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Hy, i'm using PIL (Python Image Library) without the lib-freetype.

Is there a possibility to use fonts (i just have to resize a text, not more!) without installing the freetype?

Or is there a possibility to set the size of a font, without setting the truetype of the font, so using the default truetype?

It's for a project on a server, where i can just install pure PIL, without any extensions for supporting truetypes!

user1665232
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  • Can you describe your project in more detail? What do you mean by "I just have to resize a text"? – Gareth Rees Sep 12 '12 at 10:03
  • I'm creating a .png with PIL in python. With the draw-lib, i'm adding a text to the image. For this, i don't need freetype,truetypes or sth else. Now i'd like to set the (font-)size of this text. i can do this with font = ImageFont.truetype(filename, size, index, encoding)... But to use this, i need freetype, because of the first parameter! So my question is, if it's possible to avoide this parameter and freetype! Maybe there is an other size option in PIL? – user1665232 Sep 12 '12 at 10:15
  • Trying this code: font = ImageFont.truetype('Arial.ttf', 20) I'm getting the following error:ImportError: The _imagingft C module is not installed I think this is because i haven't installed freetype – user1665232 Sep 12 '12 at 10:22

1 Answers1

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If you read the manual for the ImageFont module you'll see that the Python Imaging Library supports the PILFont format for bitmap fonts.

So on your own computer, render your TrueType font, at the size you want, save the bitmap in the PILFont format, and then use the PILFont on the server. You can do this using otf2bdf to convert the TrueType font to BDF (Bitmap Distribution Format), and then PIL's pilfont utility to convert BDF to PILFont. See this question and its answers.

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Gareth Rees
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    Thank you very much, i'll try this. so i can't "scale" or set the size of a text, without giving a Fonttype or using the default? – user1665232 Sep 12 '12 at 12:47
  • A PILFont is [**bitmap** font](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_font#Bitmap_fonts) and so (unlike a TrueType font) it is not scalable. You will need to render your font separately at each size that you want to draw it. I suppose you might try rendering it once at the biggest size you need, and using [`Image.transform`](http://www.pythonware.com/library/pil/handbook/image.htm#Image.transform) to scale it down. But the results won't be as good as TrueType's own scaling. – Gareth Rees Sep 12 '12 at 12:51
  • And why do i get the Error: The _imagingft C module is not installed when i try to use a truetypefont? I already fount the _imagingft.pyd in the Pil folder, so why doesnt it work? – user1665232 Sep 12 '12 at 13:22
  • I don't know. What happens if you try to import it with `import _imagingft`? – Gareth Rees Sep 12 '12 at 13:26
  • ImportError: DLL load failed: Diese Anwendung konnte nicht gestartet werden, weil die Anwenungskonfiguration nicht korrekt ist. Zur Problembehebung sollten Sie die Anwendung neu installieren. – user1665232 Sep 12 '12 at 13:33
  • On english sth like: The Application couldnt be started, because the configuration of the Application isnt correct. To hide the problem re install the application – user1665232 Sep 12 '12 at 13:34
  • The English version of this error message seems to be "This application has failed to start because the application configuration is incorrect. Reinstalling the application may fix this problem." I'm not a Windows expert, but maybe there's a missing dependency or perhaps a version mismatch? It sounds like a matter for whoever administers this server. – Gareth Rees Sep 12 '12 at 13:39