Why the warnings "Requested font"?

[ieremies]

Hi everyone,

First, for all the contributors, thanks for tectonic! It is truly amazing!

I have one question: when I try to compile a document with \usepackage{XCharter} I end up with a huge amount of warnings like:

warning: teste.tex:33: Requested font "cmsy10" at 12.0pt
warning: teste.tex:33:  -> cmsy10
warning: teste.tex:33: Requested font "cmsy8" at 8.0pt
warning: teste.tex:33:  -> cmsy8
warning: teste.tex:33: Requested font "cmsy6" at 6.0pt
warning: teste.tex:33:  -> cmsy6
warning: teste.tex:33: Requested font "cmex10" at 12.0pt
warning: teste.tex:33:  -> cmex10
warning: teste.tex:33: Requested font "cmex8" at 8.0pt
warning: teste.tex:33:  -> cmex8
warning: teste.tex:33: Requested font "cmex7" at 6.0pt
warning: teste.tex:33:  -> cmex7

I am not sure why this is a warning, neither how to solve it. If there isn't a way to solve, is there a way to ignore? I am afraid of losing other warnings because of the clutter...

[mathlab08]

The standard document class, with the addition of the macro package XCharter, is compiled as follows

H:\Portable_Notepad_Tectonic2\example>tectonic.exe -X compile "book.tex" 
note: "version 2" Tectonic command-line interface activated
note: Running TeX ...
note: downloading SHA256SUM
note: downloading XCharter.sty
note: downloading fontenc.sty
note: downloading t1lmr.fd
note: downloading ec-lmr10.tfm
note: downloading textcomp.sty
note: downloading iftex.sty
note: downloading xkeyval.sty
note: downloading xkeyval.tex
note: downloading xkvutils.tex
note: downloading keyval.tex
note: downloading etoolbox.sty
note: downloading xstring.sty
note: downloading xstring.tex
note: downloading ifthen.sty
note: downloading scalefnt.sty
note: downloading mweights.sty
note: downloading fontspec.sty
note: downloading xparse.sty
note: downloading expl3.sty
note: downloading fontspec-xetex.sty
note: downloading tuenc.def
note: downloading fontspec.cfg
note: downloading lmromandemi10-regular.otf
note: downloading XCharter.fontspec
warning: XCharter.sty:633: 
Requested font "[XCharter-Roman.otf]/OT" at 9.99997pt
note: downloading XCharter-Roman.otf
warning: XCharter.sty:633: Requested font "[XCharter-Roman.otf]/OT" at 10.00003pt
warning: XCharter.sty:633: Requested font "[XCharter-Roman.otf]/OT:script=latn;language=dflt;" at 10.00003pt
warning: XCharter.sty:633: Requested font "[XCharter-Bold.otf]/OT:script=latn;language=dflt;" at 10.00003pt
note: downloading XCharter-Bold.otf
warning: XCharter.sty:633: Requested font "[XCharter-Italic.otf]/OT:script=latn;language=dflt;" at 10.00003pt
note: downloading XCharter-Italic.otf
warning: XCharter.sty:633: Requested font "[XCharter-Slanted.otf]/OT:script=latn;language=dflt;" at 10.00003pt
note: downloading XCharter-Slanted.otf
warning: XCharter.sty:633: Requested font "[XCharter-BoldItalic.otf]/OT:script=latn;language=dflt;" at 10.00003pt
note: downloading XCharter-BoldItalic.otf
warning: XCharter.sty:633: Requested font "[XCharter-BoldSlanted.otf]/OT:script=latn;language=dflt;" at 10.00003pt
note: downloading XCharter-BoldSlanted.otf
warning: XCharter.sty:633: Requested font "[XCharter-Roman.otf]/OT:script=latn;language=dflt;+tnum;+lnum;mapping=tex-text;" at 10.0pt
warning: book.tex:15: Requested font "[XCharter-Roman.otf]/OT:script=latn;language=dflt;+tnum;+lnum;mapping=tex-text;" at 17.28pt
warning: book.tex:15: Requested font "[XCharter-Roman.otf]/OT:script=latn;language=dflt;+tnum;+lnum;mapping=tex-text;" at 24.88pt
warning: book.tex:15: Requested font "[XCharter-Bold.otf]/OT:script=latn;language=dflt;+tnum;+lnum;mapping=tex-text;" at 24.88pt
warning: book.tex:15: Requested font "[XCharter-Roman.otf]/OT:script=latn;language=dflt;+tnum;+lnum;mapping=tex-text;" at 12.0pt
warning: book.tex:15: Requested font "cmr12" at 12.0pt
warning: book.tex:15:  -> cmr12
warning: book.tex:15: Requested font "cmr8" at 8.0pt
warning: book.tex:15:  -> cmr8
warning: book.tex:15: Requested font "cmr6" at 6.0pt
warning: book.tex:15:  -> cmr6
warning: book.tex:15: Requested font "cmmi12" at 12.0pt
warning: book.tex:15:  -> cmmi12
warning: book.tex:15: Requested font "cmmi8" at 8.0pt
warning: book.tex:15:  -> cmmi8
warning: book.tex:15: Requested font "cmmi6" at 6.0pt
warning: book.tex:15:  -> cmmi6
warning: book.tex:15: Requested font "cmsy10" at 12.0pt
warning: book.tex:15:  -> cmsy10
warning: book.tex:15: Requested font "cmsy8" at 8.0pt
warning: book.tex:15:  -> cmsy8
warning: book.tex:15: Requested font "cmsy6" at 6.0pt
warning: book.tex:15:  -> cmsy6
warning: book.tex:19: Requested font "[XCharter-Slanted.otf]/OT:script=latn;language=dflt;+tnum;+lnum;mapping=tex-text;" at 10.0pt
warning: book.tex:26: Requested font "[XCharter-Roman.otf]/OT:script=latn;language=dflt;+tnum;+lnum;mapping=tex-text;" at 20.74pt
warning: book.tex:26: Requested font "[XCharter-Bold.otf]/OT:script=latn;language=dflt;+tnum;+lnum;mapping=tex-text;" at 20.74pt
warning: book.tex:29: Requested font "[XCharter-Roman.otf]/OT:script=latn;language=dflt;+tnum;+lnum;mapping=tex-text;" at 14.4pt
warning: book.tex:29: Requested font "[XCharter-Bold.otf]/OT:script=latn;language=dflt;+tnum;+lnum;mapping=tex-text;" at 14.4pt
warning: book.tex:30: Requested font "[XCharter-Roman.otf]/OT:script=latn;language=dflt;+tnum;+lnum;mapping=tex-text;" at 7.0pt
warning: book.tex:42: Requested font "[XCharter-Bold.otf]/OT:script=latn;language=dflt;+tnum;+lnum;mapping=tex-text;" at 12.0pt
note: Rerunning TeX because "book.toc" changed ...
warning: XCharter.sty:633: 
Requested font "[XCharter-Roman.otf]/OT" at 9.99997pt
warning: XCharter.sty:633: Requested font "[XCharter-Roman.otf]/OT" at 10.00003pt
warning: XCharter.sty:633: Requested font "[XCharter-Roman.otf]/OT:script=latn;language=dflt;" at 10.00003pt
warning: XCharter.sty:633: Requested font "[XCharter-Bold.otf]/OT:script=latn;language=dflt;" at 10.00003pt
warning: XCharter.sty:633: Requested font "[XCharter-Italic.otf]/OT:script=latn;language=dflt;" at 10.00003pt
warning: XCharter.sty:633: Requested font "[XCharter-Slanted.otf]/OT:script=latn;language=dflt;" at 10.00003pt
warning: XCharter.sty:633: Requested font "[XCharter-BoldItalic.otf]/OT:script=latn;language=dflt;" at 10.00003pt
warning: XCharter.sty:633: Requested font "[XCharter-BoldSlanted.otf]/OT:script=latn;language=dflt;" at 10.00003pt
warning: XCharter.sty:633: Requested font "[XCharter-Roman.otf]/OT:script=latn;language=dflt;+tnum;+lnum;mapping=tex-text;" at 10.0pt
warning: book.tex:15: Requested font "[XCharter-Roman.otf]/OT:script=latn;language=dflt;+tnum;+lnum;mapping=tex-text;" at 17.28pt
warning: book.tex:15: Requested font "[XCharter-Roman.otf]/OT:script=latn;language=dflt;+tnum;+lnum;mapping=tex-text;" at 24.88pt
warning: book.tex:15: Requested font "[XCharter-Bold.otf]/OT:script=latn;language=dflt;+tnum;+lnum;mapping=tex-text;" at 24.88pt
warning: book.tex:15: Requested font "[XCharter-Roman.otf]/OT:script=latn;language=dflt;+tnum;+lnum;mapping=tex-text;" at 12.0pt
warning: book.tex:15: Requested font "cmr12" at 12.0pt
warning: book.tex:15:  -> cmr12
warning: book.tex:15: Requested font "cmr8" at 8.0pt
warning: book.tex:15:  -> cmr8
warning: book.tex:15: Requested font "cmr6" at 6.0pt
warning: book.tex:15:  -> cmr6
warning: book.tex:15: Requested font "cmmi12" at 12.0pt
warning: book.tex:15:  -> cmmi12
warning: book.tex:15: Requested font "cmmi8" at 8.0pt
warning: book.tex:15:  -> cmmi8
warning: book.tex:15: Requested font "cmmi6" at 6.0pt
warning: book.tex:15:  -> cmmi6
warning: book.tex:15: Requested font "cmsy10" at 12.0pt
warning: book.tex:15:  -> cmsy10
warning: book.tex:15: Requested font "cmsy8" at 8.0pt
warning: book.tex:15:  -> cmsy8
warning: book.tex:15: Requested font "cmsy6" at 6.0pt
warning: book.tex:15:  -> cmsy6
warning: book.tex:19: Requested font "[XCharter-Slanted.otf]/OT:script=latn;language=dflt;+tnum;+lnum;mapping=tex-text;" at 10.0pt
warning: book.toc:1: Requested font "[XCharter-Bold.otf]/OT:script=latn;language=dflt;+tnum;+lnum;mapping=tex-text;" at 10.0pt
warning: book.tex:26: Requested font "[XCharter-Roman.otf]/OT:script=latn;language=dflt;+tnum;+lnum;mapping=tex-text;" at 20.74pt
warning: book.tex:26: Requested font "[XCharter-Bold.otf]/OT:script=latn;language=dflt;+tnum;+lnum;mapping=tex-text;" at 20.74pt
warning: book.tex:29: Requested font "[XCharter-Roman.otf]/OT:script=latn;language=dflt;+tnum;+lnum;mapping=tex-text;" at 14.4pt
warning: book.tex:29: Requested font "[XCharter-Bold.otf]/OT:script=latn;language=dflt;+tnum;+lnum;mapping=tex-text;" at 14.4pt
warning: book.tex:30: Requested font "[XCharter-Roman.otf]/OT:script=latn;language=dflt;+tnum;+lnum;mapping=tex-text;" at 7.0pt
warning: book.tex:42: Requested font "[XCharter-Bold.otf]/OT:script=latn;language=dflt;+tnum;+lnum;mapping=tex-text;" at 12.0pt
warning: warnings were issued by the TeX engine; use --print and/or --keep-logs for details.
note: Running xdvipdfmx ...
note: Not writing `book.idx`: it would be empty.
note: Writing `book.pdf` (14.94 KiB)
note: Skipped writing 2 intermediate files (use --keep-intermediates to keep them)

H:\Portable_Notepad_Tectonic2\example>START "" "H:\Portable_Notepad_Tectonic2\Notepad++\TectonicProject\SumatraPDF\SumatraPDF.exe" "book.pdf" -reuse-instance

A similar phenomenon occurs.

[vlasakm]

The package xcharter is enabling tracing of font requests. Normally such "useless" output would get lost in the big amount of output LaTeX run emits on a console. Tectonic is usually pretty good at filtering it, but this case escapes due to the "tracing" nature (usually these things really are "warnings"). The "warnings" in this case are totally harmless, though you would usually only enable such "tracing" only if you actually had problems.

I would argue it's a problem in the font package, that it unconditionally enables such a global thing as tracing of font requests, and some font package authors even very kindly removed tracing from their font packages. If I am looking correctly xcharter unforunately still has it enabled even in the newest version from July of 2023.

There were talks about doing something about these specific messages as a special case in Tectonic, but nothing to that end got done, yet. See #819, #924 and #965.

In particular, see an example of using fontspec package directly to load the fonts: #965 (comment) (XCharter package essentially does the same thing in the background, it just allows you to specify things with package options, whereas if you use fontspec directly you can just choose the font files you want directly).

Or if you just want a workaround to silence the warnings, then as per #924 (comment), do:

\newcount\XeTeXtracingfonts