[Info-vax] 2 questions, 1st regarding setting up keyboard 2nd. dcl programming

[Richard B. Gilbert]

acid.friend at yahoo.de wrote:
Top posting corrected once again!  Please don't top post!

> Richard B. Gilbert wrote:
>> acid.friend at yahoo.de wrote:
>> <TOP POSTING SEMI-CORRECTED!!  Damned if I'll sort out the whole thing!!
>>> Richard B. Gilbert wrote:
>>>> acid.friend at yahoo.de wrote:
>>>>> hi everybody out there,
>>>>> i have a microvax 3100-95 and it gives me a lot of pleasure.
>>>>> unfortunately, when i access my vax remote (gnome-terminal->jerm->COM1-
>>>>>> OPA0:), the keyboard does not work as it should, so i'm having
>>>>> massive issues when i need to edit files and when i don't want to use
>>>>> my vt220.
>>>>> i use a german keyboard. see below what happens when i hit backspace.
>>>>> but when i login it seems to work on dcl, but when i use edi/tpu i
>>>>> think something
>>>>> is misconfigured.
>>>>>
>>>>> besides i have a problem when i use long commands and when i need to
>>>>> correct some options which i've typed before.
>>>>> when i go to that position and start writing, the next characters get
>>>>> overwritten.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> %SET-I-INTSET, login interactive limit = 64, current interactive value
>>>>> = 0
>>>>>   SYSTEM       job terminated at  6-JAN-2009 01:05:08.66
>>>>>
>>>>>   Accounting information:
>>>>>   Buffered I/O count:            1828         Peak working set
>>>>> size:     693
>>>>>   Direct I/O count:               890         Peak page file
>>>>> size:      6504
>>>>>   Page faults:                  60566         Mounted
>>>>> volumes:             0
>>>>>   Charged CPU time:           0 00:00:09.65   Elapsed time:     0
>>>>> 00:00:39.99
>>>>>
>>>>>         Welcome to OpenVMS (TM) VAX Operating System, Version V7.1
>>>>>
>>>>> Username: ssytem\met\
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> 2. i would like to write a dcl driven menu that should work like this:
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>  INPUT1: __________
>>>>>  INPUT2: __________
>>>>>
>>>>> $ typ samplemenu.com
>>>>> $ typ/pag nl:
>>>>> $ write sys$output ""
>>>>> $ write sys$output ""
>>>>> $ write sys$output " INPUT1: __________"
>>>>> $ write sys$output " INPUT2: __________"
>>>>> $ write sys$output ""
>>>>> $ exit
>>>>> $
>>>>>
>>>>> BUT of course the cursor has to be positioned in the INPUT1 field.
>>>>> when i write something, the underlines should remain there. how do i
>>>>> do that? is this easy?
>>>>> hope you know what i mean :)
>>>> You can position the cursor using the escape codes on a VT100 compatible
>>>> terminal.  You can use read with no echo and do your own echoing; just a
>>>> SMOP.  You can add the underline as you echo, once again using the
>>>> escape codes on your VT100....  Just a SMOP.
>>>>
>>>> I don't remember what the codes are and I'm not going to try to find my
>>>> VT100 manual to look them up for you.  Try google!
>>>>
>>>> FWIW, I think it's probably more trouble than it's worth!
>>>>
>>>> Be grateful that the VT100 and its escape codes are a de facto standard.
>>>> Actually, I think most of them are now an ANSI standard!
>>  > it sounds nice and seems to be the solution, but i really cannot start
>>  > anything with that :(
>>  > i don't expect from you to search it for me in the web, but without
>>  > knowing the name of the escape sequence i need it has no sense.
>>  > how do i read with no echo and how do i do my own echoing?
>>  > SMOP?? is it perl?
>>  > i've thought i will receive some sample code...
>>  >
>>  > anyway, thank you for your help.
>>  >
>>
>> Did you even TRY google??  I'm not going to do your thinking for you,
>> nor are you likely to find anyone else who will!
>>
>> You could google for "SMOP" as well.
>>
>> If you want code I can write it for you if you can afford to pay me.  It
>> looks to me as if it might take an hour or two.  I'll do it for $70
>> US/hour, one hour minimum.
>>
>> Are you, by any chance, a student?   Looking for someone to do your
>> homework?  Who is your instructor?

 > of course i've tried googling for smop, but it won't help me solve
 > this problem. SORRY!
 > please do not do any prejudices, because you are definately not right!
 > i'm not a student nor i'm doing any homework.
 > i'm a private person with hobbyist licence and i always wanted to know
 > how to realize that.
 > first time i've seen something like that was on an AS/400, so i want
 > to try to bring some AS/400
 > look on my vax. later i would try to port this menu to another OS's.
 > that's all.
 >
 > no harm meant!

My solution would be to use cursor positioning escape sequences and 
Select Graphic Rendition sequences.

Relevant sequences would seem to be:
reverse video or underline	ESC[4m
Cursor Backward			ESC[PnD
where "n" is the number of spaces to move

See ANSI Standard X3.64-1979 or the DEC VT100, VT101, or VT220, 
programming manuals for full details.  Sorry, I won't part with mine for 
love nor money!  You might luck out and and find such a thing on e-Bay. 
  Or you might find a copy on-line somewhere.

The "VT101 Video Terminal User Guide" I just found on my bookshelves is 
order number EK-VT101-UG-003.  The "-003" is the version number and any 
version number you can find is better than none.

BTW "reverse video or underline" is determined by "Cursor SET-UP"

Good luck!