Ilib FAQ

Last updated: 8 March 2004

• Where can I get libpng?
• Where can I get giflib/libungif?
• Can I build Ilib with MS Visual Developer Studio?
• Can I build Ilib with Cygnus' Win32 GCC?
• I get a bunch of X11-related link errors. What's that all about?
• What's the purpose of the ifont2h utility?
• How can I create my own fonts?
• Do you accept patches/modifications?
• What are some of the features that can be added?

Where can I get libpng?

Libpng is available at:

http://www.libpng.org/pub/png/libpng.html

Where can I get giflib/libungif?

Libungif is identical to Giflib except that it does not include the questionable LZW compression that Unisys owns the rights to. Images generated with Libungif will be uncompressed (larger). Libungif 4.X is available at:

http://gnuwin32.sourceforge.net/packages/libungif.htm

Giflib 4.X is available at:

http://www.catb.org/~esr/giflib/frontpage.html

Can I build Ilib with MS Visual Developer Studio?

Yes, it has been successfully built using MS Developer Studio on Windows NT. You must setup your own project for this.

Can I build Ilib with Cygnus' Win32 GCC?

Yes, you can. However, you will also have to use GCC to build your application and you will need to distribute the required Cygnus runtime DLLs with it.

I get a bunch of X11-related link errors. What's that all about?

Version 4.X of Giflib/Libungif requires you to add -lX11 to LIBS and all the makefiles. (Version 3.X did not require this.) You can get around this by building Giflib/Libungif without support for X11. (Try configure --help when building Giflib/Libungif for information on how to do this.)

What's the purpose of the ifont2h utility?

The ifont2h utility allow you to embed a font within the application's executable so that you do not need to distribute the BDF font file with the executable.

How can I create my own fonts??

There is likely more than one way to do this. However, you can try the font editor from the following site (requires Tk/Tcl). It allows you to either edit or create X11 BDF fonts.

http://hea-www.harvard.edu/~fine/Tech/bdfedit.html

Do you accept patches/modifications?

You bet... Just email any patches to cknudsen@cknudsen.com.

What are some of the features that can be added?

See the Plans page.