Re: set-default-font

[Eli Zaretskii]

> From: David Masterson <dsmasterson92630@outlook.com>
> Cc: help-gnu-emacs@gnu.org
> Date: Wed, 26 Aug 2020 18:59:35 -0700
> 
> > Try different values until you find one that works for you.  In
> > general, I'd expect any value to work, unless if you use bitmapped
> > fonts, where maybe only certain discrete values will work.
> 
> Hunting for proper values is not exactly very friendly.

You usually don't need to, as I explained.

> set-default-font is the only command in the standard "Options" menu for
> Emacs and, therefore, the one most likely to be used.  It seems, though,
> that set-default-font has different forms depending on how Emacs is
> compiled.  I suspect (but would like to know more) that it has one form 
> if compiled with the X libraries and another without X.  The form with X
> (for me) put an X box for "Font Menu" with only 3 options (Misc,
> Courier, and Fontset) which I can't figure how to use.  The form without
> X seemed to put up a dialog box that allowed you to pick fonts while
> seeing examples of the font which was much easier.
> 
> I'm not a fonts person, so it's difficult for me to figure out the best
> way of compiling Gnu Emacs 26.3 to make the most of fonts.
> 
> Any help?

I don't think I understand what exactly are you asking.  You started
by describing the menu for selecting the default font, but ended by
asking a much more general question regarding building Emacs.  I don't
see the connection, because the default build of Emacs on any platform
always makes the most use of the available fonts on that platform.

I also don't understand what does "without X" mean in this context.

And finally, your description of what menu-set-font (the menu item in
"Options" -> "Set default font") does is AFAIK inaccurate: the "easy"
font selection dialog should pop when the x-select-font function is
available, whereas your description seems to indicate to the contrary.

So I'm confused by the question and the details you described.