ref: a1ca70102373fec0b98ac525885b34771c2604aa
dir: /docs/VERSIONS.TXT/
Due to our use of `libtool' to generate and install the FreeType 2 libraries on Unix systems, as well as other historical events, it is generally very difficult to know precisely which release of the font engine is installed on a given system. This file tries to explain why and to document ways to properly detect FreeType on Unix. 1. Version and Release numbers ------------------------------ For each new public release of FreeType 2, there are generally *three* distinct `version' numbers to consider: * The official FreeType 2 release number, like 2.7.0 or 2.10.2. * The libtool (and Unix) specific version number, like 23.2.17. This is what pkg-config freetype2 --modversion or freetype-config --version returns. * The platform-specific shared object number, used for example when the library is installed as `/usr/lib/libfreetype.so.6.17.2'. The platform-specific number is, unsurprisingly, platform-specific and varies with the operating system you are using (several variants of Linux, FreeBSD, Solaris, etc.). You should thus _never_ use it, even for simple tests. The libtool-specific number does not equal the release number but is tied to it. The release number is available at *compile* time through the following macros defined in `freetype.h': - FREETYPE_MAJOR: major release number - FREETYPE_MINOR: minor release number - FREETYPE_PATCH: patch release number See below for a small autoconf fragment. The release number is also available at *runtime* through the `FT_Library_Version' API. 2. History ---------- The following table gives, for all releases since 2.5.0, the corresponding libtool number, as well as the shared object number found on _most_ systems, but not all of them: release libtool so ------------------------------- 2.12.0 24.2.18 6.18.2 2.11.1 24.1.18 6.18.1 2.11.0 24.0.18 6.18.0 2.10.4 23.4.17 6.17.4 2.10.3 23.3.17 6.17.3 2.10.2 23.2.17 6.17.2 2.10.1 23.1.17 6.17.1 2.10.0 23.0.17 6.17.0 2.9.1 22.1.16 6.16.1 2.9.0 22.0.16 6.16.0 2.8.1 21.0.15 6.15.0 2.8.0 20.0.14 6.14.0 2.7.1 19.0.13 6.13.0 2.7.0 18.6.12 6.12.6 2.6.5 18.5.12 6.12.5 2.6.4 18.4.12 6.12.4 2.6.3 18.3.12 6.12.3 2.6.2 18.2.12 6.12.2 2.6.1 18.1.12 6.12.1 2.6.0 18.0.12 6.12.0 2.5.5 17.4.11 6.11.4 2.5.4 17.3.11 6.11.3 2.5.3 17.2.11 6.11.2 2.5.2 17.1.11 6.11.1 2.5.1 17.0.11 6.11.0 2.5.0 16.2.10 6.10.2 3. Autoconf Code Fragment ------------------------- Lars Clausen contributed the following autoconf fragment to check which version of FreeType is installed on a system (now updated to use `pkg-config' instead of `freetype-config'). This one tests for a version that is at least 2.10.2; you should change it to check against other release numbers. AC_MSG_CHECKING([whether FreeType version is 2.10.2 or higher]) old_CPPFLAGS="$CPPFLAGS" CPPFLAGS=`pkg-config freetype2 --cflags` AC_TRY_CPP([ #include <ft2build.h> #include <freetype/freetype.h> #if FREETYPE_MAJOR*10000 + FREETYPE_MINOR*100 + FREETYPE_PATCH < 21002 # error FreeType version too low. #endif ], [AC_MSG_RESULT(yes) FREETYPE_LIBS=`pkg-config freetype2 --libs` AC_SUBST(FREETYPE_LIBS) AC_DEFINE(HAVE_FREETYPE,1,[Define if you have the FreeType2 library]) CPPFLAGS="$old_CPPFLAGS"], [AC_MSG_ERROR([Need FreeType library version 2.10.2 or higher])]) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright (C) 2002-2022 by David Turner, Robert Wilhelm, and Werner Lemberg. This file is part of the FreeType project, and may only be used, modified, and distributed under the terms of the FreeType project license, LICENSE.TXT. By continuing to use, modify, or distribute this file you indicate that you have read the license and understand and accept it fully. --- end of VERSIONS.TXT ---