[Gutsy update] Gnome application font sizes too small to read

Same problem here. This happened after an update for gutsy on Sept 17, 2007 around 7pm est. I update daily so the issue is related to an update released within 24 hours of this. Other users have reported the same problem at this thread: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=553280

I have also experienced rendering problems in Kate and the sub-pixel smoothing details tab of the "screen and Graphics" tool. I'm attaching a screenshot with examples.

I am running a Thinkpad T60 with intel 945 graphics:

Linux cseickel-laptop 2.6.22-11-generic #1 SMP Mon Sep 17 03:45:58 GMT 2007 i686 GNU/Linux

lspci output:
00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Mobile 945GM/PM/GMS, 943/940GML and 945GT Express Memory Controller Hub (rev 03)
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation Mobile 945GM/GMS, 943/940GML Express Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 03)
00:02.1 Display controller: Intel Corporation Mobile 945GM/GMS/GME, 943/940GML Express Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 03)
00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) High Definition Audio Controller (rev 02)
00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) PCI Express Port 1 (rev 02)
00:1c.1 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) PCI Express Port 2 (rev 02)
00:1c.2 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) PCI Express Port 3 (rev 02)
00:1c.3 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) PCI Express Port 4 (rev 02)
00:1d.0 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB UHCI Controller #1 (rev 02)
00:1d.1 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB UHCI Controller #2 (rev 02)
00:1d.2 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB UHCI Controller #3 (rev 02)
00:1d.3 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB UHCI Controller #4 (rev 02)
00:1d.7 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB2 EHCI Controller (rev 02)
00:1e.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801 Mobile PCI Bridge (rev e2)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation 82801GBM (ICH7-M) LPC Interface Bridge (rev 02)
00:1f.2 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82801GBM/GHM (ICH7 Family) SATA IDE Controller (rev 02)
00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) SMBus Controller (rev 02)
02:00.0 Ethernet controller: Intel Corporation 82573L Gigabit Ethernet Controller
03:00.0 Network controller: Intel Corporation PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Network Connection (rev 02)
15:00.0 CardBus bridge: Texas Instruments PCI1510 PC card Cardbus Controller

I'm seeing the same problem today.

The problem is gtk2 updates change the default font-rendering size to 50

To correct it, use this command by doing Alt+F2 (or a terminal if you can see to type) and

$ gconftool --type float --set /desktop/gnome/font_rendering/dpi 96

That solved my problem.

It fixed the problem for me too.

The problem appears to be in one of:

capplets-data_1%3a2.19.92-0ubuntu3
gnome-control-center_1%3a2.19.92-0ubuntu3
libgnome2-common_2.20.0-1ubuntu1

based on a script I ran that extracted the cached updates and searched for anything affecting "font_rendering" setting:

/var/cache/apt/archives/capplets-data_1%3a2.19.92-0ubuntu3_all.deb

md5sums:151:ccd5ca5c68af5f75ebff13252d0668d4 usr/share/gconf/schemas/desktop_gnome_font_rendering.schemas
postinst:15: gconf-schemas --register apps_gnome_settings_daemon_default_editor.schemas apps_gnome_settings_daemon_keybindings.schemas apps_gnome_settings_daemon_screensaver.schemas desktop_gnome_font_rendering.schemas fontilus.schemas themus.schemas
postrm:16: SCHEMA_FILES="apps_gnome_settings_daemon_default_editor.schemas apps_gnome_settings_daemon_keybindings.schemas apps_gnome_settings_daemon_screensaver.schemas desktop_gnome_font_rendering.schemas fontilus.schemas themus.schemas "
prerm:5: gconf-schemas --unregister apps_gnome_settings_daemon_default_editor.schemas apps_gnome_settings_daemon_keybindings.schemas apps_gnome_settings_daemon_screensaver.schemas desktop_gnome_font_rendering.schemas fontilus.schemas themus.schemas
usr/share/gconf/schemas/desktop_gnome_font_rendering.schemas:5: <key>/schemas/desktop/gnome/font_rendering/dpi</key>
usr/share/gconf/schemas/desktop_gnome_font_rendering.schemas:6: <applyto>/desktop/gnome/font_rendering/dpi</applyto>
usr/share/gconf/schemas/desktop_gnome_font_rendering.schemas:18: <key>/schemas/desktop/gnome/font_rendering/antialiasing</key>
usr/share/gconf/schemas/desktop_gnome_font_rendering.schemas:19: <applyto>/desktop/gnome/font_rendering/antialiasing</applyto>
usr/share/gconf/schemas/desktop_gnome_font_rendering.schemas:34: <key>/schemas/desktop/gnome/font_rendering/hinting</key>
usr/share/gconf/schemas/desktop_gnome_font_rendering.schemas:35: <applyto>/desktop/gnome/font_rendering/hinting</applyto>
usr/share/gconf/schemas/desktop_gnome_font_rendering.schemas:51: <key>/schemas/desktop/gnome/font_rendering/rgba_order</key>
usr/share/gconf/schemas/desktop_gnome_font_rendering.schemas:52: <applyto>/desktop/gnome/font_rendering/rgba_order</applyto>

/var/cache/apt/archives/gnome-control-center_1%3a2.19.92-0ubuntu3_amd64.deb

Binary file usr/bin/gnome-appearance-properties matches
Binary file usr/bin/gnome-settings-daemon matches
Binary file usr/lib/gnome-control-center/gnome-settings-daemon matches

/var/cache/apt/archives/libgnome2-common_2.20.0-1ubuntu1_all.deb

usr/share/gconf/defaults/10_libgnome2-common:5:/desktop/gnome/font_rendering/dpi 96

The bug is weird. What "gconftool-2 --get /desktop/gnome/font_rendering/dpi" display for users having the bug? /usr/share/gconf/defaults/10_libgnome2-common sets the default to 96 dpi

libgnome (2.20.0-1ubuntu2) gutsy; urgency=low

  * debian/libgnome2-common.gconf-defaults:
    - the dpi number is a float not an int (LP: #140540)

 -- Sebastien Bacher <email address hidden> Tue, 18 Sep 2007 09:49:34 +0200

the gconftool-2 seems to have fixed things for me.

I also had this terminal problem

I guess there's more to it after this update i can't use the shift key and the scroll side of the my trackpad does not work anymore and i can tap click also my french canadian keyboard revert back to US english. if stop compiz, then I can use shift again.

sound like multiple but, I keep testing

I've the problem too since the last Update on Sep 18th morning.
"gconftool-2 --get /desktop/gnome/font_rendering/dpi" gives me 96:
~$ gconftool-2 --get /desktop/gnome/font_rendering/dpi
96

gconftool --type float --set /desktop/gnome/font_rendering/dpi 96
solves this issue. I think that the right value but wrong type is set for this gconf entry. (May be it is set to int and not float or so.

I had the same problem, the font size was too small in the terminal (gnome-terminal as well as tilda) and the appearance settings, also OO didn't start. The gconftool fix fixed it for me.

thanks! the command on the top solved the problem!

Could people try the update and confirm if it's working rather than using a workaround?

Sebastien, I rolled back the work-around above by using "--type int" and then updated, without success: the gnome-terminal still opens with tiny fonts. Applying the work-around again puts all gnome-terminal windows back to normal.

Sebastien, I just updated a box that hadn't been updated in 3 days and gnome-terminal fonts are fine.

some problem here after updating this morning (Sept 18). The suggested fix with gconf fixes the issue on my end as well.

attached is a screenshot of the original issue.

the user setting are used before the schemas default so if you set an int type it'll break, could you rather gconftool-2 --unset /desktop/gnome/font_rendering/dpi and restart your session?

confirm problem and solution in the top after todays update (18 sept 14:00 gmt+1)

I was first shocked... then I realised I saw a small dot blinking which supposed to be my cursor! ;-)

Can confirm the bug, even with some repercussions on: avant window navigator and OpenOffice.org 2.3
Avant will load, but it will stick to the top left corner of my screen (looks really ugly, and half of the menu is hidden behind it). Restart avant after the workaround fixes the problem, but only for one session.
OpenOffice didn't load until the workaround was applied.

Thanks for figuring this out!

I can now confirm that all problems seem to have vanished with apt-get update && apt-get dist-upgrade...
It seems that a new patch has been uploaded which also fixes the avant bug for me :)

Thanks guys!!!!

It fixes same problem in xfce4-terminal.
I cannot use ttys because of another graphic issue so i used eterm (if not already installed, maybe you use synaptic but I didn't test this).

I had the same did the work around to fix it. Ran gconftool-2 --unset /desktop/gnome/font_rendering/dpi today and the dpi seems fine now.

thanks,that did it for the terminal

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I also having the same issue after updating on 18th sept. Thanks guys for the work around to fix the issue.

thanks, it works for me.

Sebastien, after using "gconftool-2 --unset ..." and restarting the session, gnome-terminal still works fine. OTOH, I tried the newer updates on a different box, which hadn't been updated for a few days, and they work fine too.

Thank you! This fixed in one fell swoop the bugs in gnome-terminal and OpenOffice.org.