[Info-vax] How to get F Keys to works on Putty Terminal Emulation

[Stephen Hoffman]

On 2013-04-03 06:33:04 +0000, sy3913 at googlemail.com said:

> Functions keys F5 and onwards on my Putty terminal emulation onto VMS 
> 7.1-2 do not work.

Please provide evidence of that.  Have you tried PuTTY directly?

> Am using a Toshiba laptop to remote desktop onto another windows 
> machine running Win server 2008, and running Putty on there to access 
> the vms server.

That's a complex configuration.  Please simplify it for testing.

> Function keys F1 to F4 work, but F5 onwards do not.

Do the function keys work when directly connected to PuTTY session?

> I have tried all Keyboard settings on Putty (VT100+, VT400 etc) to no avail.

Did you also try simplifying the network connection and removing the VNC?

> Any advice would be greatly appreciated !

The function key sequences can and do work correctly with OpenVMS, as 
they're widely used.

PuTTY, too, does see some use with OpenVMS, and (modulo some corner 
cases) does work.

Which implies this is a Microsoft Windows support question, either with 
the laptop or the VNC client, or with the Windows Server box and the 
VNC server, or possibly with PuTTY and its interaction with VNC.   In 
all likelihood, the VNC connection is eating the key sequences.  But 
that's a guess.

Please use a simpler network configuration, such as a VPN directly into 
the target network.  Or go on-site, and work there.  Or work with your 
Windows IT and networking organizations to resolve your Microsoft 
Windows issues, or ask your questions of an organization or a forum 
that provides support and resources for Microsoft Windows and Windows 
Server questions.  Alternatively, avoid using the function keys with 
OpenVMS, and stay within what works on your Windows configurations.  
Most OpenVMS tools and utilities can be used from the command line, and 
without using the function keys or the keypad.

You're probably working in some network that believes this complex 
configuration is necessary, so I'd suggest working with your manager 
and with IT security to "better harmonize" the IT configuration 
requirements with your particular job requirements.


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