Adding Fonts? (X11 version)

[danaris]

Greetings.
I'm trying to find a way to add a font to the Linux/X11 version of Angband. I'm reasonably sure I've got the font in the right format (.FON, converted through various trials and tribulations from a Macintosh .dfont, and verified to work in Windows), but it consistently gives me a "Couldn't load the requested font." when I set the appropriate line in my x11-settings.prf.

As additional information (which those here might already know ), when I renamed one of the fonts already in the /usr/local/share/angband/xtra/font directory to the name of the font I'm trying to add, it still gave an error. Also, when I renamed the font I'm trying to add to one of the existing fonts, it loaded fine—with the existing font, not with mine.

So it seems very much as if Angband is pulling its fonts from somewhere other than the /xtra/font directory. But where? And how do I get it to recognize a new font in .FON format?

Thanks for any help you can give,

Timothy Collett

[Pete Mack]

This just seems wrong...

Windows for a long time has used TrueType for its default font format, and Xorg (X11) also supports TrueType. What is the point of using old bitmapped fonts now?

[danaris]

Originally Posted by Pete Mack

This just seems wrong...

Windows for a long time has used TrueType for its default font format, and Xorg (X11) also supports TrueType. What is the point of using old bitmapped fonts now?

Oh, if Angband X11 supports TrueType, I'd love to use a TrueType font...but my understanding is that it still only supports .FON bitmap fonts :-/

I was thinking that it seemed silly, too...

Timothy Collett

[Pete Mack]

Except in OSX Angband doesn't support TTF, more's the pity. I suspect it would be easier to fix this lack than to continue to maintain all these archaic font types.

[takkaria]

Originally Posted by danaris

Oh, if Angband X11 supports TrueType, I'd love to use a TrueType font...but my understanding is that it still only supports .FON bitmap fonts :-/

I was thinking that it seemed silly, too...

Timothy Collett

Angband X11 uses whatever fonts X11 has available, and I have no idea how to add to them. I'd recommend you use the SDL port instead, since that does let you change fonts.

[jsv]

Originally Posted by takkaria

I'd recommend you use the SDL port instead, since that does let you change fonts.

As does the GTK port.

In the X11 port you select fonts by specifying environment variables (there are many of them). The simplest case can look something like:

ANGBAND_X11_FONT="-*-terminus-*-*-*-*-20-*-*-*-*-*-*-*" angband -mx11

Consult the x11-main.c file to see which other variables are available. There is an example script at the beginning of the file.

But I'd too recommend using SDL or GTK port. (Or GCU )

[Magnate]

Originally Posted by takkaria

Angband X11 uses whatever fonts X11 has available, and I have no idea how to add to them. I'd recommend you use the SDL port instead, since that does let you change fonts.

Seconded. Adding fonts to the X11 font server is a whole separate ball game from messing with angband. Google might be able to help, mind - but using SDL is definitely easier.

[takkaria]

Originally Posted by Magnate

Seconded. Adding fonts to the X11 font server is a whole separate ball game from messing with angband. Google might be able to help, mind - but using SDL is definitely easier.

I think we might be getting close to calling time on the X11 port...

[Magnate]

Originally Posted by takkaria

I think we might be getting close to calling time on the X11 port...

Hmmm. While I opposed that idea last time it was discussed on rgra, I have since been hit with this hard-to-reproduce bug that virtually locks up some machines yet not others. Taking out the x11 port would neatly avoid having to actually understand the problem ...