I think you are referring to the following change in version 2.8.

    - Global size  metrics values  in the  `FT_Size_Metrics' structure
      can be  different for TrueType  fonts.  Reason is that  in older
      FreeType  versions  the  metrics  were  rounded  differently  to
      integer pixels compared  to all other font  formats, yielding an
      inconsistent behaviour if you used non-native hinting.  Starting
      with this  version, global size  metrics for TrueType  fonts are
      handled the same as other  font formats: `ascender' gets rounded
      up,  `descender'  gets  rounded  down,  `height'  gets  normally
      rounded, and `max_advance' gets normally rounded, too.

      If you need more precise values of (global) ascender, descender,
      height, or  `max_advance', please take the  corresponding values
      from the `FT_Face' structure and scale them manually.

Please adjust your font size values.


    Werner