[XeTeX] The future of XeTeX

[Ulrike Fischer]

Am Wed, 8 Aug 2012 17:09:26 +0200 schrieb Zdenek Wagner:


>> I don't ask that a font loader should be included in the binary. A
>> lua package which you can use in the font callback is fine. It is
>> also okay if you need to adapt a configuration file before use e.g.
>> to get it working with your texsystem or your os. The main point is
>> that a working, default open type font loader should exist at all.
>>
> That's why most users do not compile TeX from sources and do not pick
> files from CTAN but use TeX distributions. Such system dependent
> modifications are already done there.

That's not my point. I know that font loaders exists. We have 
luaotfload which can be used with latex + plain tex. There is the 
font loader code of context. There is the generic font loader code 
somewhere deep in the context tree. I have tried to use all of them: 
All of them are different. None is really documentated, none is 
format independant and none is written in a way which allows people 
to add extensions or improvements. 

> On the contrary I have tried several times to read the Indic
> OpenType specification but I still understand nothing. Adding
> full OpenType + AAT + Graphite support to luaotfload will not be
> an easy task.

It will be imho impossible without a sound starting point and real 
contact to the developer of luatex.  


-- 
Ulrike Fischer 
http://www.troubleshooting-tex.de/