Subject: Re: DEC vt320 terminal problem
To: None <netbsd-users@netbsd.org>
From: Shannon <shannon@widomaker.com>
List: netbsd-users
Date: 06/17/2001 18:59:55
On Sun, Jun 17, 2001 at 04:22:19PM -0400, Greg A. Woods wrote:

> Most every termcap entry I know of assumes that autowrap is enabled.
> Some even assume reverse wrap-around is turned on too.

You are probably right. However, I have never had that set with this
terminal before. Makes me at least curious about it.

> Note also that any shell which supports command-line editing will (if
> that feature is enabled) munge your stty settings while it's sitting and
> reading input a the prompt.

I know the shell is doing that, but I thought bugs like this would
exist in all platforms, not just NetBSD.  It certainly doesn't
matter with Linux or DEC UNIX.

> In other words some of your strange stty observations may also be due to
> your shell munging things.

It seemed to happen running /bin/sh too, but I might be mistaken: I
didn't save stty settings from all shares when I was testing.  

> Perhaps you should try using a standard shell (eg. /bin/sh) with a
> default prompt (eg. PS1='$ '), and without turning on any features
> (especially not 'set -o emacs', etc.) and see if your problems persist.

No, they don't.  I meant to note this earlier.  I don't find doing 
without command line editing a viable alternative.  I actually
use this terminal, it's just just a console.

> different type of terminal than you do, or possibly because the termcap
> it is using is wrong, or maybe just because your shell has a bug.)

Maybe, but the bug doesn't manifest itself in ksh, bash, or tcsh on
Linux and DEC UNIX.  I cannot remember about Solaris, but can try
it a little later.

> I general I'd also strongly recommend against trying to use multi-line
> prompts with any shell, especially when combined with command-line
> editing.  Very few shells get this "right", at least not without using
> special trickery.  

I hear you.  Still, I've been using this terminal with shell prompts
like that for years.  I'd still like to figure this out, though I
might just make editing work and forget the rest.

I don't put escape codes in the prompt.  There's nothing in there but
newlines so the edit line is seperated from the information I want.

> pkgsrc/misc/vttest might help you get your terminal settings right....

Will try it.

Thanks.


-- 
shannon@widomaker.com  _________________________________________________
______________________/ armchairrocketscientistgraffitiexenstentialist
 "And in billows of might swell the Saxons before her,-- Unite, oh
 unite!  Or the billows burst o'er her!" -- Downfall of the Gael