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\textsf{The VFlib library}
\rmfamily
We have many font files and many different font file formats are
available. When we need a software to display or print characters
which does not depend on a windowing system and/or an operating system,
we must write interface routines for accessing font files in each
application software again and again. To do this, programmers must have
knowledge on font file formats; it will be a hard task for programmers
if the number of font formats that an application software supports
becomes large.
\sffamily
\textbf{VFlib} is a font library written in C providing several functions to
obtain bitmaps of characters. VFlib hides the font format of font
files and provides a \textit{unified API for all supported font
formats}. Thus, programmers for application software need not have
knowledge on font file formats. Instead, any software using \textbf{VFlib}
can support various font file formats immediately.
This document describes the fundamental concepts of VFlib and gives a
brief introduction in writing programs using VFlib.
\ttfamily
As described above, VFlib supports many font file formats and absorbs
differences between font file formats. Currently, VFlib supports the
following font file formats: PCF, BDF, HBF, TrueType, Type1, GF, PK,
Virtual fonts, TFM, SyotaiKurabu (a vector font format for Japanese
Kanji characters), JG (another vector font format for Japanese Kanji
characters), and eKanji (a bitmap font format for Kanji characters).
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