[XeTeX] 64.bit XeTex was::Re: Trying to build microtype-aware xetex

[Keith J. Schultz]

Hi George,

I just did some checking and it seems it is possible to replace the 
calls to ATSUI with calls to Core Text with identical results. 

No, I have not test this with xetex, but it seems to work with engines
that support ATSUI. Their are also compatibility calls for Core Text for 
calling Quick draw routines for text, though xetex should not be using them anyway!

ATSUI is a Mac only thing and deprecated and more or less dead. But, I would agree that everything could probably done 
by Graphite, so all that would be needed is a graphite layer for the different OSes.

regards
	Keith.


Am 30.08.2011 um 18:47 schrieb George N. White III:

> On Tue, Aug 30, 2011 at 4:53 AM, Keith J. Schultz <keithjschultz at web.de> wrote:
> 
>> Hi George,
>> 
>>        The Macports version of xetex is built 64-bit, but it does not have ATSU features.
>>        so it is not "fully" functional.
>> 
>>        The question is if there is an actual need to still support ATSU at all?
>>        If we do the question is how hard would be to rewrite the needed libraries.
> 
> For some (my!) purposes, documents formatted across macosx, linux, and
> windows need to come out the same (multiple authors working in different
> locations with different IT "standards")  but the docs are manuals and
> scientific
> reports with relatively few non-ASCII elements (mostly proper names) outside
> the math.   I can imagine that some documents really do need Apple
> font technology, so at present those who need ATSU have to get by without
> the 64-bit binaries.
> 
> Only those who really need ATSU can explain what they need -- perhaps it is
> possible improve open source libraries to provide what is needed.  Many more
> people are interested in improving the open source libraries than are interested
> in xetex on macosx.
> 
>>        If this is the wrong place to discuss this, please point me in the right direction.
> 
> One of the most useful sources on information about problems in font
> libraries may
> be bug reports, both those filed against xetex on other platforms and
> against the open
> source libraries.  A few years ago there were some quite insightful
> discussions of
> problems with the open source libraries (including comparisons with MS and
> Apple) -- don't know if those have been updated.   This an area where
> things are
> developing rapidly, so I'm sure there have been significant changes.
> There are higher
> level libraries that hide platform differences, while taking advantage
> of native support
> on each platform.  This could be a better way forward than simply
> updating the Apple
> font library calls, but one would need to check that the higher level
> libraries are
> available everywhere xetex is needed.
> 
>> regards
>>        Keith.
>> 
>> 
>> Am 30.08.2011 um 02:57 schrieb George N. White III:
>> 
>>> On Mon, Aug 29, 2011 at 2:32 PM, Keith J. Schultz <keithjschultz at web.de> wrote:
>>>> Hi Herbert,
>>>> 
>>>> You are right their is font library that is deprecated and only allows xe(l)tex to be built 32-bit!
>>>> This will have to change as the Mac world has going 64-bit. Yes, you can run 32-bit programs
>>>> under Lion, but it also comes at a performance price.
>>>> 
>>>> Anyone know exactly which library and how hard it would be to refractor or rewrite?
>>>> 
>>> 
>>> See the thread called "ATSUGetAttribute not found" on the tlbuild list
>>> for a discussion.
>>> 
>>> Macports worked around the problem by building xetex using open source
>>> libraries:
>>> 
>>> $ /opt/local/bin/xetex --version
>>> XeTeX 3.1415926-2.3-0.9997.5 (TeX Live 2011/MacPorts 2011_1)
>>> kpathsea version 6.0.1
>>> Copyright 2011 SIL International and Jonathan Kew.
>>> There is NO warranty.  Redistribution of this software is
>>> covered by the terms of both the XeTeX copyright and
>>> the Lesser GNU General Public License.
>>> For more information about these matters, see the file
>>> named COPYING and the XeTeX source.
>>> Primary author of XeTeX: Jonathan Kew.
>>> Compiled with ICU version 4.6 [with modifications for XeTeX]
>>> Compiled with zlib version 1.2.5; using 1.2.5
>>> Compiled with FreeType2 version 2.4.6; using 2.4.6
>>> Compiled with fontconfig version 2.8.0; using 2.8.0
>>> Compiled with libpng version 1.4.8; using 1.4.8
>>> Compiled with poppler version 0.16.6
>>> 
>>> $ file /opt/local/bin/xetex
>>> /opt/local/bin/xetex: Mach-O 64-bit executable x86_64
>>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
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> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> George N. White III <aa056 at chebucto.ns.ca>
> Head of St. Margarets Bay, Nova Scotia
> 
> 
> 
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