Xserver fails to start with fonts.fontDir.enable = true;

[gravndal]

Describe the bug
X started using startx with fonts.fontDir.enable = true; doesn't find the fixed font.

To Reproduce
Steps to reproduce the behavior:

1. Set fonts.fontDir.enable = true;
2. Run startx in a tty

Expected behavior
X finding the font and starting.

Actual behavior

[    20.321] (EE) 
Fatal server error:
[    20.321] (EE) could not open default font 'fixed'(EE) 
[    20.321] (EE) 
Please consult the The X.Org Foundation support 
	 at http://wiki.x.org
 for help. 
[    20.321] (EE) Please also check the log file at "/home/r/.xorg.log" for additional information.
[    20.321] (EE) 
[    20.321] (II) AIGLX: Suspending AIGLX clients for VT switch
[    20.339] (EE) Server terminated with error (1). Closing log file.

Additional context
This only happens if fonts.fonts does not include xorg.fontmiscmisc, i.e. with fonts.enableDefaultFonts = false;

Notify maintainers

Introduced in eda7e23 cc @rnhmjoj @hir12111

Metadata

 - system: `"x86_64-linux"`
 - host os: `Linux 5.9.1, NixOS, 21.03pre248135.cabb90e2123 (Okapi)`
 - multi-user?: `yes`
 - sandbox: `yes`
 - version: `nix-env (Nix) 2.3.7`
 - channels(root): `"nixos-21.03pre248135.cabb90e2123, nixos-2003-20.03.3129.d3784204ba1, nixos-unstable-21.03pre247760.8133b9cb5f7"`
 - channels(r): `""`
 - nixpkgs: `/nix/var/nix/profiles/per-user/root/channels/nixos`

Maintainer information:

# a list of nixpkgs attributes affected by the problem
attribute:
# a list of nixos modules affected by the problem
module:

[EmilioPeJu]

Just let you know that I tested this with startx and I didn't have this problem, Could you please show your .xinitrc and the relevant part in ~/.xorg.log?

[gravndal]

I can replicate it with this using build-vm:

{ config, pkgs, ...}:

{
  fonts = {
    fonts = with pkgs; [
      terminus_font
    ];

    enableDefaultFonts = false;
    fontDir.enable = true;
  };

  services.xserver = {
    enable = true;
    autorun = false;
    displayManager.startx.enable = true;
  };

  users.users.a = {
    password = "a";
    isNormalUser = true;
  };
}

I didn't notice this yesterday, but it looks like terminus_font is partly responsible as replacing it with noto-fonts for instance works fine.

$ nixos-version
21.03pre248242.72ac8255dc5 (Okapi)

[rnhmjoj]

I can't test right now, but the enableDefaultFonts = false; is suspicious. Does it happen if you leave that to true?

[gravndal]

Testing on master (with #101246 applied): As stated in the op, no, with the default fonts enabled this does not happen as then fonts.fonts include xorg.fontmiscmisc (which contains the font X is having trouble finding).

It similarly doesn't happen if you change fonts to:

  fonts = {
    fonts = with pkgs; [
      xorg.fontmiscmisc      
      terminus_font
    ];

    enableDefaultFonts = false;
    fontDir.enable = true;
  };

What's odd to me is that this will work:

  fonts = {
    fonts = with pkgs; [
     liberation_ttf
    ];

    enableDefaultFonts = false;
    fontDir.enable = true;
  };

Or if terminus_font is replaced with tamsyn (another pcf.gz bitmap font).

Both of which also, much like #101196 (comment), results in a fontDir lacking fixed (9x18-ISO8859-1.pcf.gz according to fc-match)

[stale]

I marked this as stale due to inactivity. → More info