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HP OpenVMS Systemsask the wizard |
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The Question is: We have a DS20E with 3dLabs Oxygen VX1 card installed, smart array 5300 and 1.5GB RAM. One of the disks has had a mini install placed on it (axpvms$pcsi_install_min) and when we boot to it (boot -fl e,0 dya3), it starts up correctly but the terminal type does not set. When some keys are typed the characters displayed are way off or non-exis tant. So, typing [ or ] will not get those characters at all, but other characters like > or }. In other words, it seems to be mangling the keyboard characters. Also, doing a set term/inquire returns an error message about not being able to determine the terminal type for OPA0. While it is performing the inquire, three characters appear on the console, normally c0c, but sometimes other characters. Any suggestions? The Answer is :
When operating with no DECwindows, you have none of the software-based
support for terminal displays. DECterm is an emulation of a hardware
terminal, and both DECterm and terminals respond to escape sequences
and related processing. Without a physical terminal or a terminal
emulator -- and graphics controllers do not generally provide either
hardware terminal support or terminal emulation -- you cannot fully
utilize programs which assume terminal control sequences and related
support.
You are apparently operating the system into the so-called "glass TTY"
mode, in other words.
With the assistance of the SRM console, the typical graphics controller
and the associated supporting system hardware can display text characters,
and can read input. This is the "glass TTY" environment; an enviroment
that is analogous to that of the much older teletype (TTY) device display
capabilities.
The SET TERMINAL/INQUIRE is issuing control sequences, and the console
graphics environment is not processing these -- this is why you are
seeing those characters on the display when the SET TERMINAL/INQUIRE
is issued. (Normally, escape and control sequences are not displayed,
as these sequences are transparently processed within the terminal
hardware or within the terminal emulator.)
Note that various of the recent console serial terminal environments can
have a VT52 mode, meaning that you can get limited capabilities using a
SET TERMINAL/DEVICE=VT52 command on the OPA0: device -- while the VT52
terminal emulation provided has very limited display and control sequence
processing, this mode is still superiour to the "glass TTY" mode.
As for setting up the particular keyboard in use on the system console,
please see the SRM console environment variable used for the keyboard
setting. You will need to set the keyboard type to the current keyboard.
To obtain a list of the available environment variables, use the SRM
console command:
SHOW * | MORE
Part way through this display, you will see the environment variable
kbd_hardware_type
This is usually set to PCXAL or LK411. The former is the traditional PC
keyboard, while the latter is the traditional OpenVMS keyboard.
See the FAQ section "Why is DECwindows Motif not starting?" for details on
configuring and starting DECwindows. Also see the FAQ for details on setting
and running with a serial console -- this setting is established by the
"console" environment variable -- as the "serial" console setting can be
connected to a terminal or terminal emulator. Your system is currently
configured for the "graphics" console setting.
If you wish to have what you apparently seek, you will need to install and
start DECwindows, or you will need to use a serial console connection to a
terminal or to a terminal emulator.
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