Feature request: In order to use kde-linux professionally, the fonts must be removed from the unchangeable part of the system and made available specifically for the user.
In each of my marketing projects (flyers, brochures, catalogues, etc.), specific fonts were specified and required for implementation (usually ttf fonts, which I can transfer from a Windows system).
I need to be able to install and use these fonts. Of course, it must also be possible to delete unnecessary fonts.
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The KDE Plasma System Settings â Appearance â Font â Font Management is the preferred method for Personal Font Management and, system-wide Font Management.
<Font Management>
The userâs personal fonts will be installed in the directory: $HOME/.local/share/fonts/
The fonts provided by your distribution are located in the directory: /usr/share/fonts/
System-wide fonts installed by the system administrator are located in the directory: /usr/local/share/fonts/
Please be aware that, when the system is patched or updated or upgraded, the fonts provided by your distribution will be reinstalled if youâve either simply deleted them or, moved them somewhere else in the system.
- If you really want specific distribution provided fonts to be banned from your system, youâll have to black-list the package which installed those fonts.
Itâll also pay, to periodically execute the CLI command âfc-cacheâ with the appropriate options set both by the system administrator (system font caches) and, the affected users (user font caches).
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Thatâs correct, of course, and it works perfectly (tested in KDE Neon and other distros). The problem described only occurs in âKDE Linuxâ. I canât delete any fonts in the font manager, nor can I add any new ones.
Is SELinux activated?
Are only the userâs personal fonts affected?
- All all users affected or, only one specific user?
What happens with the system-wide fonts and the system-wide administration which needs the password of the user ârootâ?
Is this because KDE Linux is an immutable distro?
From the KDE Linux page:
As an âimmutable baseâ operating system, KDE Linux deliberately limits system-level customization to preserve reliability.
Before we go too far afield here, let me clarify something: you can install fonts in KDE Linux at the user level. This works. What doesnât work right now is changing fonts at the system level. Itâs unclear whether this will be enabled in the future, and if so, how.
For now, add fonts at the user level; it works fine.
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Yeah, I havenât written it yet. I was meaning to this week but got sick.
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OK, I was a bit sloppy when testing, sorry. I ran through it again.
1. I copied a folder with about 40 TTF fonts to the desktop.
2. I started Font Management under System Settings.
3. I selected Personal Fonts.
4. Then I selected âInstall Fileâ and opened the folder on the desktop.
5. I selected all fonts and clicked Open.
The fonts were then imported, but an error message was displayed. I thought the import had failed, but the fonts are there.
Sorry, Iâll test more carefully next time.
Nevertheless, Iâve attached a screenshot with the error message.
P.S. I wish you a speedy recovery.
My German isnât great, but isnât it telling you that one of the fonts was already there, so it couldnât import it? In other words, that everything actually worked?
Now, this is pretty bad UX; thatâs not really an error. It could ignore this or show it in a less disruptive way.
This isnât an issue specific to KDE Linux, though. The font installer stuff is really old, and Iâm not surprised that it could benefit from an overhaul for modern times.
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Iâve now written some minimal docs for this: Install new fonts - KDE Community.
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I tested the installation in kde neon. The error seems to lie in the font metadata; it also happens when I delete all fonts from the personal directory. In that sense, itâs a false alarm and has nothing to do with kde linux.
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