Font problems

Learn about some possible resolutions to font problems with the 5250 emulator.

Note: Troubleshooting applies to versions 1.8 and earlier.

To troubleshoot font problems use the following XFree86 utilities:

xfd -fn fontname: Use this utility to display the font.
xlsfonts: Use this to get a list of all available fonts from the font server.
xlsfonts -fn pattern: Use this to get a list of pattern available fonts from the font server.

Emulator will not start, font error indicated.

The emulator uses scalable 75 and 100 dpi fonts. If scalable fonts are not found an attempt to use a fixed font is made. Even if a fixed font is found and used, for proper full screen and size support, the X server should be configured to use scalable fonts.

For version 1.10, the emulator will run with the following:

75 dpi only installed (unscaled). An informational message is displayed on the command line screen informing the user that 100 dpi fonts are not installed. More font choices are available by installing the 100 dpi fonts.
100 and 75 dpi fonts installed (unscaled). An informational message is displayed on the command line screen informing the user that scalable fonts are not installed. More font choices are available by installing and configuring the scalable fonts.
100 and 75 dpi scaled fonts. No message is displayed.

The error returned should look similar to one of the following example messages:

"*****Check your /etc/X11/XF86Config file*****
    -b&h-lucidiatypewriter-medium-r-normal-sans-0-* scalable fonts are not available.
    *****Using fixed fonts******.

Check your /etc/X11/XF86Config file.
    -b&h-lucidiatypewriter-medium-r-normal-sans-* fixed and scalable fonts are not available. 
Session not starting.

For either of the above messages, 75 and 100 dpi fonts need to be made available. The default font server is configured usually in one of the following two ways:

The X configuration file
The global XFree86Config or xorg.conf file is located in the /etc or /etc/X11 directories. You may also have .XF86Config or .XF86Config-4 (user config version) in your home directory.
If the following is in the X configuration file, the font server is configured here and is not configured to use 75 and 100 dpi scaled fonts.
```
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi:unscaled"
```
To enable 75 and 100 dpi scalable fonts, remove :unscaled from the above two lines.

Font server (xfs) config file

If the XF86Config file contains a single line similar to the following, then look for the file config in /etc/X11/fs directory:

FontPath "unix/:7100"

Similar to the steps above find the lines and remove the :unscaled from the lines for 75 and 100 dpi fonts. For example change:

catalogue = /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/korean,
/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/misc:unscaled,
/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi:unscaled,
/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi:unscaled,

to look like this:

catalogue = /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/korean,
/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/misc:unscaled,
/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi,
/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi,