xterm font size

Bill Moseley · External Since: Apr 11, 2004 Posts: 21

I just got a new T60p wide screen (1680x1050) running X Window System
Version 7.2.0 (xorg).

I'm using icewm as my window manager.

The xterm fonts are nice, but too small. I can use xfontsel to browse
fonts, but I can't seem to find the one xterm is using (so that I
might make it bigger). Is there a way to tell what font my xterm is
using?

My DPI setting is correct so shouldn't I be able to pick a font by
point size and have it be the correct size?

Plenty to pick from...

$ DISPLAY=:0.0 xlsfonts | wc -l
7358

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Jeff D · External Since: Jul 19, 2006 Posts: 2

On Tue, 10 Jul 2007, Bill Moseley wrote:

> I just got a new T60p wide screen (1680x1050) running X Window System
> Version 7.2.0 (xorg).
>
> I'm using icewm as my window manager.
>
> The xterm fonts are nice, but too small. I can use xfontsel to browse
> fonts, but I can't seem to find the one xterm is using (so that I
> might make it bigger). Is there a way to tell what font my xterm is
> using?
>
> My DPI setting is correct so shouldn't I be able to pick a font by
> point size and have it be the correct size?
>
>
>
> Plenty to pick from...
>
> $ DISPLAY=:0.0 xlsfonts | wc -l
> 7358
>
>
>
>
> --
> Bill Moseley
> moseley.DeleteThis@hank.org

I believe it's fixed, but try something like this:

xterm -fn -*-fixed-medium-*-*-*-14-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

where 14 is your size. once you find one you can create ~/.Xresources with
this:
xterm*font: -*-fixed-medium-*-*-*-14-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

and xterm should pick it up from then on.

hth,
jeff

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Paolo · External Since: Nov 09, 2004 Posts: 168

On Tue, Jul 10, 2007 at 07:13:22PM -0700, Jeff D wrote:
> >might make it bigger). Is there a way to tell what font my xterm is

check /etc/X11/app-defaults/XTerm

> xterm -fn -*-fixed-medium-*-*-*-14-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
>
> where 14 is your size. once you find one you can create ~/.Xresources with
> this:
> xterm*font: -*-fixed-medium-*-*-*-14-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

you can also (pre)set xterm's font menu resources - here's mine (labels in
IT, good for my 800x600):

#--[/etc/X11/app-defaults/XTerm]--------
....
*fontMenu.Label: VT Fonts
*fontMenu*menuLabel.font: -adobe-helvetica-bold-r-normal-*-*-80-*-*-*-*-iso8859-
*
*fontMenu*font: -adobe-helvetica-medium-r-normal-*-*-80-*-*-*-*-iso8859-*
*fontMenu.menuLabel.foreground: deepskyblue1
*fontMenu*fontdefault*Label: Predefinito
*VT100*font: 7x13euro
*fontMenu*font1*Label: Illeggibile
*VT100*font1: nil2
*IconFont: nil2
*fontMenu*font2*Label: Micro
*VT100*font2: 5x7
*fontMenu*font3*Label: Piccolo
*VT100*font3: 6x12
*fontMenu*font4*Label: Medio
*VT100*font4: fixed
*fontMenu*font5*Label: Grande
*VT100*font5: 8x16
*fontMenu*font6*Label: Esagerato...
*VT100*font6: 9x15
*fontMenu*fontescape*Label: Sequenza Escape
*fontMenu*fontsel*Label: Selezione
!fontescape and fontsel overridden by application
*fontMenu*font-doublesize*Label: Ingrossa caratteri
*fontMenu*font-loadable*Label: VT220 Soft Fonts
....

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user · External Since: Jun 25, 2007 Posts: 5

Hi,
You can change the fontsize in /etc/X11/Xresourses/xterm (if you are the only
user). Mine is:

~$ cat /etc/X11/Xresources/xterm
XTerm*font: -*-terminus-medium-*-*-*-14-*-*-*-*-*-cp1251
XTerm*background: black
XTerm*foreground: gray
XTerm*scrollTtyOutput: no
XTerm*scrollKey: yes

On Tue, Jul 10, 2007 at 05:00:59PM -0700, Bill Moseley wrote:
> I just got a new T60p wide screen (1680x1050) running X Window System
> Version 7.2.0 (xorg).
>
> I'm using icewm as my window manager.
>
> The xterm fonts are nice, but too small. I can use xfontsel to browse
> fonts, but I can't seem to find the one xterm is using (so that I
> might make it bigger). Is there a way to tell what font my xterm is
> using?
>
> My DPI setting is correct so shouldn't I be able to pick a font by
> point size and have it be the correct size?
>
>
>
> Plenty to pick from...
>
> $ DISPLAY=:0.0 xlsfonts | wc -l
> 7358
>
>
>
>
> --
> Bill Moseley
> moseley.TakeThisOut@hank.org
>
>
> --
> To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-laptop-REQUEST.TakeThisOut@lists.debian.org
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>

--
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And I'm a runner.
But you knew it
when you laid down.
I'm a picture
of ugly stories.
I'm a killer and I'm a clown.
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Johannes Volkmann · External Since: Jul 11, 2007 Posts: 1

Hello Bill!

Am Dienstag, den 10.07.2007, 17:00 -0700 schrieb Bill Moseley:
> I just got a new T60p wide screen (1680x1050) running X Window System
> Version 7.2.0 (xorg).
>
> I'm using icewm as my window manager.
>
> The xterm fonts are nice, but too small. I can use xfontsel to browse
> fonts, but I can't seem to find the one xterm is using (so that I
> might make it bigger). Is there a way to tell what font my xterm is
> using?
>
> My DPI setting is correct so shouldn't I be able to pick a font by
> point size and have it be the correct size?
>
Try CTRL + Left Click in an xterm window. Thats the xterm menu for that
I think.

Kind regards,
Johannes

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Bill Moseley · External Since: Apr 11, 2004 Posts: 21

On Tue, Jul 10, 2007 at 07:13:22PM -0700, Jeff D wrote:
> On Tue, 10 Jul 2007, Bill Moseley wrote:
>
> >I just got a new T60p wide screen (1680x1050) running X Window System
> >Version 7.2.0 (xorg).
> >
> I believe it's fixed, but try something like this:
>
> xterm -fn -*-fixed-medium-*-*-*-14-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
>
> where 14 is your size. once you find one you can create ~/.Xresources with
> this:
> xterm*font: -*-fixed-medium-*-*-*-14-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

That's 14 pixels or points?

Ya, it's the finding one I'm not having much luck with. Wink

That's why
I was wondering if I could see what font xterm was actually selecting.
Then I could see other size options for that font using fontsel,
perhaps.

If I say xterm*font: 9x15 I assume that's pixels. At 1680x1050 that's
a bit small. It would be nice to find a scalable font so I could fine
tune the size.

I use .Xdefaults-<hostname> as xterm seems to read that every time it
runs, where if I use .Xresources I have to run xrdb -merge for xterm
to see the changes.

Fonts (and X11 in general) has been a weak point in my knowledge. I'm
never sure if I should be working in /etc/fonts/local.conf or in my
Xresources/Xdefaults file.

Thanks,

On all my machines when I try and bring up the xterm font menu it's
always just a small portion of the menu (it's clipped). If I can
manage to select a mostly hidden item then next time the full menu
shows. Been like the for years.

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Eric Cooper · External Since: Feb 09, 2005 Posts: 187

On Tue, Jul 10, 2007 at 05:00:59PM -0700, Bill Moseley wrote:
> The xterm fonts are nice, but too small. I can use xfontsel to browse
> fonts, but I can't seem to find the one xterm is using (so that I
> might make it bigger). Is there a way to tell what font my xterm is
> using?

Note that recent xterms can also use antialiased TrueType fonts, which
look much better IMO. But the option syntax is completely different:
For example:

XTerm*faceName: bitstream vera sans mono
XTerm*faceSize: 14
XTerm*faceSize1: 8
XTerm*faceSize2: 9
XTerm*faceSize3: 10
XTerm*faceSize4: 12
XTerm*faceSize5: 16
XTerm*faceSize6: 20

(I use a big monitor, and I have aging eyes, so I like bigger fonts ...)

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Henrik Enberg · External Since: May 20, 2004 Posts: 11

Bill Moseley <moseley DeleteThis @hank.org> writes:
> I was wondering if I could see what font xterm was actually selecting.
> Then I could see other size options for that font using fontsel,
> perhaps.

$ appres XTerm | grep VT100.font:

should print your current font.

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Robert Goley · External Since: Jul 16, 2004 Posts: 15

Starting the xterm with the option "-fn 7x14" helps the font and window size
without having to modify any files. I do this when having to deal with many
different X11 based machines.

Robert

On Wednesday 11 July 2007 02:35, ÀÊáàðà wrote:
> Hi,
> You can change the fontsize in /etc/X11/Xresourses/xterm (if you are the
> only user). Mine is:
>
> ~$ cat /etc/X11/Xresources/xterm
> XTerm*font: -*-terminus-medium-*-*-*-14-*-*-*-*-*-cp1251
> XTerm*background: black
> XTerm*foreground: gray
> XTerm*scrollTtyOutput: no
> XTerm*scrollKey: yes
>
> On Tue, Jul 10, 2007 at 05:00:59PM -0700, Bill Moseley wrote:
> > I just got a new T60p wide screen (1680x1050) running X Window System
> > Version 7.2.0 (xorg).
> >
> > I'm using icewm as my window manager.
> >
> > The xterm fonts are nice, but too small. I can use xfontsel to browse
> > fonts, but I can't seem to find the one xterm is using (so that I
> > might make it bigger). Is there a way to tell what font my xterm is
> > using?
> >
> > My DPI setting is correct so shouldn't I be able to pick a font by
> > point size and have it be the correct size?
> >
> >
> >
> > Plenty to pick from...
> >
> > $ DISPLAY=:0.0 xlsfonts | wc -l
> > 7358
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Bill Moseley
> > moseley.TakeThisOut@hank.org
> >
> >
> > --
> > To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-laptop-REQUEST.TakeThisOut@lists.debian.org
> > with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact
> > listmaster.TakeThisOut@lists.debian.org
>
> --
> I'm a gambler
> And I'm a runner.
> But you knew it
> when you laid down.
> I'm a picture
> of ugly stories.
> I'm a killer and I'm a clown.
> (Alice Cooper)

user · External Since: Jun 25, 2007 Posts: 5

On Wed, Jul 11, 2007 at 12:03:44PM -0400, Robert Goley wrote:
> Starting the xterm with the option "-fn 7x14" helps the font and window size
> without having to modify any files. I do this when having to deal with many
> different X11 based machines.
It depends on a person. I prefer to tune programs once and then use my
configs at any machine.

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Zach · External Since: Jan 28, 2007 Posts: 5

On 7/11/07, Eric Cooper <ecc.TakeThisOut@cmu.edu> wrote:
>
> Note that recent xterms can also use antialiased TrueType fonts, which
> look much better IMO. But the option syntax is completely different:
> For example:

Hi Eric,

I run Debian testing and was wondering what package provides these
nice fonts and how do I enable them? I wish to use them in Firefox and
gnome-terminal also!

Zach

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Thomas Dickey · External Since: Aug 09, 2006 Posts: 96

Eric Cooper <ecc.TakeThisOut@cmu.edu> wrote:
> On Tue, Jul 10, 2007 at 05:00:59PM -0700, Bill Moseley wrote:
>> The xterm fonts are nice, but too small. I can use xfontsel to browse
>> fonts, but I can't seem to find the one xterm is using (so that I
>> might make it bigger). Is there a way to tell what font my xterm is
>> using?

> Note that recent xterms can also use antialiased TrueType fonts, which

"recent", since:

Patch #156 - 2001/4/28 - XFree86 4.0.3
Patch #151 - 2001/3/10 - XFree86 4.0.2
Patch #148 - 2000/10/31 - XFree86 4.0.1d

http://invisible-island.net/xterm/xterm.log.html

> look much better IMO. But the option syntax is completely different:
> For example:

> XTerm*faceName: bitstream vera sans mono
> XTerm*faceSize: 14
> XTerm*faceSize1: 8
> XTerm*faceSize2: 9
> XTerm*faceSize3: 10
> XTerm*faceSize4: 12
> XTerm*faceSize5: 16
> XTerm*faceSize6: 20

btw, If the face-sizes aren't specified, they're computed based on the
bitmap font-sizes...

> (I use a big monitor, and I have aging eyes, so I like bigger fonts ...)

I usually use the largest bitmap fonts - the TrueType fonts have generally
poor coverage of Unicode.

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Thomas Dickey · External Since: Aug 09, 2006 Posts: 96

Bill Moseley <moseley.DeleteThis@hank.org> wrote:
> On Tue, Jul 10, 2007 at 07:13:22PM -0700, Jeff D wrote:
>> where 14 is your size. once you find one you can create ~/.Xresources with
>> this:
>> xterm*font: -*-fixed-medium-*-*-*-14-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

> That's 14 pixels or points?

supposedly points

> Ya, it's the finding one I'm not having much luck with. Wink

That's why
> I was wondering if I could see what font xterm was actually selecting.
> Then I could see other size options for that font using fontsel,
> perhaps.

I use a script that takes the result from xfontsel and applies it to xfd

> On all my machines when I try and bring up the xterm font menu it's
> always just a small portion of the menu (it's clipped). If I can
> manage to select a mostly hidden item then next time the full menu
> shows. Been like the for years.

http://invisible-island.net/xterm/xterm.faq.html#tiny_menus

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Thomas Dickey · External Since: Aug 09, 2006 Posts: 96

Henrik Enberg <henrik.enberg.RemoveThis@telia.com> wrote:
> Bill Moseley <moseley.RemoveThis@hank.org> writes:
>> I was wondering if I could see what font xterm was actually selecting.
>> Then I could see other size options for that font using fontsel,
>> perhaps.

> $ appres XTerm | grep VT100.font:

> should print your current font.

actually it may not - you can always get a different value by a
command-line option, and (due to the way resource values combine),
just the top-level class may not be the same as one of the leaves
of the hierarchy...

(X's API doesn't have a reliable way of showing the whole resource
hierarchy.

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Eric Cooper · External Since: Feb 09, 2005 Posts: 187

On Fri, Jul 13, 2007 at 05:02:13AM -0400, Zach wrote:
> On 7/11/07, Eric Cooper <ecc.DeleteThis@cmu.edu> wrote:
>>
>> Note that recent xterms can also use antialiased TrueType fonts, which
>> look much better IMO. But the option syntax is completely different:
>> For example:
>
> Hi Eric,
>
> I run Debian testing and was wondering what package provides these
> nice fonts and how do I enable them? I wish to use them in Firefox and
> gnome-terminal also!

The specific ones I mentioned are in the ttf-bitstream-vera package
(see also ttf-dejavu).

You can use "apt-cache search" to find things like this, or the
search page at packages.debian.org.

Once installed, you should able to select them in the various gnome and
firef^Wiceweasel font dialogs.

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Zach · External Since: Jan 28, 2007 Posts: 5

Thanks.

Zach

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