Ubuntu – How to render SVG files with subpixel hinting for text

image-viewersinkscapesvg

I need to render an SVG image with very small text, so I would like to use subpixel hinting, like so:

enter image description here

Inkscape doesn't provide an option to use subpixel hinting for PNG export, neither does the GIMP. However, I get excellent results when I view the image in EOG, the Gnome Image Viewer.

How do I use whatever Image Viewer uses to render my SVGs to PNG files with transparency?

Since subpixel hinting depends on the order of red, green and blue subpixels, EOG disables it when I use the Save As button. I can take a screenshot, but then I don't have transparency in my images. Is there any piece of software that can render text to raster images with anti-aliasing and subpixel hinting?

Best Answer

http://libregraphicsworld.org/blog/entry/getting-crisper-text-out-of-inkscape should help you :)

This blog post advises to select File → Save a Copy → Cairo PNG for cairo-based rendering.