RE: HOWTO update

On Thu, 29 May 2003, George Gambill wrote:

> Section 3 Configuration (paragraph 3) talks about creating a .tn5250rc in
> each users home directory.  Works great.
>
> Section 5 Using Fonts (5.1) shows:
>
>    font_80=-*-fixed-*-*-*-*-*-200-75-100-*-*-*-*
>
> 1) Could you reference a document of web page or something that might
> explain this?

Hmmm...  I'll see what I can find.  That's why I mentioned xlsfonts since
it displays the fonts and gives the font name in the format above.

> Also xlsfonts keeps giving me an error "unable to open display ''".  Man
> doesn't help as no examples.  Don't know if this is relevant to your HOWTO
> update.

This usually happens when there is no X server (i.e. you are running on
the console, not in an X session).  This can also happen when you remotely
log in to some machine and don't forward your X connections.  Are you
running a GUI desktop like gnome or kde?  If not, then you don't have a
lot of font options.  If you are running from the console the only thing
you can do is change the console settings (usually done with lilo.conf).
But from what you say below I think you are running under X...

> Also, Section 5 Using Fonts (5.2) mentions a .Xdefaults file.
>
> 2)  Does this also go in each users home directory?  Tried this (user home
> dir) with:
>
>     xt5250*Font : 7x13
>
> with no change.

Yes, in each users' home directory.  It is likely that there is already a
.Xdefaults file in the home directory.  You must log off (from your linux
computer) and log back in for changes to take effect.  Further, it only
works when running tn5250 using the xt5250 script.

> 3)  What other (besides 7x13) might be used.

That's what xlsfonts is supposed to show :)

> I am a newbe trying to get a larger font displayed under a 1024x768 desktop
> (RH8).  800x600 is not an option (per user). 8-(

Your questions are excellent - particularly because they illustrate ways
in which the HOWTO can be improved.  I will clarify those sections with
the comments I've made here.  David Gibbs suggested I add something like a
'works cited' page.  Maybe that would be a good place to put links to
things like X11 management - especially fonts.  I wonder if a good
document/book on using X even exists - maybe Unix System Administration by
O'Reilly?

James Rich