FontTools

It currently reads and writes TrueType font files, reads PostScript Type 1 fonts and more. It contains two command line programs to convert TrueType fonts to an XML based format (called TTX) and back.

Scope

Installation

• Python 1.5.1 or newer. The latest version 1.5.x is here: http://www.python.org/1.5/

  Windows: grab the Windows installer, run the full install
  Un*x: follow the build instructions
  Linux: maybe you already *have* Python: check whether you have version 1.5.1 or newer.
  MacOS: grab the installer, run "Easy Install"

• The Numeric Python extension (you don't need this under MacOS, since it's included in the MacPython installer).
  The compiled Win32 version: ftp://ftp-icf.llnl.gov/pub/python/LLNLDistribution11.zip
  The source distribution is here: ftp://ftp-icf.llnl.gov/pub/python/LLNLDistribution11.tgz
  Included in this archive is a directory called "Numeric" (but do unzip the whole archive, it's needed for the install script!).
  On Linux or other Unices: follow the build instructions.
  On Windows & Unix: In the "Numeric" directory there is a script called "installthis.py". If you've installed Python successfully, you can just run it, it will install (copy!) the neccesary stuff to the Python directory all by itself.

  Note that the above links are not pointing to the latest version! Newer versions use a different install procedure, which recently still had some problems. If you know what you're doing, you can get the latest Numeric Python at http://numpy.sourceforge.net/.

• xmlproc (a Python based XML parser) from: http://www.stud.ifi.uio.no/~larsga/download/python/xml/xmlproc.html
  I don't know the official install procedure, but the archive should contain a directory called "xml", move that directory to the Python directory and you should be all set. To make sure: start python (python.exe on Win32) and type at the ">>>" prompt:

  >>> import xml.parsers.xmlproc.xmlproc

  followed by a return. If that doesn't cause an error, you're all set.

  Note that the default xmlproc distribution depends on Python 1.5.2 (by oversight, not intend) but there is an alternative distribution that does work under Python 1.5.1.

  xmlproc is also part of the xml-sig distribution.

Additional Mac instructions: De-binhex "TTX.rsrc.hqx" by dropping it onto StuffIt expander. (Or use your own preferred method) The "TTX.py" script included in this archive is the Mac-only main program: Drop it onto the "BuildApplet" app inside the Python folder; this will produce the TTX applet.

User documentation

For MacOS there's a small application called TTX. If you drop a TrueType file onto it, it will convert it to XML. If you drop an XML file onto it, it will convert it back to TrueType. Please read the additional README file in the Mac subdirectory, since it behaves quite differently than the command line programs described below.

For Unix and DOS I've provided two command line programs:

• ttDump.py
• ttCompile.py

If you don't provide an output file name, an output file name will be contructed from the input file name: foo.ttf becomes foo.ttx in ttDump.py and vice versa for ttCompile.py. WARNING: these tools will silently overwrite existing files!

Adam Twardoch contributed a Windows registry script (ttx_shellext_win32.py) which makes the two above tools available under the Right Mouse Button. I haven't tested these myself, but I'm very interested in hearing about the results!

Note about glyph names and TrueType GlyphID's

The names are derived from what is found in the 'post' table. It is possible that different glyphs use the same PS name. If this happens, we force the names to be unique by appending "#n" to the name (n being an integer number). The original PS names will still be maintained by the 'post' table, so even though we use a different name internally, we are still able to write the 'post' table back in original form. If there is no proper 'post' table available, names will be derived from a Unicode cmap (if available) in conjuction with the Adobe Glyph List (see fontTools/agl.py).

Because the order in which glyphs are stored inside the TT font is important, ttLib maintains an ordered list of glyph names in the font.

Feedback

Anonymous CVS-access

    :pserver:fonttools@rietveld.petr.nl:/usr/local/cvsanon
    password: fontypython
    module name: FontTools

Developer documentation

GUI Tools

Command line tools

• ttDump -- dumps a TrueType (or OpenType) font file to TTX format.
• ttCompile -- compiles a TTX file back into a TTF (or OTF) file.

The library

• fontTools.t1Lib -- Provides a Type 1 font reader. Writing is a planned feature.
• fontTools.ttLib -- Extensive TrueType tools. Reads and writes. This is the flagship of FontTools, it's by far the most mature component. Contains a completely modular TTF table converter architecture. See ttLib/tables/table_API_readme.txt.
• fontTools.afmLib -- And AFM file reader/writer.
• fontTools.cffLib -- Reads CFF fonts. Writing is a planned feature.
• fontTools.unicode -- A simple (but large) module that translates Unicode values to their descriptive names. Still Unicode 2.0.
• fontTools.agl -- Interface to the Adobe Glyph List: maps unicode values to glyph names and back.

• fontTools.fondLib -- A reader/writer class for Mac FOND resources.
• fontTools.nfntLib -- Reads Mac NFNT bitmap font resources.

The Future

• Develop this into a complete font compiler for at least Type 1, TrueType and OpenType.
• To make the above possible, develop a high level XML-based format to be used as source code for font development. This "language" will be called FDL -- Font Definition Language. For some (rather old) blurb about these ideas, see http://www.letterror.com/fdl/.

Thank-you's

Copyrights