This document contains instructions on how to build the FreeType library on Unix systems. This also works for emulations like Cygwin or MSys on Win32: 1. Ensure that you are using GNU Make ------------------------------------- The FreeType build system _exclusively_ works with GNU Make. You will not be able to compile the library with the instructions below using any other alternative (including BSD Make). [Well, this is not really correct. Recently, a perl implementation of make called `makepp' has appeared which can also build FreeType 2 successfully on Unix platforms. See http://makepp.sourceforge.net for more details.] Trying to compile the library with a different Make tool will print a message like: Sorry, GNU make is required to build FreeType2. and the build process will be aborted. If this happens, install GNU Make on your system, and use the GNUMAKE environment variable to name it. 2. Build and install the library -------------------------------- The following should work on all Unix systems where the `make' command invokes GNU Make: ./configure [options] make make install (as root) The default installation path is "/usr/local". It can be changed with the `--prefix=' option. Example: ./configure --prefix=/usr When using a different command to invoke GNU Make, use the GNUMAKE variable. For example, if `gmake' is the command to use on your system, do something like: GNUMAKE=gmake ./configure [options] gmake gmake install (as root) If this still doesn't work, something's rotten on your system (e.g. you are using a very old version of GNU Make). It is possible to compile FreeType in a different directory. Assuming the FreeType source files in directory `/src/freetype' a compilation in directory `foo' works as follows: cd foo /src/freetype/configure [options] make make install --- end of INSTALL.UNX --