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Conference bulova::decw_jan-89_to_nov-90

Title:DECWINDOWS 26-JAN-89 to 29-NOV-90
Notice:See 1639.0 for VMS V5.3 kit; 2043.0 for 5.4 IFT kit
Moderator:STAR::VATNE
Created:Mon Oct 30 1989
Last Modified:Mon Dec 31 1990
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:3726
Total number of notes:19516

2684.0. "why does F11 key give different Ultrix X server result" by HANNAH::OSMAN (see HANNAH::IGLOO$:[OSMAN]ERIC.VT240) Mon Apr 30 1990 12:43


Hi.  I'm having this problem, which seems to be an Ultrix X server problem
when debugging my DECwindows tek 4125 emulator.

The problem is, I hit F11 key on the LK201 keyboard, and then when I call
XlookupString, I get back the keysym for "escape".

Why aren't I getting the keysym for the F11 key ?

I get the correct result for F12 key and F13 key etc.

Also, the VMS X server gives me the proper keysym for F11 key.

Thanks for any explanation.

/Eric
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2684.1GILROY::kleeTue May 01 1990 13:198
The default seems to be hardcoded in the Ultrix X server.  I don't know
the real reasoning, but note that ESC is very important in U*IX, there
is no ESC key on a LK201 keyboard, and a VT100 generates an ESC for the
F11 key.  You can change the default keymapping with something like:

xmodmap -e "keycode 113 = F11"

Ken
2684.2why are VMS and Ultrix servers different wrt kbds?HANNAH::OSMANsee HANNAH::IGLOO$:[OSMAN]ERIC.VT240Tue May 01 1990 14:2423
    
    Sorry, xmodmap won't do.
    
    I'm developing DECwindows tek emulator, and it's to be sold as a
    product.
    
    TEK applications use the 8 function keys on tek keyboard, for which the
    emulator uses F11,12,13,14 and 17,18,19,20 on LK201 keyboard.
    
    Product needs to run on both VMS and Ultrix.
    
    I don't see how I can expect my customers to run xmodmap.
    
    Would someone in X server devo-land please comment on this VMS/Ultrix
    difference ?
    
    By the way, my workaround is to check when I get a keyboard event to
    see if the keycode is 113 AND the keysym as returned by XLookupString
    is XK_ESC.  If both are true, I use XK_F11 as the keysym instead.
    
    Thanks.
    
    /Eric
2684.3QUARK::LIONELFree advice is worth every centTue May 01 1990 14:358
Re: .1

A VT100 has no F11 key.  But VT2xx and VT3xx terminals will send <ESC> for
F11 if they are set to VT100 mode.

On an LK201, CTRL-3 generates an <ESC>.

			Steve
2684.4emulators should implement ESCAPE, not serversHANNAH::OSMANsee HANNAH::IGLOO$:[OSMAN]ERIC.VT240Wed May 02 1990 14:3618
    re: .3
    
    Steve, I hope your message wasn't an attempt to defend the current
    behavior.
    
    The Ultrix server should map the F11 keycode, which is 113, to the
    XK_F11 keysym, *not* to XK_ESCAPE which is what it currently maps to
    (via XLookupString).
    
    Whether that keysym eventually gets further mapped to ESCAPE should
    be an emulator's business, not the server's.
    
    Any Ultrix server people listening ?  I'm still interested in hearing
    what you think.
    
    THanks.
    
    /Eric
2684.5QUARK::LIONELFree advice is worth every centWed May 02 1990 16:087
Re: .4

It wasn't - I was just trying to correct some misinformation.

I agree that the server has no business mapping F11 to <ESC>.

				Steve
2684.6GILROY::kleeThu May 03 1990 18:1415
Apparently, the Ultrix X server group does't follow the VMS notes
conferences.  That's probably reasonable, as the Ultrix interface is
poor.  QARs are probably the best way to reach them.

I asked a couple of them about the F11 keysym thing.  ESC is a very
commonly used key in the UNIX world.  Ultrix users expect F11 to
generate an ESC and will be pretty upset if we change this.  Both users
and developers seem to consider this a workaround for the fact that DEC
keyboards don't have real ESC keys.  

If you can think of a good solution that doesn't negatively impact the
current user base, please send a QAR.

Ken
 
2684.7HANNAH::MESSENGERBob MessengerThu May 03 1990 18:4921
Re: .6

I'll probably submit a QAR.

Currently the default in DECterm on Ultrix is to be in VT100 mode, which means
that DECterm re-maps F11 to escape anyway.  In VT300 mode, though, they've
"forced" DECterm not to emulate the terminal correctly.  Not only that, they've
prevented shift-F11 from being used as a user defined key (UDK).

There is an option in DECterm to re-map the keys so that ~` sends an escape.
Maybe the real issue isn't so much DECterm as xterm.

I could modify DECterm so that it treats XK_Escape as if it were XK_F11, but
that would make DECterm even more LK201-specific than it already is.

I think the ideal solution is: modify the Ultrix server so that F11 sends
XK_F11, and modify xterm so that F11, ^3 and ^[ all send escape (assuming it
isn't already doing this).  DECterm should work as expected the way it is,
since VT100 mode is the default.

				-- Bob
2684.8Escape key seen on LK401 keyboardABSZK::SZETOSimon Szeto, Asian Base-Systems @ZKOFri May 18 1990 19:5212
>There is an option in DECterm to re-map the keys so that ~` sends an escape.
    
    At DECUS I got to play with the new VT420.  It has a Set-up option to
    remap the key to the left of the "1" key on the main keyboard.  I think
    that's the right solution to bring back the Escape key and leave F11 be
    F11.
    
    Interestingly the VT1000, which like the VT420 uses the LK401 keyboard,
    doesn't have this Set-up option.
    
    --Simon
    
2684.9Look at the KEYMAP file for the keyboard selection you're usingCVG::PETTENGILLmulpSat May 19 1990 03:327
As someone who follows unix conferences, I got the feeling that the unix people
wanted to manufacture their own keyboard, or something.

Unless I totally misunderstand the way things work, I beleive the only thing
that is `hardcoded' is the keymap file.  I would think that you could supply
a new set of keymap files with your TEK emulator, named something like
TEK_US_LK201.
2684.10Look at SET-UP options of VTE on VT1000!JEANNE::KEELERGary N. Keeler 235-8634Fri Jun 15 1990 12:0523
RE:   <<< Note 2684.8 by ABSZK::SZETO "Simon Szeto, Asian Base-Systems @ZKO" >>>
                     -< Escape key seen on LK401 keyboard >-

>There is an option in DECterm to re-map the keys so that ~` sends an escape.
    
>    Interestingly the VT1000, which like the VT420 uses the LK401 keyboard,
>    doesn't have this Set-up option.
    
    --Simon,

I guess you haven't really looked at the SET-UP in the VT1000 VTE terminal
emulator. The VTE allows you to remap several keys as follows:

~` to ESC ; <> to ~` ; and upper case , . to <>.

This doesn't help you today in DECwindows but does give the fuctions that you
want in a terminal emulator.

Regards,
Gary