Problem

Running Java under Linux returns the following error:

Font specified in font.properties not found
[[-symbol-medium-r-normal-*-%d-*-*-p-*-adobe-fontspecific]]

Solution

Get a copy of the TrueType font symbol.ttf from a Windows machine (usually located in C:\WINNT or C:\WINDOWS) and place it in the JDK fonts directory (e.g. /usr/java/jdk1.3.0_01/jre/lib/fonts/)

Edit the fonts.dir file also located in the font directory, include the following:

symbol.ttf -urw-symbol-medium-r-normal--0-0-0-0-p-0-adobe-fontspecific

(The white space between the font name and description are spaces not tabs.)

You will also need to add 1 to the number of fonts listed in the first line of the fonts.dir file.

You may have to repeat the procedure with JRE if also installed (e.g. /usr/java/jre/lib/fonts)