HOWTO: quickly improve X11 font rendering

[Pausanias]

This post is now outdated. For the latest improved font information, including a proper Edgy repository so you don't get conflicts, check here:

http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=235526



This is just a summary of a previous thread on improving the way your fonts look in X11. Many people have noticed significant improvment in font rendering with these patches. You might wish to check out these before and after screenshots from that thread.

Other people wrote the patches; I am just condensing the various instructions that were dispersed throughout the previous thread, with some more detailed instructions. The algorithms in these patches may or may not be covered by Microsoft's ClearType patents; check with this guy if this is a concern for you. Special thanks go to jcooper, hugmenot, mannheim, and of course David Turner who wrote the patches to begin with.

EDIT: The instructions have been updated so as not to conflict with certain people's setups. Please report any problems on this thread.

sudo apt-get install libcairo2-dev libxft-dev libfontconfig1-dev
sudo apt-get remove libcairo2-dev libxft-dev
mkdir fontpatches
cd fontpatches
(download the three message attachments here)
unzip *.zip
gunzip *gz
sudo cp local.conf /etc/fonts
sudo dpkg -i *deb

Answer yes to all questions. Then reboot the computer. When Ubuntu comes back, go to System->Preferences->Font. Make sure that subpixel smoothing is on. Then click on details. Choose either Slight or Full Hinting, or another value if you prefer. I find that the rendering works very well with the Bitstream Vera Sans font. If you find a better font you can post it here.

To prevent future updates from overwriting the patches, load synaptic. On the left hand side, click on "Installed (local or obsolete)." Select all packages containing the words libcairo, libxft, and libfreetype. Under the package menu, select lock version. To undo the version lock, click on the word "Pinned" on the left hand side. Select all package containing the words libcairo, libxft, and libfreetype. Under the package menu, uncheck lock version.

To uninstall the packages, go again to the "Installed (local or obsolete)" section in synaptic. Select each package one at a time. Under the package menu, select "force version." When the menu comes, select the version that has the text "(dapper)" at the end of it. When you're done doing this for all the packages, click on apply. Then "sudo rm /etc/fonts/local.conf." Reboot to get the vanilla font rendering back.

[flargen]

Hi, I was just about to try this when I realised that there are cairo packages. I use Xgl and quinn´s repo etc, which installed an updated cairo. Will it make any difference if I stick with my newer but not patched cairo packages?

Thanks for the guide + patches

[grendelkhan]

I haven't been able to get these patches to apply without rejects to the cairo cvs (which is where Quinnstorm's packages come from)

Quinn hasn't put together source packages to apt-get grabs the 1.04 release instead.

I am waiting for the patch author to redo these to work with the 1.1 branch of cairo in cvs and then I'll grab it and go. I did apply these debs to my laptop (not running compiz) and the results are FABULOUS!

[nalthien]

I can confirm that cairo 1.0.4 patched here works with Xgl / Compiz.

[Novox]

The screenshots look promising. Looks like these patches finally provide some decent sub-pixel rendering with FreeType.

Some x86_64/AMD64 debs would be great, though...

[lithorus]

I'm using the quinstorm Xgl/cairo packages and everything looks good, nothing like the before picture. The trick is to set your DPI setting correctly in the Font configuration panel.

Here is my before picture :
http://ubuntuforums.org/attachment.p...1&d=1148339542

[wjarek]

I tried these and comparing with the clarity of Windows fonts Ubuntu is nowhere near. FC5 can be easily configured to match Windows, not sure why this is so hard on Ubuntu.

[hugmenot]

I see. Do you have a screenshot of that FC5 quality you speak of?

[mikalh]

Here are some AMD64 packages. Had to do a manual merge of the Turner patch and an existing patch on Cairo, but it seems to work okay

[panurge77]

I've just installed these amd64 debs on top of quinns packages (downgrading them) and it's beautiful. Sadly my X has already restarted once, so there I go upgrading...
And I'll post on compiz forums for these changes do be considered

(some minutes later: I've posted on quinns package thred on compiz forums and it might take a while before there's an answer (looks like Quinn is away)... besides that, after the first restart X is running ok, at least for that couple minutes.... I'll leave it some more time before really doing the upgrade)