xfstt (was Re: default fonts in NS 4.05 unreadable)
On Sat, 16 Jan 1999 at 02:39:32 +, Mark Brown <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > I installed xfstt from slink tonight, as I'm getting sick of the same > problem. It went fine, and fixed all the web pages I was having trouble > with regularly (I knew I could use that Windows license for something). Is there some reason why xfstt is missing from potato? A search of the debian web site doesn't reveal any comments about distribution problems. Does anyone know why its not there? Robert King, Australian Environmental Studies, Griffith University, Australia 3875 6677 [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.ens.gu.edu.au/robertk/ This signature project was my last, best hope to seem eloquent. It failed. But in the year of Decency In Communications Act, it became something greater. My last, best hope for satire. The year is 1996. The Place: Babbling On Pine. -- "Kyle N. Foster" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Re: default fonts in NS 4.05 unreadable
On Thu, Jan 14, 1999 at 08:49:54AM +0100, Thomas Adams wrote: > Strange, on my hamm box installing xfstt was a pretty eventful job. First, > there is no FAQ.gz. Maybe it is in the slink but I can't install that to a > hamm box, can I? Then there is a problem with starting xfstt. It looks like You should be able to install it, unless it refuses to install :-) . Seriously, the two systems are broadly compatible and the dependancy information in the package should deal with any problems for you. > Now I wonder what's broken on this system and do I have to expect something > like that on slink, too? I installed xfstt from slink tonight, as I'm getting sick of the same problem. It went fine, and fixed all the web pages I was having trouble with regularly (I knew I could use that Windows license for something). > > In particular there are some details regarding choosing font size for > > netscape. What I did, in a nutshell, was > Regarding font sizes in Netscape: Is it ok that I can't choose the font size > for a TTF? I think in Windows this is possible and at the moment I'm using > the Works for me. :-) I believe that the size can be chosen - xfstt will render at the chosen size. > content of a \WINNT\Fonts directory. Are there free fonts which look as good > or even better? The problem isn't the lack of TrueType. The problem is that far too many web designers hard code font names like Ariel which are only avalible on Windows into their web pages without providing a fallback to something more portable. Netscape doesn't deal with this at all well, substituting the microscopic Courier. You'd need to convince X that fonts you were substiting were called Ariel or whatever. I'm sure this is possible, but I don't know how. Mozilla seemed to fix this in whichever version I tried, making more sensible substitution when a Windows font was found. -- Mark Brown mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] (Trying to avoid grumpiness) http://www.tardis.ed.ac.uk/~broonie/ EUFShttp://www.eusa.ed.ac.uk/societies/filmsoc/
Re: default fonts in NS 4.05 unreadable
On Thu, Jan 14, 1999 at 08:49:54AM +0100, Thomas Adams wrote: > > On Wed, Jan 13, 1999 at 12:35:30AM -0700, Dave Thayer wrote: > > > It was a pretty uneventful installation, but read /usr/doc/xfstt/FAQ.gz. > > Strange, on my hamm box installing xfstt was a pretty eventful job. First, > there is no FAQ.gz. Maybe it is in the slink but I can't install that to a > hamm box, can I? Then there is a problem with starting xfstt. It looks like > there is an error in the start script because if I type '/etc/init.d/xfstt > start' I get a line that looks like xfstt telling me how it wants to get > invoked. A bit later xdm tries to start but the screen doesn't come up. It's > flashing and I have to login from another computer, take down xdm, start > xfstt > by hand and start xdm again. > > Then and only then everything works fine and I can view web pages with > Netscape without getting eye cancer. :) > > I haven't even mentioned the fact that the name of the xfstt start script was > in fact 'xfstt-dpkg-new' and that I had to browse the net for the line I had > to add to the FontPath in XF86Config. unix:/7101 didn't work, whyever. > > Now I wonder what's broken on this system and do I have to expect something > like that on slink, too? > Yuck! ISTR a lot of discussion about xfstt on debian-user a few months back, it may have been regarding the Hamm version. I initially installed it during my hamm-slink upgrade without any troubles. > > In particular there are some details regarding choosing font size for > > netscape. What I did, in a nutshell, was > > Regarding font sizes in Netscape: Is it ok that I can't choose the font size > for a TTF? I think in Windows this is possible and at the moment I'm using > the > content of a \WINNT\Fonts directory. Are there free fonts which look as good > or even better? > Actually you can choose the font size in Netscape, they just don't show up in the dropdown list. Check the "Allow Scaling" box under the dropdown box and just type in your desired size. You have to have a non-TT font selected in order to enable the checkbox, but it will stay enabled when you choose a TT font. I've just been using standard W95 fonts. The majority of free fonts on the net seem to be decorative varieties, which would make for a fairly unpleasant browsing experiance to say the least. M$ has some decent free (gratis) fonts which have a surprisingly liberal license which only restricts redistribution. Another source of fonts is one of those cheap CDs in the shovelware bins at the computer big-box stores. your pal dave. ps, I will be away from email for a few days so I'll have to drop out of this thread. Please don't think I'm being rude and ignoring people ;-) -- Dave Thayer Denver, Colorado USA [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: default fonts in NS 4.05 unreadable
On Thu, Jan 14, 1999 at 08:37:46AM +0100, Thomas Adams wrote: > navigate w/o seeing graphics or frames (and lynx' frames handling sucks IMHO) Sure, but can you give an example of how it could be implemented better? I don't like it much either but I can't see much alternative. Hamish -- Hamish Moffatt VK3TYD [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED] Latest Debian packages at ftp://ftp.rising.com.au/pub/hamish. PGP#EFA6B9D5 CCs of replies from mailing lists are welcome. http://hamish.home.ml.org
Re: default fonts in NS 4.05 unreadable
On Wed, Jan 13, 1999 at 01:26:09PM +, Mark Brown wrote: > Does this happen with all web pages? I haven't used Netscape on a Debian No, some pages displayed fine, but not all. I wasn't able to find a pattern. > system (Lynx is your friend), but on other systems I've tried Netscape 4.05 Yes, lynx is nice, in a way. But there are lots of web pages which you can't navigate w/o seeing graphics or frames (and lynx' frames handling sucks IMHO) thus I prefer Netscape. Until I find a Mozilla deb for hamm or figure out how to compile it myself, that is.
Re: default fonts in NS 4.05 unreadable
On Wed, Jan 13, 1999 at 12:35:30AM -0700, Dave Thayer wrote: > It was a pretty uneventful installation, but read /usr/doc/xfstt/FAQ.gz. Strange, on my hamm box installing xfstt was a pretty eventful job. First, there is no FAQ.gz. Maybe it is in the slink but I can't install that to a hamm box, can I? Then there is a problem with starting xfstt. It looks like there is an error in the start script because if I type '/etc/init.d/xfstt start' I get a line that looks like xfstt telling me how it wants to get invoked. A bit later xdm tries to start but the screen doesn't come up. It's flashing and I have to login from another computer, take down xdm, start xfstt by hand and start xdm again. Then and only then everything works fine and I can view web pages with Netscape without getting eye cancer. :) I haven't even mentioned the fact that the name of the xfstt start script was in fact 'xfstt-dpkg-new' and that I had to browse the net for the line I had to add to the FontPath in XF86Config. unix:/7101 didn't work, whyever. Now I wonder what's broken on this system and do I have to expect something like that on slink, too? > In particular there are some details regarding choosing font size for > netscape. What I did, in a nutshell, was Regarding font sizes in Netscape: Is it ok that I can't choose the font size for a TTF? I think in Windows this is possible and at the moment I'm using the content of a \WINNT\Fonts directory. Are there free fonts which look as good or even better?
Re: default fonts in NS 4.05 unreadable
On Wed, Jan 13, 1999 at 12:29:46AM -0800, Mark Wagnon wrote: > > Dave Thayer wrote: > > > > It was a pretty uneventful installation, but read /usr/doc/xfstt/FAQ.gz. > > In particular there are some details regarding choosing font size for > > netscape. What I did, in a nutshell, was > > > > -Set up symlinks from /dosc/windows/fonts to > > /usr/share/fonts/truetype/winfonts > > > > -Start up the font server: /etc/init.d/xfstt start > > > > -Add to the Files section of /etc/X11/XF86Config: > > FontPath"unix/:7101" > > > > -Restart X and set up netscape as per the FAQ. > > Thanks Dave! > > It worked nicely. One last Q though...when I start xfstt at the console, > it responds with: > >Cannot open TCPIP port 7101 >Better try another port! > > Is this normal? It works fine, I'm just curious as to the significance > of that message. > I think that means that there's already a copy running. Try "ps ax", pstree, or "pidof xfstt" to find out for sure. If you use "/etc/init.d/xfstt start" to start xfstt you won't get those messages because it uses start-stop-daemon(8) which won't start a daemon which is already running. your pal dave -- Dave Thayer Denver, Colorado USA [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: default fonts in NS 4.05 unreadable
Anthony Campbell wrote: > > On 12 Jan 1999q, Dave Thayer wrote: > > > > In Windows you have TrueType fonts which display much more nicely than > > X fonts, especially on a lower res screen. I installed xfstt from slink > > which vastly improved Netscape on my 640x480 laptop screen. > > > > your pal dave > > > > -- > > Dave Thayer > > Denver, Colorado USA > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > Is there no way to get larger fonts in Netscape without installing Windows? > This > is a Windows-free zone and although I do have room to install the thing I'm > very > reluctant to do so just for the sake of the type faces. > > Anthony > > -- > Anthony Campbell - running Linux Debian 2.0 > [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.achc.demon.co.uk > > "The Moving Finger writes; and, having writ, > Moves on..." - Edward Fitzgerald (Rubaiat of Omar Khayyam) > > -- > Unsubscribe? mail -s unsubscribe [EMAIL PROTECTED] < /dev/null You don't have to install windows to used trutype fonts. I happen to have it installed, but there are truetype fonts available on the internet. The author of xfstt gives several sites where some can be found. Having windows installed just makes it easier because all you have to do is make a link to the windows/fonts dir. HTH -- __ _ Mark Wagnon -o) / / (_)__ __ __ Chula Vista, CA /\\/ /__/ / _ \/ // /\ \/ / mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] _\_v/_/_//_/\_,_/ /_/\_\
Re: default fonts in NS 4.05 unreadable
On Tue, Jan 12, 1999 at 09:42:37PM +0100, Thomas Adams wrote: > On two different hamm computers with different video cards and monitors I > installed Netscape 4.05 with the install script. > On both of these systems I can hardly read the web pages because the default > fonts are too small. On the same computers and monitors, a Windows Netscape > displays fine. Why? > I already increased the font size by 2 but now the fonts are too large and > look ugly. What can I do about it and why do I have to do it at all? Why does > it not work "out of the box"? Does this happen with all web pages? I haven't used Netscape on a Debian system (Lynx is your friend), but on other systems I've tried Netscape 4.05 on I found that it doesn't handle missing fonts very well, rendering them in a microscopic Courier. This causes problems with web pages which use Ariel and only Ariel in font tags. Most pages render fine, though. This is with the tarballs distributed by Netscape and installed by hand. FWIW, Mozilla appears to work round the breakage by substituting a suitable font if none is found (certainly, qtscape does) but I don't know how ready for prime-time it is. -- Mark Brown mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] (Trying to avoid grumpiness) http://www.tardis.ed.ac.uk/~broonie/ EUFShttp://www.eusa.ed.ac.uk/societies/filmsoc/
Re: default fonts in NS 4.05 unreadable
On 12 Jan 1999q, Dave Thayer wrote: > > In Windows you have TrueType fonts which display much more nicely than > X fonts, especially on a lower res screen. I installed xfstt from slink > which vastly improved Netscape on my 640x480 laptop screen. > > your pal dave > > -- > Dave Thayer > Denver, Colorado USA > [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Is there no way to get larger fonts in Netscape without installing Windows? This is a Windows-free zone and although I do have room to install the thing I'm very reluctant to do so just for the sake of the type faces. Anthony -- Anthony Campbell - running Linux Debian 2.0 [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.achc.demon.co.uk "The Moving Finger writes; and, having writ, Moves on..." - Edward Fitzgerald (Rubaiat of Omar Khayyam)
Re: default fonts in NS 4.05 unreadable
Dave Thayer wrote: > > It was a pretty uneventful installation, but read /usr/doc/xfstt/FAQ.gz. > In particular there are some details regarding choosing font size for > netscape. What I did, in a nutshell, was > > -Set up symlinks from /dosc/windows/fonts to > /usr/share/fonts/truetype/winfonts > > -Start up the font server: /etc/init.d/xfstt start > > -Add to the Files section of /etc/X11/XF86Config: > FontPath"unix/:7101" > > -Restart X and set up netscape as per the FAQ. Thanks Dave! It worked nicely. One last Q though...when I start xfstt at the console, it responds with: Cannot open TCPIP port 7101 Better try another port! Is this normal? It works fine, I'm just curious as to the significance of that message. Thanks again. -- __ _ Mark Wagnon -o) / / (_)__ __ __ Chula Vista, CA /\\/ /__/ / _ \/ // /\ \/ / mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] _\_v/_/_//_/\_,_/ /_/\_\
Re: default fonts in NS 4.05 unreadable
On Tue, Jan 12, 1999 at 09:37:49PM -0800, Mark Wagnon wrote: > > Dave Thayer wrote: > > > > In Windows you have TrueType fonts which display much more nicely than > > X fonts, especially on a lower res screen. I installed xfstt from slink > > which vastly improved Netscape on my 640x480 laptop screen. > > > > I decided to try a fresh look for X and install xfstt. Is there anything > that needs to be done after installing it? I made a link to my windows > fonts, and I can preview them when I run the tst.sh file, but what am I > not doing to make fonts available for netscape, etc? It was a pretty uneventful installation, but read /usr/doc/xfstt/FAQ.gz. In particular there are some details regarding choosing font size for netscape. What I did, in a nutshell, was -Set up symlinks from /dosc/windows/fonts to /usr/share/fonts/truetype/winfonts -Start up the font server: /etc/init.d/xfstt start -Add to the Files section of /etc/X11/XF86Config: FontPath"unix/:7101" -Restart X and set up netscape as per the FAQ. your pal dave -- Dave Thayer Denver, Colorado USA [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: default fonts in NS 4.05 unreadable
Dave Thayer wrote: > > In Windows you have TrueType fonts which display much more nicely than > X fonts, especially on a lower res screen. I installed xfstt from slink > which vastly improved Netscape on my 640x480 laptop screen. > I decided to try a fresh look for X and install xfstt. Is there anything that needs to be done after installing it? I made a link to my windows fonts, and I can preview them when I run the tst.sh file, but what am I not doing to make fonts available for netscape, etc? TIA -- __ _ Mark Wagnon -o) / / (_)__ __ __ Chula Vista, CA /\\/ /__/ / _ \/ // /\ \/ / mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] _\_v/_/_//_/\_,_/ /_/\_\
Re: default fonts in NS 4.05 unreadable
On Tue, Jan 12, 1999 at 09:42:37PM +0100, Thomas Adams wrote: > > On two different hamm computers with different video cards and monitors I > installed Netscape 4.05 with the install script. > > On both of these systems I can hardly read the web pages because the default > fonts are too small. On the same computers and monitors, a Windows Netscape > displays fine. Why? In Windows you have TrueType fonts which display much more nicely than X fonts, especially on a lower res screen. I installed xfstt from slink which vastly improved Netscape on my 640x480 laptop screen. your pal dave -- Dave Thayer Denver, Colorado USA [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED]
