This version of this document is no longer maintained. For the latest documentation, see http://www.qnx.com/developers/docs.

fontadmin

Font configuration utility

Syntax:

fontadmin [-c config_directory] [-d font_directory]

Options:

-c config_directory

-d font_directory

-S i|m|n

Initial window state (iconified, maximized, or normal).

Description:

You can use the fontadmin utility to configure your fonts under Photon:

• If you run fontadmin as root, it updates the global system files in ${PHOTON_PATH}/font_repository. A dialog warns you about this when you start fontadmin as root.
• If you run fontadmin as any user other than root, it updates per-user configuration files located in ${HOME}/.ph/font.

The fontadmin utility lets you specify mappings from one font name to another, which is useful if a certain font isn't installed. The Mappings panel looks like this:

You can also specify some options:

These options apply to all fonts:

Always Anti-Alias

If enabled, you should get crisp, clean output on the screen, at practically any resolution.

Strict International Support

If enabled, the font manager uses the missing glyph, and the font family, style, and size to locate a font to provide a substitute glyph. If this option is disabled, only the missing glyph is used to locate a substitute.

Enabling this option may provide more uniform text output, but it significantly decreases performance.

Rendering plugin options are organized into schemas. A schema contains sections identified by a particular DLL identification name, and each section contains settings for that DLL.

By default, there is a server schema that applies to font server plugins. This schema contains all options for the font server, and cannot be removed, though the options can be modified. The server schema contains the same option values as default for the rendering plugins.

There is also an optional schema named dll which applies to font rendering DLLs that are run as local servers (see phfont and PfAttachLocalDll(). These sections only contain a cache size option which overrides the default option values. You can add additional options to these schemas.

Schemas are used by the following libfont API calls:

• PfAttachLocalDll
• PfSetOptionsDll

Schemas allow a client side application to invoke a private font instance with options tailored for the particular application.

Adding a new schema

To add a new schema, click on the + icon, then enter the schema name into a dialog.

Removing a schema

To remove a schema, either click on the - icon, or click on the schema name to gain focus. Then right click on the schema name and select Remove Schema from the menu. To remove a schema, it must be empty of all sections and options.

Adding a section

To add a section to a schema, double click on the schema name. From the dialog that appears, select from the list of valid sections which may be added to the schema.

Removing a section

To remove a section, click on its section name to gain focus. Then right click on the section name, and select Remove Section from the menu.

If you remove a section which contains options, the options are also removed.

Adding an option

To add an option to a section, double click on the section name. From the dialog that appears, select an option from the list.

Removing an option

To remove an option, click on the option name to gain focus. Then right click on the option name, and select Remove Option from the menu.

Modify an option

To modify an option, double click on the option name. A dialog appropriate to the option is displayed.

When modifying an option within the server schema, the changes are in real time. If you wish to undo any changes, you should revert to the previous value before selecting Done.

Asian Font Selection

The Asian Identification panel lets you identify and select the Asian font you prefer:

Keyword:

This box lets you add and remove keywords. Keywords are substrings used by the font subsystem to identify fonts, by foundry name (e.g. HonMincho BT), which can be used to display symbols in the following Unicode ranges:

• 0x2236
• 0x3000 to 0xDFFF (inclusive)
• 0xF900 to 0xFE4F (inclusive)
• 0xFF00 to 0xFFEE (inclusive)

For example, if a font with the foundry name PrimaSans BT was installed, and a keyword of Prima existed, the font PrimaSans BT would be tagged by the font subsystem for use in Asian symbol lookup. This makes identifying Asian (CJK) symbols faster because the font subsystem needs to check only specified fonts instead of all installed fonts.

Preferred Asian Font:

By default, the font subsystem organizes all extension fonts in order of largest to smallest Unicode range, to minimize font swapping. If you want to use a specific Asian font before any other one, select it from the supplied list.

See also:

phfont

Using the Photon microGUI and Configuring Your Environment in the Neutrino User's Guide