[kdepim-users] font rendering errors running kmail on gnome

[Gene Heskett]

On Sunday, February 22, 2015 02:32:33 AM Gene Heskett wrote:
> On Sunday, February 22, 2015 01:56:17 AM O. Sinclair wrote:
> > On 22/02/2015 01:44, Gene Heskett wrote:
> > > On Monday, February 16, 2015 06:07:33 AM Gene Heskett wrote:
> > > 
> > > Ping!
> > > 
> > >> Greetings;
> > >> 
> > >> Your basic wheezy install on an AMD phenom with 8 Gb of memory.
> > >> Nouveau driver for generic nvidia card, an EVGA GeForce 8400 GS.
> > >> 
> > >> I am at a loss as to where to find a doorstep to lay this problem
> > >> on, but in kmail-1.13.7's message window, a message containing a
> > >> number string followed by(no spaces) a numerical abbreviation for
> > >> the scaling of that number, such as 320GB, is actually rendered as
> > >> 3## where the 2 char scaler, the 'GB' is actually rendered on top
> > >> of the '20'.  Its font independent, you can change the font
> > >> family, and its size, bold or italic attributes without effecting
> > >> the trashed display.
> > >> 
> > >> Does anyone have a suggestion as to how to isolate this?  I do not
> > >> believe I have noticed it anyplace but the message window, and
> > >> possibly in the printout if I print the message suffering from
> > >> this.
> > >> 
> > >> If I mouse highlight it, and middle button paste it to a terminal
> > >> screen, there it renders correctly.  But when wiping the mouse
> > >> across the string, the highlighting doesn't always follow the
> > >> mouse smoothly, as if there is an invisible character or 2 there.
> > >> 
> > >> Running low on hair from scratching my head on this one. :)
> > >> 
> > >> Suggestions welcome.
> > > 
> > > I can't even hear the crickets but I am sure there are some
> > > hereabouts.
> > > 
> > > If its any help, I can hit a v to see the raw message where such a
> > > numberdotletternumber is reproduced correctly and is then perfectly
> > > readable.
> > 
> > The only thing I can think of is to check and experiment with your
> > font settings in KMail. As I understand you this happens only in
> > KMail and not in other applications?
> 
> That I ahve done quite a few times, buit its difficult to tell quickly
> as "applying" also resets the displayed message to the first one of
> the day in the default, threaded by date view mode.  So everytime you
> try a new font, you have to cycle down thru the messages to find that
> one again.  It only seems to affect the message window, I think.  ISTR
> some had a subject line with a similar character setuo, and it was not
> subjected to this miss-rendering of the fonts.  The 3.3.7p1 was
> reproduced normally.
> 
> > I get the odd scenario when almost everything goes unreadable but I
> > kind of expect it as I experiment with graphics drivers, mesa and so
> > on frequently.
> 
> A hazard of what you do I imagine.  I've had the font renderer go away,
> and needed a reboot to restore, but this doesn't have the waddle and
> quack of that duck to it at all.
> 
> Thanks O. Sinclair.
> 
> Cheers, Gene Heskett

New info:

I played quite a bit this morning and found that in kmails message reader 
window, the only thing I can change about the font, which looks like a 
thinly rendered sans seriff mono, is its size.  The font selector shows 
the demo on the space at the bottom so that you can see what a  font looks 
like, but the italic/bold/bold italic setting do show up in the test 
window, but cannot|are not applied when apply is clicked.

All the other bits and pieces of its various window parts respond nicely.

The impression I get is that its useing some default because it cannot 
find the font actually being selected by the font and size/style of font 
that the font selector has no trouble finding, but for the message window, 
kmail cannot find it.

I just had a power failure, short duration so my 20kw in the bck yard 
didn't start, but the batteries in my ups, several years old now, did not 
function even for a second, so it was a total power failure.  On reboot, I 
chose the kde plasma desktop just to check and when I started kmail, it 
still had this same problem.

I'll keep poking at it from time to time, or if anyone has a suggestion.

Q: where is the bugzilla, and can it be accessed without yet another 
passwd to remember?

Thanks all;

Cheers, Gene Heskett
-- 
"There are four boxes to be used in defense of liberty:
 soap, ballot, jury, and ammo. Please use in that order."
-Ed Howdershelt (Author)
Genes Web page <http://geneslinuxbox.net:6309/gene>
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