font oddity

[Peter Teuben]

On 05/02/2017 09:51 PM, Karl Auer wrote:
> Sometimes, for reasons that are unclear to me, my display changes
> subtly.
>
> The fonts in some windows become less clean, change their
> aspect ratio, become spindlier and less dense. The themes in some
> applications regress fifteen years. The window decorations remain the
> same, though.
>
> It doesn't affect all windows - for example this message
> window looks exactly as it did before, but the parent window
> (evolution) is displaying differently. It affects most windows though,
> and on different workspaces.
>
> I have no idea what causes it, but it is sometimes combined with a
> temporary change in screen resolution that seems to cure itself after a
> few seconds.
>
> I can trigger something like it, but much more dramatic, by starting
> the Compiz magnifier when a second monitor is attached, but (most of)
> that effect is reversed when I close the magnifier.
>
> It
> happens usually for no apparent reason. Not often, maybe once a month
> or so.
>
> Minimising and restoring a window does not help. Locking and unlocking
> the screen does not help. Detaching the second monitor does not help.
>
> Logging out and logging back in fixes it.
> Is there anyway to reset X without logging out and back in?
>
> Regards, K.
>

I have this problem sometimes after a suspend. Some apps (most notably thunderbird, and sometimes terminal) have a basically non-existent font. If it's just one app, I can kill it and restart that. But sometimes it's so bad, I have to logout and back in. I'll try the compix --replace trick next time.