[mythtv-users] Font issues (XBox frontend)

[Michael T. Dean]

On 05/09/2006 02:26 PM, Jeff Coffler wrote:
> I'm a new MythTV user, so please excuse any stupid mistakes ...
>  
> I have a backend/frontend MythTV installation.  The backend has a 
> Hauppauge PVR-500, and recordings (so far) work great.
>  
> The front end is an XBox run Xebian.  Both are running Myth 0.19.  I 
> have verified that the Xbox X11 stuff is running at 100x100 DPI.
>  
> I have what appears to be font issues on the MythTV frontend.  
> Problems that I see:
>  
> 1) Some of the "Next" / "Cancel" buttons either appear off the bottom 
> of the screen, or I can barely see the edge of the button,

Some pages--especially in frontend settings and mythtv-setup--place 
information outside the safe action and safe title areas, meaning that 
depending on the overscan applied by your TV, some of the UI elements 
may be cut off.  There's not really much you could do (short of fixing 
the settings pages and submitting a patch), but on the bright side, you 
don't often need to go into these pages.  Note, also, that if it's 
really difficult to use the pages, you can use X11 redirect or VNC or 
something to redisplay on your computer monitor--where you won't have 
overscan, so everything is visible.

> 2) When viewing recorded shows, I see truncation in descriptions.  For 
> example, if I go to the Scheduled Recordings page, I see (for program 
> details):
>  
> "S...        All        Channel Record +0 Will Record"
>  
> Why the "S..." (rather than the full date)?
>  
> If I set the font size to "small" via TV Settings->Appearence, then 
> it's WAY too small to be seen on a TV.  If I go in and set font sizes 
> manually for QT, these do not appear to have any effect.

Some themes offer the user a choice between "small", "default", and/or 
"big" font sizes (others don't specify some or all of the differences).  
If you don't like the font size you get from these, just change the 
<font> elements in /usr/local/share/mythtv/themes/*/*ui.xml .  (Note 
that you don't actually have to change it on all themes, but on those 
*ui.xml files that are used by your themes.)  The format is rather 
self-explanatory--from /usr/local/share/mythtv/themes/blue/ui.xml:

    <font name="chaninfo" base="info">
      <size>15</size>
      <size:small>12</size:small>
      <size:big>17</size:big>
    </font>

Oh, I commend you for asking instead of just changing your DPI settings 
(a pet-peeve of mine).  Your system will be done correctly, and will be 
perfect for your output device and tastes.

> 3) I just went to view "Dateline" for test purposes.  I see:
>  
>     Dateline NBC
>     To Catch a Predator
>     Airdate: Wed May 10, 9:00 PM - 10:00 PM
>     Channel: KING
>     Descr...
>  
> (no description appears, even though there's plenty of room for one)

Also, make sure you have the font face specified by your theme installed 
(or change your theme to use a font you actually have installed that 
looks good).  For example, taking the definition (from 
/usr/local/share/mythtv/themes/G.A.N.T/ui.xml):

    <font name="info" face="Arial">
      <color>#ffffff</color>
      <size>17</size>
      <size:small>13</size:small>
      <shadow>2,2</shadow>
      <bold>yes</bold>
    </font>

you'd need the Arial font, which--as mentioned by Fred--is in the MS 
Fonts.  Other fonts used by other themes may come from other packages.  
If the font face requested is not available, X chooses an "equivalent" 
font (which is often far from equivalent--and may be different on 
different runs), so it's important that the font face specified be 
available.

Notice, also, how G.A.N.T. provides only default and small sizes.  
Therefore, big and default are the same.  Other themes do this differently.

Oh, and any changes you make can be put in ~/.mythtv to ensure they 
exist after upgrades, but note that if you do this, you will lose 
changes to the theme, which may be required for the new version of 
Myth.  My recommendation is to make a "patch" for yourself, so you can 
re-apply/merge it to the new version of the theme.

HTH, and happy theme hacking...

Mike