There are several ways to build the FreeType library, depending on your system and the level of customization you need. Here is a short overview of the documentation available: I. Normal installation and upgrades =================================== 1. Native TrueType Hinting Native TrueType hinting is disabled by default[1]. If you really need it, read the file `TRUETYPE' for information. 2. Unix Systems (including Mac OS X, as well as Cygwin or MSys on Windows) Please read *both* `UPGRADE.UNIX' and `INSTALL.UNIX' to install or upgrade FreeType 2 on a Unix system. Note that you *need* GNU Make for automatic compilation, since other make tools won't work (this includes BSD Make). 3. On VMS with the `mms' build tool See `INSTALL.VMS' for installation instructions on this platform. 4. Other systems using GNU Make On non-Unix platforms, it is possible to build the library using GNU Make utility. Note that *NO OTHER MAKE TOOL WILL WORK*[2]! This methods supports several compilers on Windows, OS/2, and BeOS, including MinGW, Visual C++, Borland C++, and more. Instructions are provided in the file `INSTALL.GNU'. 5. With an IDE Project File (e.g., for Visual Studio or CodeWarrior) We provide a small number of `project files' for various IDEs to automatically build the library as well. Note that these files are not supported and only sporadically maintained by FreeType developers, so don't expect them to work in each release. To find them, have a look at the content of the `builds/' directory, where stands for your OS or environment. 6. From you own IDE, or own Makefiles If you want to create your own project file, follow the instructions given in the `INSTALL.ANY' document of this directory. II. Custom builds of the library ================================ Customizing the compilation of FreeType is easy, and allows you to select only the components of the font engine that you really need. For more details read the file `CUSTOMIZE'. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- [1] More details on: http://www.freetype.org/patents.html [2] make++, a make tool written in Perl, has sufficient support of GNU make extensions to build FreeType. See http://makepp.sourceforge.net for more information; you need version 1.19 or newer, and you must pass option `--norc-substitution'. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 by David Turner, Robert Wilhelm, and Werner Lemberg. This file is part of the FreeType project, and may only be used, modified, and distributed under the terms of the FreeType project license, LICENSE.TXT. By continuing to use, modify, or distribute this file you indicate that you have read the license and understand and accept it fully. --- end of INSTALL ---