[Freetype] Re: [Fonts]Bitmap-only TrueType files

[Juliusz Chroboczek]

KP> http://developer.apple.com/fonts/TTRefMan/RM06/Chap6head.html:

KP> "TrueType fonts which have no outline data but consist of bitmaps
KP> only should not have a 'head' table. They should use the
KP> byte-by-byte identical 'bhed' table instead. The Mac OS uses the
KP> presence of a 'bhed' to signal the fact that a font has no
KP> outlines."

What was that quotation by Tanenbaum again?

There are three standards for TTFs: Apple's TTF spec, which you're
quoting, Microsoft's TTF spec, and the Adobe-Microsoft OpenType spec.

Embedded bitmaps are treated differently by the Apple and Microsoft
specs, and I'm trying to follow Microsoft in fonttootf.  In
particular, I'm using an EBDT table rather than a bdat table.  The
OpenType spec does speak about bitmap-only fonts, although too vaguely
to be of much guidance.

I don't see any good reason to switch to following Apple, but have no
a priori objection against doing so.  I don't think it matters much,
though; whichever spec we decide to follow, we'll need to modify
FreeType to deal with bitmap-only TTFs.  (I've tried to bribe
Zappa-Nardelli last week-end; he wouldn't even accept a coffee.  Could
somebody be so kind as to buy Lembert a pint or two?)

                                        Juliusz