Bitmap fonts (e.g. Fixed 6x13) in gnome terminal

[pmorch]

Hi,

As others, I insist on using the 6x13 bitmap font (from xterm) in my gnome-terminal. This is how to do it in Jaunty:

cd /etc/fonts/conf.d
rm 70-no-bitmaps.conf
ln -s ../conf.avail/70-yes-bitmaps.conf .
dpkg-reconfigure fontconfig
logout & restart X / gdm (e.g. reboot)
Choose font: Fixed Semicondensed 10


( Perhaps "dpkg-reconfigure fontconfig-config" is required too, choosing to enable bitmap fonts at the 3rd question. I don't think so but I did a lot of tinkering to get at the above! :P )

== Background ==

This pretty much comes from:
http://grahams.free-online.co.uk/mediawiki/index.php/Ubuntu_Bitmap_Fonts except that my experience was that I needed to restart X before the "Fixed" font selection showed up.

In releases before Jaunty, I could follow http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=224263 and http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=304293 but that doesn't work in Jaunty. The above does. I do so wish that bitmapped fonts would be enabled by default in the gnome terminal, but it hasn't happened for years! :)

[cpitchford]

I'm on a mission to push an alternative solution..

What you've done is enabled all bitmap fonts, which (for me) causes rendering problems in things like firefox..

I've added a different file to
/etc/fonts/conf.d/69-zzz_fixedfonts.conf

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<!DOCTYPE fontconfig SYSTEM "fonts.dtd">
<fontconfig>
<!-- Enabled Fixed bitmap fonts -->
<selectfont>
<acceptfont>
<pattern>
<patelt name="family"><string>Fixed</string></patelt>
</pattern>
</acceptfont>
</selectfont>
</fontconfig>

dpkg-reconfigure fontconfig-config ; dpkg-reconfig fontconfig
then restart X

This enables JUST the fixed fonts. Using Fixed, semi-condensed, 10 gives gnome-terminal that familiar xterm look and feel :)

This saves enabling all those pesky bitmapped fonts

I think the difference between my original post in the thread mentioned above is running the dpkg-reconfigure for both fontconfig-config AND fontconfig..

running just fontconfig-config didn't seem to enable the fix for me when I tried it on my upgraded 9.10 box today.. hence more research :)

[dpb]

I'm on a mission to push an alternative solution..

What you've done is enabled all bitmap fonts, which (for me) causes rendering problems in things like firefox..

I've added a different file to
/etc/fonts/conf.d/69-zzz_fixedfonts.conf

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<!DOCTYPE fontconfig SYSTEM "fonts.dtd">
<fontconfig>
<!-- Enabled Fixed bitmap fonts -->
<selectfont>
<acceptfont>
<pattern>
<patelt name="family"><string>Fixed</string></patelt>
</pattern>
</acceptfont>
</selectfont>
</fontconfig>

dpkg-reconfigure fontconfig-config ; dpkg-reconfig fontconfig
then restart X

This enables JUST the fixed fonts. Using Fixed, semi-condensed, 10 gives gnome-terminal that familiar xterm look and feel :)

This saves enabling all those pesky bitmapped fonts

I think the difference between my original post in the thread mentioned above is running the dpkg-reconfigure for both fontconfig-config AND fontconfig..

running just fontconfig-config didn't seem to enable the fix for me when I tried it on my upgraded 9.10 box today.. hence more research :)

THANKS!!

Just tried this with 10.04 (Lucid RC), and it still works. FYI, to get gnome-terminal to show 6x13, I didn't even need to restart X. Just dpkg-reconfigure (both packages) was needed.