Text only system -- how to change console font?

chexmix · 11-21-2009, 03:53 PM

I'm experimenting with a text-only (e.g. no X) squeeze box, just for the heck of it really, to see how much I can do with only the console.

Am wondering whether there is an easy way to adjust the fonts, etc in the console. Before I was using grub2, I was passing a "vga=790" line in to grub & that gave me a nice small font. At that time I was running lenny.

Now that I've upgraded to squeeze and am using grub2, the grub configuration files are, well, unfamiliar to me. The /boot/grub directory has loads of *.mod files in it, plus what appear to be three copies of my old menu.lst file.

Any hints would be much appreciated. Thanks,

GB

Meson · 11-21-2009, 09:48 PM

You mean font size? Because you can change the actual font too if you want =)

The same vga=### option should work for the vesafb. Try grub.conf.

lwasserm · 11-21-2009, 10:33 PM

Does your system have a "setfont" command? In debian based distributions (maybe others?) there is usually /usr/share/consolefonts which can be set using the setfont command.

AlucardZero · 11-22-2009, 09:38 AM

vga=### won't work in grub2.

In /etc/default/grub, edit/add the line

Code:

GRUB_GFXMODE=1280x800

where 1280x800 is your desired resolution. And/or in /etc/grub.d/40_custom, add the lines

Code:

insmod gfxterm
insmod vbe
set gfxpayload=1280x800

, then run

Code:

update-grub

.

SaintDanBert · 12-12-2009, 08:39 PM

How do I set the font and font size for

the non-graphic consoles available using ALT-Fn
the messages that appear during the early parts of the boot process

How do I add color highlights -- green for success, red for failure, amber for warnings -- during the early boot time messages?

Thanks,
~~~ 0;-Dan

evo2 · 12-13-2009, 11:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chexmix

Am wondering whether there is an easy way to adjust the fonts, etc in the console. Before I was using grub2, I was passing a "vga=790" line in to grub & that gave me a nice small font. At that time I was running lenny.

Sounds like you are looking for the console-setup package. If you haven't installed it, do so! If it is already installed

Code:

dpkg-reconfigure console-setup

With this you can change your font.

Not related to fonts, (and partially not relevant for a box without X), but another nice thing about this package
is that you can also specify your keyboard layout for the console and as a bonus, by default X will use that layout too.

Evo2.

qdinar · 12-11-2011, 09:26 AM

"setfont" works but font is lost after restart, when i tried it as user yesterday, i have not tried it as root.
"dpkg-reconfigure console-setup" has not changed font, i tried it as root today. and i have restarted, and when logged in as root i see correct font, and log in as user and also see correct font.
may be, setfont as root also would work.
i thought this commands change font only for one user, but seems they have changed for root and user together.

lwasserm · 12-11-2011, 04:24 PM

If your distribution uses an /etc/default directory look for a file named /etc/default/console-setup.

ukiuki · 12-11-2011, 05:02 PM

You might want to take a look at this: http://kmandla.wordpress.com/2010/05...r-the-console/

also this where i have a tread about frame buffer: http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...62#post4546962

Regards !