NCDFS(1) USER COMMANDS NCDFS(1)
NAME
ncdfs - X font server
SYNOPSIS
ncdfs [-config configuration_file] [-port tcp_port]
DESCRIPTION
Ncdfs is the NCDware font server. It supplies fonts to X
Window System display servers.
STARTING THE SERVER
The server is usually run by a system administrator, and
started via boot files like /etc/rc.local. Users may also
wish to start private font servers for specific sets of
fonts.
OPTIONS
-config configurationfile
Specifies the configuration file the font server
will use. If no -config option is given, the font
server will attempt to use the default config file
/usr/lib/X11/ncd/fs/config.
-port tcpport
Specifies the TCP port number on which the server
will listen for connections. If no -port option is
given, and the TCP port number isn't set in the con-
fig file, the server will listen on the default TCP
port 7000.
SIGNALS
SIGTERM This causes the font server to exit cleanly.
SIGUSR1 This signal is used to cause the server to re-read
its configuration file.
SIGUSR2 This signal is used to cause the server to flush any
cached data it may have.
SIGHUP This signal is used to cause the server to reset,
closing all active connections and re-reading the
configuration file.
CONFIGURATION
The configuration language is a list of keyword and value
pairs. Each keyword is followed by an '=' and then the
desired value.
Recognized keywords include:
cache-size (cardinal)
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Size in bytes of the font server cache.
catalogue (list of string)
Ordered list of font path element names. These names
are directories or other font servers. Most font
directories can be recognized by the file suffixes, but
for SNF fonts the font server may require a hint. This
can be provided with an appropriate prefix, such as
ibm:/usr/lib/X11/fonts/misc, which specifies that the
fonts are in AIX SNF format. Recognized prefixes are
ncd (the default), sun, hp, ibm, sco and dec.
Use of the keyword "catalogue" is very misleading at
present, the current implementation only supports a
single catalogue ("all"), containing all of the speci-
fied fonts.
alternate-servers (list of string)
List of alternate servers for this font server.
client-limit (cardinal)
Number of clients this font server will support before
refusing service. This is useful for tuning the load
on each individual font server.
clone-self (boolean)
Whether this font server should attempt to clone itself
when it reachs the client-limit.
default-point-size (cardinal)
The default pointsize (in decipoints) for fonts that
don't specify.
default-resolutions (list of resolutions)
Resolutions the server supports by default. This
information may be used as a hint for pre-rendering,
and substituted for scaled fonts which do not specify a
resolution.
error-file (string)
Filename of the error file.
error-method (string)
Method of error logging. All error messages and
notices will be passed through this service. The legal
values are none (use stderr), file (use named file),
syslog (use syslogd(8) on systems which support it),
opcom (VMS only), and off (no errors are sent).
port (cardinal)
TCP port on which the server will listen for connec-
tions. If the TCP port is set on the command line, it
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overrides the port set in the config file.
scaled-bitmaps (boolean)
Whether the font server will scale bitmaps as
requested. The bitmap scaler can produce poor or unex-
pected results, and an administrator may wish to turn
it off. The default value is True.
snf-format (bit-endian, byte-endian, glyph-pad, scanline-
pad)
Specifies how to read SNF format fonts. By default, it
expects them to be in NCD format (msb, msb, 4, 4). By
adjusting these values, any form of SNF font should be
readable. Most common forms on SNF should be specified
by a hint in the font path element name (see catalo-
gue).
trusted-clients (list of string)
Those clients the fontserver will talk to. Others will
be refused for the initial connection. By default the
server will talk to any client.
EXAMPLE
#
# sample font server configuration file
#
# allow a max of 10 clients to connect to this font server
client-limit = 10
# when a font server reaches its limit, start up a new one
clone-self = on
# alternate font servers for clients to use
alternate-servers = tcp/hansen:7001,tcp/hansen:7002
# where to look for fonts
# the first is a set of Speedo outlines, the second is a set of
# misc bitmaps and the last is a set of 100dpi bitmaps
#
catalogue = /usr/lib/fonts/speedo,
hp:/usr/lib/X11/ncd/fonts/misc,
/usr/lib/X11/ncd/fonts/100dpi/,
dec:/usr/lib/X11/ncd/fonts/misc
# in 12 points, decipoints
default-point-size = 120
# 100 x 100 and 75 x 75
default-resolutions = 100,100,75,75
trusted-clients = hansen, expo.lcs.mit.edu, lemke16
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FONT SERVER NAMES
One of the following forms can be used to name a font server
that accepts TCP connections:
tcp/hostname:port
tcp/hostname:port/cataloguelist
The hostname specifies the name (or decimal numeric address)
of the machine on which the font server is running. The
port is the decimal TCP port on which the font server is
listening for connections. The cataloguelist specifies a
list of catalogue names, with '+' as a separator.
Examples: tcp/expo.lcs.mit.edu:7000,
tcp/18.30.0.212:7001/all.
One of the following forms can be used to name a font server
that accepts DECnet connections:
decnet/nodename::font$objname
decnet/nodename::font$objname/cataloguelist
The nodename specifies the name (or decimal numeric address)
of the machine on which the font server is running. The
objname is a normal, case-insensitive DECnet object name.
The cataloguelist specifies a list of catalogue names, with
'+' as a separator.
Examples: DECnet/SRVNOD::FONT$DEFAULT,
decnet/44.70::font$special/symbols.
NOTES
When running the font server on an IBM RS6000 host, you must
use the -port option to change the default port number. This
is necessary because the IBM Xterminal Manager uses port
number 7000 by default.
SEE ALSO
X(1), Font server implementation overview
BUGS
Multiple catalogues should be supported.
COPYRIGHT
Copyright 1991, 1992, 1993 Network Computing Devices, Inc
Copyright 1991, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
See X(1) for a full statement of rights and permissions.
AUTHORS
Dave Lemke, Network Computing Devices, Inc
Keith Packard, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
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