source: chapter07/console.xml@ f2a5108

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  "http://www.oasis-open.org/docbook/xml/4.5/docbookx.dtd" [
  <!ENTITY % general-entities SYSTEM "../general.ent">
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<sect1 id="ch-scripts-console">
  <?dbhtml filename="console.html"?>

  <title>Configuring the Linux Console</title>

  <indexterm zone="ch-scripts-console">
    <primary sortas="d-console">console</primary>
    <secondary>configuring</secondary>
  </indexterm>

  <para>This section discusses how to configure the
  <command>systemd-vconsole-setup</command> system service, which configures
  the virtual console font and console keymap.</para>

  <para>The <command>systemd-vconsole-setup</command> service reads the
  <filename>/etc/vconsole.conf</filename> file for configuration
  information.  Decide which keymap and screen font will be used. Various
  language-specific HOWTOs can also help with this, see <ulink
  url="http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/HOWTO-INDEX/other-lang.html"/>. If still in
  doubt, look in the <filename class="directory">/usr/share/keymaps</filename> 
  and <filename class="directory">/usr/share/consolefonts</filename> directories
  for valid keymaps and screen fonts. Read <filename>loadkeys(1)</filename> and
  <filename>setfont(8)</filename> manual pages to determine the correct
  arguments for these programs.</para>

  <para>The <filename>/etc/vconsole.conf</filename> file should contain lines
  of the form: VARIABLE="value". The following variables are recognized:</para>

  <variablelist>

    <varlistentry>
      <term>KEYMAP</term>
      <listitem>
        <para>This variable specifies the key mapping table for the keyboard. If
        unset, it defaults to <literal>us</literal>.</para>
      </listitem>
    </varlistentry>

    <varlistentry>
      <term>KEYMAP_TOGGLE</term>
      <listitem>
        <para>This variable can be used to configure a second toggle keymap and
        is unset by default.</para>
      </listitem>
    </varlistentry>

    <varlistentry>
      <term>FONT</term>
      <listitem>
        <para>This variable specifies the font used by the virtual
        console.</para>
      </listitem>
    </varlistentry>

    <varlistentry>
      <term>FONT_MAP</term>
      <listitem>
        <para>This variable specifies the console map to be used.</para>
      </listitem>
    </varlistentry>

    <varlistentry>
      <term>FONT_UNIMAP</term>
      <listitem>
        <para>This variable specifies the unicode font map.</para>
      </listitem>
    </varlistentry>

  </variablelist>

  <para>An example for a German keyboard and console is given below:</para>

<screen role="nodump"><userinput>cat &gt; /etc/vconsole.conf &lt;&lt; "EOF"
<literal>KEYMAP=de-latin1
FONT=latarcyrheb-sun16</literal>
EOF</userinput></screen>

  <!-- Added because folks keep posting their console file with X questions
  to blfs-support list -->
  <note>
    <para>The <filename>/etc/vconsole.conf</filename> file only controls
    localization of the Linux text console. It has nothing to do with setting
    the proper keyboard layout and terminal fonts in the X Window System, with
    ssh sessions, or with a serial console.</para>
  </note>

</sect1>