Conference csc32::consolemanager

684.0. "FYI on PCM/VCS issue with DEC2000-500" by CSC32::D_DONOVAN (SummaNulla(The High Point of Nothing)) Wed Apr 19 1995 18:43

	I would like to post the following as a "heads-up" and also find out if 
anyone has observed this behavior with either the  AlphaServer 200 (Mustang) 
and/or the AlphaServer 400 (Avanti).

Thanks,

Dennis

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               <<< AYJEN1::USER3:[NOTES$LIBRARY]JENSEN.NOTE;1 >>>
                        -< Jensen Support Information >-
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Note 427.0            Motif and alternate console problem?               1 reply
CSC32::D_DONOVAN "SummaNulla(The High Point of Noth" 29 lines  13-APR-1995 15:55
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Configuration:	DEC2000-500
		OpenVMS V6.1
		SRM 1.6
		ECU 1.6
		PAL X5.48 

	I need a better understanding of the use of alternate console on a 
DEC2000-500.  I am working a customer issue currently in which he is having a 
problem setting an alternate console (>>>SET CONSOLE SERIAL) and running 
Motif� at the same time.  He has a cable on the COM1 port connected to a 
DECserver port for purposes of VCS console control.  However, when the system 
is set up in this manner Motif� fails to initialize complaining:
					.
					.
		DECWindows startup command failed to initialize the 
		graphics devices due to the failure of the input devices
		to be available...
					.
					.
					.

	I had him repeatedly check the keyboard and mouse connections which 
work fine when the console is set to "VGA".  I reviewed several previous notes
in this Conference especially #128 where in REPLY #4 seems to imply the 
Motif will only initialize if the console is in "VGA" mode.  Is this true?

Thanks,

Dennis
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Note 427.1            Motif and alternate console problem?                1 of 1
STAR::KLEINSORGE "OpenVMS Alpha Graphics"            18 lines  14-APR-1995 02:35
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    Correct.  The Jensen console was rolled independently from the WS
    group that normally does it.  Some black magic regarding CTB type
    4 and how to do alternate console was not apparent to them.  Some
    of the mess was fixed (originally the com lines were non-functional
    when you used Motif).  But I believe that this restriction is still
    there, and is not likely to be changed.
    
    The problem is that I believe the console builds a type 4 CTB as the
    first CTB, and VMS does not configure the mouse/keyboard unless it's
    a type 4.  The type 4 CTB is needed because VMS uses FW callbacks to
    talk to the mouse & keyboard, and does not program them directly.  On
    all other workstations, alternate console is done through the type 4
    CTB.  Type 2 CTB's are used by server systems without graphics (like
    the Cobra and Laser -- although TL has a type 4 for graphics ;-)