Man pages › Compared with Linux and the BSDs

`vtfontcvt(1)` on Solnix vs Linux and the BSDs

vtfontcvt on Solnix is the illumos /usr/bin/vtfontcvt, which converts BDF or Unifont HEX fonts into a binary console font or C source. The most important difference from FreeBSD is that -o is optional in the Solnix synopsis but mandatory in FreeBSD's. The two pages are otherwise close.

The manual pages

Solnix: vtfontcvt(1) from pkgs.solnix.illumos-world-man · illumos.org
FreeBSD: vtfontcvt(8) 15.1-RELEASE

What Solnix runs

A default Solnix system runs the illumos vtfontcvt at /usr/bin/vtfontcvt, published in pkgs.solnix.illumos-world-man. No other variants are shipped. Linux, OpenBSD and NetBSD have no counterpart page in the bundle.

Differences

Compared with	Topic	What differs
FreeBSD	`-o` required or optional	The Solnix synopsis shows `-o` output_file in brackets as optional. The FreeBSD synopsis shows `-o` output_file without brackets, so it is required. The Solnix page does not say where output goes when `-o` is omitted. Source: Solnix vtfontcvt(1) SYNOPSIS, -o; FreeBSD vtfontcvt(8) SYNOPSIS, -o
FreeBSD	`-f` argument form	Solnix documents `-f` as font\|source\|compressed-source. FreeBSD documents the argument as format with the same three values: compressed-source, font and source. Both default to a binary font file. Source: Solnix vtfontcvt(1) -f; FreeBSD vtfontcvt(8) -f
FreeBSD	manual section	The Solnix page is in section 1, user commands, and the command is `/usr/bin/vtfontcvt.` The FreeBSD page is in section 8, system administration. Use man 1 vtfontcvt on Solnix and man 8 vtfontcvt on FreeBSD. Source: Solnix vtfontcvt(1) header; FreeBSD vtfontcvt(8) header
FreeBSD	BDF automatic size	Solnix sets height and width automatically for BDF files that define a FONTBOUNDINGBOX property in the font header. FreeBSD says only that size is set automatically for BDF files, with no condition. HEX files use the same # Height: and # Width: comments on both. Source: Solnix vtfontcvt(1) -h, -w; FreeBSD vtfontcvt(8) -h, -w
FreeBSD	BDF cell spacing and .hex extension	Solnix states that a BDF file must use character cell spacing. The FreeBSD page does not say this. Both say HEX files must have the extension .hex. Source: Solnix vtfontcvt(1) DESCRIPTION; FreeBSD vtfontcvt(8) DESCRIPTION
FreeBSD	consumer of the binary font	The FreeBSD page says the binary font is for vt(4) and points to vidcontrol(1). The Solnix page says only that it is for the console system and points to consadm(8). The bundle does not describe how a Solnix console loads the font. Source: Solnix vtfontcvt(1) DESCRIPTION, SEE ALSO; FreeBSD vtfontcvt(8) -f, SEE ALSO
Linux, OpenBSD, NetBSD	no counterpart in bundle	The bundle has no vtfontcvt page for Linux, OpenBSD or NetBSD, so nothing is claimed about an equivalent tool there. Source: Bundle header (counterparts: freebsd only)

Standards

POSIX: vtfontcvt is not a POSIX.1-2024 utility.
FreeBSD: HISTORY: the vtfontcvt utility first appeared in FreeBSD 10.1. The page has no STANDARDS section.
Solnix: The Solnix page has no STANDARDS or ATTRIBUTES section.

Writing portable scripts

Always pass -o output_file explicitly: FreeBSD requires it, and the Solnix page does not document what happens without it.
Use the same option set (-f, -h, -w, -n, -o, -v) and the values font, source or compressed-source for -f. Both pages document these identically.

Every difference here is taken from the manual pages linked above: Solnix's published page, Linux (man-pages and the GNU and util-linux manuals), FreeBSD, OpenBSD and NetBSD. Each row names its source. Where a manual is silent, this page is too. Compiled 2026-10-26. Found a mistake? Mail hackers@lists.solnix.io.