RESIZECONS(8)                            Console Support                            RESIZECONS(8)



NAME
       resizecons - change kernel idea of the console size

SYNOPSIS
       resizecons COLSxROWS
       resizecons -lines ROWS

DESCRIPTION
       The  resizecons  command  tries to change the videomode of the console.  There are several
       aspects to this: (a) the kernel must know about it, (b) the hardware must know  about  it,
       (c) user programs must know about it, (d) the console font may have to be adapted.

       (a) The kernel is told about the change using the ioctl VT_RESIZE.  This causes the kernel
       to reallocate console screen memory for all virtual consoles, and might fail if  there  is
       not  enough  memory.   (In that case, try to disallocate some virtual consoles first.)  If
       this ioctl succeeds, but a later step fails (e.g., because you do not  have  root  permis‐
       sions), you may be left with a very messy screen.

       The  most difficult part of this is (b), since it requires detailed knowledge of the video
       card hardware, and the setting of numerous registers. Only changing the number of rows  is
       slightly  easier, and resizecons will try to do that itself, when given the -lines option.
       (Probably, root permission will be required.)  The command resizecons COLSxROWS will  exe‐
       cute  restoretextmode  -r  COLSxROWS (and hence requires that you have svgalib installed).
       Here COLSxROWS is a file that was created earlier by restoretextmode -w COLSxROWS.  Again,
       either root permissions are required, or restoretextmode has to be suid root.

       In  order  to  deal with (c), resizecons does a `stty rows ROWS cols COLS' for each active
       console (in the range tty0..tty15), and sends a SIGWINCH signal to selection if  it  finds
       the file /tmp/selection.pid.

       Finally,  (d) is dealt with by executing a setfont command. Most likely, the wrong font is
       loaded, and you may want to do another setfont yourself afterwards.


BUGS
       resizecons does not work on all hardware.  For example, it cannot  be  used  on  platforms
       other  than  x86  and x86_64.  See the fbset(1) program if you are looking for an alterna‐
       tive.

       This command used to be called resize, but was renamed to avoid conflict with another com‐
       mand with the same name.


SEE ALSO
       setfont(8), stty(1), selection(1), restoretextmode(8), disalloc(8), fbset(1)




Local                                      17 Jan 1995                              RESIZECONS(8)