RE: ACS and the Java character spacing -- MIDRANGE-L

Even with JRE 11, I notice some vertical scaling issues on prompted commands, but, its not terrible. Installing the version of JRE 8.07 that came with IBM Rational 9.6 makes all the issues go away, so, we're apparently faced with increasing margin of error as we go to newer version of Java.

-----Original Message-----
From: MIDRANGE-L <midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> On Behalf Of Bryan Dietz
Sent: Tuesday, August 15, 2023 9:34 AM
To: midrange-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: ACS and the Java character spacing

CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.

I have issues a while back and reported to IBM.
the pointed me to:
https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/6559318

<snip>
Question
IBM i Access Client Solutions 5250 Display sessions have a Font Preference available for Font Scaling that when turned on will resize the font horizontally and vertically to match the session window. Why does the screen data not line up as expected even when fixed width fonts like Monospaced or PCommSession are used?

Answer
When the IBM i Access Client Solutions (IBM i ACS) 5250 Font Scaling option is enabled the font will be resized both horizontally and vertically to match the dimensions of the 5250 session window. This allows the display area to fill nearly all of the window.

There are a series of calculations that are made between Java and the client Operating System to take the session window size and then divide that horizontal and vertical space to know what dimensions each character should fill. The problem is that there can be calculation errors introduced between how the Operating System and Java handle their calculations, particularly with rounding differences. So, because of this, even when using a fixed width font like Monospaced or PCommSession the column and row alignment may be off.

IBM i ACS 5250 basically has no control over these calculations, so in these environments where alignment gets off, we recommend setting font scaling to no. With font scaling disabled, and the fixed font set to no the font will be resized based on the session window size, but the font's original aspect ratio is maintained so it resizes in steps.

Note: There have been reports of more font scaling alignment issues with Java 17.
</snip>

Darren Strong wrote on 8/15/2023 7:56 AM:

I was using Semeru 11 just fine, so, why not, I just tried installing IBM Semeru JRE 17. DSPSYSSTS had words like the last S in "Display System Status" cut off if using Font Scaling and expanding the window to full screen. Going back to Semeru 11 seemed to fix this. I think a coworker saw this in an older version of IBM's Java, so, I'm seeing that the issue does seem to be based on which version of the JRE you choose.

-----Original Message-----
From: MIDRANGE-L <midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> On Behalf Of
Michael Mayer
Sent: Friday, August 11, 2023 9:12 AM
To: midrange-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: RE: ACS and the Java character spacing

CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.

I'm sitting at V1.1.9.3. I use IBM's Semeru site.
I have folder "jdk-11.0.19+7-jre sitting in the ACS install folder at " Start_Programs\Windows_x86-64".

I have nothing special set and have never had any type of java issues to speak of. I periodically get the latest Windows64 Semeru JDK jre package.

Respectfully,
Michael Mayer
IBM i on Power System Admin
ERMCO-ECI
2225 Industrial Rd
Dyersburg, Tennessee 38024
Office and OnCall: 731.676.4318
Cell: 518.641.8906
Email: michael.mayer@xxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:michael.mayer@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
https://www.ermco-eci.com/<https://www.ermco-eci.com/>
IBM i Personal Blog:
https://ibmireference.blogspot.com/<https://ibmireference.blogspot.com
/> "Success is not final. Failure is not fatal. It is the courage to
continue that counts".

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4. RE: ACS and the Java character spacing (Michael Quigley)

message: 4
date: Thu, 10 Aug 2023 19:08:20 +0000
from: Michael Quigley
<MichaelQuigley@xxxxxxxxxx<mailto:MichaelQuigley@xxxxxxxxxx>>
subject: RE: ACS and the Java character spacing

We use the OpenJDK (which I guess is now Temurin by Adoptium) and install it along with ACS by placing the jdk folder under the Start_programs folder in our install source. Our default font is Consolas and I'm not aware of any issues with font alignment--although some people's personal preferences have caused them to try different fonts. I personally like to use Monaco--having chosen that before we settled on Consolas. (I think Monaco renders a little larger typeface which I find easier to read. That could be due to my being a little more chronologically gifted than most the others in our shop.) I know that people have used a variety of fonts and I don't remember there being any significant issues with anything people have chosen.

Michael Quigley
Computer Services
The Way international
http://www.theway.org/<http://www.theway.org/>

-----Original Message-----
---------------------------------------------------------------------
-
message: 1
date: Wed, 9 Aug 2023 05:35:13 -0500
from: Jim Oberholtzer
<midrangel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:midrangel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>>
subject: Re: ACS and the Java character spacing

Thanks John, I?ll have a look at it. Interesting web site.

Jim Oberholtzer
Agile Technology Architects

On Aug 8, 2023, at 2:27 PM, John Yeung
<gallium.arsenide@xxxxxxxxx<mailto:gallium.arsenide@xxxxxxxxx>>

wrote:

?I don't think which Java you're using makes much observable difference.

I do think your particular machine, monitor, settings, and the way
your eyes work can make a difference, so what seems good for one
person may not be good for someone else.

It took me a long time, but I finally arrived at a setup I like, which is:

- Windows 11
- ACS 1.1.8.8
- 24" monitor @ 1920 x 1080
- JetBrains Mono NL Medium @ 16
- Fixed font (so 132-column mode is wider than 80-column mode)
- Antialiased

I strongly suspect that JetBrains Mono renders better ***in ACS***
than some other very good fonts, due to the fact that JetBrains IDEs
are also Java-based, and they likely tuned their font to work well
with their own products. (That being said, JetBrains Mono is a good
choice anywhere, and I also use it in VS Code.)

John Y.
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