Conference misery::feline

>          I would like to know how to get the cat who chase the mouse
>          for decwindows, does anybody can tell me where to find it.
    
>          It used to be in the old conference but I could but did not found 
>          it.
    
>          Jean.
    
    
It can be found by searching for hours through the DECWINDOWS programming
notes conference... or you can copy it from me!

$ SPOOL COPY CERC::CE$PUBLIC:XNEKO.BAK []
$ BACKUP XNEKO.BAK/SAVE [.XNEKO]*.*

It's one file in VMS BACKUP format.  I think that BACKUP command will
extract the files into a subdirectory in your directory.  After it does,
delete XNEKO.BAK.

XNEKO creates a window on DECWINDOWS (XUI or MOTIF) Workstations which
has a little kitty whiches runs around in the window, always in the direction
of your mouse's pointer.  Inside the window, your pointer IS a mouse.
If the Kitty catches your pointer, he gets a satisfied look and falls asleep.

It would run on ULTRIX workstations, too, but I don't have the source to
recompile it.

Bill

    That file is a riot!!!
    
    Edd

     
        Thanks for your help I will try it when I get my window in a month.
       
        JEAN. 

    
    I have a copy of a version for MSWindows if anyones interested.
    
    ellen
    

    I just received a new workstation and the first two things I did were:
    
       o Got help to install the Xneko kitty in the window.  I just love
         that little guy chasing the mouse!!!!!  By the end of the day...he
         must be so tired from all the running around.
    
       o And had a beautiful background picture of a kitty laying
         on it's side on a wall.   It is a real close up shot...and the
         kitty looks so peaceful.   She looks just like my little Abby!
    
    The goal of getting me a workstation was so I could get more work
    done...ha ha ha!!!!
    
    Sandy

    Gee, I wish I could get these goodies.  My system manager's
    are adamantly opposed to these.  Since my node is a satellite
    node instead of standalone.  I have to abide by their rules.
    They say Xneko kitty causes a looping process on my boot node
    and that background pictures eat up too much space.  Geez, the
    only reason I wanted this darned workstation was for those two
    things...send it back!  Just kidding.  ;-)
    
    Jan

WARNING:  TECHNO-MUMBO-JUMBO here.  No value except to workstation
owners whose system managers aren't letting them run XNEKO and display
cat pictures!!!

Jan,

your system manager is misinformed.

>    Gee, I wish I could get these goodies.  My system manager's
>    are adamantly opposed to these.  Since my node is a satellite
>    node instead of standalone.  I have to abide by their rules.
>    They say Xneko kitty causes a looping process on my boot node

	A satellite "asks" for the boot note to load program to it,
	but plays NO part in actually running a simple program like
	this.  There is NO processing being done by the boot node.

	The only possible exception is if your system is set up to
	"push" all the windows to your workstation with the programs
	actually running on the boot node.  If this is the case,
	CHANGE IT.  There's no need to do this; you can run anything
	from your own workstation.

>    and that background pictures eat up too much space.  Geez, the
>    only reason I wanted this darned workstation was for those two
>    things...send it back!  Just kidding.  ;-)

	The space required is a measly 188 blocks.  That's a tiny
	drop in the bucket!!!!  Also, are you using your local disks,
	if any?  You probably have two or three local hard disks which
	is storage that is all yours.  You could keep a thousand kitty
	pictures there.

	The whole purpose of a Local Area VAXcluster is to distribute
	the processing power to the workstations, and make the
	boot node the "repository" of common storage and the Operating
	System.

	Have them call Colorado Springs and talk to VMS Support if they
	don't believe me.

    How do I get the background kitty picture?  Will it run on
    Ultrix RISC systems?  Thanks.
    

    Unfortunately, I do not know enough about workstations yet to go 
    challenge anything.  All I know is that I have a VAX2000, I have a
    hidden area address and node name that are of no value to me at this
    time because the main node I am attached to is the one that actually 
    is doing all the work.  I'm told that if I become a standalone, the 
    system will be much slower (this is from people in my group that have
    standalone workstations).  Also, the node I'm hooked up to is quite
    touchy (having been around this system for years before being hooked
    to it, I can speak from experience).
    
    I would like to have these things but they are not important enough to
    challenge for at this time.  As I add knowledge about my own
    workstation and situation, then I'll begin to express my wants and
    needs a little more intelligently.  Then...watch out!
    
    Jan

    We have a sytems manager who is an absolute doll. Keith came into my
    office about a year ago and said, "Have I got someting for you." He
    installed JNeko kitties right then and there. He is always doing nice
    things for everyone in our group. He is patient, never thinks you are
    stupid, (he calls it uninformed!!) and is quick to respond to any
    problem. If he ever leaves our group I am going with him.
    
    Barbara

    Thanks to a pointer from Sandy, I have the data file and an UltrixRISC
    flavor of the program that displays the gorgeous background photo
    of the kitty.  It's available from OXNARD::USER$3:[kolling.kitty].
    The files you need are kitty.gif;1 and xgifroot.;1  If you use dcp
    to get these, be sure to use the -i switch.  Also, I built it from
    scratch from the sources in that directory (I just said "make", with a
    little library twiddling in the Makefile), so I assume someone can
    built an Ultrix VAX flavor if they want to.  let me know if you
    can't access the directory, I think I set up the protections corectly.
    
    Run it by saying xgifroot kitty.gif.  No "&" is necessary;  it exits
    itself.
    

    Well, it doesn't take challenging the system manager to get these
    things I've discovered.  It just takes talking to a reasonable system
    manager without a double standard and a power complex.  I've recently
    become the proud user of a neko kitty file thanks to a great guy.
    
    Today someone offered to come over and show me how to put a picture in
    my background.  Unfortunately, the picture doesn't work; it puts it
    into 2 windows and I get errors/stack dumps because it can't put the
    colors up (or something like that).  I'm going to check with the guy
    who got me the neko kitty file and see if there's anything that can be
    done.  Then all I have to do is find that kitty background picture
    and see if it will work.
    
    Jan

    Jan, I assume you have a VMS system?  You seem to need two files.
    The kitty.gif file I mentioned a few notes ago works fine on
    either VMS or Ultrix, since it's just data;  you or someone else
    can grab it from my system via the directions in that note.  To run
    on VMS you need a different display program than the Ultrix one I
    got -- see if a program called xgifroot is any place on your system,
    and then do (I think):
    
    xgifroot kitty.gif
    
    

    I can't get the pictures to work on my system.  I have a VS2000 and
    I seem to be short on colors.  The pictures won't work.  The ones
    requiring only 15-16 colors sort of work but the ones (like the kitty
    picture) that require 256 colors cause a stack dump and error messages
    all over the place.  The system tells me is is "utterly unable to
    locate" the colors.  I do have a good friend with a workstation, which
    will run the pictures, who has offered to bring up the kitty picture so 
    I can at least see what it looks like.
    
    Thanks for your help.
    
    Jan

    You have a color monitor Jan??  I am jealous!!
    
    Jo (who got her workstation off DIAL)

    Imagine my surprise when the aforementioned system manager (complete
    with double standard and power complex) showed up at my desk this
    morning to add something neat to my directory.  Something he thought
    a cat crazy person like me would really enjoy.  Imagine his surprise
    when he discovered I already had it.  Yep, you guessed it, it was neko
    kitty.  Gee, I wonder who I've been talking to for the last few weeks
    while I was asking for this.  Maybe ther was a pod person filling in 
    for him. ;-)
    
    Jan

    Gee, I've had one for a few months, but I never thought of installing
    it till last nite, and I got a whole bunch of errors.....any ideas?

    Give us a clue, Michele :-)  What errors?
    

    I deleted the 100+ error messages....I login before I leave and try
    again.
    
    M

    Well it was easier this time, I got a `remote node unknown' when trying
    the command in .1.
    
    Karen I tried copying the xgifroot.;1 from your dir like I think .11
    says to do and it says insufficient privillage.....
    
    Okay, so now what?
    
    	Confused..... %^}

    Re: confused
    
    Me too.  I've asked ops to see why that file can't
    be read, since I set it world readable.
    
    I can get to cerc (the command in .1)  I use the following
    hack to see if systems exist:
    
    MAIL> send
    To:     cerc::foo
    %MAIL-E-NOSUCHUSR, no such user FOO at node FPTVX1
    
    You might try FPTVX1 as the node name.  (Of course,
    I don't actually send mail to "foo" when I'm fiddling as above,
    I control c out of the send after the user-lookup
    comes back.)
    

	There's a world-readable copy of XGIFROOT.EXE at SMURF::GIFS:
	that you're welcome to take.  (There are also close to 800
	.GIF pictures in that directory.)

	Sandy

    Would it be possible for someone to help JJ get Xneko Kitty. 
    I have it...and I was trying to help JJ figure out how to do 
    it...but I am so non-technical I can't figure out what the 
    error messages mean!
    
    Maybe if someone could document exactly what to do in laymans terms...
    it might help some non-technical folks.
    
    Sandy

	First, copy the image file.  I've got it at SMURF::SYS$GAMES:XNEKO.EXE.

	Then, define a symbol in your login.com to run the image:
	(Don't forget to @login after.)

	$ xneko :== $dev:[directory]xneko.exe

	If the image is on a machine other than your workstation, you'll need
	to set the display to your workstation screen:

	$ set display/create/node=your_ws

	Then:

	$ xneko  
		(will run the image in a separate window.)

	$ xneko -root 
		(will put it in your background.)

	I usually spawn it off as a sub-process rather than tie up a window.

	$ spawn/nowait/input=nl: xneko -root

	Hope this helps,

	Sandy

    
    
    	Oh wait Sandy!  I have Xneko!!  eesh.  I thought you meant
    	it was a picture of a kitty that could be used as the background
    	of the workstation.
    
    	sigh....Sorry for the misunderstanding!
    
    	JJ
    

    JJ...your right it was the background picture!!!!  I must be
    losing my kitty mind..thank god it's Friday!!!
    
    Okay...now does anyone have clear directions in laymen terms...to
    get the kitty picture to work.  I know where we can pull it from...
    but we keep getting error messages that I can't understand!!
    
    Sandy

    Sandy, what are the error messages?  Even just one or two might give us
    a clue.
    
    thanks
    

    This was the instructions I used to pull the background picture
    and it worked for me:
    
    symbolrunit :==$sys$system:xgifroot
    symbolrunit stargl::star4$:[dow.gif]kitty.gif
    
    Here is the error message JJ got when using the same instructions:
    
    error activating image SYS$SYSTEM:XGIFROOT
    image file not found $255$DUS99:[sys25.syscommon.][sysexe]xgifroot.exe
    
    Any help would be appreciated and if we don't want to clutter the
    notesfile we can do this offline.
    
    Thanks Karen....
    
    Sandy
    
    

    I believe what this is saying is that xgifroot.exe isn't on
    $sys:$system.  Does JJ have a copy of xgifroot.exe?  If both files
    are on her own directory I think you can say:
    
    run xgifroot.exe kitty.gif
    
    

	Ok, the instructions for XGIFROOT will be nearly the same as
	for XNEKO.  All these 'tools' are similar :^}

	For this symbol to work, the image file (xgifroot.exe) has to
	be in the directory sys$system.  If it's anywhere else, the
	command won't work, which is what I suspect you ran into:

	>> symbolrunit :==$sys$system:xgifroot

	What you need is to define it like this:

	$ xgifroot :== $your_device:[your_directory]xgifroot.exe

	I usually set default to the directory where the .GIF file is
	before I run it.

	Let me know if this doesn't work for you.

	Sandy

             <<< Note 100.31 by BOSPAT::ABRAMS "Doctor of Data" >>>
                          -< Kitty in Window Update >-

Here's an update for anyone who wants to get the Kitty in the window (XNEKO)
from me.  My DECNET node name has changed, so I've re-posted .1 here with
the corrections:


$ SPOOL COPY FPTVX1::CE$PUBLIC:XNEKO.BAK []
$ BACKUP XNEKO.BAK/SAVE [.XNEKO]*.*

It's one file in VMS BACKUP format.  I think that BACKUP command will
extract the files into a subdirectory in your directory.  After it does,
delete XNEKO.BAK.

To run it, see XNEKO.COM and XNEKO2.COM  and follow instructions.  Put the
startup in your DECW$LOGIN.COM file if you want to start it at login.  You
MUST set default to the directory [.XNEKO] before starting, so your
DECW$LOGIN.COM might look like this:

             $ set default [username.xneko]
             $ @xneko
             $ set default sys$login

XNEKO creates a window on VMS DECWINDOWS (XUI or MOTIF) Workstations which
has a little kitty whiches runs around in the window, always in the direction
of your mouse's pointer.  Inside the window, your pointer IS a mouse.
If the Kitty catches your pointer, he gets a satisfied look and falls asleep.

Bill