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Old 10-30-2005, 10:52 PM   #1
rookworm
LQ Newbie
 
Registered: Oct 2005
Distribution: debian sarge& windows xp
Posts: 21

Rep: Reputation: 15
Lightbulb Use X windows font in the console (text mode)


I have a system without X windows, and I was wondering whether (in order to fit more on the screen) it is possible to use a smaller font from x-windows. I am not sure what it is called (although I am sure we have all seen it before, see for example here. Severe eyestraining reveals that it is 5x9 or 5x10, I think), but I would like to know if it is possible to use it in text mode, and if so, where it may be available in (or how to convert to) psc.gz (I think) format for use with consolechars.

 
Old 10-31-2005, 04:25 PM   #2
davcefai
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Registered: Dec 2004
Location: Malta
Distribution: Debian Sid
Posts: 863

Rep: Reputation: 45
I don't think that this is possible in the way you state.

What you want is to set the vga mode. Assuming you use lilo, you will have a stanza somewhat like this:

Code:
## Debian SID
image=/mnt/debian/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.12-1-686
        label="Debian_Sid_2.6.12"
        root=/dev/sda1
        initrd=/mnt/debian/boot/initrd.img-2.6.12-1-686
        vga=771
        read-only
Change the vga line to vga=ask

Now, from the lilo.conf man page:

Quote:
vga=<mode>
This specifies the VGA text mode that should be selected when
booting. It may be specified as a global option. The following
values are recognized (case is ignored):

normal: select normal 80x25 text mode.

extended (or ext): select 80x50 text mode.

ask: stop and ask for user input (at boot time).

<number>: use the corresponding text mode. A list of available
modes can be obtained by booting with vga=ask and pressing
[Enter].

If this variable is omitted, the VGA mode setting contained in
the kernel image is used. (And that is set at compile time using
the SVGA_MODE variable in the kernel Makefile, and can later be
changed with the rdev(8) program.)
So if you change this, or add the vga line if you don't have it, you can experiment with modes and the "hardwire" the one you want - or leave it at ask.

Run /sbin/lilo after editing the file.

I have a vague memory of having once seen this in action but haven't tried it. You might like to duplicate one of your existing stanzas (with a different identifier) rather than edit the existing one. It will make recovery easier is something goes wrong.
 
  


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