[TAG] lpr works for user not root in Basiclinux 2.1

[Sindi Keesan]

On Wed, 7 Mar 2007, Thomas Adam wrote:

> On Wed, Mar 07, 2007 at 04:18:34PM -0500, Sindi Keesan wrote:
>> failed to set default font path .... could not open default font 'fixed'.
>
> Just so we're clear:
>
> No font 'fixed'; no worky.
>
> Or put another way:
>
> If X cannot find font fixed (or font 'cursor' which it uses for a cursor
> font, oddly enough, but that's a slightly separate issue) it won't
> start.  This is invariably due to a poorly setup X11 installation (such
> as half of it missing) or your FontPaths are screwed.

The same setup works on this computer with the SVGA server with no 
complaint about font paths.  It was scrambling things before but looks 
perfect now.  I think I only changed the monitor and card names and video 
RAM amount in XF86Config (a generic one for our linux, to which I added 
modelines above 800x600).  I am getting some odd video effects switching 
between user and root.  A few times I had to logout and login or the 
console prompt kept moving to the right.  Bugs?  Flakey hardware?

I also have a new XF86Config made with xf86config (it does not list Xvfb 
as an accelerated server and I made my own symlink).  It still 'failed to 
set default font path' with the Xvfb driver, looking first for 
/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/misc.  This new XF86Config does not work beyond 
320x200 with SVGA driver.  Or at all with Xvfb.

I have font directories misc (with fixed fonts), 100dpi and 75dpi (and 
PEX).  XF86Config has fontpaths misc (first) 75dpi 100dpi Type1.
All in the right places.  This server is not finding them (as root).

misc/fonts.alias has aliases for -misc-fixed and -sony-fixed and 
jis-fixed pointed at the fonts which are in misc.

xset q lists font paths when run with the SVGA server.

Started without xinit/startx, Xvfb just says Fatal error no screens found.
S3 and Tseng servers can't find their devices, understandably.  Tseng told 
me I have a Matrox.

> Given I've written about this before for LG, I am not repeating it here.
>
> http://linuxgazette.net/128/adam.html

It will take me a while to understand all of that, and figure out why it 
is not finding the font paths.  misc is in the default location.

Xvesa comes with built-in fonts. 
It won't work with startx and Xwrapper unless it is SUID root (I checked).

man Xvfb says it was written to run on machines without display hardware.
Other people seem to be using it to actually view things.
No longer needed, assuming SVGA keeps working.  I don't need the fancy 
features of the mga server for opera or xpdf.

> If you look back in the LG archives, you'll also see mention of another
> font article I wrote a few years ago which says much the same thing as
> the one cited above, it's just tangential.

>> I probably need to do something to XF86Config, which is still set to a
>> monitor that died last year.  I avoid X when possible.  I will start over
>> with xf86config.
>
> See above.  Nothing to do with your monitor.

The monitor part was just a tipoff that it was an old config. 
The old config is now working properly with new monitor and card names.

Thanks for all the helpful info.


> -- Thomas Adam
>
> -- 
> "Wanting to feel; to know what is real.  Living is a lie." -- Purpoise
> Song, by The Monkees.
>

Sindi Keesan