[okular] [Bug 506426] New: Avoid full font-embedding with commenting tools

[Klaus]

https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=506426

            Bug ID: 506426
           Summary: Avoid full font-embedding with commenting tools
    Classification: Applications
           Product: okular
      Version First 24.12.3
       Reported In:
          Platform: unspecified
                OS: All
            Status: REPORTED
          Severity: wishlist
          Priority: NOR
         Component: PDF backend
          Assignee: okular-devel at kde.org
          Reporter: bauer.klaus.dieter at gmail.com
  Target Milestone: ---

PROBLEM DESCRIPTION

When inserting comments into a PDF with tools like "Type Writer" or "Text Box",
the fonts used are embedded into the PDF file. 

Most tools generating a PDF will embed only subset fonts, that contain only
characters actually needed by the PDF. By contrast, Okular always embeds the
whole font, causing file sizes to balloon relative to commenting with other
tools.

Ideally, the commenting tools would softly push towards using the standard PDF
font families which don't require embedding: Helvetica, Courier and Times, see
[1].

Sadly, none of these fonts are readily available on Linux. Metric-compatible
replacements from the "Nimbus" family of fonts are available, but when using
those, they will likewise be embedded. These fonts should commonly be
installed, as they are required as replacement fonts for rendering PDFs.


SUGGESTED ENHANCEMENT

1. Make "Helvetica", "Courier", "Times" the default fonts for commenting tools.
If the actual fonts are not available, transparently replace them by the Nimbus
replacement fonts, but don't embed them. This was it would become possible to
comment on PDF without embedding additional fonts.

2. Embed only subset fonts when saving comments. This would however carry the
risk of making the comments hard to edit for a recipient, who doesn't have the
used font installed. 






The PDF format has three standard font families:
- Courier
- Helvetica
- Times 

All other fonts need to be embedded in PDFs and sadly none of them are easily
available for Linux. Replacement fonts 

These officially don't require embedding, and indeed commenting in them


STEPS TO REPRODUCE
1. 
2. 
3. 

OBSERVED RESULT


EXPECTED RESULT


SOFTWARE/OS VERSIONS
Windows: 
macOS: 
(available in the Info Center app, or by running `kinfo` in a terminal window)
Linux/KDE Plasma: 
KDE Plasma Version: 
KDE Frameworks Version: 
Qt Version: 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION



REFERENCES
[1]
https://docs.oracle.com/cd/E96927_01/TSG/FAQ/What%20are%20the%2014%20base%20fonts%20distributed%20with%20Acroba.html

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