# Configuring Fonts

This chapter describes how to configure fonts in the GNOME Desktop.

## Introduction to Configuring Fonts

GNOME Desktop uses the `fontconfig` font configuration and customization library. The `fontconfig` library can use all kinds of fonts, including PostScript Type 1 fonts and TrueType fonts.

The `fontconfig` library provides a list of all the fonts available on a GNOME Desktop system. To compile this list, `fontconfig` searches the directories listed in the `/etc/fonts/fonts.conf` file. To view all the fonts available on a system, access the `fonts:///` location in the file manager on the system.

For more information about the `fontconfig` library, see the following URL:

          http://freedesktop.org/software/fontconfig

## Font Substitution

The `fontconfig` library performs font substitution when either entire fonts, or individual characters, are not present. If the system needs to display a font that is not available, `fontconfig` attempts to display another, similar font. For example, if a web page requests to display the Verdana font, and that font is not installed on the system, `fontconfig` displays a similar font, such as Helvetica. The list of similar fonts is defined in the `/etc/fonts/fonts.conf` file.

If the system needs to display a character that is not present in the selected font, `fontconfig` attempts to display the character in another, similar font. For example, you might select Bitstream Vera Sans as the font for the Text Editor application. The Bitstream Vera font family does not include Cyrillic characters. If you open a document which contains a Cyrillic character, Text Editor uses a similar font that includes Cyrillic characters to display the character.

The `fontconfig` library also defines aliases for fonts, for example, `serif`, `sans-serif`, and `monospace`. When you select one of the aliases for a font, the system uses the first font that is defined for that alias in the `/etc/fonts/fonts.conf`.

## To Add a Font for All Users

To add a font for all users, perform the following steps:

1. Copy the font file to one of the directories in the `/etc/fonts/fonts.conf` file. Typically, fonts are stored in the `/usr/share/fonts/` directory.

2. The `fontconfig` library updates the list of fonts automatically. If the list of fonts is not updated, run the following command:

       fc-cache directory-name

## To Add a Font for an Individual User

To add a font for an individual users, perform the following steps:

1. Copy the font file to the `$HOME/.fonts` directory of the user. If you drag the font file to the `fonts:///` location in the file manager, the font file is copied to the `$HOME/.fonts` directory.

2. The `fontconfig` library updates the list of fonts automatically. If the list of fonts is not updated, run the following command:

       fc-cache directory-name