BirdFont 2.5.0 Dev Test 1

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September 7, 2014 - 4:12pm

johan.mattsson.m

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BirdFont 2.5.0 Dev Test 1

Application: BirdFont
Category: Graphics & Pictures
Description: Font editor

Download BirdFontPortable_2.5.0_Dev_Test_1.paf.exe [ 28.5MB download / 134MB installed]
(MD5: e9f04999e1fef7ab59280fd900fb5f7d)

The package will be continuously updated when new versions of BirdFont are released. You can find the latest release and release notes on birdfont.org. Each version of BirdFont has been signed with gpg by Johan Mattsson, fingerprint CCEB9DD4.

There is an official bug tracker here: http://birdfont.org/bugtracker/my_view_page.php.

Release Notes:

Release (2015-04-14):

New upstream release

Release (2015-03-20):

New upstream release

Release (2015-03-20):

Pass execpath parameter to BirdFont

New upstream release

Release (2014-11-06):

New upstream release

Release (2014-10-10):

New upstream release

Release (2014-10-07):

Fix packaging bug

New upstream release

Release (2014-09-27):

New upstream release

Use portable format version 3

Fix version string

Release (2014-09-22):

New icon and license files.

Splash screen

Remove crashrpt

Release (2014-09-21):

New upstream release

Release (2014-09-20):

Add EULA

Release (2014-09-20):

Fixes error reported by Portable Development Toolkit

Release (2014-09-13):

New upstream release

Icon

Release (2014-09-07):

Initial release

September 7, 2014 - 5:11pm

Gord Caswell

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Publisher build

Note: I haven't tested this yet, but will soon.

This is a publisher submission, and IMHO, provided there aren't any portability issues, could get fast-tracked for official release as a result.

September 7, 2014 - 5:31pm

(Reply to #2) #3

johan.mattsson.m

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Thank you for the reply. I

Thank you for the reply. I should probably mention that the package has not yet been thoroughly tested yet but I will do some testing tomorrow. The only issue that I can think of so far is the license – BirdFont on Windows is free for those who develop free fonts under the SIL Font License. I have not found any criteria for freeware packages in the official repositories but I believe that many users would like to use BirdFont as a Portable application.

September 7, 2014 - 5:50pm

(Reply to #3) #4

Gord Caswell

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Not an issue

That license is an opensource license, recognized by the OSI so there aren't any issues whatsoever.

[EDIT] it's listed here: http://opensource.org/licenses/OFL-1.1

September 7, 2014 - 5:52pm

(Reply to #4) #5

johan.mattsson.m

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There is a package under the

There is a package under the GNU GPL of BirdFont as well but it runs and compiles only under Linux, the Windows version has proprietary bits.

September 8, 2014 - 3:07pm

(Reply to #5) #6

JCSalomon

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So the portable version would

So the portable version would be freeware, not Open Source; correct?

September 8, 2014 - 3:18pm

(Reply to #6) #7

johan.mattsson.m

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Yes.

September 9, 2014 - 4:20am

johan.mattsson.m

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Testing

I have made some testing and not found any serous bugs in the package. It is as far as I can see ready for release.

September 16, 2014 - 2:37pm

3D1T0R

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Not yet ready to be an Official PortableApps.com Release

This package requires more community testing before it will be ready to be an Official PortableApps.com Release, and therefore should not yet have been posted to the Apps Ready For Official Release thread.

Having not yet tested the App itself, here is a (partly manual) PAF validation.

from PA.c Development Toolkit (2011-12-11 07:45:19), then edited for better PAF compliance and readability
PortableApps.com Format validation failed with 18 errors and 6 warnings

Errors

App\AppInfo\appinfo.ini: [Details]:DisplayVersion, release cycle starts with Development Test

File App\AppInfo\Launcher\splash.jpg is required for Development Test releases

File App\AppInfo\appicon.ico does not contain all required formats (refer to PAF specification*)

File App\AppInfo\appicon_16.png is missing

File App\AppInfo\appicon_32.png is missing

File App\readme.txt is missing

File Other\Source\AppNamePortable.ini is missing

File Other\Source\License.txt is missing

File Other\Source\Readme.txt is missing

App\AppInfo\appinfo.ini: [Format]:Version, current specification is version 3.0

App\AppInfo\appinfo.ini: [Details], incorrect value AppId should be AppID

App\AppInfo\appinfo.ini: [Details]:Trademarks should be omitted if empty

App\AppInfo\appinfo.ini: [Details]:InstallType should be omitted if empty

App\AppInfo\appinfo.ini: [License]:EULAVersion is defined but neither Other\Source\EULA.rtf nor Other\Source\EULA.txt exists, it should be omitted if no EULA is to be displayed

App\AppInfo\appinfo.ini: [SpecialPaths]:Plugins should be omitted if set to NONE

App\AppInfo\appinfo.ini: [Dependencies]:UsesJava should be omitted if set to false

App\AppInfo\appinfo.ini: [Dependencies]:UsesDotNetVersion should be omitted if empty

App\AppInfo\appinfo.ini: [Control], invalid value ExtractIcon

Warnings

File App\AppInfo\appicon.ico does not contain recommended 256px True Color + Alpha PNG format

File App\AppInfo\appicon.ico contains non-standard formats

Recommended File App\AppInfo\appicon_128.png is missing

Directory Other\Help is missing

Directory Other\Help\Images is missing

App\AppInfo\appinfo.ini: [Control]:ExtractIcon should be omitted as it is not (yet) supported

Information

File help.html does not follow the de-facto standard, I'm not sure if this matters or not.

~3D1T0R

September 18, 2014 - 4:22am

(Reply to #9) #10

johan.mattsson.m

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Thanks. I didn't know there

Thanks. I didn't know there was a tool for validating packages. I will fix these issues.

September 18, 2014 - 4:01pm

(Reply to #10) #11

3D1T0R

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Sort of …

The Development Toolkit is in Alpha stage, and hasn't been updated since 2011, but it makes a PAF validation summary which is well formatted and has the HTML available to make it easy to copy/paste it to the forums.

So I ran it from the most recent source to get the basic list and then I went through the list & the package to ensure I had all the packaging issues I could find and to make it more easily understandable in case you weren't familiar with some of the terminology, etc..

~3D1T0R

September 18, 2014 - 4:05pm

(Reply to #11) #12

depp.jones

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Chris Morgan started one

Chris Morgan started one (https://portableapps.com/node/27502), but is still in alpha state. It should not be used without knowing the actual format specifications because Chris stopped developing it a few years ago. Changes or additions to the PA.c-specifications since then are not taken into account.
When you know what you are doing, it is a great tool to check if you did not forget some basic elements.
-edit-
parallel posting... again.

September 21, 2014 - 1:51pm

(Reply to #12) #13

johan.mattsson.m

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Errors fixed

Thank you, I have fixed all the errors reported by the tool. I skipped one warning about the splash image. I don't like splash screens but I can add it if you insists.
Cheers
Johan

September 22, 2014 - 3:40am

(Reply to #13) #14

3D1T0R

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Still does not comply with PAF specification (verified manually)

You may have fixed "all the errors reported by the tool" (or at least the publicly released Alpha 1 version of it), but you did not fix all the errors reported by me (nor even all those reported by the latest source release of 'the tool').

These are still issues
Manual PortableApps.com Format validation performed by myself: failed with 10 errors and 3 warnings.

Errors
App\AppInfo\appinfo.ini: [Version]:DisplayVersion, release cycle starts with Development Test
(In other words, this release is "Development Test 1" NOT "Release 1")

The "black and white PortableApps.com Development Test Release splash screen" is required for Development Test releases

File App\AppInfo\appicon.ico does not contain all required formats (refer to PAF specification)
File App\readme.txt should say
The files in this directory are necessary for the portable application to function.  There is normally no need to directly access or alter any of the files within these directories.
It is a warning to the end-user, not an informational file to tell them which Portable App's folder they're in.
File Other\Source\AppNamePortable.ini should say
AdditionalParameters=
DisableSplashScreen=false
RunLocally=false

# The above options are explained in the included readme.txt
# This INI file is an example only and is not used unless it is placed as described in the included readme.txt
It's a demonstrative configuration file which they can copy out to it's appropriate location and edit to customise how their copy of the app performs.
File Other\Source\License.txt should contain the open source license the App is [or parts thereof are] released under if applicable.)

File Other\Source\LauncherLicense.txt should contain a copy of the GPL v2 license because you're using PAL.

App\AppInfo\appinfo.ini: [Details]:Trademarks should be omitted if empty

App\AppInfo\appinfo.ini: [Details]:InstallType should be omitted if empty

App\AppInfo\appinfo.ini: [Control], invalid value ExtractIcon
Warnings

File App\AppInfo\appicon.ico does not contain recommended 256px True Color + Alpha PNG format

File App\AppInfo\appicon.ico contains non-standard formats

App\AppInfo\appinfo.ini: [Control]:ExtractIcon should be omitted as it is not (yet) supported

Note: Sorry if any of this contradicts my previous post, but I did make a couple of mistakes in that one, and I'm really tired right now so this one might not be perfect either.
However please actually read all of the things I've noted here as I am writing these out myself, this is not some automated program trying to tell you how to do it, I'm looking at it as an experienced tester who has a pretty good grasp on what should vs shouldn't be in a Development Test release, and these are my personal findings.

If you need help in understanding any of it, or if you don't know how to do what's necessary to comply with some part(s) the PAF specification, please just ask on here for us to help you with it.

~3D1T0R

September 22, 2014 - 4:33am

(Reply to #14) #15

johan.mattsson.m

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Thank you for the

Thank you for the clarifications. I appreciate your feedback.

September 26, 2014 - 7:44pm

(Reply to #15) #16

3D1T0R

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I'm going through this in a less structured manner this time,

I'm going through this in a slightly less structured manner this time, because I'm really tired right now and will be going to bed for the night as soon as I finish this comment.

As this is your second test build using version 1.4 of the base app it should be called Development Test 2, not Development Test 1, but I guess it'll just have to be what it is since it already is.

I have to say, the new appicon.ico is beautiful. It does contain a few formats which are not in the PAF specification (24px-8bit, 24px-32bit, 128px-32bit) but I'm not sure if that's an issue or not as it does now contain all of the formats required by the spec. Could we get a comment from John T. Haller?

I think eventually appinfo.ini:[Details]:Homepage should be PortableApps.com/BirdFontPortable but I think BirdFont.org/portable.php should be fine until such time as it becomes an Official PortableApps.com release.

The EULA is a little unusual, but to be honest it's probably the easiest to understand EULA I've ever read, with the possible exception of the 'EULA' displayed by the PortableApps.com Platform's installer.

Just a friendly tip, you can run PNG images through PngOptimizer to reduce their size without reducing their quality.

debug.log appears in the directory from which you launch the Launcher, please set the working directory to whichever you deem more appropriate of %PAL:AppDir%\BirdFont or %PAL:DataDir% (see documentation)

And finally a couple of notes about the app itself (I've actually run it and played with it a little now)
As far as leaving things behind, it looks clean to me.
Are you planning to allow for paid Portable versions as well? because otherwise the dialog box which tells the user to go to birdfont.org to get upgrade to the paid version if they want to make fonts under a different license is … misleading.

And usability-wise, the way the buttons' tooltips work is annoying, if I hover over a button it's tooltip pops up (good), but if I move my mouse up to where it would now be hovering over a different button but is still on top of the tooltip, the tooltip doesn't go away. I would expect the tooltip to disappear when moving the mouse off of the button that it is about, regardless of whether or not the mouse is over the tooltip, thus if I move the mouse to a spot which currently shows a tooltip, but beneath that is also over a different button, then the tooltip should disappear, then the tooltip for the button that the mouse is now over should open instead.

Hope this helps.

Edit: Fixed typos and improved grammar.

~3D1T0R

September 29, 2014 - 4:18pm

(Reply to #16) #17

John T. Haller

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App Icon

The appicon.ico needs to have the included formats at a minimum for proper function. Realistically, 256px supersedes 128px for many apps. I prefer to have both 128px and 256px. The spec will probably be updated to mention that those are the minimum. Realistically, anything you add other than the minimum isn't really used by the OS at all. It may be used by the app for the app's own embedded ICO in its own EXE (not the PAL exe, of course), so it's sometimes easier for a publisher to just use that for the appicon.ico as well.

Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!

September 29, 2014 - 5:01pm

(Reply to #17) #18

3D1T0R

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Understood

Thanks for clarifying.

~3D1T0R

September 21, 2014 - 4:22pm

#19

depp.jones

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Did another test

Hi,
I did another test. It seems to come out clean, mostly. Regshot revealed just one leftover:
C:\Users\---\AppData\Local\CrashRpt\UnsentCrashReports\Birdfont_1.4.0
though no crash occured.
The app triggered a smartshield warning and therefore required admin rights to add an exception.

Nice app btw., operation is not the most intuitive but it seems very capable. At least it's not as cumbersome as Fontforge.

I think the splash screen is mandatory, at least for development tests. Remember that there is an option to generally disable splash screens in the PA.c menu so users can choose on their own.

September 21, 2014 - 4:32pm

(Reply to #19) #20

johan.mattsson.m

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Thank you. I did forget

Thank you. I did forget crashrpt. I will disable automatic crash reports for the Portable app and add a splash screen. I don't think it is a big loss.

September 27, 2014 - 12:13pm

#21

johan.mattsson.m

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Version 1.5 Dev Test 2

With help form mwayne have I released version 1.5 Dev Test 2.

Many thanks to 3d1t0r and mwayne for reporting problems and fixing bugs.

The new release does also fix the annoying tool tip bug.

There is a git repository at Gitorious if you want to make changes to the package.

Cheers
Johan

November 6, 2014 - 6:50am

#22

johan.mattsson.m

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New release

This package have been in beta state for two moths now. Is there anything I can do to facilitate the beta testing and get the package in to the repository?

March 20, 2015 - 11:34am

#23

johan.mattsson.m

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This package has been beta

This package has been beta tested for several month now. Should I give up or will it be included in the repository?

April 7, 2016 - 10:12pm

#24

3D1T0R

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Dead link / 2.15.6

The download link is dead now, and it seems that you've posted new versions of BirdFont.
Is there any chance you'll update the Portable version to 2.15.6?

~3D1T0R

May 13, 2016 - 1:55pm

#25

johan.mattsson.m

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It seems like the chance of

It seems like the chance of getting this into the repository is rather small. I might work on an update but only if it will be included in the main repository.

May 18, 2016 - 10:16am

(Reply to #25) #26

3D1T0R

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Then talk to John.

If that's the case, then you should email the "Developers" email address mentioned on the contact page to find out if making it an official PortableApps.com app can be expedited.

~3D1T0R

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