[kde-linux] Odd font and/or KDE issue

[Felix Miata]

Rosenstrauch, David wrote:
 
> Having a small (but annoying) problem with one of my fonts on KDE.  This is either a KDE or general X issue - I'm not sure which.
 
> It seems like for at least one particular font ("Fixed [Misc]") the available font sizes that I can select from (in the KDE font selector widget in the Control Center) will change depending upon the X screen mode currently in use.  For example, on a desktop at home that's set to "1280x1024", font size 11 is one of the choices.  However on my laptop, which is set to "800x600", 11 isn't an option; 10 is the next smallest choice.  And on a box here at work, the available selections are different depending on whether I'm sitting directly at the box (and
thus in mode "1152x864") or connecting via VNC (and thus in mode
"800x600").
 
> Anyone know why this should be the case?  I would think that the list of font sizes available would be fixed, regardless of what mode you were running X in.  Obviously some fonts would look inappropriately large or small in some modes, but I would think they should all be there.  Is this a KDE thing?  An X thing?  An issue specifically with the "Fixed [Misc]" font?  (I wasn't able to even figure out what kind of font that is, and where it's located under /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/)
 
> If anyone's got some info about what's going on here and how to fix it, I'd really appreciate it.

I don't know, but I have an educated suspicion that the font chooser is
offering you px sizes chosen from an available selection of pt sizes of
a bitmapped font. Font size increments in px are finer than in pt in
most cases, but whether and how much depends on the effective X DPI. A
study of the following should shed some light on what I think is going
on, but may not offer any solution:
http://qa.mandriva.com/show_bug.cgi?id=8267

Finding out your DPI, and possibly adjusting it, might be of some help
on one or more of your systems.

It's basically an X font server problem, but it may be that a KDE
refinement could be helpful. Ultimately for the foreseeable future I
think you'll need to give up on that particular font and choose some TTF
font, like bitstream vera sans mono or lucida console. 
-- 
"Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you."
                                                Psalm 55:22 NIV

 Team OS/2 ** Reg. Linux User #211409

Felix Miata  ***  http://members.ij.net/mrmazda/