[Info-vax] Keypad state in various VMS utilities

[Michael Moroney]

Chris Townley <cctownley at gmail.com> writes:

>An old issue, but coming back to VMS I find it strange that many VMS utilities seem to silently switch on the application keypad, seemingly to no effect other than making numeric entry more error prone.

>Any ideas why, or how to prevent it?

The PROPER behavior of any VMS utility which messes with any terminal state, including
keypad state is:

1) Save the terminal state ($SENSEMODE) and save it away.
2) Change the terminal state the way the program wishes.
3) Upon exit, set the terminal back as found in 1).  Ideally with an exit handler,
   so that the terminal isn't left in a funky state if the user ^Ys the program.
4) Some states, including the terminal's keypad mode are maintained separately
   by VMS and the terminal (emulator) itself. Appropriate escape sequences need
   to be sent to the terminal to set them back correctly.

A $ SET TERMINAL/INQUIRE usually sets the out-of-synch things back.