Installing FontForge under Windows :
The installation of FontForge on Windows is fastidious and you must be patient. 
It runs on Windows 2000 or Windows XP, latest versions of Windows, but we can still use it on Windows 95 and Windows 98 (it is a little different approach).
Step 1 : Installing Cygwin
Before installing FontForge on your computer, you must already install the emulator Cygwin which allows you to create a Unix environment on Windows.For download Cygwin, click here and recover the installation program of Cygwin : setup.exe.
You can add it too. On the official website of Cygwin, there is
a list of site which is currently up-to-date.
It is preferable to select an adress ftp to download faster, but an http adress is also available.
Attention, you can not use any server !Well, for running correctly FontForge on Windows, you must install certain components :
- the standard components
- the X windows system, binutils, lbng et libxm12
Generally, most of what you need you get by default. But you must explicitly request X11 and the libraries:
- X-startup-scripts
- XFree86-lib-compat
- xorg-x11-base
- xorg-x11-bin
- xorg-x11-dlls
- xorg-x11-lndir
- xorg-x11-etc
- xorg-x11-f100
- xorg-x11-libs-data
I tested many servers, I advise you to take ftp-stud.fht-esslingen.de (Germany) or ftp.heanet.ie (Irland).Now, you must select the packages you want setup to install.Cygwin_packages.jpg
The easiest is to keep all packages (we are sure to have all the components but the installation will be a little long) : click on Default, Install appears.
cygwin_install.jpg
Step 2 : Download FontForgeGo to the official website FontForge.Click Download FontForge.
You are automatically directed to the site
Sourceforge.netDownload
fontforge_cygwin-20080607.tar.bz2 file and save it in
C:\cygwin\home\<username> (where <username> is whatever name cygwin gave you)
Now, Windows must recognize the file dowloaded. Open Cygwin and type (do not type the "$"
by returning to the line each time :
$ tar xjf fontforge_cygwin-*.tar.bz2
$ cd fontforge
$ ./doinstall
You thought it was finished ? Well, no !If you want to run fontforge, go to C:\cygwin\usr\X11R6\bin and run startxwin application (create a shortcut on the desktop) startwin.jpgIn the application window, type :
$twm & fontforge -newfontforge_start_en.jpg
FontForge is launched !
fontforge_2.jpg
Attention, for older versions of Windows, I have not tested it, so if you have already done, please, do not hesitate to share it in order to update this tutorial! And if with previous indications Fontforge don't start, according to the official website you must : start cygwin and type :
- $xinitThen repeat the previous instructions with startwin.Well, it is the end of this tutorial, after this installation, if you want to restart FontForge, run startwin and type :
$fontforge -new
Good installation !
PostScript : This installation was made under Windows XP. Cygwin can also be used with Vista, therefore, a priori, FontForge can run on Vista !
