At 10:08 AM 6/10/02 +0530, Guru Tellis wrote:
fixed is the default fallback font required by X servers. The X server *must* be able to find it under all circumstances. Redhat keeps fixed (the misc font directory) in xfs along with other fonts. I don't quite agree with this.
I run Debian. BTW why dont you agree (just curiosity)?
first, do /usr/sbin/chkfontpath
I dont have chkfontpath - did I miss some important package?
copy that line to your /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 (if you're using XFree86 3, then drop the -4).
My XF86config does not have the '-4'. Is it _required_? I run xfree86 4.x server. Anyway I tried changing it - but still no difference.
You have to copy it to the Files section. It should already contain a line like: FontPath "unix/:7100"
I did not have this. What is its significance? I put it in but still no change.
copy this below that line: FontPath /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/misc
I have all the font paths correct. I had checked that first.
for your other fonts, make sure xfs is running (do what Trevor told you).
I dont have xfs. I have xfs-xtt. Is that a problem? I was under the impression that xfs-xtt replaces xfs with additional facilities for TTF fonts.
my xserver cribbs about hostname lookup failed. I had installed a NIC for installation. Now I dont have it. is this a problem?
thanks for the help, q
Hi,
On Mon, 10 Jun 2002, Q u a s i wrote:
At 10:08 AM 6/10/02 +0530, Guru Tellis wrote:
fixed is the default fallback font required by X servers. The X server *must* be able to find it under all circumstances. Redhat keeps fixed (the misc font directory) in xfs along with other fonts. I don't quite agree with this.
I run Debian. BTW why dont you agree (just curiosity)?
Philip had already replied to your question in his explanation. 'fixed' is default fallback font for X server. For successful running of X window system xfs is not mandatory; however X window system must find 'fixed' font in current font path. So actually it should be in XF86Config file and not in the config file for xfs.
copy that line to your /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 (if you're using XFree86 3, then drop the -4).
My XF86config does not have the '-4'. Is it _required_? I run xfree86 4.x server. Anyway I tried changing it - but still no difference.
Look into /var/log/XFree86.0.log to see which config file X Window system is trying to use. Then add the line in that config file.
- Keyur
On Mon, 10 Jun 2002, Q u a s i wrote:
*must* be able to find it under all circumstances. Redhat keeps fixed (the misc font directory) in xfs along with other fonts. I don't quite agree with this.
I run Debian. BTW why dont you agree (just curiosity)?
X can see fixed only through xfs, then if xfs doesn't run, X won't either. If X can see fixed directly, it will run even if xfs doesn't.
The whole concept of font servers actually came about so because people would have a single server with xfs and a whole load of X clients. The X servers would run remotely and contact the xfs for its fonts, providing only display drivers. Back then, the X server didn't have font drivers built in.
Today, X servers have font drivers (including the freetype library) compiled in and no longer require a font server. Furthermore, how many people do you know who actually do what I described above?
first, do /usr/sbin/chkfontpath
I dont have chkfontpath - did I miss some important package?
well, this is from redhat, so no, it may be different for you. Check in /etc/X11/fs/config, you'll find them listed in that file.
My XF86config does not have the '-4'. Is it _required_? I run xfree86 4.x server. Anyway I tried changing it - but still no difference.
no, again this is redhat specific, since during the transition period they installed X3 and X4.
You have to copy it to the Files section. It should already contain a line like: FontPath "unix/:7100"
I did not have this. What is its significance? I put it in but still no change.
This is the reference to the X font server. If it isn't present, don't add it.
Exactly what do you have under the Files section?
I dont have xfs. I have xfs-xtt. Is that a problem? I was under the impression that xfs-xtt replaces xfs with additional facilities for TTF fonts.
xfs has freetype support built in. xfstt was added to complement those xfs that didn't have ttf support. i don't know about debian.
my xserver cribbs about hostname lookup failed. I had installed a NIC for installation. Now I dont have it. is this a problem?
X server shouldn't crib about this unless it is trying to run some remote application. I can't think what would cause this.
Philip
On Mon, 10 Jun 2002, Philip S Tellis wrote:
The whole concept of font servers actually came about so because people would have a single server with xfs and a whole load of X clients. The X servers would run remotely and contact the xfs for its fonts, providing only display drivers. Back then, the X server didn't have font drivers built in.
Today, X servers have font drivers (including the freetype library) compiled in and no longer require a font server. Furthermore, how many people do you know who actually do what I described above?
I think some more clarification is required here. Earlier X Window systems (XFree86 3.x and earlier) had capabilities to handle the fonts itself. X servers could act as font server also. In other words, it could render the fonts itself without any other font server. Then came font servers (xfs-tt and xfs-ft) with TrueType capability only. Both of these font servers can be seen as an additional element in X server's font path. xfs-ft is using FreeType library which is font renderer of TrueType (and now OpenType) fonts. Then, as Philip already explained, this freetype renderer was added as font module in X Window system and thus by enabling X server to handle TrueType fonts itself in addition of separate font server.
Since then people started thinking about removing load from X server and provide font support through font servers. So actually current trend is towards running font server to render fonts instead of using X server. There are certain advantages also for using font servers. Font server is a separate program so while adding new feature, say hinting support, there is no need to upgrade X window system. Now a days, xfs-ft supports other file formats also, e.g., Type1, BDF, PCF, etc.
Even today we can rely on either X server or X font server to render fonts. My experience says that font server can render the fonts more smoothly than X server because font libraries available in X window system are not upgraded as quickly as font servers. Also these font modules are now coming as loadable modules in X servers. So one can easily choose whether to load a module and use font rendering capability of X server or not. Also if you specify any font path before xfs's path (unix/:7100) in your XF86Config file then it will use font module in X server instead of xfs. This way also you can select between X server and xfs to render a particular type of fonts.
- Keyur
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Keyur K Shroff -
Philip S Tellis -
Q u a s i