dpi issue when logging in via display manager but not with startx

calyx · 2024-08-26 14:03:36

Hi all,

I have a (to me at least) strange issue.

When I log in to my system using a display / login manager (lemurs), some applications have really large fonts and icons.
When I log in via tty, and then run startx, all looks good.

I believe this is related to the setting Xft.dpi: 120 in my .Xresources. When I run startx this seems to be read and applied properly. However, this value seems to be (at least partly) ignored when lemurs run.

My .xinitrc loads / merges the .Xresources, so I do not see why this is not working. Any help would be appreciated.

Last edited by calyx (2024-08-26 14:14:02)

seth · 2024-08-26 16:52:37

I believe this … seems

xrdb -q | grep -i dpi
xdpyinfo | grep resol

calyx · 2024-08-26 17:31:23

Thanks a lot for getting back to me, @seth!

Doing this after having started a startx session:

$ xrdb -q | grep -i dpi
Xft.dpi:	120
$ xdpyinfo | grep resol
  resolution:    256x261 dots per inch

Doing this after having used lemurs login manager:

$ xrdb -q | grep -i dpi
$ xdpyinfo | grep resol
  resolution:    256x261 dots per inch

This is my .xinitrc:

#!/bin/sh

userresources=$HOME/.Xresources
usermodmap=$HOME/.Xmodmap
sysresources=/etc/X11/xinit/.Xresources
sysmodmap=/etc/X11/xinit/.Xmodmap

# merge in defaults and keymaps

if [ -f $sysresources ]; then
    xrdb -merge $sysresources
fi

if [ -f $sysmodmap ]; then
    xmodmap $sysmodmap
fi

if [ -f "$userresources" ]; then
    xrdb -merge "$userresources"
fi

if [ -f "$usermodmap" ]; then
    xmodmap "$usermodmap"
fi

# start some nice programs

if [ -d /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc.d ] ; then
    for f in /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc.d/?*.sh ; do
        [ -x "$f" ] && . "$f"
    done
    unset f
fi

# start window manager

if [ ${XWM} == "i3" ] ; then
    exec i3
elif [ ${XWM} == "qtile" ] ; then
    exec qtile start
else
    echo "error: unknown environment variable XWM: '${XWM}'"
fi

This is my .Xresources:

Xcursor.theme: Qogir-dark
Xcursor.size: 16
Xft.dpi: 120

Last edited by calyx (2024-08-26 17:40:59)

seth · 2024-08-26 18:10:29

Does lemurs even run the xinitrc or just the i3.desktop session service?
Have some marker in the xinitrc, eg. "date > /tmp/xinitrc.date" and see whether that gets update when starting the session w/ lemurs

calyx · 2024-08-26 18:31:46

Good idea.

Yes, .xinitrc is executed. I did as suggested, and the results are below.

.xinitrc with debugging markers:

#!/bin/sh

userresources=$HOME/.Xresources
usermodmap=$HOME/.Xmodmap
sysresources=/etc/X11/xinit/.Xresources
sysmodmap=/etc/X11/xinit/.Xmodmap

# merge in defaults and keymaps

if [ -f $sysresources ]; then
    xrdb -merge $sysresources
fi

if [ -f $sysmodmap ]; then
    xmodmap $sysmodmap
fi

if [ -f "$userresources" ]; then
    xrdb -merge "$userresources"

    # debug
    date > /tmp/xinitrc.date.1
fi

if [ -f "$usermodmap" ]; then
    xmodmap "$usermodmap"
fi

# start some nice programs

if [ -d /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc.d ] ; then
    for f in /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc.d/?*.sh ; do
        [ -x "$f" ] && . "$f"
    done
    unset f
fi

# debug
date > /tmp/xinitrc.date.2

# start window manager

if [ ${XWM} == "i3" ] ; then
    exec i3
elif [ ${XWM} == "qtile" ] ; then
    exec qtile start
else
    echo "error: unknown environment variable XWM: '${XWM}'"
fi

result:

$ ls -al /tmp/xinitrc*
-rw-r--r-- 1 poq poq 29 Aug 26 13:27 /tmp/xinitrc.date.1
-rw-r--r-- 1 poq poq 29 Aug 26 13:27 /tmp/xinitrc.date.2

Last edited by calyx (2024-08-26 18:32:31)

seth · 2024-08-26 18:48:35

Are qtile and/or "exec xterm" likewise affected?
(Since you're setting the xrdb value, something must unset it…)
Is that the only value set/cleared from xrdb?

You could also log "xrdb -q | grep -i dpi" at various stages of the xinitrc (though I expect it to be set after the the xrdb merge and before the i3 exec)

Sidebar: "xrandr --dpi 120"

calyx · 2024-08-26 19:56:10

Thanks for your help, @seth. I appreciate your inputs. However, still no luck.

After having spent too much time on this issue, I decided to simply uninstall Lemurs and stick to tty login. That works fine, and I do not need a fancy login screen. So, all is good.

Arch Linux

#1 2024-08-26 14:03:36

dpi issue when logging in via display manager but not with startx

#2 2024-08-26 16:52:37

Re: dpi issue when logging in via display manager but not with startx

#3 2024-08-26 17:31:23

Re: dpi issue when logging in via display manager but not with startx

#4 2024-08-26 18:10:29

Re: dpi issue when logging in via display manager but not with startx

#5 2024-08-26 18:31:46

Re: dpi issue when logging in via display manager but not with startx

#6 2024-08-26 18:48:35

Re: dpi issue when logging in via display manager but not with startx

#7 2024-08-26 19:56:10

Re: dpi issue when logging in via display manager but not with startx

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