This document contains instructions on how to cross-build the FreeType
library on Unix systems, for example, building binaries for Linux/MIPS
on  FreeBSD/i386.  Before  reading this  document, please  consult the
file  `INSTALL.UNIX' for  required tools  and the  basic self-building
procedure.


  1. Required Tools
  -----------------

    For self-building the FreeType library  on a Unix system, GNU Make
    3.81 or newer  is required.  `INSTALL.UNIX' contains  hints how to
    check the installed `make'.

    The GNU C  compiler to cross-build the target  system is required.
    Currently, using a non-GNU cross  compiler is untested.  The cross
    compiler is  expected to be  installed with a system  prefix.  For
    example, if  your building system  is FreeBSD/i386 and  the target
    system is Linux/MIPS, the cross  compiler should be installed with
    the name `mips-ip22-linuxelf-gcc'.

    A C  compiler for a self-build  is required also, to  build a tool
    (`apinames') that is executed during the build procedure.  Non-GNU
    self compilers are acceptable, but such a setup is untested.


  2. Configuration
  ----------------

    2.1. Building and target system

      To configure  a cross-build,  the options  `--host=<system>' and
      `--build=<system>'  must be  passed to  the `configure'  script.
      For example, if your build system is FreeBSD/i386 and the target
      system is Linux/MIPS, say

        ./configure \
          --build=i386-unknown-freebsd \
          --host=mips-ip22-linuxelf \
          [other options]

      It should  be noted that `--host=<system>'  specifies the system
      where the built binaries will  be executed, not the system where
      the build actually happens.   Older versions of GNU autoconf use
      the option  pair `--host=' and `--target='.  This  is broken and
      doesn't work.  Similarly, an explicit CC specification like

        env CC=mips-ip22-linux-gcc ./configure                 # BAD

      or

        env CC=/usr/local/mips-ip22-linux/bin/gcc ./configure  # BAD

      doesn't   work  either;  such   a  configuration   confuses  the
      `configure' script while  trying to find the cross  and native C
      compilers.


    2.2. The prefix to install FreeType2

      Setting `--prefix=<prefix>'  properly is important.   The prefix
      to  install  FreeType2  is written  into  the  `freetype-config'
      script and `freetype2.pc' configuration file.

      If  the built  FreeType  2 library  is  used as  a  part of  the
      cross-building system,  the prefix  is expected to  be different
      from  the self-building  system.  For  example, a  configuration
      with   `--prefix=/usr/local'   installs    binaries   into   the
      system-wide `/usr/local' directory, which then can't be executed
      due  to the  incorrect architecture.   This causes  confusion in
      configuration of all applications  that use FreeType2.  Instead,
      use a prefix  to install the cross-build into  a separate system
      tree, for example, `--prefix=/usr/local/mips-ip22-linux/'.

      On the other hand, if the built  FreeType 2 library is used as a
      part of the target system,  the prefix to install should reflect
      the file system structure of the target system.


    2.3. Library dependencies

      FreeType normally depends on external libraries like `libpng' or
      `libharfbuzz'.   The  easiest case  is  to  deactivate all  such
      dependencies  using the  `--without-XXX' configuration  options.
      However, if you  want to use those libraries,  you should ensure
      that  they  are available  both  on  the  target system  and  as
      (cross-compiled) libraries on the build system.

      FreeType uses  `pkg-config' to find  most of the  libraries; the
      other libraries it links to  are expected in the standard system
      directories.   Since the  default pkg-config's  meta-information
      files (like `harfbuzz.pc') of the build platform don't work, use
      one of the two possible solutions below.

        o Use pkg-config's meta-information files that are adjusted to
          cross-compile  and  cross-link  with the  target  platform's
          libraries.  Make sure those files are found before the build
          system's default files.  Example:

            ./configure \
              --build=i386-unknown-freebsd \
              --host=mips-ip22-linuxelf \
              PKG_CONFIG_LIBDIR="/usr/local/mips-ip22-linux/lib/pkgconfig" \
              [other options]

          See the manpage of `pkg-config' for more details.

        o Set variables like LIBPNG_LIBS  as additional options to the
          `configure' script, overriding the values `pkg-config' would
          provide.  `configure --help' shows the available environment
          variables.  Example:

            ./configure \
              --build=i386-unknown-freebsd \
              --host=mips-ip22-linuxelf \
              LIBPNG_CFLAGS="-I/usr/local/mips-ip22-linux/include" \
              LIBPNG_LIBS="-L/usr/local/mips-ip22-linux/lib -lpng12" \
              [other options]


  3. Building command
  -------------------

    If  the  configuration  finishes successfully,  invoking  GNU make
    builds FreeType2.  Just say

      make

    or

      gmake

    depending on the name the GNU make binary actually has.


  4. Installation
  ---------------

    Saying

      make install

    as usual to install FreeType2 into the directory tree specified by
    the argument of the `--prefix' option.

    As noted in section 2.2,  FreeType2  is sometimes configured to be
    installed  into the  system directory  of the  target  system, and
    should  not be installed  in the  cross-building system.   In such
    cases, the  make variable `DESTDIR'  is useful to change  the root
    directory in the installation.  For example, after

      make DESTDIR=/mnt/target_system_root/ install

    the built FreeType2 library files are installed into the directory
    `/mnt/target_system_root/<prefix_in_configure>/lib'.


  5. TODO
  -------

    Cross building between Cygwin (or MSys) and Unix must be tested.


----------------------------------------------------------------------

Copyright (C) 2006-2026 by
suzuki toshiya, 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 INSTALL.CROSS ---
