[SOLVED] Can't quite get rid of some fonts....

[tgm1024]

18.3, x64, MATE, ...

I found the endless list of foreign fonts to be annoying, so I tried deleting them. Looking online it seemed that it was "ok" to go into /usr/share/fonts, and hack away.

After I did this I discovered that the font menus in applications such as Libre Writer were still listing the fonts. When I chose them (say, any of the "noto" ones), I'd get the regular default font.....none of the glyphs were the foreign ones that were there previously.

So I tried these two things:

--> fc-cache -r

and

--> fc-cache -fv

and neither worked to remove those entries.

Is there a cache of entries someplace that needs to be built every time the /usr/share/fonts directory is altered?

Thanks!

[richyrich]

I would humbly suggest, next time, use either the Software Manager or Synaptic Package Manager to properly remove/un-install the fonts you don't want.

[tgm1024]

I would humbly suggest, next time, use either the Software Manager or Synaptic Package Manager to properly remove/un-install the fonts you don't want.

Okidoki. Regarding my question though.....is fc-cache not used by MATE, or is it something else?

[thx-1138]

...whenever you uninstall a font, fontconfig get automatically triggered 30 seconds afterwards, rebuilding the cache. Ie....
1)...as richyrich said, uninstall via Synaptic whatever fonts you don't need first - this way they won't be automatically re-installed as well.
2)...if you still find a few ones that you don't need, remove them individually from /usr/share/fonts, then run sudo fc-cache -fv...

Same behavior under all desktops, not just Mate...

[DAMIEN1307]

Remove Rarely Used Fonts...DAMIEN

just copy and paste the first series of font removal into your terminal and hit enter and enter your password (these fonts have never re-installed on me after doing this)

sudo apt-get -y --purge autoremove fonts-beng fonts-beng-extra fonts-deva fonts-droid fonts-gubbi fonts-gujr fonts-gujr-extra fonts-guru fonts-guru-extra fonts-kacst fonts-kacst-one fonts-kalapi fonts-khmeros-core fonts-knda fonts-lao fonts-lklug-sinhala fonts-lohit-beng-assamese fonts-lohit-beng-bengali fonts-lohit-deva fonts-lohit-gujr fonts-lohit-guru fonts-lohit-knda fonts-lohit-mlym fonts-lohit-orya fonts-lohit-taml fonts-lohit-taml-classical fonts-lohit-telu fonts-nakula fonts-nanum fonts-navilu fonts-noto-unhinted fonts-orya-extra fonts-pagul fonts-sahadeva fonts-samyak-deva fonts-samyak-gujr fonts-samyak-mlym fonts-samyak-taml fonts-sarai fonts-smc fonts-sil-abyssinica fonts-sil-padauk fonts-takao-pgothic fonts-taml fonts-telu fonts-telu-extra fonts-thai-tlwg fonts-tibetan-machine fonts-tlwg-garuda fonts-tlwg-garuda-ttf fonts-tlwg-kinnari fonts-tlwg-kinnari-ttf fonts-tlwg-laksaman fonts-tlwg-laksaman-ttf fonts-tlwg-loma fonts-tlwg-loma-ttf fonts-tlwg-mono fonts-tlwg-mono-ttf fonts-tlwg-norasi fonts-tlwg-norasi-ttf fonts-tlwg-purisa fonts-tlwg-purisa-ttf fonts-tlwg-sawasdee fonts-tlwg-sawasdee-ttf fonts-tlwg-typewriter fonts-tlwg-typewriter-ttf fonts-tlwg-typist fonts-tlwg-typist-ttf fonts-tlwg-typo fonts-tlwg-typo-ttf fonts-tlwg-umpush fonts-tlwg-umpush-ttf fonts-tlwg-waree fonts-tlwg-waree-ttf fonts-wqy-microhei fonts-wqy-zenhei ttf-indic-fonts-core ttf-punjabi-fonts ttf-wqy-microhei

and this second set may find other obscure fonts the first set may have missed


sudo apt-get --purge autoremove fonts-kacst fonts-kacst-one fonts-khmeros-core fonts-lao fonts-lklug-sinhala fonts-nanum fonts-sil-abyssinica fonts-sil-padauk fonts-takao-pgothic fonts-tibetan-machine fonts-tlwg-garuda fonts-tlwg-kinnari fonts-tlwg-loma fonts-tlwg-mono fonts-tlwg-norasi fonts-tlwg-purisa fonts-tlwg-sawasdee fonts-tlwg-typewriter fonts-tlwg-typist fonts-tlwg-typo fonts-tlwg-umpush fonts-tlwg-waree ttf-indic-fonts-core ttf-punjabi-fonts ttf-wqy-microhei

[tgm1024]

...whenever you uninstall a font, fontconfig get automatically triggered 30 seconds afterwards, rebuilding the cache. Ie....
1)...as richyrich said, uninstall via Synaptic whatever fonts you don't need first - this way they won't be automatically re-installed as well.
2)...if you still find a few ones that you don't need, remove them individually from /usr/share/fonts, then run sudo fc-cache -fv...

Same behavior under all desktops, not just Mate...

Ah ok. So the fonts in linux follow the general "auto update" rules (should I ask for automatic updates) and will repopulate when removed by force?

Things seem to be behaving now. I'll keep an eye on it and do the apt-get purging suggested above by Damien if they resurface.

Thanks!

[Flemur]

So I tried these two things:
--> fc-cache -r
and
--> fc-cache -fv
and neither worked to remove those entries.

Although it's better to use the software installer system to remove fonts, you can just remove the font files from /usr/share/fonts then do

Code: Select all

sudo  fc-cache -fv

and they won't show up anywhere. You probably just needed the 'sudo'.

It's similar for adding fonts to /usr/share/fonts/(truetype) - just add the ttf files and run sudo fc-cache, which is how you add fonts which aren't in the repos.

[gm10]

Ah ok. So the fonts in linux follow the general "auto update" rules (should I ask for automatic updates) and will repopulate when removed by force?

Only when there's an update for them, which is unlikely. Also you cannot do it all via packages. In particular the Noto package has it all in one so you need to clean that up manually.

This might help you though, from a script of mine to clean up the fonts, a "few" packages that can be removed in totality (at least for my needs, don't complain to me if you needed any of these):

Code: Select all

apt purge fonts-indic fonts-deva fonts-orya fonts-knda fonts-taml fonts-telu fonts-guru fonts-mlym fonts-beng fonts-tlwg-laksaman fonts-lao fonts-tlwg-purisa fonts-thai-tlwg fonts-gubbi ttf-ancient-fonts-symbola fonts-beng-extra fonts-tlwg-purisa-ttf fonts-tlwg-norasi fonts-guru-extra fonts-tlwg-typewriter-ttf fonts-samyak-deva fonts-telu-extra fonts-smc fonts-tlwg-typist fonts-deva-extra fonts-smc-karumbi fonts-tlwg-norasi-ttf fonts-kalapi fonts-wqy-microhei fonts-wqy-zenhei fonts-noto-cjk fonts-navilu fonts-takao-pgothic fonts-smc-chilanka fonts-tlwg-kinnari fonts-pagul fonts-tlwg-mono fonts-kacst-one fonts-smc-meera fonts-smc-raghumalayalamsans fonts-tibetan-machine fonts-sahadeva fonts-tlwg-typewriter fonts-smc-keraleeyam fonts-lohit-deva fonts-smc-suruma fonts-tlwg-garuda fonts-sil-abyssinica fonts-tlwg-kinnari-ttf fonts-samyak-taml fonts-tlwg-waree fonts-nanum fonts-tlwg-typo fonts-lklug-sinhala fonts-lohit-orya fonts-tlwg-sawasdee fonts-tlwg-umpush fonts-lohit-knda fonts-smc-rachana fonts-tlwg-loma fonts-smc-manjari fonts-gujr fonts-smc-uroob fonts-samyak-gujr fonts-tlwg-waree-ttf fonts-nakula fonts-lohit-beng-bengali fonts-tlwg-garuda-ttf fonts-orya-extra fonts-tlwg-sawasdee-ttf fonts-lohit-taml fonts-tlwg-typo-ttf fonts-samyak-mlym fonts-tlwg-loma-ttf fonts-khmeros-core fonts-smc-dyuthi fonts-lohit-telu fonts-tlwg-mono-ttf fonts-kacst fonts-gujr-extra fonts-tlwg-typist-ttf fonts-sil-padauk fonts-smc-anjalioldlipi fonts-lohit-beng-assamese fonts-lohit-gujr fonts-lohit-guru fonts-tlwg-umpush-ttf fonts-tlwg-laksaman-ttf fonts-lohit-mlym fonts-lohit-taml-classical

[DAMIEN1307]

those script commands for terminal came from "pjotr's website, easy linux...they work and have worked for over 2 yrs now to my knowledge and usage...no need for complications...DAMIEN

[gm10]

those script commands for terminal came from "pjotr's website, easy linux...they work and have worked for over 2 yrs now to my knowledge and usage...no need for complications...DAMIEN

Heh, hadn't actually noticed you had already posted a list. Thought it was just another of your walls of text and skipped right over it, sorry (no offense intended).
Mine isn't from Pjotr's site but contents are probably the same, it's clear enough what needs to go.

[DAMIEN1307]

hi gm10...it wasnt my usual "wall of text"...it was actually the wall of terminal commands...lol...no offense taken...lol...DAMIEN