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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

3519.0. "Low level keyboard IO, how?" by WPOPTH::ZAMBOTTI (It only works after you ask!) Wed Oct 24 1990 08:59

Hello everyone,

I would like to know how X accomplishes low level keyboard IO.  This is because
I want to do the same thing without X.

I believe that it is possible through X to know when the shift/alt/ctrl keys are
pressed and I would like to be able to find the same information in a non X
program.

I have taken a look at ioctl(1) & tty(4) but there doesn't seem to be the level
of input that I require.

Ok so who is gonna be the clever one and let me know how simple it is?

I need this to help a customer port his application!

Walter Zambotti.

T.R Title User Personal
Name Date Lines

3519.1 Special drivers to uderstand the LK201 scan protocols. IO::MCCARTNEY James T. McCartney III - DTN 381-2244 ZK02-2/N24 Wed Oct 24 1990 14:24 20

T.R	Title	User	Personal Name	Date	Lines
3519.1	Special drivers to uderstand the LK201 scan protocols.	IO::MCCARTNEY	James T. McCartney III - DTN 381-2244 ZK02-2/N24	`Wed Oct 24 1990 14:24`	20
	I'm assuming you want to talk directly to the keyboard not a terminal. The LK201 and LK401 keyboards all talk 4800 baud serial at RS232-C signal levels but send data which is not ASCII. There is some documentation in the (believe it or not) Rainbow 100 technical manuals (as well as the LK401 protocol specification). I'm not sure about Ultrix, but VMS uses specialized drivers which connect in behind the regular terminal driver. For Ultrix, you may be able to put the port into RAW mode and do everything using normal reads and writes but I've never tried it. BTW, the task is not just as simple as issuing a read and waiting for the keyboard to squawk. Also, if there is a VTxxx terminal attached, you don't have control over the keyboard directly. There is some support in the VT420 for the additional modifiers but it is nothing like the protocol used for X11. James

I'm assuming you want to talk directly to the keyboard not a terminal.

The LK201 and LK401 keyboards all talk 4800 baud serial at RS232-C signal
levels but send data which is not ASCII. There is some documentation in the
(believe it or not) Rainbow 100 technical manuals (as well as the LK401 
protocol specification).

I'm not sure about Ultrix, but VMS uses specialized drivers which connect
in behind the regular terminal driver. For Ultrix, you may be able to put
the port into RAW mode and do everything using normal reads and writes but
I've never tried it. 

BTW, the task is not just as simple as issuing a read and waiting for the
keyboard to squawk. Also, if there is a VTxxx terminal attached, you don't 
have control over the keyboard directly. There is some support in the VT420
for the additional modifiers but it is nothing like the protocol used for 
X11.

James