Python: Custom global fonts for Matplotlib without installation

To use custom TTF font on our own, there are similar posts up on the forums. However, none of them works for my case except this one.

Here's the highlight:

• Dynamically add custom font to current Python script outside of default system font folder, especially on Linux
• No big changes to the rest of Python source about adding fontsproperties *kwargs to each text/label statement

Here's example:

        # Set global font style
        mpl = matplotlib
        fm = matplotlib.font_manager
        basedir = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), 'static', 'fonts')
        fpath = os.path.join(basedir,'times.ttf')
        prop = fm.FontProperties(fname=fpath)

        font_files = fm.findSystemFonts(fontpaths=basedir)
        font_list = fm.createFontList(font_files)
        fm.fontManager.ttflist.extend(font_list)

        logging.debug('Register font family: %s' % (prop.get_name()))
        mpl.rcParams['font.family'] = prop.get_name()
        mpl.rcParams.update({'font.size': '10'})
        
        plt.switch_backend('agg')

This code snippet assigns the basedir with current Python script's location as reference and sub-folder structure like:

[current_folder]/static/fonts/

The best of this is to create custom font list and extend it to current font manager's TTF List. It means it will apply the custom font to existing font family within current Python script as a whole. No more hassle to things to any other statements and it works like the default font.

This example uses Times New Roman TTF font. You can use whatever TTF font you like.

Compiling custom version of PHP on CentOS 7 with non-root privilegs

I was trying to test a PHP webapp up on commodity server. Some PHP extensions are not in place while Apache's config files are out of touch due to non-root user privilege.

After a couple of google searches, the closest thing would be how to custom compile PHP engine on web hosting server which fits the scenario of non-root user installation.

First, check out the git source from here:
https://github.com/php/php-src

So far I have been on PHP v7.2.11 and the outcome is satisfied after source compiling.

Second, choose and create a destination directory for new PHP implementation which can be something like:
/home/user/local

Third, steps to compile:

$
$ cd {PHP source directory}
$ make clean
$ ./configure \
  --prefix=/home/user/local \
  --enable-calendar \
  --enable-pcntl \
  --enable-shmop \
  --enable-sockets \
  --enable-mbstring \
  --enable-bcmath \
  --with-gd \
  --with-curl \
  --with-openssl \
  --with-xmlrpc \
  --enable-soap \
  --enable-zip \
  --enable-opcache \
  --with-gd \
  --with-jpeg-dir \
  --with-png-dir \
  --with-mysqli \
  --enable-pcntl \
  --with-pdo-mysql \
  --with-pdo-sqlite \
  --with-pgsql \
  --with-freetype-dir \
  --enable-intl \
  --with-xsl \
  --with-zlib \
  --enable-simplexml \
  --with-sqlite3 \
  --enable-xmlreader \
  --enable-xmlwriter \
  --with-gettext \
  --with-gdbm
$ make
$ make install

Once done, the files will be placed in the directory specified by the flag --prefix.

Please note that a specific PHP target directory is set according to destination directory, i.e., /home/user/local for installation which prevents overwriting default/previous PHP implementation even under non-root privileges.

For fcgid implementation, the following files should be created within the parent directory of targeted PHP app where index.php noramlly stays:

This .htaccess target the wiki webapp whereas first 3 lines may be omitted.

############################ File ".htaccess" (permission:755) ###########################################

RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} -f
RewriteRule (api|load)\.php - [L]

Options +Indexes +FollowSymLinks +ExecCGI
AddHandler php-fastcgi72 .php
Action php-fastcgi72 {php_webapp_directory}/php7.fcgi

# DISABLE CACHING

 Header set Cache-Control "no-cache, no-store, must-revalidate"
 Header set Pragma "no-cache"
 Header set Expires 0

############################ End of File ".htaccess"  ###########################################


File "php7.fcgi" must be assigned an execute permission to Apache user/group.
############################ File "php7.fcgi" (permission:775)###########################################

#!/bin/bash

export PHP_INI_SCAN_DIR="/home/user/local/lib/php.d"
export PHP_FCGI_CHILDREN=4
export PHP_FCGI_MAX_REQUESTS=10000
exec /home/user/local/bin/php-cgi -c /home/user/local/lib

############################ End of File "php7.fcgi" ###########################################

I was having trouble to enable opcache for PHP in FCGI mode. However, enabling opcache may not be a good idea for PHP script running in CGI mode (please read here: https://ma.ttias.be/how-to-clear-php-opcache/). Anyway, it's up to your own desire to try improving PHP's performance.