Fonts are HUGE now!

Shopko · 2005-03-16 19:32:15

I was messing with my xorg.conf configuration, and thought I would try telling X what my display size was, so that it could compute the correct DPI setting for my display.

I have a 15.4" widescreen display running at 1680x1050, which comes out to roughly 131 dpi. At this setting, all of my fonts are huge (by huge, I mean 10pt fonts look like they are 20pt)! I tried putting in fake display size values to get 100 dpi, 96dpi, etc.

Here is what I learned. Almost no OS uses the correct dpi for the display. Apparently Windows always uses 96 dpi, regardless of what resolution the display really is. X also defaults to 96 dpi. A few distros actually set the dpi correctly, and the first thing people complain about is that the fonts are too big.

Anyhow, I think I am going to stick with the default 96 dpi setting, since it's what I'm used to. But if any of you ever see X with abnormally large fonts, check what dpi setting is being used.

By the way, the relevant setting in xorg.conf is DisplaySize, in the Monitor section. Here's the syntax:

Section "Monitor"
   .
   .
   .
   DisplaySize 410 318  # Size (x,y) of the screen, in millimeters
EndSection

beniro · 2005-03-16 21:17:58

Well, if your dpi really is 131, then you can try putting this in your /etc/fonts/local.conf file (or at least correcting the value):

    <match target="pattern">
        <edit name="dpi" mode="assign"><double>131</double></edit>
    </match>

Hope this helps.

---EDIT---

I think you've calculated your DisplaySize incorrectly. See my post below.

beniro · 2005-03-16 21:30:05

If you have a 15.4" widescreen monitor, your millimeter setting in your xorg.conf is incorrect. Take out a ruler and measure the viewable height and width of your monitor and input those numbers (in millimeters) into your xorg.conf, replacing the old 410 x 318 for your DisplaySize.

An estimate for your monitor's width (assuming your resolution is in agreement with your monitor's aspect ratio and your dpi IS 131) is: 325 mm

An estimate for the height (same assumptions) is: 205 mm

That in and of itself, coupled with what I wrote above, might fix the problem.

nggalai · 2005-03-16 21:43:26

beniro wrote:

Also, if you the width/height you entered in millimeters is correct (You're using a fairly standard 19" or 20" monitor???) and your resolution really is 1680x1050, your dpi is actually: 102 (from left to right) by 84 (top to bottom)...which will give you...a skewed view of the world.

He said it in his first posting--15.4" widescreen, so it's probably a 16:10 screen, not 4:3. So his numbers seem correct to me. Many laptops have screens with 130dpi and more, nowadays ...

93,
-Sascha.rb

beniro · 2005-03-16 21:50:05

nggalai wrote:

He said it in his first posting--15.4" widescreen, so it's probably a 16:10 screen, not 4:3. So his numbers seem correct to me. Many laptops have screens with 130dpi and more, nowadays ...
93,
-Sascha.rb

Sorry, I missed that part...I was going from his millimeters...410mm x 318mm = 16.14in~ x 12.5in~ = 4:3 more or less.

Thanks for the heads-up, though. I'll edit those posts.

Arch Linux

#1 2005-03-16 19:32:15

Fonts are HUGE now!

#2 2005-03-16 21:17:58

Re: Fonts are HUGE now!

#3 2005-03-16 21:30:05

Re: Fonts are HUGE now!

#4 2005-03-16 21:43:26

Re: Fonts are HUGE now!

#5 2005-03-16 21:50:05

Re: Fonts are HUGE now!

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