This document discusses why a Fontserver is needed and the software and procedures required to set up the Fontserver with AIX Version 4.x systems. Also discussed are the different methods of accessing a Fontserver on the various types of Xservers.
Fonts are normally supplied by your local Xserver, that is, the graphical computer console, Xstation, or PC with a Xemulator. When your X applications (X clients) are being run off a remote host, any special fonts they need are unavailable for your use, so you may have font problems.
Sometimes a default font will be used if the requested font is not available, or the application may die and core dump depending on its design. The Fontserver is the method developed to overcome this problem. With the Fontserver, all the fonts on the remote host RS/6000 are available to your local Xserver, whether it is another RS/6000 with a graphical console, Xstation or a PC running a Xemulator. This makes font administration easier, as you can provide all your remote users with all the fonts they will need. Therefore, font access is more reliable and less dependent on the individual machines to provide the needed fonts.
The AIX Fontserver Software must be installed, in addition to the individual font filesets needed. With AIX 4.x the following filesets must be installed:
X11.fnt.fontServer
X11.msg.en_US.fnt.fontServer
Use the command:
lslpp -l <filesetname>
to determine if the above filesets are installed on your
system. These filesets must be in the applied or committed
state.
If the Fontserver is running on the host, skip the next five sections and go to the "Accessing the Fontserver" section. To check this, issue the following command:
AIX 4.2.x and lower "ps -ef | grep fs"
AIX 4.3.x "ps -ef | grep xfs"
For AIX Version 4.2.x and lower, this shows the process
as either /usr/bin/X11/fs, /usr/lpp/X11/bin/fs, or
fs,
depending on how it was started.
For AIX Version 4.3.x
the process is identified as /usr/bin/X11/xfs or
xfs.
If the Fontserver is running, go to the "Accessing the
Fontserver" section.
To configure the Fontserver, run:
AIX 4.2.x and lower "/usr/lpp/X11/bin/fsconf"
AIX 4.3.x "/usr/lpp/X11/bin/xfsconf"
This command configures the Fontserver to run automatically at boot and needs to be done only once. It modifies the /etc/rc.tcpip and /etc/services startup files to use the System Resource Controller (SRC) for orderly control.
To start the Fontserver once it has been configured, enter the following:
AIX 4.2.x and lower "startsrc -s fs"
AIX 4.3.x "startsrc -s xfs"
If there is a problem, the Fontserver will NOT start up and will display a "Fatal" server error message. If you do not see an error message, go to "Accessing the Fontserver" section.
If you need to stop the Fontserver, run:
AIX 4.2.x and lower "stopsrc -s fs"
AIX 4.3.x "stopsrc -s xfs"
The Fontserver is controlled by the /usr/lib/X11/fs/config file. The catalog statement in this file controls the font path. If any font directory does not exist or does not have a valid fonts.dir file, you will get an error pinpointing the element (directory, numbered 0,1,2,...) when you try to start up the Fontserver. To fix this problem, remove that directory from the catalog statement (if it does not exist).
NOTE: Be very careful when editing this file. Make sure there are no extra spaces in the catalog statement. It is only one line that wraps around to multiple lines.
If the directory does exist and you get an error, the fonts.dir (index file) in that font directory may not be valid. Recreate it by changing to that directory and running the following command:
mkfontdir
In some special cases you may need to add a font directory to the catalog statement for software that installs fonts to a non-standard AIX location for a font directory.
For IBM Xstations 140, 150, and 160s, there is a local font configuration change under advanced setup for a Fontserver. Add the IP address and port where the Fontserver is running.
Some Xemulators for PCs have a Fontserver setup. The xset command can also be used on some Xemulators to add the address of the Fontserver to your font path. You can do it from the command line for testing or add it to your .profile to be used on every login.
For AIX 4.2.x and lower:
xset +fp tcp/192.9.200.1:7500
For AIX Version 4.3 the Fontserver port is changed to 7100:
xset +fp tcp/192.9.200.0:7100
192.9.200.1 is the IP address of the machine running the
Fontserver. Do not use the hostname with the xset
command unless a DOMAIN Name Server is used in the
network configuration. If in doubt, use the IP address.
The ":7500" is the port used by the Fontserver at AIX Versions 4.2.x and lower. At 4.3, the ":7100" port is used. For some non-AIX Operating Systems port 7500 or 7100 is being used, check the /etc/services file. It should contain the following:
AIX 4.2.x and lower:
fontserver 7500/tcp fs # X11R5 font server
AIX 4.3.x
fontserver 7100/tcp xfs # X11R6 font server
Check the font path by executing the following command:
xset -q
You should see the following added to the font path:
tcp/192.9.200.1:<port#>
Execute the following command:
fsinfo -server <hostname>:7500
where <hostname> is the name or IP address of the machine
running the Fontserver.
NOTE: This command is not available at AIX Version 4.3.x.
To set up NCD Xstations to use the AIX Fontserver, change the /usr/lib/X11/ncd/configs/ncd_std configuration file, Fontserver line from port 7000 to 7500 at AIX 4.2.x and lower, and to port 7100 at 4.3.x.
For the above example, the font path stanza should appear as follows:
AIX 4.2.x and lower
xserver-default-font-path = {
{ "built-ins" }
{ "tcp/129.9.200.1:7500" }
}
AIX 4.3.x
xserver-default-font-path = {
{ "built-ins" }
{ "tcp/129.9.200.1:7100: }
}