[arch-general] Help with /etc/fonts.conf

[David C. Rankin]

David Rosenstrauch wrote:
> David C. Rankin wrote:
>> David C. Rankin wrote:
>>> Listmates,
>>>
>>>     I have several additional fonts in /usr/local/share/fonts that I
>>> want
>>> configured for the system. I found /etc/fonts/fonts.conf and
>>> /etc/fonts/conf.d/51-local.conf, but I'm unsure about the placement
>>> of my
>>> <dir></dir> location in the local.conf file. Currently I have chosen:
>>>
>>> <?xml version="1.0"?>
>>> <!DOCTYPE fontconfig SYSTEM "fonts.dtd">
>>> <fontconfig>
>>>     <!-- Load local system customization file -->
>>>     <include ignore_missing="yes">local.conf</include>
>>>         <dir>/usr/local/share/fonts</dir>
>>> </fontconfig>
>>>
>>>     My question is "does it matter whether the <dir> statement comes
>>> before or
>>> after the <include> and what do I need to do after I add the <dir>
>>> statement in
>>> 51-local.conf to make the system create a new font config?
>>>
>>
>>
>>     I found additional information and things seem to be working
>> great. Following
>> http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Xorg_Font_Configuration after
>> adding my
>> <dir> statement as shown above, I ran:
>>
>> # fc-cache -fv
>> <snip>
>> /usr/local/share/fonts: caching, new cache contents: 46 fonts, 0 dirs
>>
>>     So it looks like its pickup up my fonts. I ran through the rest of
>> the wiki
>> and all is good!
> 
> Just a heads up - it's probably a bad idea to edit the
> /etc/fonts/fonts.conf file directly, as per both the wiki page
> ("fonts.conf should never be changed, and all changes should be done in
> local.conf (for system wide changes) or ~/.fonts.conf (for user based
> changes)") and the fonts.conf file itself ("DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE. IT
> WILL BE REPLACED WHEN FONTCONFIG IS UPDATED.")
> 
> DR
> 

Thanks DR,

	I actually saw that warning and put the additional <dir> statement in
/etc/fonts/conf.d/51-local.conf. I pretty sure that is the right place. The
"Notes" in both /etc/fonts/fonts.conf and /etc/fonts/conf.d/51-local.conf are
not as clear as they should be for new folks because /etc/fonts/fonts.conf
direct the user to put the additional fonts in "local.conf" presuming the new
user can decipher the XML <include> tag that specifies the contents of
51-local.conf as "local.conf".

	I scratched my head a bit and worked my way through it, but many users, even
those very good with Linux, often are left scratching their heads when forced
to decipher an XML schema, especially one that is spread over multiple files
due to the use of a sourcing or <include> layout.

	I think the warning contained in /etc/fonts/fonts.conf should be changed to be
literal with respect to the filenames. Something like:

DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE.
IT WILL BE REPLACED WHEN FONTCONFIG IS UPDATED.
LOCAL CHANGES BELONG IN '/etc/fonts/conf.d/51-local.conf'
ALL FILES IN '/etc/fonts/conf.d/' NAMED 'XX-filename.conf',
WHERE 'XX' ARE DIGITS, ARE SOURCED BY THIS FILE.
	
	That would have eliminated all questions in my mind.

-- 
David C. Rankin, J.D.,P.E.
Rankin Law Firm, PLLC
510 Ochiltree Street
Nacogdoches, Texas 75961
Telephone: (936) 715-9333
Facsimile: (936) 715-9339
www.rankinlawfirm.com