Conference dssdev::decforms

    From the DECforms side, I would reccomend use of the Signal %BELL 
    response step.  As long as the bell volume is not turned down this
    should cause the VT500 to "beep".   As far as the volume business,
    this is really outside of the control of DECforms but as long as your
    louder hour acts upon the Signal %bell - you have an answer.
    
    Throwing the terminal into display controls should give the actual
    escape sequences comming across the line.  Probably a ASCII BEL
    Another method (which I am not reccomending) but mentioning is to
    Message out the escape sequence.  I would stick with the Signal %Bell
    approach...
    
    				Hope this helps!
    
    
    Here is a little demo that can be executed in FORMS DEVELOP using the 
    TEST / TEST ENABLE and control text of TEST:
    
    Pressing F17 will Signal %BELL    <<< reccomended approach
    and 
    pressing f20 will Message ""   -7 - BEL
    
Form BELLRINGER

    Form Data 
        A_FIELD Character(1)
        BELLESC Character(1)
            Value " "
        NEXT_FIELD Character(1)
    End Data


    Layout VT_LAYOUT
        Device
            Terminal DECVT100
                Type %VT100
            Terminal DECVT200
                Type %VT200
            Terminal DECVT400
                Type %VT400
            Terminal DECVT500
                Type %VT500
        End Device
        Size 24 Lines by 80 Columns

        Viewport FORMS007_VP
            Lines 1 Through 23
            Columns 1 Through 80
        End Viewport

        Function SIGNAL_BELL
            Is %F17
        End Function

        Function MESSGE_BELL
            Is %F20
        End Function

        Control Text Response "TEST"
            Let BELLESC = ""
            Activate
                Panel FORMS007_PANEL
        End Response

        Function Response SIGNAL_BELL
            Message
                "SIGNAL %BELL PROCESSED..."
            Signal %Bell
        End Response

        Function Response MESSGE_BELL
            Message
                "Message of the bell escape to be processed..."
            Message
                BELLESC
        End Response


        Panel FORMS007_PANEL
            Viewport FORMS007_VP
            Field A_FIELD
                Line 3
                Column 1
                Output Picture X
            End Field

            Field NEXT_FIELD
                Line 3
                Column 6
                Output Picture X
            End Field

            Literal Text
                Line 1
                Column 1
                Value "Press f17 to process Signal %BELL "
            End Literal

            Literal Text
                Line 2
                Column 1
                Value 'Press f20 to process Message of "07" - ie BEL'
            End Literal

        End Panel

    End Layout
End Form

    Re: .1
    
    Thanks Chip for your reply.
    
    I'm not too worried about the volume because I'll use an external
    device to look for the "beep" control character.  
    
    I would just like to confirm that DECforms "sends" only ascii 
    character bytes down the line to a VT terminal.  If this is so, I can
    "line scrape" an ansi "Bell" character and cause a light to flash. (I'm
    stuck however if DECforms sends binary or bit-level data to a VT 
    because it may trigger the "line scraping" device which is looking for
    a "Bell" character.
    
    Any thoughts?
    
    Thanks, Paul Toyonaga
    
    P.S. The VT is sitting on an automotive assembly line.

    Take the demo in .1 and test it - before pressing the key throw the
    terminal into display controls - what comes across the line?