Some Linux for beginners

The following was taken from an excellent Linux newbie document at http://home.powertech.no/rkaa/linux.html#ttf or mirrored locally at newbietips1.html

TrueType fonts

Alternative 1

RedHat6 has support for displaying TrueType fonts. It won't automatically let you print with truetype fonts but things sure look better. xfsft - a truetype fontserver - is made a part of xfs, the x fontserver. In order to make this work you should install the Freetype library and ghostscript rpm from the install CD. To install a rpm package you must be user root. Logged in as a common user: just write su in a terminal window, provide root's password, write gnorpm & and a graphical rpm administration program starts. Mount the CD-rom, click "add", find freetype and ghostscript and install. So far, so good.

Quirk 1: Font-names must be in lowercase and contain no spaces. If you already have tt-fonts on a partition containing Windows, a quick way to copy them all in lowercase is to mount the partition as a DOS filesystem instead of fat32. This way they'll all seem to be lowercase without spaces, whatever they might look like on a fat32 partition. Afterwards you can change partition type back to whatever is relevant. The file that needs modyfying if you want to do this is /etc/fstab. Unmount first - change filesystem - remount and the files will be 8.3 type DOS files se seen from Linux. If you don't feel comfortable with editing this file by hand, use linuxconf to unmount. change filesystem, and remount. That way you don't risk typos.

Quirk 2: Fonts can be more or less broken, and not so "true" to their type as the name indicate. Below is a reference to a little program you shall run: "ttmkfdir". We testrun this first and watch the output, to see if some fonts look completely crappy. You'll know when that happens IF it happens - it looks pretty wild. Delete offending fonts and try again. If you think it ALL looks wild, it's probably OK. If unsure, compare with an existing file called fonts.dir in /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/misc

Here the suggested approach to get TT fonts up and running. Commands are done as user root. What you write is annotated in bold fonts. Open a console window, su root, then:

cd /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts
ls -la
If a directory called TrueType is not there - make it with
mkdir TrueType
then
cd TrueType
Now copy your truetype fonts to the new directory
cp /dir/with/ttfonts/*.* .
(the last dot is a pointer to "current directory" - here applied as your target directory)
When that is done (still in the TrueType directory) we do the mentioned testrun of ttmkfdir, to see that the font descriptions we store afterwards is set up ok in the long unix-wise manner. If one or more fonts seem to vary wildly from the other descriptions there's something crappy with the internal font description of that font. Delete it (rm somefont.ttf) and try again - till the output seems reasonable uniform. The line-lengths can vary but should contain the same "elements".
/usr/sbin/ttmkfkfdir
If the output seem to follow the same type of pattern for all fonts we proceed:
/usr/sbin/ttmkfdir fonts.scale
/usr/X11R6/bin/mkfontdir
/usr/sbin/chkfontpath --add /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/TrueType

(Remember Linux "fill out" paths/filenames for you when you hit the tab, once you've written enough to make it unique. You don't HAVE to type your fingers off.)

Your fonts should now be readable in X . Check it with "xlsfonts". If you later add or remove fonts in the truetype font directories you must make a new fonts.scale and fonts.dir file there. (It's only fonts of variable width, like truetype fonts, that you have to make a fonts.scale file before you make the fonts.dir). Then you remove and add the fontpath again, to make xfs restart with the new information:
chkfontpath --remove /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/TrueType
chkfontpath --add /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/TrueType

OR you can restart it the "old" way: /etc/rc.d/init.d/xfs restart

If some but not all true-type fonts list with xlsfonts:

Many TT fonts don't contain a full character set. ttmkfdir by default only tolerate max 5 missing characters. This you can easily change. "ttmkfdir --help" to see options.
ttmkfdir -m 100 -o fonts.scale tells ttmkfdir to tolerate up to 100 missing characters in a font, and write the output to fonts.scale. This is useful if you know a font to be very limited - often the case with various decorative fonts.

NOTE: RH6 version of xfs now listen to a different port than earlier (now set to -1) If you've upgraded from an earlier version of RedHat: Edit /etc/X11/XF86Config and replace all references to fontpaths with:
FontPath ``tcp/localhost:7100''
You must also make sure that xfs runs and is started at boot time - to ensure that write:
/sbin/chkconfig --add xfs
Those with fresh installs do not have to bother about this point.

Alternative 2

xfstt is another truetype fontdisplay server for X and doesn't require any additional libraries. It's easy to set up and can use the fonts right from your windows-disk, if you have fonts there.

In the Makefile for xfstt a default path to your windows fonts is given. Modify the relevant line to reflect where your Windows disk is mounted, if you want to use the fonts located there. (they're in /whatevermount/windows/fonts) Then "make" and (as root) "make install". Then - as whoever you want to - from the commandline run:
xfstt --synch &
Now WAIT... some 4 seconds BEFORE starting X, so xfstt gets time to unwind :)

After X is started - with startx or what you use - you must set a fontpath that xfstt will find fonts at. xfstt doesn't cooperate with the native xfs fontserver. Write:
xset fp+ unix/:7101
This tells X that there's an additional fp = fontpath found at that port. Since xfstt runs independently of xfs, the command "chkfontpath" does not affect it.

NOTE: It is only the very first time you start xfstt you need the --synch parameter. This creates a database of the installed fonts. Synchronizing is only required when xfstt needs to know about added or removed fonts.

Fuzzy small fonts on web

Some webpages use tiny fonts, unreadable in Netcape unless we tune for them. A "font deuglification" page is out there, but I found the suggested fix of perm "swapping" the 100 and 75 dpi fonts result in too big fonts in menus and elsewhere. Instead: Here is THE fix for those with the truetype font Arial installed:

This fix assumes RH6* xfs (or xfsft) correct set up and working already. Furthermore TT fonts in /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/TrueType and ISO8859-1 character set. (All easily adjustable to other dir's / character sets.)
If you haven't got a file there called fonts.alias: make it (must be saved as user root). Use the contents below. This will give you size 14 as an option under preferences/fonts in Netscape. After the file is created, to rehash xfs you can write
/usr/sbin/chkfontpath --remove /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/TrueType
/usr/sbin/chkfontpath --add /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/TrueType

Make a typo and xfs will fail - and X won't start. If that happens, check your fonts.alias file for typos. The error is guaranteed your own. If it still doesn't work you have to rename or delete fonts.alias and rehash xfs again to get X working.

Restart Netscape. Go to "preferences/fonts" and select "Allow Scaling" for variable width font AND "use document-specified fonts". Select "Arial (monotype)" as your Variable Width Font. Then choose font-size 14 (or 15) in the upper dropbox, where there now are several selectable pont sizes for for Arial. Click ok. Here is a comparition of the looks "after" in Netscape, under Linux and Windows - and here the contents of a fonts.alias - the file should end with one linefeed!

-monotype-Arial-medium-r-normal--6-60-0-0-p-0-iso8859-1 -monotype-Arial-medium-r-normal--6-60-75-75-p-0-iso8859-1
-monotype-Arial-medium-r-normal--7-70-0-0-p-0-iso8859-1 -monotype-Arial-medium-r-normal--7-70-75-75-p-0-iso8859-1
-monotype-Arial-medium-r-normal--8-80-0-0-p-0-iso8859-1 -monotype-Arial-medium-r-normal--8-80-75-75-p-0-iso8859-1
-monotype-Arial-medium-r-normal--9-90-0-0-p-0-iso8859-1 -monotype-Arial-medium-r-normal--9-90-75-75-p-0-iso8859-1
-monotype-Arial-medium-r-normal--10-100-0-0-p-0-iso8859-1 -monotype-Arial-medium-r-normal--10-100-75-75-p-0-iso8859-1
-monotype-Arial-medium-r-normal--11-110-0-0-p-0-iso8859-1 -monotype-Arial-medium-r-normal--11-110-75-75-p-0-iso8859-1
-monotype-Arial-medium-r-normal--12-120-0-0-p-0-iso8859-1 -monotype-Arial-medium-r-normal--12-120-75-75-p-0-iso8859-1
-monotype-Arial-medium-r-normal--13-130-0-0-p-0-iso8859-1 -monotype-Arial-medium-r-normal--13-130-75-75-p-0-iso8859-1
-monotype-Arial-medium-r-normal--14-140-0-0-p-0-iso8859-1 -monotype-Arial-medium-r-normal--14-140-75-75-p-0-iso8859-1
-monotype-Arial-medium-r-normal--15-150-0-0-p-0-iso8859-1 -monotype-Arial-medium-r-normal--15-150-75-75-p-0-iso8859-1
-monotype-Arial-medium-r-normal--18-180-0-0-p-0-iso8859-1 -monotype-Arial-medium-r-normal--18-180-75-75-p-0-iso8859-1
-monotype-Arial-medium-r-normal--24-240-0-0-p-0-iso8859-1 -monotype-Arial-medium-r-normal--24-240-75-75-p-0-iso8859-1
-monotype-Arial-bold-r-normal--6-60-0-0-p-0-iso8859-1 -monotype-Arial-bold-r-normal--6-60-75-75-p-0-iso8859-1
-monotype-Arial-bold-r-normal--7-70-0-0-p-0-iso8859-1 -monotype-Arial-bold-r-normal--7-70-75-75-p-0-iso8859-1
-monotype-Arial-bold-r-normal--8-80-0-0-p-0-iso8859-1 -monotype-Arial-bold-r-normal--8-80-75-75-p-0-iso8859-1
-monotype-Arial-bold-r-normal--9-90-0-0-p-0-iso8859-1 -monotype-Arial-bold-r-normal--9-90-75-75-p-0-iso8859-1
-monotype-Arial-bold-r-normal--10-100-0-0-p-0-iso8859-1 -monotype-Arial-bold-r-normal--10-100-75-75-p-0-iso8859-1
-monotype-Arial-bold-r-normal--11-110-0-0-p-0-iso8859-1 -monotype-Arial-bold-r-normal--11-110-75-75-p-0-iso8859-1
-monotype-Arial-bold-r-normal--12-120-0-0-p-0-iso8859-1 -monotype-Arial-bold-r-normal--12-120-75-75-p-0-iso8859-1
-monotype-Arial-bold-r-normal--13-130-0-0-p-0-iso8859-1 -monotype-Arial-bold-r-normal--13-130-75-75-p-0-iso8859-1
-monotype-Arial-bold-r-normal--14-140-0-0-p-0-iso8859-1 -monotype-Arial-bold-r-normal--14-140-75-75-p-0-iso8859-1
-monotype-Arial-bold-r-normal--15-150-0-0-p-0-iso8859-1 -monotype-Arial-bold-r-normal--15-150-75-75-p-0-iso8859-1
-monotype-Arial-bold-r-normal--18-180-0-0-p-0-iso8859-1 -monotype-Arial-bold-r-normal--18-180-75-75-p-0-iso8859-1    
-monotype-Arial-bold-r-normal--24-240-0-0-p-0-iso8859-1 -monotype-Arial-bold-r-normal--24-240-75-75-p-0-iso8859-1

CharacterMap

To see characters a font contain (while in X): xfd -fn fontname. Use full X fontname or a font alias.
Or: write xfontsel & from a terminal window. (Click name, foundry etc for option menus)
Or: In Gnome you find "font selector" in the menu, under utilities
Gnome also has a panel utility character picker. Use it by keying in characters that *resemble* the one you want. Sample: Activate a letter there and key in ctrl+r to make it display ®. The last character you clicked is automatically copied to your "clipboard." (and if you - like me - look for the "IRC tongue" - try %222 in Xchat)

Netscape JAVA crashes

Due to a slip in the RPM install, the fontpath to the unscaled 75dpi fonts isn't always set.
This cause JAVA crashes in Netscape. If you have a problem with Netscape crashing whenever it tries to load a java applet, that is the problem. Here the solution, extracted from RedHat's own fix: Write:

chkfontpath --list

You should get output that looks something like the following:
Current directories in font path:

                       1: /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/misc:unscaled
                       2: /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi:unscaled
                       3: /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi:unscaled
                       4: /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/misc
                       5: /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/Type1
                       6: /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/Speedo

                       If /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi isn't listed: Verify they are installed:
                        ls -la /X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi
                        If you get a long list of files, now add them to your fontpath like this:
                    chkfontpath --add /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi

If javascript pages give you problems even after this, check your ~/.mailcap file (cat .mailcap)
Remove this line if you find it:
application/x-javascript;;\ x-mozilla-flags=save

RedHat offer an upgrade to version 4.7-1. Find a suitable mirror site close to you. Download the files from the update directory - here's how you upgrade of the full communicator suite:

CLOSE ALL your Netscape stuff, and (as user root) write:
rpm -Uvh --force --nodeps netscape-common-4.7-1.i386.rpm
rpm -Uvh --force netscape-communicator-4.7-1.i386.rpm

For changes in v.4.7, see: http://home.netscape.com/eng/mozilla/4.7/relnotes/unix-4.7.html