[Info-vax] VAXStation 4000/60 - some questions

[Stephen Hoffman]

On 2013-01-31 06:45:12 +0000, commodorejohn said:

> Can anyone tell me what parameters I should use for SET TERMINAL to
> match whatever the VAXStation 4000 graphical console emulates? I can't
> find much in the way of manuals for the graphical option boards, so I
> don't know if they specify or not. I would bet that I can just tell it
> to be a VT-100 and have no problems, but it'd be nice to know exactly
> what it's supposed to be.

TL;DR: use the alternate (serial) console.

Terms:

- Glass TTY.  The blue screen environment, when DECwindows is not 
running.  Dumb as a post.

- DECterm.  The terminal emulator present in DECwindows.  Can emulate a VT100

- Console.  The graphics device or serial device where the console can 
display and chat.

- Serial Console or Alternate Console.  The console, configured to use 
the serial line.  Preferable to the Glass TTY in most cases, 
particularly when no VT52 emulation is available.

- S3 the switch that selects the behavior of the console.  Get this 
right.  On VAXstation 4000, this was behind the drop-down door on the 
front panel.  Off-hand I don't recall if "up" or "down" was the proper 
position.  Check the owner's manual or the service manual.  Those are 
available on the net, for at least some of the various VAXstation 4000 
boxes.

Long version:

The mid-vintage versions of the OpenVMS Alpha console terminal driver 
OPA0: acquired the ability to emulate a VT52; the glass TTY and the 
graphics controllers do not provide VT100 compatibility on VAX, Alpha 
or Itanium.  It's either the console terminal driver providing that on 
the glass TTY, or it's the terminal itself.  Older versions and AFAIK 
no OpenVMS VAX provide the ability to emulate a VT100 on the glass TTY 
console.  Put another way, there is no setting available equivalent to 
what a VT100 or a terminal emulator can provide on the serial console.

A USB to serial widget is a common choice, and adapters based on the 
PL-2303 chip do work with OpenVMS, and can send break signals and such. 
 I've used the Tripplite Keyspan USA-19* series adapters as part of the 
serial console wiring.   There's a list of DECconnect adapters and 
links to pinouts here <http://labs.hoffmanlabs.com/node/467>, if you 
get to using the MMJ.  It's been a while since I've used a serial 
console on a VAXstation; it was mentioned in a recent off-line 
conversation that you can use both the MMJ and the DB25 printer port as 
the console, but I've not verified that (in the last twenty years, 
within the span of my recollection of some details) and don't recall 
the details.

As for the blue glass TTY display, most[1] folks with a workstation 
will also configure DECwindows, as this provides workstation-style 
graphics.  DECwindows is the OpenVMS version of the X Window system.  
DECwindows provides various applications including a terminal emulator 
known as DECterm, and the X libraries and programming interfaces.  On 
VAX, DECwindows was installed in two hunks, the system-specific 
portions could be selected and installed with most any recent versions 
of OpenVMS, and the seperately-installed DECwindows system-independent 
bits, that were installed via the DECwindows layered product kit.

Few[1]  choose to use or prefer to use the blue screen glass TTY.  Not 
for longer than usual.

———
[1]I had initially phrased that differently, but then realized there 
are some seriously weird people in this newsgroup.


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