Typecast
Typecast is a font development environment for OpenType font technology. Developments include:
- An outline editor for both TrueType and PostScript (CFF) outlines
- TrueType hinting engine
- PostScript hinting engine
- Hinting debuggers
- Font conversion utilities
- Font handling libraries for use in wider application development
Parts of the Typecast libraries are used in the Apache Batik project, for conversion from TrueType to SVG fonts.
File Formats
OpenType fonts come in a small range of file format flavours. Typecast supports the following:
- ttf - The basic TrueType font file
- otf - Essentially the same as ttf, but usually contain a PostScript outline rather than a TrueType outline
- ttc - TrueType Collection file. This is a collection of fonts that share some common tables. Often utilised by far eastern fonts to make more efficient use of shared components
- dfont - A Macintosh Font Suitcase resource file, with the resources in the data fork - as utilised by MacOS X
Export Formats
- svg - Scalable Vector Graphics font data
Outlines
Outline support includes both TrueType and PostScript Charstring Type 2 outlines.
Advanced Typographic Tables
Partial support is in place for the Advanced Typographic Tables, specifically the GPOS and GSUB tables. All advanced tables will be implemented in the ongoing development.