Bug#242624: libgtk: sub-pixel rendering happening in spite of my wishes

[Mikael Nilsson]

Package: libgtk2.0-0
Version: 2.2.4-3
Severity: normal
File: libgtk

This may not be a gtk bug, but I'm seeing it with GTK apps. Feel free
to reassign as needed.

The problem is this: when running GTK apps outside of my gnome
session, such as under KDE or the gdm greeter itself, I can't disable
subpixel font rendering.

For example, running gedit in a KDE session (sub-pixel font rendering
disabled in /etc/fonts/local.conf *and* in KDE) makes gedit look like:

http://kmr.nada.kth.se/~mini/gedit-antialias.png

KDE apps look nice (grayscale). GDM also looks like gedit in KDE. In gnome (sub-pixel
rendering disabled), gedit looks ok. The same is true for any gtk
app such as firefox etc. 

I am using an LCD display, a Dell Inspiron 8200 with a 15" 1600x1200
Ultra UXGA. Sub-pixel rendering has never produced nice results on
this screen, so I always disable it.

I have tried playing with settings. For example: in KDE, enabling
sub-pixel rendering, restarting gedit and looking with xmag on the
results. 

The rendering in gedit varies as expected according to rgb,
bgr, vrgb and vbgr settings, as does the rendering in KDE apps.

But disabling sub-pixel rendering makes the KDE apps render fonts
using grayscale antialiasing, while gedit still looks like rgb (I
think).

I might have missed checking some setting. I'd gladly help finding the
problem. It looks a bit ugly...

/Mikael


My /etc/fonts/local.conf:

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<!DOCTYPE fontconfig SYSTEM "fonts.dtd">
<fontconfig>
  <include ignore_missing="yes">/var/lib/defoma/fontconfig.d/fonts.conf</include>
<!-- Uncomment below to enable bitmapped fonts -->
<!--
  <dir>/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts</dir>
-->
<!-- Uncomment below to enable subpixel rendering -->
<!--
  <match target="font">
    <test qual="all" name="rgba">
      <const>unknown</const>
    </test>
    <edit name="rgba" mode="assign"><const>rgb</const></edit>
  </match>
-->
  <match target="font">
    <edit name="autohint" mode="assign">
      <bool>true</bool>
    </edit>
  </match>
</fontconfig>






-- System Information:
Debian Release: testing/unstable
Architecture: i386 (i686)
Kernel: Linux 2.4.24-1-686
Locale: LANG=en_US.UTF-8, LC_CTYPE=en_US.UTF-8

Versions of packages libgtk2.0-0 depends on:
ii  libatk1.0-0                 1.4.1-1      The ATK accessibility toolkit
ii  libc6                       2.3.2.ds1-11 GNU C Library: Shared libraries an
ii  libfontconfig1              2.2.2-1      generic font configuration library
ii  libfreetype6                2.1.7-2      FreeType 2 font engine, shared lib
ii  libglib2.0-0                2.2.3-1      The GLib library of C routines
ii  libgtk2.0-common            2.2.4-3      Common files for the GTK+ graphica
ii  libjpeg62                   6b-9         The Independent JPEG Group's JPEG 
ii  libpango1.0-0               1.2.5-2.1    Layout and rendering of internatio
ii  libpng12-0                  1.2.5.0-5    PNG library - runtime
ii  libtiff3g                   3.6.1-1      Tag Image File Format library
ii  libxft2                     2.1.2-6      FreeType-based font drawing librar
ii  libxrender1                 0.8.3-7      X Rendering Extension client libra
ii  xlibs                       4.3.0-7      X Window System client libraries m
ii  zlib1g                      1:1.2.1-5    compression library - runtime

-- no debconf information