818164 - Font Issue in FF 17

Status: VERIFIED WORKSFORME

(Core :: Graphics, defect)

Description

[Matt Grimes [:Matt_G]]

+++ This bug was initially created as a clone of Bug #814101 +++

Cloning this so we can continue to investigate any remaining issues reported in:

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/942265

It looks like having smoothing and cleartype disabled is still causing the issue in 17.0.1. Wondering if there is any way to estimate how many of our users have this combination or if there are other factors such as classic mode at play here.

Comment 1

[u279076]

1. Smooth Edges ON + Cleartype ON
> text is anti-aliased

2. Smooth Edges OFF + Cleartype ON
> text is anti-aliased

3. Smooth Edges OFF + Cleartype OFF
> text is not anti-aliased

4. Smooth Edges ON + Cleartype OFF
> text is not anti-aliased

Results from testing on Windows 7 with Firefox 17.0.1. Same results with gfx.content.azure.enabled set to true and false. Same results using the Windows Classic theme.

Maybe I'm misunderstanding the issue but it seems I'm not able to reproduce. I have an NVidia 8600GT GPU (if that matters).

Comment 2

[[:Cww]]

shouldn't case 4 be somewhat (grayscale) anti-aliased?

Comment 3

[u279076]

(In reply to [:Cww] from comment #2)
> shouldn't case 4 be somewhat (grayscale) anti-aliased?

I'm not seeing any anti-aliasing in #3 or #4. But maybe my computer does support it? or maybe my eyes are incapable of detecting it.

Comment 4

[Serg Iv]

Attachment: grayscale AA

Comment 5

[Serg Iv]

On my PC the difference is pretty obvious. Look at the attached screenshot (for case 3 and 4). With azure disabled text is not anti-aliased in any case.

Comment 6

[u279076]

Thanks for the screenshot so I can see the issue. However, I'm not able to reproduce this on my machine.

Comment 7

[u279076]

Serg, could you kindly share some more information about your computer? OS version, themes, hardware configuration, etc.

Comment 8

[Serg Iv]

Athlon 64 x2, ATI Radeon HD 3850 (driver 8.920.0.0 11-9-2011)
Win 7 x32 Home Basic Russian. Standard Win 7 theme with the desktop composition disabled.

Just tried with the desktop composition enabled and with classic theme - same anti-aliased text.

Comment 9

[Serg Iv]

oops, sorry, my win is english, not russian.

more info

desktop composition _enabled_ + smooth _off_ = colored anti-aliasing (shadow, blur) in the FF's tabs

Comment 10

[u279076]

(In reply to Serg Iv from comment #8)
> Athlon 64 x2, ATI Radeon HD 3850 (driver 8.920.0.0 11-9-2011)

Any particular reason you are using a driver that's almost a year out of date? Would you care to try the current WHQL driver version for your graphics card?
http://www2.ati.com/drivers/legacy/12-6/12-6-legacy_vista_win7_32_dd_ccc_whql.exe

Comment 11

[Serg Iv]

Yes. For some reason Win 7 doesn't like my graphic card. And updates leads to numerous visual glitches.
That anti-aliased fonts are not really issue for me, because my system alway run with font smooth edges ON. I turned it off just for testing.

Comment 12

[u279076]

I switched over to my ATI GPU and I can't reproduce this there either (same results as comment 1). However, I am using an ATI HD6450 with the current Catalyst 12.10 drivers. I can't reproduce what you are seeing. There must be more to this than just Firefox and Windows preferences.

Comment 13

[Serg Iv]

Maybe it's because my Win 7 is "Home Basic"?
From Wikipedia:
...Some Windows Aero options are excluded along with several new features.

Comment 14

[u279076]

(In reply to Serg Iv from comment #13)
> Maybe it's because my Win 7 is "Home Basic"?
> From Wikipedia:
> ...Some Windows Aero options are excluded along with several new features.

Perhaps, however using Windows 7 Basic or Windows Classic themes should reproduce this for me if that was the case; they don't.

Anyway, it's clear I'm making no progress here. I'd like to give someone else a chance at digging deeper here. Can someone please jump in and investigate this further?

Comment 15

[Aeroxima]

Attachment: gfx.content.azure.enabled = true, smoothed/blurred fonts

Comment 16

[Aeroxima]

Attachment: gfx.content.azure.enabled = false, fonts as expected

Comment 17

[Aeroxima]

ClearType: Off
Font Smoothing in Win7: Off

I have this in 17.0.1, but it's not an issue in the 18 Beta.  I thought that meant it was taken care of?

Comment 18

[Paul Silaghi, QA [:pauly]]

(In reply to Anthony Hughes, Mozilla QA (:ashughes) from comment #1)
> 1. Smooth Edges ON + Cleartype ON
> > text is anti-aliased
> 
> 2. Smooth Edges OFF + Cleartype ON
> > text is anti-aliased
> 
> 3. Smooth Edges OFF + Cleartype OFF
> > text is not anti-aliased
> 
> 4. Smooth Edges ON + Cleartype OFF
> > text is not anti-aliased

I can see the issue (step 3 - text is anti-aliased with Smooth Edges OFF + Cleartype OFF) on FF 17.0.1 using the Magnifier Tool (colored borders, best seen in the tab title).
This is not reproducible with gfx.content.azure.enabled=false.
Also not reproducible on FF 18b2.

Comment 19

[Jonathan Kew [:jfkthame]]

Right - that's the remaining problem in 17.0.1.

As per bug 814101 comment 86, the small prefs patch we took in 17.0.1 fixed the problem for users with ClearType OFF but font smoothing still ON, but did not fix it for those with both options OFF.

The larger azure patch that was landed for FF 18/19/20 fixed the issue for both cases.

-If- there's going to be a 17.0.2 release at some point, I think we could consider uplifting the main azure patch from bug 814101, now that it's had a bit of "bake time" on trunk/aurora/beta, and AFAIK is working fine with no reported issues. Otherwise, affected users (i.e. those who want -no- font smoothing, not even grayscale) should either move to FF18 beta or disable azure as a workaround until FF18 final is released.

Comment 20

[R2KFoto]

With FF18 it is still broken.

Comment 21

[u279076]

(In reply to R2KFoto from comment #20)
> With FF18 it is still broken.

Please be more specific. Are you seeing specifically what is called out in comment 18 and 19? If so that is expected (at least for now).

Comment 22

[R2KFoto]

OK, im a clear type off user.
This is "my" Bug 703625. Something has changed in FF18 Final?

Comment 23

[u279076]

Jonathan, could you please help clarify what was actually fixed for Firefox 18 and what remains to be fixed in a future Firefox release?

Comment 24

[Jonathan Kew [:jfkthame]]

It's not clear to me exactly what people are seeing. It would be helpful if those still experiencing problems in Firefox 18 could provide:

(a) their settings for font smoothing, both the Smooth Edges of Screen Fonts option found in the System / Advanced Settings / Performance Options panel, and ClearType, which is enabled/disabled using the ClearType Text Tuner (accessed through the Adjust ClearType Text option in the Display control panel);

(b) the Graphics section of about:support;

(c) a screenshot showing the problematic text rendering.

Comment 25

[Paul Silaghi, QA [:pauly]]

I've double checked comment 18. Everything looks ok in FF 18 release, 19b1, Win 7 x64.

Comment 26

[a.bauer]

In FF 17 and 17.01 the text was clear only when I disabled "gfx.content.azure" in "about:config". 
Now, after updating to FF 18.0 the text is sharp always.

It doesn't matter aynmore  if I enable or disable  the azure setting.

So it seems to be fixed finally. Thank you !!!

Comment 27

[u279076]

Thank you a.bauer.

Jonathan, can we just call this fixed and get users to file bugs for specific follow-up issues?

Comment 28

[R2KFoto]

I will make a test with a new installation. And I need to reset my "gfx." parameters. Sorry guys i'm busy.

Comment 29

[R2KFoto]

A fresh installation of FF18 shows no problems. It turns out that the Addon "Anti-Aliasing Tuner" is problematic. OK the Fonts issues are gone and so there is no need for that Addon anymore.

Comment 30

[Adrian]

I still have some problems in FF18 unless I set gfx.direct2d.disabled=true

http://www.planetcoding-server.net/misc/ff-font-ok.png - azure off, direct2d off
http://www.planetcoding-server.net/misc/ff-font-ugly.png - azure off, direct2d on

Comment 31

[Paul Silaghi, QA [:pauly]]

I cannot reproduce, as I already said in comment 25. Did you try with a new profile? See comment 29.

Comment 32

[Adrian]

just tested - no difference.

Comment 33

[Jonathan Kew [:jfkthame]]

(In reply to Adrian from comment #30)
> I still have some problems in FF18 unless I set gfx.direct2d.disabled=true
> 
> http://www.planetcoding-server.net/misc/ff-font-ok.png - azure off, direct2d
> off
> http://www.planetcoding-server.net/misc/ff-font-ugly.png - azure off,
> direct2d on

Why are you turning off azure? As I understand it, that was a workaround for problems in FF17, but should no longer be necessary in 18; bug 814101 specifically aimed to fix non-cleartype rendering in azure.

Comment 34

[Adrian]

Azure on/off doesn't really change anything anyway. I tried it because I read in another bug here that it being enabled was the cause for the problem for some other people.

Comment 35

[Paul Silaghi, QA [:pauly]]

While testing some plugins blocking, I've noticed a strange font issue:
1. Start Firefox with a new profile
2. In about:config find extensions.blocklist.url and change addons.mozilla.org to addons-dev.allizom.org
3. Force a blocklist ping by evaluating the following code in Error Console:
Components.classes["@mozilla.org/extensions/blocklist;1"].getService(Components.interfaces.nsITimerCallback).notify(null);
4. Close the Error Console
5. Look very carefully at the about:config letters in the location bar while clicking once in the FF window
AR: Suddenly the text is no longer anti-aliased.
FF 20b1, 21.0a2 (2013-02-26), 22.0a1 (2013-02-26) Win 7 x64

Comment 36

[Virtual_ManPL [:Virtual] 🇵🇱 - (please needinfo? me - so I will see your comment/reply/question/etc.)]

Can you still reproduce the issue with latest version with clean new fresh profile without any addons and plugins?