fix: improve fonts path configuration and documentation

Author: nicolaasuni

README.md

@@ -99,7 +99,38 @@ How to migrate custom font usage:
 3. Keep using `SetFont()`/`AddFont()` from TCPDF, but validate that each custom family resolves from tc-lib assets or from your explicit font path.
 4. Update deployment packaging so `vendor/` font assets are shipped in production.
 
-Font generation procedure (Makefile):
+Font generation procedure:
+
+Font assets are generated at install time and are not shipped in the package. Composer runs the scripts declared by the root project only, so a project that requires TCPDF as a dependency must run the generation itself.
+
+In a project that requires TCPDF, add the step to its own `composer.json`:
+
+```json
+{
+  "scripts": {
+    "tc-lib-pdf-fonts": [
+      "[ -d vendor/tecnickcom/tc-lib-pdf-font ] && make -C vendor/tecnickcom/tc-lib-pdf-font deps fonts || true"
+    ],
+    "post-install-cmd": [
+      "@tc-lib-pdf-fonts"
+    ],
+    "post-update-cmd": [
+      "@tc-lib-pdf-fonts"
+    ],
+    "post-autoload-dump": [
+      "@tc-lib-pdf-fonts"
+    ]
+  }
+}
+```
+
+This covers `composer install`, `composer update`, `composer require` and `composer dump-autoload`. To generate them once instead, run the build from the project root:
+
+```bash
+make -C vendor/tecnickcom/tc-lib-pdf-font deps fonts
+```
+
+In a checkout of this repository, use the Makefile targets:
 
 1. Run `make deps` to install Composer dependencies and initialize tc-lib font assets.
 2. Run `make fonts` to initialize fonts only when missing.
@@ -109,6 +140,8 @@ Expected generated asset sentinel:
 
 - `vendor/tecnickcom/tc-lib-pdf-font/target/fonts/core/helvetica.json`
 
+A missing asset directory is reported as `unable to read file: helvetica.json` on the first page. The full font documentation is at [tcpdf.org/docs/fonts](https://tcpdf.org/docs/fonts/).
+
 Compatibility notes:
 
 - TCPDF checks configured font paths and tc-lib font assets.
@@ -122,8 +155,9 @@ Example:
 ```php
 require __DIR__.'/vendor/autoload.php';
 
-// Optional: override only if you need a non-default path.
-define('K_PATH_FONTS', __DIR__.'/vendor/tecnickcom/tc-lib-pdf-font/target/fonts/');
+// Optional: TCPDF resolves the installed tc-lib-pdf-font package on its own.
+// Define the constant only to use font assets from another directory.
+define('K_PATH_FONTS', '/opt/app/fonts/');
 
 $pdf->SetFont('helvetica', '', 11);
 ```

VERSION

@@ -1 +1 @@
-7.0.8
+7.0.9

composer.json

@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
     "require": {
         "php": ">=8.2",
         "ext-curl": "*",
-        "tecnickcom/tc-lib-pdf": "^8.73.5"
+        "tecnickcom/tc-lib-pdf": "^8.73.6"
     },
     "require-dev": {
         "carthage-software/mago": "1.47.6",

tcpdf.php

@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 //============================================================+
 // File name    : tcpdf.php
-// Version      : 7.0.8
+// Version      : 7.0.9
 // Author       : Nicola Asuni - Tecnick.com LTD - www.tecnick.com - info@tecnick.com
 // License      : GNU-LGPL v3 (https://www.gnu.org/copyleft/lesser.html)
 // Copyright (C): 2002-2026 Nicola Asuni - Tecnick.com LTD
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
  * See: https://tcpdf.org
  * @package com.tecnick.tcpdf
  * @author Nicola Asuni
- * @version 7.0.8
+ * @version 7.0.9
  */
 
 // TCPDF configuration

tcpdf_autoconfig.php

@@ -71,7 +71,33 @@
 }
 
 if (!defined('K_PATH_FONTS')) {
-    define('K_PATH_FONTS', K_PATH_MAIN . 'vendor/tecnickcom/tc-lib-pdf-font/target/fonts/');
+    $tcpdf_fonts_dirs = [];
+    if (class_exists('Composer\InstalledVersions', false)) {
+        try {
+            $tcpdf_fonts_pkg = Composer\InstalledVersions::getInstallPath('tecnickcom/tc-lib-pdf-font');
+            if (is_string($tcpdf_fonts_pkg) && $tcpdf_fonts_pkg !== '') {
+                $tcpdf_fonts_dirs[] = rtrim($tcpdf_fonts_pkg, '/\\') . '/target/fonts/';
+            }
+        } catch (Throwable) {
+            // tc-lib-pdf-font is not installed through Composer
+        }
+    }
+
+    // TCPDF as the root project: the package is under its own vendor directory.
+    $tcpdf_fonts_dirs[] = K_PATH_MAIN . 'vendor/tecnickcom/tc-lib-pdf-font/target/fonts/';
+    // TCPDF as a dependency: the package is a sibling in the same vendor directory.
+    $tcpdf_fonts_dirs[] = dirname(K_PATH_MAIN) . '/tc-lib-pdf-font/target/fonts/';
+
+    $tcpdf_fonts_path = $tcpdf_fonts_dirs[0];
+    foreach ($tcpdf_fonts_dirs as $tcpdf_fonts_dir) {
+        if (!@is_dir($tcpdf_fonts_dir)) {
+            continue;
+        }
+
+        $tcpdf_fonts_path = $tcpdf_fonts_dir;
+        break;
+    }
+    define('K_PATH_FONTS', $tcpdf_fonts_path);
 }
 
 if (!defined('K_PATH_URL')) {