16 Dec 2015

Tender for cross-platform font/shaping stubs for layout tests (#201512-05)

Posted in Tenders By Florian Effenberger On December 16, 2015

noun_83825_ccThe Document Foundation (TDF), the charitable entity behind the world’s leading free office suite LibreOffice, seeks for companies or individuals to

implement cross-platform font/shaping stubs for layout tests

to start work as soon as possible.

TDF looks into funding reliable layout tests, extending those that currently exist (e.g. those for charting, which are currently not reproducible on all machines due to font/platform shaping differences).

TDF is looking for an individual or company to, as a turnkey project, design and implement the following:

  • design and implement a dummy/stubbed font/shaping backend, re-using our existing AFM parser
  • ship some AFMs for common legacy PostScript fonts compatible with Arial, Times New Roman, Courier and OpenSymbol
  • be equipped with a dummy shaper

The code is required to work cross-platform to allow layout testing on Windows, Linux and Mac.
The deliverables involve enabling the existing chart tests, and showing they work across platforms. Also the creation of minimal sample layout test documents for Writer, Calc and Impress to allow a simple baseline from which to build more complex tests.

Required Skills

C++ Programming language for the LibreOffice client part

Other Skills

English (Conversationally fluent in order to coordinate and plan with members of TDF)

TDF welcomes applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their race, sex, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation or age.

As always, TDF will give some preference to individuals who have previously shown a commitment to TDF, including but not limited to members of TDF. Not being a member, or never having contributed before, does not exclude any applicants from consideration.

The task offered is a project-based one-off, with no immediate plans to a mid- or long-term contractual relationship. It is offered on a freelance, project basis. Individuals and companies applying can be located anywhere in the world.

TDF is looking forward to receiving your applications, your financial expectations (name the final price for the turnkey project), and the earliest date of your availability, via e-mail to Florian Effenberger at no later than January 29, 2016. You can encrypt your message via PGP/GnuPG.

Applicants who have not received feedback by March 1, 2016 should consider that their application, after careful review, was not accepted.