                                   Tux Paint
                                version 0.9.35
                          Frequently Asked Questions

        Copyright © 2002-2025 by various contributors; see AUTHORS.txt.
                             https://tuxpaint.org/

                                  maí 2, 2025

+------------------------------+
|      Table of Contents       |
|------------------------------|
|   * Drawing-related          |
|   * Interface Problems       |
|   * Printing                 |
|   * Saving                   |
|   * Audio Problems           |
|   * Fullscreen Mode Problems |
|   * Other Problems           |
|   * Help / Contact           |
+------------------------------+
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                            ### Drawing-related ###

→ Fonts I added to Tux Paint only show squares ←
    The TrueType Font you're using might have the wrong encoding. If it's
    'custom' encoded, for example, you can try running it through FontForge (
    http://fontforge.sourceforge.net/) to convert it to an ISO-8859 format.
    (Email us if you need help with special fonts.)
     
→ The Rubber Stamp tool is greyed out! ←

    This means that Tux Paint either couldn't find any stamp images, or was
    asked not to load them.

    If you installed Tux Paint, but did not install the separate, optional
    "Stamps" collection, quit Tux Paint and install it now. It should be
    available from the same place you got the main Tux Paint program. (Note:
    Tux Paint ships with a very small collection of example stamps.)

    If you don't want to install the default collection of stamps, you can just
    create your own. See the "Extending Tux Paint" documentation for more on
    creating PNG and SVG image files, TXT text description files, Ogg Vorbis,
    MP3 or WAV sound files, and DAT text data files that make up stamps.

    Finally, if you installed stamps, and think they should be loading, check
    to see that the "nostamps" option isn't being set. (Either via a
    "--nostamps" option to Tux Paint's command line, or "nostamps=yes" in the
    configuration file.)

    Either change/remove the "nostamps" option, or you can override it with
    "--stamps" on the command line or either "nostamps=no" or "stamps=yes" in a
    configuration file.


     
→ Stamp outlines are always rectangles ←

    Tux Paint was built with low-quality (but faster) stamp outlines.

    To change this, you must rebuild Tux Paint from source. Be sure to remove
    or comment out any line that says:

        #define LOW_QUALITY_STAMP_OUTLINE

    in the "tuxpaint.c" file in the "src" directory.


     

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                          ### Interface Problems ###

→ Stamp thumbnails in the Stamp Selector look bad ←

    Tux Paint was probably compiled with the faster, lower quality thumbnail
    code enabled. Run the command: "tuxpaint --verbose-version" from a command
    line. If, amongst the other output, you see the text: "Low Quality
    Thumbnails enabled", then this is what's happening.

    To change this, you must rebuild Tux Paint from source. Be sure to remove
    or comment out any line that says:

        #define LOW_QUALITY_THUMBNAILS

    in the "tuxpaint.c" file in the "src" directory.


     
→ Pictures in the 'Open' dialog look bad ←
    "Low Quality Thumbnails" is probably enabled. See: "Stamp thumbnails in the
    Stamp Selector look bad", above.
     
→ All of the text is in uppercase! ←

    The "uppercase" option is on.

    Either change/remove the "uppercase" option, or you can override it with
    "--mixedcase" on the command line or either "uppercase=no" or "mixedcase=
    yes" in a configuration file.
     
→ Tux Paint is in a different language ←
    Make sure your locale setting is correct. See "Tux Paint won't switch to my
    language", below.
     
→ Tux Paint won't switch to my language ←
      o Linux and Unix users: Make sure the locale is available

        Make sure the locale you want is available. Check your "/etc/
        locale.gen" file. See the "Options Documentation" for the locales Tux
        Paint uses (especially when using the "--lang" option).

        Note: Debian and derivative (e.g., Ubuntu) users can simply run
        "dpkg-reconfigure locales" if the locales are managed by "dpkg".

      o If you're using the "--lang" command-line option

        Try using the "--locale" command-line option, or your operating
        system's locale settings (e.g., the "$LANG" environment variable), and
        please e-mail us regarding your trouble.

      o If you're using the "--locale" command-line option

        If this doesn't work, please e-mail us regarding your trouble.

      o If you're trying to use your Operating System's locale

        If this doesn't work, please e-mail us regarding your trouble.

      o Make sure you have the necessary font

        Some translations require their own font. Chinese and Korean, for
        example, need Chinese and Korean TrueType Fonts installed and placed in
        the proper location, respectively.

        The appropriate fonts for such locales can be downloaded from the Tux
        Paint website:

            https://tuxpaint.org/download/fonts/


     

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                               ### Printing ###

→ Tux Paint won't print, gives an error, or prints garbage (Unix/Linux) ←

    Tux Paint prints by creating a PostScript rendition of the picture and
    sending it to an external command. By default, this command is the "lpr"
    printing tool.

    If that program is not available (for example, you're using CUPS, the
    Common Unix Printing System, and do not have "cups-lpr" installed), you
    will need to specify an appropriate command using the "printcommand" option
    in Tux Paint's configuration file. (See the "Options Documentation".)


     
→ I get the message "You can't print yet!" when I go to print ←

    The "print delay" option is on. You can only print once every X seconds.

    If you're running Tux Paint from a command-line, make sure you're not
    giving it a "--printdelay=..." option.

    If you're running Tux Paint by double-clicking an icon, check the
    properties of the icon to see if "--printdelay=..." is listed as a
    command-line argument.

    If a "--printdelay=..." option isn't being sent on the command line, check
    Tux Paint's configuration file for a line reading: "printdelay=...".

    Either remove that line, set the delay value to 0 (no delay), or decrease
    the delay to a value you prefer. (See the "Options Documentation".)

    Or, you can simply run Tux Paint with the command-line argument:
    "--printdelay=0", which will override the configuration file's setting, and
    allow unlimited printing. (You won't have to wait between prints.)


     
→ I simply can't print! The button is greyed out! ←

    The "no print" option is on.

    If you're running Tux Paint from a command-line, make sure you're not
    giving it a "--noprint" option.

    If you're running Tux Paint by double-clicking an icon, check the
    properties of the icon to see if "--noprint" is listed as a command-line
    argument.

    If a "--noprint" option isn't being sent on the command line, check Tux
    Paint's configuration file for a line reading: "noprint=yes".

    Either remove that line, or simply run Tux Paint with the command-line
    argument: "--print", which will override the configuration file's setting.

    Or use Tux Paint Config. and make sure "Allow Printing" (under "Printing")
    is checked.


     

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                ### Saving ###

→ Where does Tux Paint save my drawings? ←

    Unless you asked Tux Paint to save into a specific location (using the
    "savedir" option), Tux Paint saves into a standard location on your local
    drive:

    → Windows Windows 8, Windows 10, Windows 11 ←
        In the user's "AppData" folder:
        e.g., "C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\TuxPaint\saved\"

        (Note: The "AppData" folder is hidden (not visible) by default. You can
        enter the path manually in the location bar of your file browser (e.g.,
        File Explorer).)

        You can use the %APPDATA% variable as a shorthand, i.e. 
        "%APPDATA%\Tuxpaint\Saved".

        You can use the [⊞ (Windows)] + [R] key combination to bring up the Run
        command window, and then type the path and hit [Enter / Return].
         
    → macOS ←
        In the user's "Application Support" folder:
        e.g., "/Users/username/Library/Application Support/TuxPaint/saved/"
         
    → Linux / Unix ←
        In the user's "home directory" folder:
        e.g., "/home/username/.tuxpaint/saved/"

        (Note: The ".tuxpaint" folder is hidden (not visible) by default. You
        can enter the path manually in the location bar of your file browser
        (e.g., GNOME Files or Dolphin).)

        You can use the $HOME variable as a shorthand, i.e. 
        "$HOME/.tuxpaint/saved".
         
    → Haiku ←
        In the user's "settings" folder:
        e.g., "/boot/home/config/settings/TuxPaint/saved/"
         

    The images are stored as PNG bitmaps, which most modern programs should be
    able to load (image editors, word processors, web browsers, etc.)


     
→ Tux Paint always saves over my old picture ←

    The "save over" option is enabled. (This disables the prompt that would
    appear when you click 'Save.')

    If you're running Tux Paint from a command-line, make sure you're not
    giving it a "--saveover" option.

    If you're running Tux Paint by double-clicking an icon, check the
    properties of the icon to see if "--saveover" is listed as a command-line
    argument.

    If a "--saveover" option isn't being sent on the command line, check Tux
    Paint's configuration file for a line reading: "saveover=yes".

    Either remove that line, or simply run Tux Paint with the command-line
    argument: "--saveoverask", which will override the configuration file's
    setting.

    Or use Tux Paint Config. and make sure "Ask Before Overwriting" (under
    "Saving") is checked.

    Also, see "Tux Paint always saves a new picture!", below.


     
→ Tux Paint always saves a new picture! ←

    The "never save over" option is enabled. (This disables the prompt that
    would appear when you click 'Save.')

    If you're running Tux Paint from a command-line, make sure you're not
    giving it a "--saveovernew" option.

    If you're running Tux Paint by double-clicking an icon, check the
    properties of the icon to see if "--saveovernew" is listed as a
    command-line argument.

    If a "--saveovernew" option isn't being sent on the command line, check Tux
    Paint's configuration file for a line reading: "saveover=new".

    Either remove that line, or simply run Tux Paint with the command-line
    argument: "--saveoverask", which will override the configuration file's
    setting.

    Or use Tux Paint Config. and make sure "Ask Before Overwriting" (under
    "Saving") is checked.

    Also, see "Tux Paint always saves over my old picture!", above.


     

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                            ### Audio Problems ###

→ There's no sound! ←
      o First, check the obvious:
          # Are your speakers connected and turned on?
          # Is the volume turned up on your speakers?
          # Is the volume turned up in your Operating System's "mixer?"
          # Are you certain you're using a computer with a sound card?
          # Are any other programs running that use sound? (They may be
            'blocking' Tux Paint from accessing your sound device)
          # (Unix/Linux) Are you using a sound system, such as aRts, ESD or
            GStreamer? If so, try setting the "SDL_AUDIODRIVER" environment
            variable before running Tux Paint (e.g., "export SDL_AUDIODRIVER=
            arts"). Or, run Tux Paint through the system's rerouter (e.g., run
            "artsdsp tuxpaint" or "esddsp tuxpaint", instead of simply
            "tuxpaint").
      o Is sound disabled in Tux Paint?

        If sound seems to work otherwise (and you're sure no other program is
        "blocking" the sound device), then Tux Paint may be running with a "no
        sound" option.

        If you're running Tux Paint from a command-line, make sure you're not
        giving it a "--nosound" option.

        If you're running Tux Paint by double-clicking an icon, check the
        properties of the icon to see if "--nosound" is listed as a
        command-line argument.

        If a "--nosound" option isn't being sent on the command line, check Tux
        Paint's configuration file for a line reading: "nosound=yes".

        Either remove that line, or simply run Tux Paint with the command-line
        argument: "--sound", which will override the configuration file's
        setting.

        Or, you can simply run Tux Paint with the command-line argument:
        "Enable Sound Effects", which will override the configuration file's
        setting, and allow unlimited printing. (You won't have to wait between
        prints.)

      o Were sounds temporarily disabled?

        Even if sounds are enabled in Tux Paint, it is possible to disable and
        re-enable them temporarily using the [Alt] + [S] key sequence. Try
        pressing those keys to see if sounds begin working again.

      o Was Tux Paint built without sound support?

        Tux Paint may have been compiled with sound support disabled. To test
        whether sound support was enabled when Tux Paint was compiled, run Tux
        Paint from a command line, like so:

            tuxpaint --verbose-version

        If, amongst the other information, you see "Sound disabled", then the
        version of Tux Paint you're running has sound disabled. Recompile Tux
        Paint, and be sure NOT to build the "nosound" target. (i.e., don't run
        "make nosound") Be sure the SDL_mixer library and its development
        headers are available!


     
→ Tux Paint makes too much noise! Can I turn them off? ←

    Yes, there are a number of ways to disable sounds in Tux Paint:

      o Press [Alt] + [S] while in Tux Paint to temporarily disable sounds.
        (Press that key sequence again to re-enable sounds.)
      o Run Tux Paint with the "no sound" option:
          # Run "tuxpaint --nosound" from the command line or shortcut or
            desktop icon.
          # Edit Tux Paint's configuration file (see "Options Documentation"
            for details) and add a line containing "nosound=yes".
          # Or use Tux Paint Config. and make sure "Enable Sound Effects"
            (under "Video & Sound") is not checked.
          # Alternatively, recompile Tux Paint with sound support disabled.
            (See above, and the 'Install' documentation.)

     
→ The stereo panning of sound effects is bothersome; can sound effects be
monophonic? ←

    Run Tux Paint with the "no stereo" option:

      o Run "tuxpaint --nostereo" from the command line or shortcut or desktop
        icon.
      o Edit Tux Paint's configuration file (see "Options Documentation" for
        details) and add a line containing "nostereo=yes".
      o Or use Tux Paint Config. and make sure "Enable Stereo Effects" (under
        "Video & Sound") is not checked.

     
→ The sound effects sound strange ←

    This could have to do with how SDL and SDL_mixer were initialized. (The
    buffer size chosen.)

    Please e-mail us with details about your computer system. (Operating system
    and version, sound card, which version of Tux Paint you're running (run
    "tuxpaint --version" to verify), and so on.)


     

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                       ### Fullscreen Mode Problems ###

→ When I run Tux Paint full-screen and [Alt] + [Tab] out, the window turns
black! ←
    This is apparently a bug in the SDL library. Sorry.
     
→ When I run Tux Paint full-screen, it has large borders around it ←

    Linux users - Your X-Window server is probably not set with the ability to
    switch to the desired resolution: 800×600. (or whatever resolution you have
    Tux Paint set to run at.) (This is typically done manually under the
    X-Window server by pressing [Control] + [Alt] + [Keypad Plus (+)] and 
    [Control] + [Alt] + [Keypad Minus (-)].)

    For this to work, your monitor must support that resolution, and you need
    to have it listed in your X server configuration.

    Check the "Display" subsection of the "Screen" section of your XFree86 or
    X.org configuration file (typically "/etc/X11/XF86Config-4" or "/etc/X11/
    XF86Config", depending on the version of XFree86 you're using; 3.x or 4.x,
    respectively, or "/etc/X11/xorg.conf" for X.org).

    Add "800x600" (or whatever resolution(s) you want) to the appropriate
    "Modes" line. (e.g., in the "Display" subsection that contains 24-bit color
    depth ("Depth 24"), which is what Tux Paint tries to use.)

        Modes "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"

    Note that some Linux distributions have tools that can make these changes
    for you. Debian users can run the command "dpkg-reconfigure
    xserver-xfree86" as root, for example.


     
→ Tux Paint keeps running in Full Screen mode - I want it windowed! ←

    The "fullscreen" option is set.

    If you're running Tux Paint from a command-line, make sure you're not
    giving it a "--fullscreen=..." option.

    If you're running Tux Paint by double-clicking an icon, check the
    properties of the icon to see if "--fullscreen=yes" or "--fullscreen=
    native" is listed as a command-line argument.

    If "--fullscreen=yes" or "--fullscreen=native" options aren't being sent on
    the command line, check Tux Paint's configuration file for a line reading:
    "fullscreen=yes" or "fullscreen=native".

    Either remove that line, or simply run Tux Paint with the command-line
    argument: "--windowed" or "--fullscreen=no", which will override the
    configuration file's setting.

    Or use Tux Paint Config. and make sure "Fullscreen" (under "Video & Sound")
    is not checked.


     
→ How do I access other applications when Tux Paint is running in Full Screen?
←
      o Windows and Linux users, try the [Alt] + [Tab] key combination to
        switch between applications.
      o macOS users, switch to other applications using [Control] + [Left
        Arrow], then back to Tux Paint using [Control] + [Right Arrow].

     

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                            ### Other Problems ###

→ Tux Paint won't run ←

    If Tux Paint aborts with the message: "You're already running a copy of Tux
    Paint!", this means it has been launched in the last 30 seconds. (On Unix/
    Linux, this message would appear in a terminal console if you ran Tux Paint
    from a command-line. On Windows, this message would appear in a file named
    "stdout.txt" in the same folder where TuxPaint.exe resides (e.g., in 
    "C:\Program Files\TuxPaint\").

    A lockfile (e.g., "/home/username/.tuxpaint/lockfile.dat" on Linux and
    Unix, "userdata\lockfile.dat" on Windows) is used to make sure Tux Paint
    isn't run too many times at once (e.g., due to a child impatiently clicking
    its icon more than once).

    Even if the lockfile exists, it contains the 'time' Tux Paint was last run.
    If it's been more than 30 seconds, Tux Paint should run fine, and simply
    update the lockfile with the current time.

    If multiple users are sharing the directory where this file is stored
    (e.g., on a shared network drive), then you'll need to disable this
    feature.

    To disable the lockfile, add the "--nolockfile" argument to Tux Paint's
    command-line, or "nolockfile=yes" to the configuration file.


     
→ Tux Paint launches very slowly ←

    The first time Tux Paint is launched (for a particular user), it may take a
    minute or more to respond. The font system used by Tux Paint (FontConfig,
    via Pango) is creating a 'cache' of information about the fonts on your
    system. Subsequent launches of Tux Paint should be fast.

    While the font cache is generated behind the scenes, Tux Paint should
    remain interactive (showing an animated 'please wait' animation) as this
    process runs.

    If this delay persists or reoccurs, it could be that the cache is being
    deleted — for example, in an environment (such as a school computer lab)
    where a system is returned into a default state when a user finishes using
    the program. Some versions of Tux Paint ship with a file, "fonts.conf" (
    documented at freedesktop.org), which can be modified to have FontConfig
    store the file elsewhere, e.g.:

        <cachedir>C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\
        fontconfig\cache</cachedir>


     
→ I can't quit Tux Paint ←

    The "no quit" option is set. This disables the "Quit" button in Tux Paint's
    toolbar (greying it out), and prevents Tux Paint from being exited via the
    [Escape] key.

    If Tux Paint is not in fullscreen mode, simply click the window close
    button on Tux Paint's title bar. (i.e., the "ⓧ" at the upper right.)

    If Tux Paint is in fullscreen mode, you will need to use the [Shift] +
    [Control] + [Escape] sequence on the keyboard to quit Tux Paint.

    (Note: with or without "no quit" set, you can always use the [Alt] + [F4]
    combination on your keyboard to quit Tux Paint.)


     
→ I don't want "no quit" mode enabled! ←

    If you're running Tux Paint from a command-line, make sure you're not
    giving it a "--noquit" option.

    If you're running Tux Paint by double-clicking an icon, check the
    properties of the icon to see if "--noquit" is listed as a command-line
    argument.

    If a "--noquit" option isn't being sent on the command line, check Tux
    Paint's configuration file for a line reading: "noquit=yes".

    Either remove that line, or simply run Tux Paint with the command-line
    argument: "--quit", which will override the configuration file's setting.

    Or use Tux Paint Config. and make sure "Disable Quit Button and [Escape]
    Key" (under "Simplification") is not checked.


     
→ Tux Paint keeps writing weird messages to the screen / to a text file ←

    A few messages are normal, but if Tux Paint is being extremely verbose
    (like listing the name of every rubber-stamp image it finds while loading
    them), then it was probably compiled with debugging output turned on.

    To change this, you must rebuild Tux Paint from source. Be sure to remove
    or comment out any line that says:

        #define DEBUG

    in the "tuxpaint.c" file in the "src" directory.


     
→ Tux Paint is using options I didn't specify! ←

    By default, Tux Paint first looks at configuration files for options.

      o Windows

        Under Windows, it first examines the system-wide configuration file,
        located here:

            C:\Program Files\TuxPaint\tuxpaint.cfg

        It then examines the user's personal configuration file:

            C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\TuxPaint\tuxpaint.cfg

        Finally, any options sent as command-line arguments are used.

      o macOS

        Under macOS, it first examines the system-wide configuration file,
        located here:

            /Library/Application Support/TuxPaint/tuxpaint.cfg

        It then examines the user's personal configuration file:

            /Users/username/Library/Application Support/TuxPaint/tuxpaint.cfg

        Finally, any options sent as command-line arguments are used.

      o Linux / Unix

        Under Unix and Linux, it first examines the system-wide configuration
        file, located here:

            /etc/tuxpaint/tuxpaint.conf

        It then examines the user's personal configuration file:

            /home/username/.tuxpaintrc

        Finally, any options sent as command-line arguments are used.

      o Haiku

        Under Haiku, Tux Paint first examines the configuration file:

            /boot/home/config/settings/TuxPaint/tuxpaint.conf

        Finally, any options sent as command-line arguments are used.

    This means that if anything is set in a configuration file that you don't
    want set, you'll need to either change the config. file (if you can), or
    override the option on the command-line.

    For example, on Linux and Unix, if "/etc/tuxpaint/tuxpaint.conf" includes
    this option to disable sound...

        nosound=yes

    ...then you can reenable sound by either adding this option to your own 
    "/home/username/.tuxpaintrc" file:

        sound=yes

    ...or by using this command-line argument:

        --sound

    On platforms where Tux Paint offers a system-wide configuration file, the
    settings in that file may be skipped (so only the user configuration file
    and other command-line arguments will be used) by including the following
    command-line argument:

        --nosysconfig


     
→ I need to deploy Tux Paint on many Windows systems at once ←
    The installers for both Tux Paint (plus Tux Paint Config.)
    (tuxpaint-X.Y.Z-windows-ARCH-installer.exe) and Tux Paint Stamps
    (tuxpaint-stamps-YYYY.MM.DD-windows-installer.exe) accept the command-line
    options "/SILENT" ("silent") or "/VERYSILENT" ("very silent") which can be
    used to install and uninstall their component without use of an interactive
    set-up window. This can be useful for automating installation on a
    collection of PCs, for example using Microsoft Intune cloud-based endpoint
    management solution (see https://learn.microsoft.com/mem/intune/).
     

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                            ### Help / Contact ###

Any questions you don't see answered? Please let us know! You can subscribe and
post to our "tuxpaint-users" mailing list:

    https://tuxpaint.org/lists/

Or, contact lead developer Bill Kendrick directly:

    bill@newbreedsoftware.com

