Text Scaling – How to Adjust Text Scaling Factor for All Users

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I am using gnome tweak tools on my system which is Ubuntu 12.04 with a few users set. I want to change the text scaling factor for all the user accounts.

If I use gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.interface text-scaling-factor 0.7 does the job fine but only for the user that is issuing the command. The rest of the users retain their settings which I don't want.

I want to do this from CLI since I am trying to incorporate this later to puppet.

Best Answer

Change defaults by editing the original schemas

  1. Change default value in Glib schema

     sudo nano /usr/share/glib-2.0/schemas/org.gnome.desktop.interface.gschema.xml

    Like:

         <key type="d" name="text-scaling-factor">
     <range min="0.5" max="3.0"/>
     <default>0.7</default>
     <summary>Text scaling factor</summary>
     <description>Factor used to enlarge or reduce text display, without changing font size.</description>
     </key>

  2. Compile schemas

     sudo glib-compile-schemas /usr/share/glib-2.0/schemas

Changing defaults by creating an override file

Otherwise, because you want an easy way for puppet.

  1. You can create a dconf override file:

     sudo nano /usr/share/glib-2.0/schemas/30_my-text-factor.gschema.override

  2. Append override keys & values to it, example:

     [org.gnome.desktop.interface]
 text-scaling-factor=0.7

  3. Compile schemas

     sudo glib-compile-schemas /usr/share/glib-2.0/schemas

The new users and the users uses default (They never changed value or they have reset it) will get the new value effective.

Force all users to use defaults using a lock file

If you want to force users to use default value (their customized value has no effect), add a dconf lock:

  1. Add new lock file or change an existing one at:

     /etc/dconf/db/gdm.d/locks/

  2. Append this line to it:

     /org/gnome/desktop/interface/text-scaling-factor

References:

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