[reportlab-users] When it is safe to use PDFZCompress in reportlab code

[Marius Gedminas]

Hi,

Currently reportlab does not compress embedded Type1 font files (see
reportlab.pdfbase.pdfmetrics.EmbeddedType1Face.addObjects).  Actually
the code contains a line enabling PDFZCompress filter, but that line is
commented out.  What is the reason for that?

My TTF embedding code currently also contains a commented out line that
would enable compression if uncommented.  Since PDF file size was a
concern during earlier discussions about TTF embedding, I would like to
enable compression by default, but I'm not sure it is safe.
Unfortunatelly, there's no way (or at least I couldn't find one) to get
to the pageCompression argument passed to Canvas in font embedding code.
I am now thinking about adding an equivalent attribute to PDFDocument,
that would be passed from Canvas and could be checked in fonts'
addObjects methods.  Or should I just turn compression unconditionally?

Marius Gedminas
-- 
"Life begins when you can spend your spare time programming instead of
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-- Cal Keegan