[Bug 2088665] New: Noto Sans is chosen to display symbol characters it doesn't contain

https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2088665

Bug ID: 2088665
           Summary: Noto Sans is chosen to display symbol characters it
                    doesn't contain
           Product: Fedora
           Version: 36
            Status: NEW
         Component: google-noto-fonts
          Assignee: [e-mail]
          Reporter: [e-mail]
        QA Contact: [e-mail]
                CC: [e-mail],
                    [e-mail],
                    [e-mail], [e-mail],
                    [e-mail], [e-mail]
  Target Milestone: ---
    Classification: Fedora

Created attachment 1881507
  --> https://bugzilla.redhat.com/attachment.cgi?id=1881507&action=edit
A zipped sample PDF and image of relevant portion of PDF when affected by the
issue

Description of problem:
Given a PDF lacking embedded fonts which use certain characters (including →
and ≥), GNOME's Evince on Fedora 36 chooses to substitute the Noto Sans font,
which does not include these characters.

Version-Release number of selected component (if applicable):

How reproducible:
Successfully reproduced by two people independently.

Steps to Reproduce:
1. Boot a fresh copy of Fedora 36 (the Live version in a VM will do).
2. Open the attached sample PDF in GNOME Evince (aka Document Viewer).
3. Observe the missing characters in the second paragraph from the top of the
page.

Actual results:
See attached image.

Expected results:
The missing characters should be displayed properly as → (that is,
https://unicode-table.com/en/2192/).

Additional info:
The filer initially sought help at
https://ask.fedoraproject.org/t/missing-characters-in-pdfs-since-upgrade-fro...,
which may be informative in reproducing the issue.

[Bug 2088665] Noto Sans is chosen to display symbol characters it doesn't contain

https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2088665

Akira TAGOH  changed:

What    |Removed                     |Added
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
           Doc Type|---                         |If docs needed, set a value

[Bug 2088665] Noto Sans is chosen to display symbol characters it doesn't contain

https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2088665

Red Hat One Jira (issues.redhat.com)  changed:

What    |Removed                     |Added
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
            Link ID|                            |Red Hat Issue Tracker
                   |                            |FC-666

[Bug 2088665] Noto Sans is chosen to display symbol characters it doesn't contain

https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2088665

Fedora Update System  changed:

What    |Removed                     |Added
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
             Status|NEW                         |MODIFIED

--- Comment #4 from Fedora Update System  ---
FEDORA-2022-a3bf4d3246 has been submitted as an update to Fedora 38.
https://bodhi.fedoraproject.org/updates/FEDORA-2022-a3bf4d3246

[Bug 2088665] Noto Sans is chosen to display symbol characters it doesn't contain

https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2088665

Fedora Update System  changed:

What    |Removed                     |Added
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
             Status|MODIFIED                    |CLOSED
   Fixed In Version|                            |google-noto-fonts-20201206^
                   |                            |1.git0c78c8329-7.fc38
         Resolution|---                         |ERRATA
        Last Closed|                            |2022-11-25 11:13:50

--- Comment #5 from Fedora Update System  ---
FEDORA-2022-a3bf4d3246 has been pushed to the Fedora 38 stable repository.
If problem still persists, please make note of it in this bug report.

[Bug 2088665] Noto Sans is chosen to display symbol characters it doesn't contain

https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2088665

Akira TAGOH  changed:

What    |Removed                     |Added
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
             Status|CLOSED                      |MODIFIED
         Resolution|ERRATA                      |---
           Keywords|                            |Reopened

[Bug 2088665] Noto Sans is chosen to display symbol characters it doesn't contain

https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2088665

--- Comment #6 from Fedora Update System  ---
FEDORA-2022-575472271c has been submitted as an update to Fedora 37.
https://bodhi.fedoraproject.org/updates/FEDORA-2022-575472271c

[Bug 2088665] Noto Sans is chosen to display symbol characters it doesn't contain

https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2088665

Fedora Update System  changed:

What    |Removed                     |Added
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
             Status|MODIFIED                    |ON_QA

--- Comment #7 from Fedora Update System  ---
FEDORA-2022-575472271c has been pushed to the Fedora 37 testing repository.
Soon you'll be able to install the update with the following command:
`sudo dnf upgrade --enablerepo=updates-testing --refresh
--advisory=FEDORA-2022-575472271c`
You can provide feedback for this update here:
https://bodhi.fedoraproject.org/updates/FEDORA-2022-575472271c

See also https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/QA:Updates_Testing for more information
on how to test updates.

[Bug 2088665] Noto Sans is chosen to display symbol characters it doesn't contain

https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2088665

Fedora Update System  changed:

What    |Removed                     |Added
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
   Fixed In Version|google-noto-fonts-20201206^ |google-noto-fonts-20201206^
                   |1.git0c78c8329-7.fc38       |1.git0c78c8329-7.fc38
                   |                            |google-noto-fonts-20201206^
                   |                            |1.git0c78c8329-7.fc37
         Resolution|---                         |ERRATA
             Status|ON_QA                       |CLOSED
        Last Closed|2022-11-25 11:13:50         |2022-12-03 02:01:35

--- Comment #8 from Fedora Update System  ---
FEDORA-2022-575472271c has been pushed to the Fedora 37 stable repository.
If problem still persists, please make note of it in this bug report.

[Bug 2088665] Noto Sans is chosen to display symbol characters it doesn't contain

https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2088665

Alejandro Ochoa  changed:

What    |Removed                     |Added
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 CC|                            |[e-mail]

--- Comment #9 from Alejandro Ochoa  ---
I am a different user still experiencing these exact issues!  I think the bug
should be reopened.

I downloaded the sample files and still experience the same exact problem,
namely that certain special characters are missing, and displayed as boxes, in
evince, but not with other software (i.e. the same PDF opened in Firefox
displays all characters correctly).  I am using Fedora 37 fully updated, in
fact the same issue is present in 3 different machines with the same system,
and I've had this issue for a while just like the original poster, since
upgrading to Fedora 36.

I regularly experience this issue with PDFs that I create using R (plots
containing innocuous symbols such as a minus sign and greek letters), which
interferes with me giving presentations!  This bug is a big deal to me
professionally, and at least having a workaround would be greatly appreciated.

Here's what `pdffonts` reports on a recently offending file I created, which
matches the original bug report in showing a "Symbol" font that appears the be
the source of these problems:

$ pdffonts pq-tgp-delta-boxplot.pdf 
name                                 type              encoding         emb sub
uni object ID
------------------------------------ ----------------- ---------------- --- ---
--- ---------
Helvetica                            Type 1            Custom           no  no 
no      10  0
Helvetica-Bold                       Type 1            Custom           no  no 
no      11  0
Symbol                               Type 1            Symbol           no  no 
no      12  0

[Bug 2088665] Noto Sans is chosen to display symbol characters it doesn't contain

https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2088665

--- Comment #10 from [e-mail] ---
I just checked, and the issue is still occurring for me on my main Fedora 37
install. I will try to reproduce in a clean VM later this week.

[Bug 2088665] Noto Sans is chosen to display symbol characters it doesn't contain

https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2088665

Steve Underwood  changed:

What    |Removed                     |Added
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 CC|                            |[e-mail]

--- Comment #11 from Steve Underwood  ---
I just tried several PDF files with maths symbols in them on an up to date FC37
machine and an up to date FC38 machine. They display just fine when opened with
Firefox, but the symbols still don't display with Okular or evince. fc-match
Symbol (the font these PDF files are using) gives 'StandardSymbolsPS.t1:
"Standard Symbols PS" "Regular"'. It seems like this is an obsolete
configuration.

[Bug 2088665] Noto Sans is chosen to display symbol characters it doesn't contain

https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2088665

Akira TAGOH  changed:

What    |Removed                     |Added
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
         Resolution|ERRATA                      |---
            Version|36                          |37
             Status|CLOSED                      |ASSIGNED

--- Comment #12 from Akira TAGOH  ---
Okay, this seems to happen that urw-base35-standard-symbols-ps-fonts has a
substitution rule with strong binding instead of weak binding. this is why they
still have higher priority than google-noto-sans-symbols-fonts. I'll take
another change in google-noto-fonts.

[Bug 2088665] Noto Sans is chosen to display symbol characters it doesn't contain

https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2088665

Fedora Update System  changed:

What    |Removed                     |Added
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
             Status|ASSIGNED                    |MODIFIED

--- Comment #13 from Fedora Update System  ---
FEDORA-2023-ad30c3e882 has been submitted as an update to Fedora 40.
https://bodhi.fedoraproject.org/updates/FEDORA-2023-ad30c3e882

[Bug 2088665] Noto Sans is chosen to display symbol characters it doesn't contain

https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2088665

--- Comment #14 from Fedora Update System  ---
FEDORA-2023-db296088a5 has been submitted as an update to Fedora 39.
https://bodhi.fedoraproject.org/updates/FEDORA-2023-db296088a5

[Bug 2088665] Noto Sans is chosen to display symbol characters it doesn't contain

https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2088665

--- Comment #15 from Fedora Update System  ---
FEDORA-2023-aa001fcfe5 has been submitted as an update to Fedora 38.
https://bodhi.fedoraproject.org/updates/FEDORA-2023-aa001fcfe5

[Bug 2088665] Noto Sans is chosen to display symbol characters it doesn't contain

https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2088665

--- Comment #16 from Fedora Update System  ---
FEDORA-2023-8b6bc9ef2f has been submitted as an update to Fedora 37.
https://bodhi.fedoraproject.org/updates/FEDORA-2023-8b6bc9ef2f

[Bug 2088665] Noto Sans is chosen to display symbol characters it doesn't contain

https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2088665

Fedora Update System  changed:

What    |Removed                     |Added
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
             Status|MODIFIED                    |CLOSED
   Fixed In Version|google-noto-fonts-20201206^ |google-noto-fonts-20201206^
                   |1.git0c78c8329-7.fc38       |1.git0c78c8329-7.fc38
                   |google-noto-fonts-20201206^ |google-noto-fonts-20201206^
                   |1.git0c78c8329-7.fc37       |1.git0c78c8329-7.fc37
                   |                            |google-noto-fonts-20230801-
                   |                            |4.fc40
         Resolution|---                         |ERRATA
        Last Closed|2022-12-03 02:01:35         |2023-11-02 14:16:10

--- Comment #17 from Fedora Update System  ---
FEDORA-2023-ad30c3e882 has been pushed to the Fedora 40 stable repository.
If problem still persists, please make note of it in this bug report.

[Bug 2088665] Noto Sans is chosen to display symbol characters it doesn't contain

https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2088665

--- Comment #18 from Steve Underwood  ---
I just tried the new font RPMs that are in testing. Now a proper "Symbol" font
is being chosen for symbols, and I see a lot more of them in PDFs displayed
using evince or okular. However, the fonts being used - NotoSansSymbols and
NotoSansSymbols2 - seem to be missing a number of symbols needed for technical
documents. For example, the symbols for set expressions, like "U+2286 SUBSET OF
OR EQUAL TO", do not appear to be in these fonts. So, my documents still
display with a lot of problems using evince or okular. They display correctly
in Firefox.

[Bug 2088665] Noto Sans is chosen to display symbol characters it doesn't contain

https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2088665

--- Comment #19 from Fedora Update System  ---
FEDORA-2023-db296088a5 has been pushed to the Fedora 39 testing repository.
Soon you'll be able to install the update with the following command:
`sudo dnf upgrade --enablerepo=updates-testing --refresh
--advisory=FEDORA-2023-db296088a5`
You can provide feedback for this update here:
https://bodhi.fedoraproject.org/updates/FEDORA-2023-db296088a5

See also https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/QA:Updates_Testing for more information
on how to test updates.

[Bug 2088665] Noto Sans is chosen to display symbol characters it doesn't contain

https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2088665

--- Comment #20 from Fedora Update System  ---
FEDORA-2023-aa001fcfe5 has been pushed to the Fedora 38 testing repository.
Soon you'll be able to install the update with the following command:
`sudo dnf upgrade --enablerepo=updates-testing --refresh
--advisory=FEDORA-2023-aa001fcfe5`
You can provide feedback for this update here:
https://bodhi.fedoraproject.org/updates/FEDORA-2023-aa001fcfe5

See also https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/QA:Updates_Testing for more information
on how to test updates.

[Bug 2088665] Noto Sans is chosen to display symbol characters it doesn't contain

https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2088665

--- Comment #21 from Fedora Update System  ---
FEDORA-2023-8b6bc9ef2f has been pushed to the Fedora 37 testing repository.
Soon you'll be able to install the update with the following command:
`sudo dnf upgrade --enablerepo=updates-testing --refresh
--advisory=FEDORA-2023-8b6bc9ef2f`
You can provide feedback for this update here:
https://bodhi.fedoraproject.org/updates/FEDORA-2023-8b6bc9ef2f

See also https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/QA:Updates_Testing for more information
on how to test updates.

[Bug 2088665] Noto Sans is chosen to display symbol characters it doesn't contain

https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2088665

Fedora Update System  changed:

What    |Removed                     |Added
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
   Fixed In Version|google-noto-fonts-20201206^ |google-noto-fonts-20201206^
                   |1.git0c78c8329-7.fc38       |1.git0c78c8329-7.fc38
                   |google-noto-fonts-20201206^ |google-noto-fonts-20201206^
                   |1.git0c78c8329-7.fc37       |1.git0c78c8329-7.fc37
                   |google-noto-fonts-20230801- |google-noto-fonts-20230801-
                   |4.fc40                      |4.fc40
                   |                            |google-noto-fonts-20230201-
                   |                            |2.fc38

--- Comment #22 from Fedora Update System  ---
FEDORA-2023-aa001fcfe5 has been pushed to the Fedora 38 stable repository.
If problem still persists, please make note of it in this bug report.

[Bug 2088665] Noto Sans is chosen to display symbol characters it doesn't contain

https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2088665

Fedora Update System  changed:

What    |Removed                     |Added
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
   Fixed In Version|google-noto-fonts-20201206^ |google-noto-fonts-20201206^
                   |1.git0c78c8329-7.fc38       |1.git0c78c8329-7.fc38
                   |google-noto-fonts-20201206^ |google-noto-fonts-20201206^
                   |1.git0c78c8329-7.fc37       |1.git0c78c8329-7.fc37
                   |google-noto-fonts-20230801- |google-noto-fonts-20230801-
                   |4.fc40                      |4.fc40
                   |google-noto-fonts-20230201- |google-noto-fonts-20230201-
                   |2.fc38                      |2.fc38
                   |                            |google-noto-fonts-20230801-
                   |                            |4.fc39

--- Comment #23 from Fedora Update System  ---
FEDORA-2023-db296088a5 has been pushed to the Fedora 39 stable repository.
If problem still persists, please make note of it in this bug report.

[Bug 2088665] Noto Sans is chosen to display symbol characters it doesn't contain

https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2088665

Fedora Update System  changed:

What    |Removed                     |Added
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
   Fixed In Version|google-noto-fonts-20201206^ |google-noto-fonts-20201206^
                   |1.git0c78c8329-7.fc38       |1.git0c78c8329-7.fc38
                   |google-noto-fonts-20201206^ |google-noto-fonts-20201206^
                   |1.git0c78c8329-7.fc37       |1.git0c78c8329-7.fc37
                   |google-noto-fonts-20230801- |google-noto-fonts-20230801-
                   |4.fc40                      |4.fc40
                   |google-noto-fonts-20230201- |google-noto-fonts-20230201-
                   |2.fc38                      |2.fc38
                   |google-noto-fonts-20230801- |google-noto-fonts-20230801-
                   |4.fc39                      |4.fc39
                   |                            |google-noto-fonts-20201206^
                   |                            |1.git0c78c8329-8.fc37

--- Comment #24 from Fedora Update System  ---
FEDORA-2023-8b6bc9ef2f has been pushed to the Fedora 37 stable repository.
If problem still persists, please make note of it in this bug report.

[Bug 2088665] Noto Sans is chosen to display symbol characters it doesn't contain

https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2088665

[e-mail] changed:

What    |Removed                     |Added
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 CC|                            |[e-mail]

--- Comment #25 from [e-mail] ---
I may be wrong but I think this bug - or something very similar - is
persisting. According to the Evince -> preferences -> fonts, the Symbol font is
being substituted with Noto Sans. I think this font doesn't have all the
required glyphs.

@[e-mail] for a work-around, make a .font.conf file in ~/ with the
following:

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<!DOCTYPE fontconfig SYSTEM "fonts.dtd">
<fontconfig>

<match target="pattern">
    <test name="family" qual="any" >
      <string>Symbol</string>
    </test>
    <edit name="family" mode="assign" binding="same">
      <string>OpenSymbol</string>
    </edit>
  </match>

</fontconfig>

OpenSymbol will need to be installed for this to work: It's in
libreoffice-opensymbol-fonts if you need to install it. From the name I'm
guessing it comes with libreoffice so maybe we already have it?

Otherwise you can embed the fonts yourself with ghostcript (sudo dnf install
ghostscript if you don't have it), with the command:

gs -dNOPAUSE -dBATCH -dPDFSETTINGS=/prepress -sDEVICE=pdfwrite
-dEmbedAllFonts=true -sOutputFile=insert_output_file_name_here.pdf -f
insert_input_file_name_here.pdf

But it would be good if this could be fixed system-wide at some further
upstream point. I don't have the knowledge to say where and how.

Thanks in advance

[Bug 2088665] Noto Sans is chosen to display symbol characters it doesn't contain

https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2088665

--- Comment #26 from Akira TAGOH  ---
This change has been reverted because of Bug#2129399

Please open another issue against libreoffice-opensymbol-fonts to have a
substitution for Symbol or keep discussions at Bug#2129399.