Where should I put vt options for boot?

astrogeek · 11-21-2014, 04:08 PM

I have updated my FreeBSD10.0 to 10.1 and would like to give vt a try to get utf8 console.

I initially enabled it in loader.conf but the default font size and screen resolution are all wrong for my system.

From man vt I find that I can set these as options...

Code:

SYNOPSIS
     options TERMINAL_KERN_ATTR=_attribute_
     options TERMINAL_NORM_ATTR=_attribute_
     options VT_MAXWINDOWS=N
     options VT_ALT_TO_ESC_HACK=1
     options VT_TWOBUTTON_MOUSE
     options VT_FB_DEFAULT_WIDTH=X
     options VT_FB_DEFAULT_HEIGHT=Y
     options SC_NO_CUTPASTE
     device vt

     In loader.conf(5):
     hw.vga.textmode=1
     kern.vty=vt

     In loader.conf(5) or sysctl.conf(5):
     kern.vt.kbd_halt=1
     kern.vt.kbd_poweroff=1
     kern.vt.kbd_reboot=1
     kern.vt.kbd_debug=1
     kern.vt.kbd_panic=0

...but I am unclear as to where these options should go to be read at boot time. loader.conf and rc.conf do not seem right.

===========================
Update - If I am understanding what I have read, the "option" lines above are kernel build options, NOT runtime options..?!? So I think that setting these requires a kernel rebuild...?

I have set a default video mode respected by sc (in rc.conf), but seems to be ignored by vt.

For the time being I have reverted to the sc console until I learn more about vt... need to get my only production BSD system back to work!

angryfirelord · 11-21-2014, 05:22 PM

Correct, the options are for building the kernel. FreeBSD 9.3 and 10 don't have vt enabled in the GENERIC kernel, but 10.1 does. You only need these two lines in /boot/loader.conf:

Code:

hw.vga.textmode=1
kern.vty=vt

The other options appear to be for 11-CURRENT, so I wouldn't use those yet.

astrogeek · 11-21-2014, 05:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by angryfirelord

Correct, the options are for building the kernel. FreeBSD 9.3 and 10 don't have vt enabled in the GENERIC kernel, but 10.1 does. You only need these two lines in /boot/loader.conf:

Code:

hw.vga.textmode=1
kern.vty=vt

The other options appear to be for 11-CURRENT, so I wouldn't use those yet.

Thanks for the reassurance!

I did not realize the incomplete state of vt until I began researching this problem... looks like a future feature still.

Still learning my way around FreeBSD, this was today's lesson!