Re: GnomeFont question

[Miguel de Icaza <miguel gnu org>]

> Well, I am more than willing to wait because using X font metrics is 
> really not what I'd call fun, and I need those text items to put in a 
> home-brewed GnomePlot canvas-python based widget.

This will not be very soon.

Currently GnomeFont encapsulated a Postscript font, and there is a
routine that can map this GnomeFont to a "close" relative in X world.
This mapping is not always accurrate.

What we must do is create a renderer (based on the current renderer we
have in libart) to render the outline fonts into pixmaps and use these
pixmaps to draw into the X server.  It is sort of a pain, I know and
it is not done.

> Well my question is when can we expect such a nice thing to happen?

Not soon, unless a kind soul wants to work on this.  I am willing to
provide help and guidance to any interested hacker.

> Will we have python bindings for it in the standard pygnome package?

My guess is that it will be, yes.

> Well in other words, I want a StarOffice equivalent of text frames in 
> an image transposed to canvas setting!

I am not familiar with this, can you describe what you want?

Currently, Gnumeric (trough GnomePrint) uses GnomeFonts to display
real Postscript fonts on the screen for its print-preview.

Mhm, scratch that.  Actually, any GnomePrint application can use these
Postscript fonts *iff* they use the GnomeCanvas in AA mode plus a few
files available in gnome-print. 

Best wishes,
Miguel.