protonscr

System text size being ignored, text too small as result

steamclosed
ValveSoftware/steam-for-linux#6587 · opened 2019-10-14 by awsdert · updated 2024-05-01 · 10 comments · github
Aawsdert 2019-10-14 github

Your system information

  • 1570045470:
  • Manjaro x64 cinnamon:
  • Opted into Steam client beta?: Yes
  • Have you checked for system updates?: Yes, automatic on opening steam

Please describe your issue in as much detail as possible:

Describe what you expected should happen

Steam to load system set font size, my screen is projected onto a wall so I need larger text, the client should abide by that instead of a stupid calculate by screen size option

and what did happen.

It ignored the font size I had set and went with uber small text, I have to zoom in on the screen just to read it

Kkisak-valve maintainer 2019-10-14 github

Hello @awsdert. this issue is already being tracked at #5460. You should be able to force steam to scale the output by running it with GDK_SCALE=2 steam on a terminal. Finer grained scaling is being tracked at #5908.

Closing as a duplicate.

Aawsdert 2019-10-15 github

That's not acceptable for user end! Stop thinking as a developer and start thinking as a user! A user should only have to boot up steam normally, not fiddle with the boot options!

Aawsdert 2019-10-15 github

With the help of lutris I ran it with that option and no it did NOT fix it, issue should remain open until I tell you it is fixed!

Aawsdert 2020-01-12 github

Finally found the reopen button, was never resolved

Gguivi01 2020-06-21 github

I agree, the solution mentioned by Kisak-valve is not a solution but a workaround. And not a very good one for a user point of view. I have found a comment on askubuntu with another workaround with using skins but it is not the best either:
Source: https://askubuntu.com/questions/771056/gui-dpi-scaling-on-certain-apps-very-small

Currently steam hardcoded the font size on linux.
The only way I found to increase the font size is to use a HiDPI skin
Installation:
1- Open terminal
2- cd to your steam skin directory (see note)
3- Clone the repo(you must have git installed sudo apt-get install git)
git clone https://github.com/MoriTanosuke/HiDPI-Steam-Skin.git
Then open Steam and go to Settings->Interface. Choose the new skin "HiDPI-Steam-Skin"
NOTE: The exact path to the skins might be different depending on your installation.
It might be located at ~/.steam/skins/ or ~/.local/share/Steam/skins/.

It would be best if Steam developers add a scaling factor on the Steam->Settings->Interface. If skins can be made which set the font size I am not sure what is stopping them from having some kind of factor multiplier.

Best regard,

Ddeaniiyu 2021-04-17 github

As of April, 2021 the font size of steam linux remains uncustomizable. I might be mistaken here but honestly I don't think it is so hard to implement, no?
The GDK_SCALE method works fine, but not satifactory, as it only accepts integer but I want something like x1.5 or x1.7. And I don't really like the idea of running steam with a terminal attached to it, currently I start steam in a tmux session but still not a very elegant way from user POV..

Jjason-eu 2022-02-02 github

[Desktop Entry]
Name=Steam
Comment[fr]=Application de gestion et d'utilisation des jeux sur Steam

Exec=env GDK_SCALE=2 /usr/bin/steam %U
#Exec=sh -c 'STEAM_FRAME_FORCE_CLOSE=1 steam' %U
Icon=steam
Terminal=true
Type=Application
Categories=Network;FileTransfer;Game;
MimeType=x-scheme-handler/steam;x-scheme-handler/steamlink;
Actions=Store;Community;Library;Servers;Screenshots;News;Settings;BigPicture;Friends;
PrefersNonDefaultGPU=true
X-KDE-RunOnDiscreteGpu=true

[Desktop Action Store]
Name=Store
Name[fr]=Magasin

Exec=steam steam://store

[Desktop Action Community]
Name=Community
Name[fr]=Communauté

Exec=steam steam://url/SteamIDControlPage

[Desktop Action Library]
Name=Library
Name[fr]=Bibliothèque

Exec=steam steam://open/games

[Desktop Action Servers]
Name=Servers
Name[fr]=Serveurs

Exec=steam steam://open/servers

[Desktop Action Screenshots]
Name=Screenshots
Name[fr]=Captures d'écran

Exec=steam steam://open/screenshots

[Desktop Action News]
Name=News
Name[fr]=Actualités

Exec=steam steam://open/news

[Desktop Action Settings]
Name=Settings
Name[fr]=Paramètres

Exec=steam steam://open/settings

[Desktop Action BigPicture]
Name=Big Picture
Exec=steam steam://open/bigpicture

[Desktop Action Friends]
Name=Friends
Name[fr]=Amis

Exec=steam steam://open/friends

Jjason-eu 2022-02-02 github

My last comment is what my 'steam.desktop' file looks like, the one from my "/usr/share/applications/" directory.

The scaling worked after I added
"Exec=env GDK_SCALE=2 /usr/bin/steam %U" ;

and commented out;

"#Exec=sh -c 'STEAM_FRAME_FORCE_CLOSE=1 steam' %U"

PS. I only use English and French so I removed the other language lines, I'm not sure if this is advisable but I haven't had any issues yet.

Aawsdert 2022-03-16 github

Welp, from now on, until valve get's it's ass in gear and fixes this issue instead of pretending it isn't with a non-working solution of GTK_SCALE, I'm just gonna use GameHub as they at least have their priorities right, they don't ignore users when they report a problem with the interface

Ppalmerbomber1 2024-05-01 github

A non command line solution I found, which I found this thread in the same search that led me to the other, is to open steam into big picture and then close big picture after launching steam. Will have to be done every time, but it fixes the text size to something legible for all menus and the top bar where "steam, view, friends, games, and help" live.

You dont have to wait for big picture to fully launch, what I do is launch steam, right click on the icon and select big picture, then right after right click again and exit big picture and the entire UI is resolved for that session

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