Use Scalable Fonts under Linux to Render Text

HyperView uses scalable fonts for Linux to render text in the 3D window.

To use scalable fonts, they must be installed and properly configured under X Windows. The X Window server must also be configured for the correct display resolution - dots per inch (dpi) - to render fonts at the correct size.

Installing and Configuring Scalable Fonts

It is important that the correct fonts are installed for your operating system. Issue the command xlsfonts | grep 0-0 | grep iso8859-1 to list the fonts. By default, HyperView uses Helvetica and Times. Under RHEL7 and RHEL 7, the fonts list should include b&h luxi sans, b&h luxi serif as well as several other typeface families. On SLES 12, the font list should include b&h luxi sans, b&h luxi serif, bitstream vera sans, and bitstream vera serif.

Configure Missing Scalable Fonts on Linux for SLES12

  1. Verify that XFree86-fonts-scalable and xfs are installed.
  2. Use chkconfig as the root user to ensure xfs is configured to run under run level 5.
  3. You may have to add FontPath "unix/:7100" under the Files section of /etc/X11/XF86Config.

Configure Missing Scalable Fonts on Linux for RHEL6 and RHEL7

  1. Verify that the following packages are installed: 
    fonts-xorg-100dpi
fonts-xorg-base
urw-fonts
bitstream-vera-fonts
fonts-xorg-75dpi
xorg-x11-xfs
  2. Use chkconfig as the root user to ensure xfs is configured to run under run level 5.
  3. You may have to add FontPath "unix/:7100" under the Files section of /etc/X11/xorg.conf.

Verify the X Window Server is Properly Configured for the Correct Display DPI Setting

Run the command xdpyinfo and examine the section starting with "screen #0". It should look like this: 
screen #0:
  dimensions:    1280x1024 pixels (361x271 millimeters)
  resolution:    90x96 dots per inch
If the reported resolution is 75x75 dpi, it's likely the X server and video driver cannot determine the physical dimensions of the monitor in order to calculate the resolution. This can happen when the video driver fails to obtain EDID information from the connected display. It can also happen if the computer is connected to a KVM switch, or when Nvidia TwinView is being used. In these instances, you should calculate the vertical DPI manually, using the number of pixels wide divided by the display width (in inches). 96 dpi is typical on a 19" monitor with a resolution set to 1280x1024. 100 dpi is typical for a 21" monitor with a resolution set to 1600x1200.

Manually Set the Display Resolution on Linux Systems with NVidia Drivers

  1. As the root user, edit /etc/X11/xorg.conf or XF86Config.
  2. Under the Device section, add the following lines: 
    Option "UseEdidDpi" "false"
Option "DPI" "96x96"

Manually Set the Display Resolution on Linux Systems with ATI FireGL Drivers

  1. For RHEL with Gnome and the gdm display manager:

    Edit /etc/gdm/custom.conf and add a section that reads:

    [server-Standard]
name=Standard server
flexible=true
command=/usr/bin/Xorg :0 -br -dpi 96
  2. For RHEL 6:

    The gdm configuration appears to currently be broken in terms of accepting custom parameters for the X server. You can install kdm, and specify that kdm be the default login display manager by editing /etc/sysconfig/ desktop to read:

    DISPLAYMANAGER="KDE"

    Edit /etc/kde/kdm/kdmrc and append "-dpi 96" to the line beginning with "ServerArgsLocal" so that it reads:

    ServerArgsLocal= -nr -dpi 96
  3. For SLES 12 with KDE:

    Edit /etc/sysconfig/displaymanager and append "-dpi 96" to the line beginning with "DISPLAY_MANAGER_KDM_LOCALARGC=" so that it reads:

    DISPLAY_MANAGER_KDM_LOCALARGC="-dpi 96"