How to vastly improve font rendering on WINE.

[Dan]

I've found an even easier and faster method than what's described here in the next few posts. Scroll down a few posts to find it. I'll mark it in large letters as NEW METHOD!

I use WINE for a few things, and though it works great, the font rendering leaves little to be desired. I've tried various "How to" fixes, but none that I tried were very successful. 

I finally found the fix, and it's absolutely perfect...and easy!

The article is from 2013, but it still applies today (3-12-2016). Just a few terminal commands, log out and log back in, and BAM! 

It not only made the fonts in WINE look great, but it seems to have made all of the fonts system-wide look better too. Took less than 3 minutes to fix the fonts that I've tried to fix for years...

Here's the link to the article...I would recommend not using the PPA given in the article (due to some problems that I personally experienced after adding the PPA). There are links to a .deb package in the next post, which will allow you to install the package with the GDebi Package Installer rather than using the PPA.

http://www.webupd8.org/2013/06/better-font-rendering-in-linux-with.html

[Dan]

Here are a couple of links that will allow you to install the .deb package with your GDebi Package Installer instead of using the PPA. I would still recommend reading the article in the OP, because there are a couple of configuration tips that you can still use even without installing through the PPA.

The first link is to the actual page; on which, you can find the .deb package if you're used to finding things on Launchpad.

https://launchpad.net/~no1wantdthisname/+archive/ubuntu/ppa/+packages

If you're not used to finding .deb packages on Launchpad, clicking the following link will automatically download the package in your browser...

https://launchpad.net/~no1wantdthisname/+archive/ubuntu/ppa/+files/fontconfig-infinality_20130104-0ubuntu0ppa1_all.deb

[Dan]

Make sure to log out of your computer and log back in after you install the package. Do the same if you make any changes to the configurations as outlined in the article.

[Dan]

NEW METHOD!

Much easier and much more simple!

In my spare time, I've been building Openbox distros (for myself) from Ubuntu minimal installs, Debian Netinstalls, and Arch. I've been trying to make myself an operating system for an old computer. The Ubuntu slightly edged out Debian and Arch...a 32bit system that idles at +/- 70 MBs of RAM.   

Anyway, in my building, I discovered a super easy way to improve font rendering. It not only improves the overall font rendering, but it improves the font rendering on Wine too.

For LXDE, all you need to do is open your file manager and tell it to show hidden files.

1. Click on an empty space of your open Home folder (with hidden files showing), and create a new Empty File.
2. Name the file -->   .fonts.conf 
3. Make sure you put the period in front!
4. Paste this code into the file...

Code: [Select]

<?xml version='1.0'?>
<!DOCTYPE fontconfig SYSTEM 'fonts.dtd'>
<fontconfig>
 <match target="font">
  <edit mode="assign" name="rgba">
   <const>rgb</const>
  </edit>
 </match>
 <match target="font">
  <edit mode="assign" name="hinting">
   <bool>true</bool>
  </edit>
 </match>
 <match target="font">
  <edit mode="assign" name="hintstyle">
   <const>hintslight</const>
  </edit>
 </match>
 <match target="font">
  <edit mode="assign" name="antialias">
   <bool>true</bool>
  </edit>
 </match>
  <match target="font">
    <edit mode="assign" name="lcdfilter">
      <const>lcddefault</const>
    </edit>
  </match>
</fontconfig>
5. Save it. Close it. Log out of your computer and back in...and BETTER FONTS!

If you are using straight Openbox, follow the same steps, but I suggest using this code...and it also works on Openbox with Arch Linux if anyone with Arch happens to see this.

Code: [Select]

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<!DOCTYPE fontconfig SYSTEM "fonts.dtd">
<fontconfig>
    <match target="font">
        <edit mode="assign" name="hinting" >
            <bool>true</bool>
        </edit>
        <edit mode="assign" name="autohint" >
            <bool>true</bool>
        </edit>
        <edit mode="assign" name="hintstyle" >
            <const>hintslight</const>
        </edit>
        <edit mode="assign" name="rgba" >
            <const>rgb</const>
        </edit>
        <edit mode="assign" name="antialias" >
            <bool>true</bool>
        </edit>
        <edit mode="assign" name="lcdfilter">
            <const>lcddefault</const>
        </edit>
    </match>

<!-- Set preferred serif, sans serif, and monospace fonts. -->
    <alias>
        <family>serif</family>
        <prefer>
            <family>Droid Serif</family>
        </prefer>
    </alias>
    <alias>
        <family>sans-serif</family>
        <prefer>
            <family>Droid Sans</family>
        </prefer>
    </alias>
    <alias>
        <family>sans</family>
        <prefer>
            <family>Droid Sans</family>
        </prefer>
    </alias>
    <alias>
        <family>monospace</family>
        <prefer>
            <family>Droid Sans Mono</family>
        </prefer>
    </alias>
    <alias>
        <family>mono</family>
        <prefer>
            <family>Droid Sans Mono</family>
        </prefer>
    </alias>

</fontconfig>


[leenie]

Nice! Thank you Dan!

[Dan]