Seeing all comments on the interface slowdown, I decided to try a different

approach for the coloring of interface texts. Currently two seperate fonts get
generated, one black and one white, which eliminates the glPixelTransfer
command. (which assumably caused the huge slowdowns)

Please try, and post your experiences on the interface drawing speed.
NOTE: for this new method you need the *unmodified* FTGL library:
http://homepages.paradise.net.nz/henryj/code/#FTGL

Apologies on any inconveniences...

source/blender/ftfont/intern/FTF_TTFont.cpp

@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ FTF_TTFont::FTF_TTFont(void)
 	char *bundlepath;
 #endif
 
-	font=NULL;
+	fontB = fontW =NULL;
 	font_size=FONT_SIZE_DEFAULT;
 	strcpy(encoding_name, SYSTEM_ENCODING_DEFAULT);
 
@@ -145,7 +145,8 @@ FTF_TTFont::FTF_TTFont(void)
 
 FTF_TTFont::~FTF_TTFont(void)
 {
-	if (font) delete font;
+	if (fontB) delete fontB;
+	if (fontW) delete fontW;
 }
 
 
@@ -154,19 +155,26 @@ int FTF_TTFont::SetFont(char* str, int size)
 	int err = 0;
 	bool success = 0;
 
-	delete font;
+	if(fontB) delete fontB;
+	if(fontW) delete fontW;
 
-	font = new FTGLPixmapFont(str);
-	err = font->Error();
+	fontB = new FTGLPixmapFont(str);
+	fontW = new FTGLPixmapFont(str);
+	err = fontB->Error();
 
 	if(err) {
 //		printf("Failed to open font %s\n", str);
 		return 0;
 	} else {
-		success = font->FaceSize(size);
+		success = fontB->FaceSize(size);
+		if(!success) return 0;
+		success = fontW->FaceSize(size);
 		if(!success) return 0;
 
-		success = font->CharMap(ft_encoding_unicode);
+		success = fontB->CharMap(ft_encoding_unicode);
+		if(!success) return 0;
+
+		success = fontW->CharMap(ft_encoding_unicode);
 		if(!success) return 0;
 
 		return 1;
@@ -212,7 +220,8 @@ void FTF_TTFont::SetEncoding(char* str)
 
 void FTF_TTFont::SetSize(int size)
 {
-	font->FaceSize(size);
+	fontB->FaceSize(size);
+	fontW->FaceSize(size);
 	font_size = size;
 }
 
@@ -223,12 +232,12 @@ int FTF_TTFont::GetSize(void)
 
 int FTF_TTFont::Ascender(void)
 {
-	return font->Ascender();
+	return fontB->Ascender();
 }
 
 int FTF_TTFont::Descender(void)
 {
-	return font->Descender();
+	return fontB->Descender();
 }
 
 
@@ -249,20 +258,14 @@ float FTF_TTFont::DrawString(char* str, unsigned int flag, int select)
 		len=utf8towchar(wstr,str);
 
 	if(!select) {
-		glPixelTransferf(GL_RED_SCALE, 0.0);
-		glPixelTransferf(GL_GREEN_SCALE, 0.0);
-		glPixelTransferf(GL_BLUE_SCALE, 0.0);
+		glColor4f(0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0);
+		fontB->Render(wstr);
+		return fontB->Advance(wstr);
+	} else {
+		glColor4f(1.0, 1.0, 1.0, 1.0);
+		fontW->Render(wstr);
+		return fontW->Advance(wstr);
 	}
-	
-	font->Render(wstr);
-  
-	if(!select) {
-		glPixelTransferf(GL_RED_SCALE, 1.0);
-		glPixelTransferf(GL_GREEN_SCALE, 1.0);
-		glPixelTransferf(GL_BLUE_SCALE, 1.0);
-	}
-
-	return font->Advance(wstr);
 }
 
 
@@ -276,17 +279,19 @@ float FTF_TTFont::DrawStringRGB(char* str, unsigned int flag, float r, float g,
 	else 
 		len=utf8towchar(wstr,str);
 
+	glColor4f(1.0, 1.0, 1.0, 1.0);
+
 	glPixelTransferf(GL_RED_SCALE, r);
 	glPixelTransferf(GL_GREEN_SCALE, g);
 	glPixelTransferf(GL_BLUE_SCALE, b);
 	
-	font->Render(wstr);
+	fontW->Render(wstr);
   
 	glPixelTransferf(GL_RED_SCALE, 1.0);
 	glPixelTransferf(GL_GREEN_SCALE, 1.0);
 	glPixelTransferf(GL_BLUE_SCALE, 1.0);
 
-	return font->Advance(wstr);
+	return fontW->Advance(wstr);
 }
 
 
@@ -300,7 +305,8 @@ float FTF_TTFont::GetStringWidth(char* str, unsigned int flag)
 	else 
 		len=utf8towchar(wstr,str);
 
-	return font->Advance(wstr);
+	glColor4f(0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0);
+	return fontB->Advance(wstr);
 }
 
 
@@ -314,6 +320,7 @@ void FTF_TTFont::GetBoundingBox(char* str, float *llx, float *lly, float *llz, f
 	else 
 		len=utf8towchar(wstr,str);
 
-	font->BBox(wstr, *llx, *lly, *llz, *urx, *ury, *urz);
+	glColor4f(0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0);
+	fontB->BBox(wstr, *llx, *lly, *llz, *urx, *ury, *urz);
 }
 

source/blender/ftfont/intern/FTF_TTFont.h

@@ -99,7 +99,8 @@ protected:
 	int font_size;
 
 	/** FTGL's */
-	FTFont* font;
+	FTFont* fontB;
+	FTFont* fontW;
 
 	/** from system encoding in .locale to UNICODE */
 //	iconv_t cd;