I did manage to get the system into usable shape, but I'm still mystified.
While there are a some things I'd like to change, I would mostly like to understand how dpi is handled (or not handled) by the X server, desktops, apps, etc. Someone must understand this, but I certainly do not and would appreciate some help. I've spent a fair amount of time looking for documentation, etc. but haven't found much that's relevant or useful.
FYI I have a completely vanilla (re graphics) installation of yessie 8.3.0. This system does not have a xorg.conf file.
Here are a few mysteries;
(i) Desktop Variations
When I run lxde or Mate, everything on the desktop is very small, which of course is not surprising. But when I run gnome classic, all desktop elements are quite legible. Presumably gnome somehow detects and adjusts for the dpi, but how? On Mate, there is a setting in 'fonts' that increases pretty much everything on the desktop, not just fonts.
(ii) Netbeans and desktops
With lxde and Mate, Netbeans is very small, again not surprising since I've read that there are some issues about dpi and java. But with Gnome Classic, nearly everything in Netbeans is correctly sized. (The exceptions are some icons and the 'Output' window (which displays compiler errors and the output from executed programs)). How can the desktop effect Netbeans?
(iii) xorg.conf
At one point I tried adding an /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/xorg.conf including
Code: Select all
Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Monitor0"
VendorName "Monitor Vendor"
ModelName "Monitor Model"
Option "UseEdidDpi" "false"
DisplaySize 270 150
EndSection
I'd appreciate any thoughts about how dpi is handled by the various components of a graphical Debian system.
thanks