Linux From Scratch - Version SYSTEMD-20130504

Chapter 7. Setting Up System Bootscripts

7.7. Configuring the Linux Console

This section discusses how to configure the systemd-vconsole-setup system service, which configures the virtual console font and console keymap.

The systemd-vconsole-setup service reads the /etc/vconsole.conf file for configuration information. Decide which keymap and screen font will be used. Various language-specific HOWTOs can also help with this, see http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/HOWTO-INDEX/other-lang.html. If still in doubt, look in the /lib/kbd directory for valid keymaps and screen fonts. Read loadkeys(1) and setfont(8) manual pages to determine the correct arguments for these programs.

The /etc/vconsole.conf file should contain lines of the form: VARIABLE="value". The following variables are recognized:

KEYMAP

This variable specifies the key mapping table for the keyboard. If unset, it defaults to us.

KEYMAP_TOGGLE

This variable can be used to configure a second toggle keymap and is unset by default.

FONT

This variable specifies the font used by the virtual console.

FONT_MAP

This variable specifies the console map to be used.

FONT_UNIMAP

This variable specifies the unicode font map.

An example for a German keyboard and console is given below: 

cat > /etc/vconsole.conf << "EOF"
KEYMAP=de-latin1
FONT=latarcyrheb-sun16
EOF
[Note]

Note

The /etc/vconsole.conf file only controls localization of the Linux text console. It has nothing to do with setting the proper keyboard layout and terminal fonts in the X Window System, with ssh sessions, or with a serial console.