SETFONT(T)            International Support            SETFONT(T)



NAME
       setfont - load EGA/VGA console screen font

SYNOPSIS
       setfont [-O font+umap.orig] [-o font.orig] [-om cmap.orig]
       [-ou umap.orig] [-N] [font.new] [-m cmap [-u  umap]  [-hH]
       [-v] [-V]

DESCRIPTION
       The  setfont command loads a font into the EGA/VGA charac-
       ter generator, and optionally outputs the  previous  font.
       This  command reads an 8xN font from the file font.new and
       loads it into the character generator memory. Usually  the
       font  size  N will be clear from the file size, but if the
       input file has code  page  format  (probably  with  suffix
       .cp),  containing  three  fonts  with  sizes 8x8, 8x14 and
       8x16, then one of the options -8 or -14  or  -16  must  be
       used  to  select  one.   If no args are given (or only the
       option -N for some number  N),  then  a  default  font  is
       loaded  (see  below).  With the -v option, setfont will be
       verbose.  With the -V option, it prints  its  version  and
       exits.

       The program setfont has no built-in knowledge of VGA video
       modes, but just asks the kernel to load the character  ROM
       of  the  video  card  with certain bitmaps. However, since
       Linux 1.3.1 the kernel knows enough  about  EGA/VGA  video
       modes  to  select  a  different line distance. The default
       character height will be the number N  inferred  from  the
       font or specified by option. However, the user can specify
       a different character height H using the -h option.

       Font files are binary files of size 256*N bytes,  contain-
       ing  bit  images  for each of 256 characters, one byte per
       scan line, and N bytes per character (0 < N <= 32).   Also
       .psf  files are accepted; these files have the same format
       but an additional 4 byte header, and may have 512  instead
       of 256 characters, and additional Unicode mapping info.

       The  ordering of the symbols in the font is described by a
       mapping table. Some fonts have a mapping table included in
       the font file, and setfont will load such a mapping table.
       If no explicit mapping table is included in the font,  and
       no  mapping  table  is  provided  using the -m option, the
       `trivial' mapping is assumed.  In  any  case  the  mapping
       table  just  loaded  is activated by outputting the string
       Esc ( K.  Giving a -m none argument inhibits  the  loading
       and  activation  of a mapping table.  The previous mapping
       table can be saved to a file using the  -om  file  option.
       These options of setfont render mapscrn(n) obsolete.

       The correspondence between the glyphs in the font and Uni-
       code values is described by a Unicode mapping table.  Some
       fonts  have  a  Unicode mapping table included in the font
       file, and an explicit table can be indicated using the  -u
       option.   Setfont  will load such a Unicode mapping table,
       unless a -u none argument is given. The  previous  Unicode
       mapping table will be saved as part of the saved font file
       when the -O option is used. It can be saved to a  separate
       file using the -ou file option.

       One  may  add  a Unicode mapping table to a psf font using
       psfaddtable(e).


FILES
       /usr/share/consolefonts is  the  default  font  directory.
       /usr/share/consoletrans  is the default directory for map-
       pings.  The default font is a file default (or  default8xN
       if the -N option was given for some number N) perhaps with
       suitable extension (like .psf).

SEE ALSO
       psfaddtable(e), mapscrn(n)



Local                      21 Nov 1998                 SETFONT(T)