Cannot change default fonts in Kubuntu

Question

I've installed a clean Kubuntu (64bits) 11.10 with ATI propietary drivers (11.8) and everything runs smooth and clean, but I cannot change the fonts for applications, menus, captions, etc.

I can select them but the font doesn't change, it's blocked. I don't find any related bug or anyone in Google reporting something similar. Any light about this? Can you change fonts?

Answer 1

Here

Here the font settings are working.

Something to look

(1) If you start the fonts control module from the konsole, do you get any error messages ?

Commands:

:~$ kcmshell4 fonts

.

    :~$ kcmshell4 --help

        Usage: kcmshell4 [Qt-options] [KDE-options] [options] module 

        A tool to start single KDE control modules

        Generic options:
          --help                    Show help about options
        ...
        Options:
          --list                    List all possible modules
        ...
        fonts                     - Font settings

(2) The kde fonts settings are saved in the kdeglobals. If the kdeglobals is owned by the root then an ordinary user can't change the fonts settings.

Who is the owner of the kdeblobals file ?

:~$ ls -l ~/.kde/share/config/kdeglobals

Should be your user.

Here(rog):

:~$ ls -l ~/.kde/share/config/kdeglobals
-rw------- 1 rog rog 1814 2011-10-19 13:32 /home/rog/.kde/share/config/kdeglobals

Here the kdeglobals has:

<clip>
[General]
BrowserApplication[$e]=!rekonq
XftHintStyle=hintmedium
desktopFont=Sans Serif,9,-1,5,50,0,0,0,0,0
fixed=Monospace,9,-1,5,50,0,0,0,0,0
font=Sans Serif,9,-1,5,50,0,0,0,0,0
menuFont=Sans Serif,9,-1,5,50,0,0,0,0,0
smallestReadableFont=Sans Serif,8,-1,5,50,0,0,0,0,0
taskbarFont=Sans Serif,9,-1,5,50,0,0,0,0,0
toolBarFont=Sans Serif,8,-1,5,50,0,0,0,0,0
widgetStyle=oxygen
<clip>

When you are using the fonts control module is the kdeglobals updating ?

(3) Sometimes the KDE setting files get mangled and the KDE can't use them. To test this make a new user, System Settings > User Management. Log in as the new user - does the new user have the same problem with the font settings ?

If the font settings are working with the new username then the old user's configuration files could be damaged. You could rename the old user's kdeglobals from the new user session. When you log in with the old usename the KDE should build new default kdeglobals for the old user.