Bug 1517547 - Fedora-27 MATE Desktop text larger (2X?) after upgrade from F26
Summary: Fedora-27 MATE Desktop text larger (2X?) after upgrade from F26
Keywords:
Status: CLOSED ERRATA
Alias: None
Product: Fedora
Classification: Fedora
Component: mate-settings-daemon
Version: 27
Hardware: Unspecified
OS: Unspecified
unspecified
high
Target Milestone: ---
Assignee: Wolfgang Ulbrich
QA Contact: Fedora Extras Quality Assurance
URL:
Whiteboard:
Depends On:
Blocks:
TreeView+ depends on / blocked
 
Reported: 2017-11-26 16:54 UTC by Charles Butterfield
Modified: 2017-12-16 12:33 UTC (History)
11 users (show)

Fixed In Version: mate-settings-daemon-1.19.0-2.fc27
Doc Type: If docs needed, set a value
Doc Text:
Clone Of:
Environment:
Last Closed: 2017-12-16 12:33:52 UTC
Type: Bug
Embargoed:


Attachments (Terms of Use)
env output in MATE mode (3.26 KB, text/plain)
2017-11-26 17:35 UTC, Charles Butterfield
no flags Details
/var/log/Xorg.0.log as requested (37.98 KB, text/plain)
2017-11-28 13:09 UTC, Jack
no flags Details
/home/cbutterfield/.local/share/xorg/Xorg.0.log (45.99 KB, text/plain)
2017-11-28 23:33 UTC, Charles Butterfield
no flags Details

Description Charles Butterfield 2017-11-26 16:54:02 UTC
Description of problem: After upgrading from F26 to F27 the desktop text became much larger (my guess is at least 2X).  This all of the text shown anywhere on the desktop (icon labels, menus, time and date, screen lock login dialog, etc). 


Version-Release number of selected component (if applicable):
Fedora-27
kernel-modules-4.13.13-300.fc27.x86_64
mate-desktop-1.19.1-1.fc27.x86_64

How reproducible: 100% on two out of two systems


Steps to Reproduce:
1. Upgrade from F26 to F27 via "dnf system-upgrade ..."
2. Login
3. View the massive text strings everywhere

Actual results: Desktop and dialog text much larger
Expected results: No change in text size


Additional info:

I've tried this twice now, on two different systems, that had been running F25 (with MATE) for a while.  On each system I upgraded in baby steps, i.e. F25->F26, then F26->F27.  In each case I had the same results.  On the second system I inspected the F26 system carefully and found that the desktop text was fine.  I don't have that information for the first system because I was upgrading via an SSH session -- I didn't use the desktop until after F27 was installed.  On the second computer I did all the work from the desktop (not via SSH) and the F26->F27 upgrade was the clear culprit.  I saved a snapshot of the root (and boot) partitions just before each upgrade, and just after the final upgrade on the second system in case they have useful comparative and/or diagnostic information.

Happy to provide additional config files by whoever triages this.

NOTES:
1) System|Preferences|LookAndFeel|Appearance shows all of the fonts as 10 point, but SOMETHING is magnifying this.
2) xdpyinfo shows 3200x1200 (dual monitors) and DPI=96
3) I selected "mate-desktop" as the component, but really have no idea whether any of the MATE components are to blame. If I select "Gnome" desktop (UGH) when logging in the desktop text looks normal (but I do so hate what Gnome has become - using Gnome is NOT an option for me).

Would LOVE any workaround pending resolution of the underlying issue.

Comment 1 leigh scott 2017-11-26 17:02:15 UTC
Post the output for

env

Comment 2 leigh scott 2017-11-26 17:07:51 UTC
Does running this has normal fonts


env GDK_SCALE=1  GDK_DPI_SCALE=0.5 caja

Comment 3 Wolfgang Ulbrich 2017-11-26 17:21:36 UTC
I notice this problem a while a go in a f27 VM.
I could solve it with deleting 'Liveinst Setup' entry in autostart, but i am not 100% sure.
This entry execcute
'/usr/libexec/liveinst-setup.sh'

[liveuser@localhost-live ~]$ dnf provides /usr/libexec/liveinst-setup.sh
Fedora 27 - x86_64 - Updates                    4.6 MB/s | 9.7 MB     00:02    
Fedora 27 - x86_64                              4.2 MB/s |  58 MB     00:13    
Last metadata expiration check: 0:00:05 ago on Sun 26 Nov 2017 12:12:56 PM EST.
anaconda-core-27.20.4-4.fc27.x86_64 : Core of the Anaconda installer
Repo        : @System
Matched from:
Filename    : /usr/libexec/liveinst-setup.sh

With all fedora versions before this entry doesn't do anything if you are not using the live-installer-image.
It seems that that something was changed there.
Please try to disable or remove the autostart entry or remove anaconda from installation.
The package isn't needed on an installed system ;-)

Here in f27 VM the big desktop fonts were gone anfter i disabled this entry.
On bare metal i didn't noticed the problem.

Comment 4 Charles Butterfield 2017-11-26 17:22:45 UTC
More Clues:

1) Using MATE desktop, ALL applications are also doubled (Firefox, Terminal, etc).  Not so using Gnome desktop.

2) xrandr and xdpyinfo show the same information in both MATE and GNOME modes.  (well xdpyinfo shows a few more bits set in the input event mask, and different window IDs, but those seem irrelevant).  I was hoping that xrandr would show a 2x zoom in MATE, but apparently not.

This raises the whole question of X11 vs WAYLAND.  I could not see any WAYLAND environment variables set.

My next step is going to be to uninstall MATE and reinstall it on one of the systems and see what happens.

OH I just noticed the above comments (we had a "mid-air collision" when I tried to post).  Will read them and reponse next.

Comment 5 Charles Butterfield 2017-11-26 17:34:26 UTC
1) Just posted output of env in MATE mode
2) secondly env GDK_SCALE=1  GDK_DPI_SCALE=0.5 [some command] didn't seem to have any effect when tried on "caja" and "firefox"

Comment 6 Charles Butterfield 2017-11-26 17:35:04 UTC
Created attachment 1359178 [details]
env output in MATE mode

As requested

Comment 7 Wolfgang Ulbrich 2017-11-26 17:39:42 UTC
Before i fixed it permanently in this Installation, executing 'mate-appearance-properties -p fonts` did fixes the problem for all applications, but not for the desktop.

Comment 8 Charles Butterfield 2017-11-26 17:48:45 UTC
I tried Wolfgang's first suggestion regarding '/usr/libexec/liveinst-setup.sh'.  I removed it and rebooted, but there was no change.

Comment 9 Charles Butterfield 2017-11-26 17:59:05 UTC
WORKAROUND - I revisited "System|Preferences|LookAndFeel|Appearance" which is apparently the same as "mate-appearance-properties -p fonts".  Although the sizes displayed are clearly wrong (i.e. they say 10 point but are much bigger), I can CHANGE the settings and they change what is rendered (I hadn't tried that before, just though "oh these are wrong").

Currently I have changed all 5 fonts therein from 10 point to 6 point and my desktop and apps look pretty much like they did before.

So something is magnifying the fonts when rendered, but its not clear what, nor where its config files live.

Comment 10 Charles Butterfield 2017-11-26 21:47:12 UTC
More information - this problem also occurs on a clean F27-MATE spin install.

I know this because while trying to erase and reinstall the MATE groups I rendered my system not-bootable :-(  So I reinstalled F27-MATE spin using the live DVD installer.  Same problem with the big text.  I've enabled the workaround changing all 5 configurable fonts from 10 to 6 points and that works adequately.  I also noticed in this process that the ruler displayed in LibreOffice Writer is "too large".  For example, each inch on the software ruler is really 1.6 inches as measured by a physical ruler.  Obviously the accuracy of this displayed "ruler" depends on the "dpi" setting associated with the monitor being correct.  In my case the dpi setting of 96 corresponds very closely to my monitors actual resolution of 100 dpi (1600 pixels, 16 inches).

Aside - xdpyinfo and xrandr have different ideas about my monitors physical size.
xdpyinfo says 423 mm = 16.65 inches = 96 dpi
xrandr   says 367 mm = 14.44 inches = 111 dpi
The actual horizontal size of the pixel array is 16 inches (+/- 0.03 inches).

The discrepancy between xrandr and xdpyinfo is troubling, they should be using the same underlying config info  (coming either from the DDC/EDID stream or some static configuration file).  I suspect that the value of "96" coming from a static config file since it is suspiciously close to the Microsoft promulgated default of "96" that started back in the 1980s.

Comment 11 Charles Butterfield 2017-11-27 03:42:56 UTC
Another Clue - RDP sessions look "normal" without any workaround (i.e. the 5 MATE font properties being changed from 10 -> 6 or 7) and have "tiny" text when the workaround is applied.  So the problem is somewhere in the rendering path to the local monitor but not in the rendering path to a virtual framebuffer.

Comment 12 Wolfgang Ulbrich 2017-11-27 08:07:58 UTC
Which graphic driver are you using?

Comment 13 Wolfgang Ulbrich 2017-11-27 10:07:26 UTC
I think my first assume from https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1517547#c3 was wrong, because i enabled this entry in autostart again, but the issue doesn't come back in that VM.
I am using quemu-kvm with virtio 3D graphic driver here.
So, it is possible that the issue was fixed here with a mesa or Xorg update a few weeks before f27 release.

I will try to reproduce the issue with an older compose for f27 from here.
https://kojipkgs.fedoraproject.org/compose/27/

Comment 14 James Davis 2017-11-27 22:03:50 UTC
I've experienced the same issues as Charles on a Dell P Tower 3620 using the on-board Intel 530 graphics & i915 driver. Upgraded from mate F26 to mate F27. Two identical heads. Fonts are blown up quite a bit. I did also note that the font rendering details shows a resolution of 163 (at least in my config). If I change that value to 100 then most of the terminal windows appear close to where I had them in F26. The text in all window title bars is still huge. Logo label text on the desktop is still huge. After a reboot the login graphic looks like it renders at the expected resolution/size as it did in F26. I'm dl the current F27 mate bits now to try the live cd.

Comment 15 Charles Butterfield 2017-11-27 23:46:43 UTC
Wolfgang - I am using NOUVEAU, specifically

xorg-x11-drv-nouveau-1.0.15-3.fc27.x86_64

Comment 16 leigh scott 2017-11-28 11:49:29 UTC
(In reply to Charles Butterfield from comment #15)
> Wolfgang - I am using NOUVEAU, specifically
> 
Are you sure you, I thought modesetting driver was default for f27

Comment 17 Wolfgang Ulbrich 2017-11-28 11:53:19 UTC
@Charles Butterfield

Can you please try nvidia driver from rpmfusion please?
I don't get the problem here with rpmfusion driver with may box.
Only for getting sure not to have a driver issue.

@  James Davis

Can you try the modesetting driver for intel please ?
Those driver is part of Xorg, you only need to uninstall xorg-x11-drv-intel (i915) package.

Comment 18 Wolfgang Ulbrich 2017-11-28 12:04:13 UTC
Guys, can you attach /var/log/Xorg.0.log please?

Comment 19 Jack 2017-11-28 13:09:41 UTC
Created attachment 1359839 [details]
/var/log/Xorg.0.log as requested

Comment 20 Wolfgang Ulbrich 2017-11-28 13:46:34 UTC
Ok you're are using the modesetting driver, but which card?
And sorry, i requested the output from other guys as it isn't sure if they are using nouveau or modeset. -_-

Comment 21 Jack 2017-11-28 13:50:18 UTC
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation Xeon E3-1200 v3 Processor Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 06) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
	Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device 1906
	Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B- DisINTx+
	Status: Cap+ 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B+ ParErr- DEVSEL=fast >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR- INTx-
	Latency: 0
	Interrupt: pin A routed to IRQ 27
	Region 0: Memory at ef800000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4M]
	Region 2: Memory at d0000000 (64-bit, prefetchable) [size=256M]
	Region 4: I/O ports at f000 [size=64]
	[virtual] Expansion ROM at 000c0000 [disabled] [size=128K]
	Capabilities: [90] MSI: Enable+ Count=1/1 Maskable- 64bit-
		Address: fee2000c  Data: 41e1
	Capabilities: [d0] Power Management version 2
		Flags: PMEClk- DSI+ D1- D2- AuxCurrent=0mA PME(D0-,D1-,D2-,D3hot-,D3cold-)
		Status: D0 NoSoftRst- PME-Enable- DSel=0 DScale=0 PME-
	Capabilities: [a4] PCI Advanced Features
		AFCap: TP+ FLR+
		AFCtrl: FLR-
		AFStatus: TP-
	Kernel driver in use: i915
	Kernel modules: i915

Comment 22 Michal Szymanski 2017-11-28 13:57:50 UTC
I got the same problem after upgrade 26->27. Disabling liveinst did not help.

However, in "System|Preferences|LookAndFeel|Appearance|Fonts|Details"
I found that the Resolution was set to some strange value of 109 dpi.
After lowering that to the default 96 dpi all the fonts (desktop, terminal etc.) have shrinked to the expected size.

Solved for me.

Comment 23 Jack 2017-11-28 14:46:06 UTC
I can report that setting Resolution to 96 dpi has the desired result for me too.

Comment 24 leigh scott 2017-11-28 19:09:13 UTC
@raveit65

The default dpi setting is lame

gsettings get org.mate.font-rendering  dpi
0.0


Set the default to 96 and issue will go away

Comment 25 Charles Butterfield 2017-11-28 23:33:04 UTC
Created attachment 1360121 [details]
/home/cbutterfield/.local/share/xorg/Xorg.0.log

My most recent Xorg.0.log

Comment 26 Charles Butterfield 2017-11-28 23:37:41 UTC
Several Notes:
1) The DPI fix suggested by Michal Szymanski (and Jack) works for me too.  My initial DPI setting there was "166" !!!  I changed that to 96 (and changed the 5 font size from 7 back to 10) and all is as expected.

2) @Wolfgang: I AM running the modesetting driver (see attached Xorg.0.log). Sadly on my system there is a very old /var/log/Xorg.0.log (from May of this year).  I eventually stumbled across the per-user version in ~/.local/share/xorg/Xorg.0.log which I have attached.

3) The fact that RDP did NOT have this problem and local access does indicates that the DPI setting are probably obtained from different places for local console vs remote console.  I wonder where the local settings are first obtained from and whether that is something that should be corrected by MATE, or by some other group?

THANKS for the group effort and solutions!

Comment 27 Jack 2017-11-29 10:59:43 UTC
So, it seems that *something* is changing the default dpi - since I'm pretty sure the default is supposed to be 96.  I know that I have never changed that value before.  I don't usually mess around with themes, fonts, etc. (Yep, I'm boring)

Comment 28 Wolfgang Ulbrich 2017-11-29 11:18:20 UTC
I was able to reproduce the issue in f27 qemu-kvm VM.
All with 1920x 1020 resolution

1. gsettings reset org.mate.font-rendering dpi (means resetting to default)
2. Logout/login to session
3. boom, fonts are to huge!

At this point gsettings shows the default value.

[rave@mother ~]$ gsettings get org.mate.font-rendering dpi
0.0

Now firing up 
mate-appearance-properties -p fonts /details page
will reset fonts to normal.

[rave@f27 ~]$ gsettings get org.mate.font-rendering dpi
96.0

But the DPI value depends on monitor resolution.
On bare metal with f27:
with 1920x1200

(after  mate-appearance-properties -p fonts /details)
[rave@mother ~]$ gsettings get org.mate.font-rendering dpi
89.0

----------------------------------------------------------------------
with 1920x1080

(after  mate-appearance-properties -p fonts /details)
[rave@mother ~]$ gsettings get org.mate.font-rendering dpi
84.0

------------------------------------------------------------------
with 1680 x 1050

(after  mate-appearance-properties -p fonts /details)
[rave@mother ~]$ gsettings get org.mate.font-rendering dpi
78.0

--------------------------------------------------------------
with 1400 x 1050

(after  mate-appearance-properties -p fonts /details)
[rave@mother ~]$ gsettings get org.mate.font-rendering dpi
71.0

------------------------------------------------------------
with 1400 x 900

(after  mate-appearance-properties -p fonts /details)
[rave@mother ~]$ gsettings get org.mate.font-rendering dpi
66.0

Because of this i am not sure about hardcoding the DPI value as suggested in https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1517547#c24

At least i wasn't able to reproduce the issue on bare metal with nvidia/nouveau or modesettings driver. So it seems to be independent from graphic driver.
But what makes the different?

Comment 29 Wolfgang Ulbrich 2017-11-29 22:08:54 UTC
Guys, please test this scratch build from koji build server.
An upstream commit fixes the issue in my VM.
Please test and let me know if this fixes the issue for you before i push this to repos.
https://koji.fedoraproject.org/koji/taskinfo?taskID=23455511

Comment 30 James Davis 2017-11-30 21:29:57 UTC
Wolfgang - I installed the koji build and restarted. The mate xterm title bars and desktop icon texts are now "normal" size (at least look the same as before). With my two head physical setup the dpi is 96. I'll do a new install on a vm and test this again but it works for me so far so ship it! Thanks

Comment 31 James Davis 2017-11-30 21:45:48 UTC
Update - The previous test was only a restart of my X server. After a reboot (two to make sure) the resolution changed and stayed at 93. My two head (extended) setup has this:

screen #0:
  dimensions:    5120x1440 pixels (1354x381 millimeters)
  resolution:    96x96 dots per inch

Comment 32 Wolfgang Ulbrich 2017-11-30 22:20:49 UTC
For testing you only need to reset the dpi value to default.
gsettings reset org.mate.font-rendering dpi and restart X-Server.

With mate-settings-daemon-1.19.0-1.fc27 you will see the big font issue.
With mate-settings-daemon-1.19.0-2.fc27 you should see normal font size.

Btw. with my 27 inch monitor i have always 89 dpi as default.

Comment 33 Wolfgang Ulbrich 2017-11-30 22:21:31 UTC
'gsettings reset org.mate.font-rendering dpi'

Comment 34 Wolfgang Ulbrich 2017-12-03 14:25:48 UTC
Another approach from upstream to fix the issue.
Please test new scratch builds for mate-settings-daemon and mate-control-center.
https://koji.fedoraproject.org/koji/taskinfo?taskID=23518123
https://koji.fedoraproject.org/koji/taskinfo?taskID=23518135

After installation reset dpi value to default.
'gsettings reset org.mate.font-rendering dpi'
Logout/login to new session and start
'mate-appearance-properties -p fonts' page

Comment 35 Sam Tygier 2017-12-04 09:00:51 UTC
Thanks, the koji builds from comment 34 fix this for me on a thinkpad x230.

Comment 36 Wolfgang Ulbrich 2017-12-04 10:17:41 UTC
Another tester please for latest koji builds from https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1517547#c32

Comment 37 Gerhard 2017-12-04 10:37:14 UTC
Hej Wolfgang,

fix works for me too.
Thx a lot! :-)

Best regards,
   Gerhard

Comment 38 Wolfgang Ulbrich 2017-12-04 13:01:30 UTC
Ok, i will push this to repos.
@  Charles Butterfield
I guess this should work on your system too.....

Comment 39 Charles Butterfield 2017-12-04 13:57:52 UTC
Wolfgang - sorry I didn't know how to go from your koji links above to something I could download :-(  Let me know if its easy.  Otherwise I'll be happy to report my experience next time I see an update.

Thanks for all your work!
-- Charlie

Comment 40 Wolfgang Ulbrich 2017-12-04 14:27:53 UTC
You simply need to click on the link for your arch and download the rpm.
Well, you can test it from updates-testing repo next days.

Comment 41 Fedora Update System 2017-12-04 15:48:11 UTC
mate-control-center-1.19.1-2.fc27 mate-settings-daemon-1.19.0-2.fc27 has been submitted as an update to Fedora 27. https://bodhi.fedoraproject.org/updates/FEDORA-2017-f9f7f23b96

Comment 42 David H. Gutteridge 2017-12-05 02:19:06 UTC
This addresses the issue for me, too, thanks!

Comment 43 Fedora Update System 2017-12-08 23:27:29 UTC
mate-control-center-1.19.1-2.fc27, mate-settings-daemon-1.19.0-2.fc27 has been pushed to the Fedora 27 testing repository. If problems still persist, please make note of it in this bug report.
See https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/QA:Updates_Testing for
instructions on how to install test updates.
You can provide feedback for this update here: https://bodhi.fedoraproject.org/updates/FEDORA-2017-f9f7f23b96

Comment 44 Fedora Update System 2017-12-16 12:33:52 UTC
mate-control-center-1.19.1-2.fc27, mate-settings-daemon-1.19.0-2.fc27 has been pushed to the Fedora 27 stable repository. If problems still persist, please make note of it in this bug report.


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