[Solved] How to generate 32bit font cache in a 64bit multilib install?

Question

According to fc-cache's man page, "fc-cache must be executed once per architecture to generate font information customized for that architecture." My question is, how can I do that?
Should I build a chroot and mount the font directories in the chroot and run fc-cache -s? Is there any cleaner way to do that? Btw, the lib32-fontconfig in multilib does not provide something like fc-cache32, it's only libraries.
Last edited by AugustePop (2013-07-02 04:50:35)

Answer 1

I'll repeat it again and the last time: this is not how a multlib capable environment works. Using multilib means that atop a primary architecture (which is determined by your CPU type -- x86_64 in this case), you can execute binaries built for a different architecture (i686). Since either one uses its own instruction set and libraries, you cannot install both at the same time. That's why there is no 32bit-fontconfig in lib32-fontconfig: it there were, you'd be running a i686 OS and didn't need multilib. However, you can enable native 32bit libraries to make it possible for a binary to communicate with the OS (and CPU) using its own instructions. That's why you can execute any 32bit binary, including the redundant fc-cache that you built yourself.
In your particular case, the binary needed to create font cache is the one you already have: /usr/bin/fc-cache. If you launch a 32bit application, the cache will be created for fonts the application needs (not your entire font collection), using the very same fc-cache: this is what happens when I run wine in a 32bit chroot and this is the answer to your question:
i just don't know how they got there and how to manually create the complete font cache.
And that's it: go to the next step and run your 32bit software. You'll certainly see it's using your fonts.
What you are trying to do is neither necessary, nor technically correct, but if you want to reinvent the wheel -- good luck then.