Hi Bill,
I'm assuming your using Terminal as your terminal since your using using VL-5.8-STD-GOLD. When Terminal is open, click edit > preferences and you will find some options for the look and feel. But I can't find any way to affect what size it opens as default. Your config file is also found in /home/YOURNAME/.config/Terminal. But again I see no option listed. Doesn't mean they don't exist.
You can press F11 to go into full screen, but you can also just resize the window so that's not much help.
You can however highly customize xterm. You can set fonts, colors (fore and background) window size and location. The list goes on and on. Typing "man xterm" in a terminal window will yield a very lengthy read.
Very quickly I found a short and sweet example on Google.
http://linuxhelp.blogspot.com/2005/10/configuring-xterm-in-linux.htmlIt's a good one as it demonstrates how to launch xterm from the command line, passing different options, to instantly see what xterm will look like. Then you can create a launcher with your favorite command, or create alias for that command. Or create a .Xresources file in your home dir with all your prefs in place. This isn't the easiest way as the syntax is a bit more complicated. And you need to log out and back in again to see the results (I believe). There is mention of "xfontsel", though this utility will help you select a font, it is rather confusing. And in no way resembles a MS style way of selecting fonts. Also these font aren't TTF so they will be primitive and jagged looking, straining the heck out of your eyes. I'll post a command for a starting point in a bit.
-geometry 70x24 (from example from link)
You need to pay attention to the -geometry 70x24 option thats listed. This controls window size and location. There are 2 more numbers to add to that to gain complete control. Example: -geometry 70x24+0+0 This would open a window 70 columns wide, by 24 rows tall, in the top left of your screen. The last 2 numbers are pixel locations. -0-0 would place the window in the bottom right. With + numbers, the location is the pixel distance from the top left. As the numbers get bigger, the farther down or farther to the right the window will appear. - numbers are affected the same, but from the bottom right. Keep in mind the size of the font you select will have a impact on the size of the window since window size is measured in columns and rows rather then pixels. So start with a comfortable font size, then adjust your window size. The example I will give uses a Monospace TTF font. It's smooth and uniform, comfortable on the eyes, but Monospace so layout is uniform. This example also closely mimicks the look, font, and colorings of Terminal. I happen to like the looks of Terminal so that's the recipe I came up with.
xterm -geometry 70x24+0+0 -fa Mono -fs 12 -fg white -bg black -cr green -sb -rightbar -j
xterm >> The terminal application.
-geometry 70x24+0+0 >> is here for a example, start with a good font size before adding and adjusting.
-fa Mono >> I believe means font alias. Mono is the font called for.
-fs 12 >> font size and size 12 for starters.
-fg white >> foreground, or font color white. Also cursor color if not set with -cr.
-bg black >> background color black.
-cr green >> cursor color green.
-sb >> scrollbar. Not there by default. Odd behavior, will explain.
-rightbar >> forces scrollbar to right side. Default is left.
-j >> jump scrolling. Recommended as xterm will cheat a few lines on fast output. Rather then print out each and every line and possibly getting too far behind, slowing done the running process. All lines will be visible when scrolling back though. No love lost as this kicks in when it scrolls fast enough to be a blur and you can't read it anyway.
Scrollbar is strange. Not the normal looking scrollbar with up/down arrows. You can fiddle with your different mouse buttons to learn the control. Too hard to explain. Middle mouse button will drag it up and down though.
reading "man xterm" will give you more options then you'll ever care to know. But reading and tweaking will give you results you are happy with.
Once you have your recipe down to your liking, a easy way to create a launcher is to change the command on the one on your task bar. This is done by right clicking the terminal icon on your task bar and selecting properties. You'll see a text input box labeled "command" with the command "terminal" in it. Just add your xterm recipe there and it will be available with one click
If you decide you don't like it, returning it to the terminal command is easy enough.
BTW try running just "xterm" with no options. One ugly looking terminal by default!
I'm gonna shut up now. Google is your friend and so are we, so ask if you need to.
Go play
Lee
Edit: M0E posted while I was writing my book, and might be on to what your really asking. He's talking about running VL in complete text mode, and I'm talking about running a terminal emulator in GUI mode. In any rate, I typed way too much to delete this post now
