problem with font installer

Hi again
Is there any solution for my problem please help I need to install some fonts and I don't know any other way other than font installer which is not working
Thanks
ted

It depends on the new freetype 2.10, package that surely you upgraded.

In theory: you can downgrade to freetype 2.7 (with synaptic "force version" 2.7 on libfreetype6), and fonts will be installable again. I succeded in my test installation of the new SM 3.3.2, where freetype 2.10 is installed natively, so you can get this bug by default, out of the box. No need to upgrade.

In practice, with my standard SM 3.3.1 installation, when I try to downgrade, Synaptic wants to remove half of my KDE.

Yes you can install fonts without fontinstaller (copying them in the font folder, for exemple), but unless you don't downgrade freetype, you'll get other problems all the same in font management.

Conclusion. You have not one, but two options: resign installing new fonts or reinstall SM 3.3.1 and block package libfreetype6 to version 2.7 before upgrading anything.

Francesco

Thank you Francesco
Can you please explain it a little easier that as a newbie I can follow the instruction step by step
Thanks a lot again
Tedora

Maybe try first copying your new font straight in the font folder (open konqueror, select the folder where are the new fonts, open navigation panel of konqueror - menu "window"-, from there open "devices", select "fonts", and drag font files from theyr folder to the font folder of the navigation panel. If it works you are lucky and you may skip the procedure of downgrading freetype.

If it doesn't work...

Open Synaptic, search for libfreetype6, there should be two files:

libfreetype6
libfreetype6-dev

select libfreetype6

From Synaptic menu, select select "Package" and than select "Force version". You'll get a window from where you can chose which version of the program you want to install.

My Synaptic is installed in italian, so I suppose in english should be "Package" and "Force version", more or less. Otherwise you can get the window to select the version more simply with CTRL+E.

At this point you select version 2.7 (testing)

You'll get a message that to install that version, synaptic has to remove other packages. In Mepis 3.3.2 programs proposed for removal where two or three, if I remember. In 3.3.1 five or six. Most of them are *-dev. So I decided to risk, and answered "OK".

Before applying, repeat the same steps with "freetype6-dev", which now, in the synaptic list, should be marked red for removal.

After that you can apply the changes.

Actually it worked also in SM 3.3.1. But I do not know yet if the removed packages will cause prolblems later. Some of the packages removed where "kdelibs4-dev" "libfontconfig1-dev" "kdebase-dev", that seems to be quite important in KDE enviroment. For shure removed packages cannot be reinsatlled anymore, same for new packages that depend from the removed one. Maybe this could be solved installing KDE 3.4, but I dare not risk.

Try at your own risk, since what works on one system may crash another system.

Good luck

Francesco

Thanks a lot I am going to try it
Thaks again
Tedora

please let me know if it works.

Thanks

Francesco

Thanks a lot I did it as you said and everything seems to work fine thak again and one more request how can I pin them so next time when I update they wont change again
Tedora

Synaptic, then Select the package you want to pin (lock), eg "Libfreetype6", then from menu "Package" select "Lock version"

Hope I right guessed the translation of Synaptic menu items. Anyway is the menu item before "Force version". If the file is already locked, the same menu item unlock it.

Francesco

Hi Francesco
Thank you again and I am really happy that we have such a nice support in Mepis
Since I had asked the same question in mepis lover forum and nobody came out with any answer do you mind if I copy your answer and post it on that forum too just in case if another person has the same problem? apparently with the new upgrade some other people will come across the same situation
Thanks agian
Tedora

No problem if you post this solution whenever you want. I found it on the net, so it is not mine.

Please remember that removed packages may prevent installation of some software.

Keep well

Francesco

No problem if you post this solution whenever you want. I found it on the net, so it is not mine.

Please remember that removed packages may prevent installation of some software.

Keep well

Francesco