Core X Font System - Red Hat ENTERPRISE LINUX 5 - DEPLOYMENT Deployment Manual

Chapter 31. The X Window System

31.4.2. Core X Font System

For compatibility, Red Hat Enterprise Linux provides the core X font subsystem, which uses the X Font
Server (xfs) to provide fonts to X client applications.
The X server looks for a font server specified in the FontPath directive within the Files section of
the /etc/X11/xorg.conf configuration file. Refer to
about the FontPath entry.
The X server connects to the xfs server on a specified port to acquire font information. For this
reason, the xfs service must be running for X to start. For more about configuring services for a
particular runlevel, refer to
31.4.2.1. xfs Configuration
The /etc/rc.d/init.d/xfs script starts the xfs server. Several options can be configured within
its configuration file, /etc/X11/fs/config.
The following lists common options:
• alternate-servers — Specifies a list of alternate font servers to be used if this font server is not
available. A comma must separate each font server in a list.
• catalogue — Specifies an ordered list of font paths to use. A comma must separate each font
path in a list.
Use the string :unscaled immediately after the font path to make the unscaled fonts in that path
load first. Then specify the entire path again, so that other scaled fonts are also loaded.
• client-limit — Specifies the maximum number of clients the font server services. The default is
10.
• clone-self — Allows the font server to clone a new version of itself when the client-limit is
hit. By default, this option is on.
• default-point-size — Specifies the default point size for any font that does not specify this
value. The value for this option is set in decipoints. The default of 120 corresponds to a 12 point
font.
• default-resolutions — Specifies a list of resolutions supported by the X server. Each
resolution in the list must be separated by a comma.
• deferglyphs — Specifies whether to defer loading glyphs (the graphic used to visually represent
a font). To disable this feature use none, to enable this feature for all fonts use all, or to turn this
feature on only for 16-bit fonts use 16.
• error-file — Specifies the path and file name of a location where xfs errors are logged.
• no-listen — Prevents xfs from listening to particular protocols. By default, this option is set to
tcp to prevent xfs from listening on TCP ports for security reasons.
Tip
If xfs is used to serve fonts over the network, remove this line.
464
Chapter 16, Controlling Access to
Section 31.3.1.4, "Files"
Services.
for more information