[arch-dev-public] Removing dependency on fontconfig/xorg-mkfontscale of font packages

[Chih-Hsuan Yen]

On Thu, Jun 25, 2020 at 11:33:45PM -0400, Eli Schwartz via arch-dev-public wrote:
> On 6/25/20 11:29 PM, Chih-Hsuan Yen via arch-dev-public wrote:
>> On Thu, Jun 25, 2020 at 05:53:28PM -0400, Eli Schwartz via arch-dev-public wrote:
>>> On 3/31/20 12:36 PM, Eli Schwartz wrote:
>>>> On 3/30/20 6:35 AM, Chih-Hsuan Yen via arch-dev-public wrote:
>>>>> On Mon, Mar 30, 2020 at 01:26:11AM +0200, Frederik Schwan via arch-dev-public wrote:
>>>>>> We received a Feature Request today to remove fontconfig and xorg-mkfontscale dependencies from our font packages according to our own font packaging guidelines [0].
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I discussed with Eli on #archlinux-bugs and we think it's a no-brainer but before creating a TODO we'd like to ask for your opinions first.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Thank you
>>>>>>
>>>>>> [0] https://bugs.archlinux.org/task/66012
>>>>>>
>>>>> Just as a reference - in another similar feature request [1], Doug
>>>>> Newgard mentioned that not everyone agrees on removing fontconfig and/or
>>>>> xorg-mkfontscale. I believe the following two mails in the mentioned
>>>>> arch-dev-public thread are most relevant: [2][3].
>>>>>
>>>>> Having said that, I agrees on removing fontconfig & xorg-mkfontscale.
>>>>>
>>>>> Best,
>>>>>
>>>>> Chih-Hsuan Yen
>>>>>
>>>>> [1] https://bugs.archlinux.org/task/59164
>>>>> [2] https://lists.archlinux.org/pipermail/arch-dev-public/2016-April/027946.html
>>>>> [3] https://lists.archlinux.org/pipermail/arch-dev-public/2016-April/027948.html
>>>>
>>>> heftig, City-busz, could you elaborate on just what this means? All I
>>>> see there is mention that "it ensures the hooks are available", but that
>>>> simply says "it needs to be installed for the sake of being installed".
>>>> Is there an underlying reason here?
>>>>
>>>> Note that regardless of whether a font package depends on fontconfig,
>>>> and regardless of whether you have any fonts installed, the fontconfig
>>>> post_install and post_upgrade scripts run fc-cache --really-force during
>>>> install time and on every single pkgver or pkgrel update, and then if
>>>> fonts are installed it runs *again* at the end of the transaction. It's
>>>> impossible to have fontconfig installed and *not* have the fontconfig cache.
>>>>
>>>> xorg-mkfontscale does the same thing to run
>>>> /usr/share/libalpm/scripts/xorg-mkfontscale but in post_install only.
>>>
>>> Since there were no objections after several months and the bug reporter
>>> is asking for a status update, I will assume the objection from 2016 no
>>> longer applies. I'll create a TODO for this later tonight.
>>>
>>> -- 
>>> Eli Schwartz
>>> Bug Wrangler and Trusted User
>>>
>> 
>> 
>> Hi Eli,
>> 
>> I saw the new TODO has been created. Thanks a lot for that! Just one
>> question: https://bugs.archlinux.org/task/66012 also mentions
>> xorg-font-utils. Should that be removed from dependencies as well?
> 
> It is a "Transitional package depending on xorg font utilities", the
> package has no contents and simply
> 
> depends=('xorg-bdftopcf' 'xorg-mkfontdir' 'xorg-mkfontscale'
> 'xorg-font-util')
> 
> Not sure why it exists still TBH, but I'd venture to say it should be
> removed too, yes...
> 
> e.g. why drag in a recursive dependency on xorg-bdftopcf in this day and
> age?
> 
> -- 
> Eli Schwartz
> Bug Wrangler and Trusted User
> 

Got it! Also thanks for updating the TODO description.
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