InfoExplorer (AIX 3.1) from PC-Xsight

[David H Close]

Two weeks ago I asked a question about InfoExplorer using PC-Xsight.  There
were several good answers and I've learned a lot in two weeks.  Unfortunately,
my problem is still not solved.  Please let me recap the problem.

We are running on an RS6000 model 320 with 9021 software.  The Ethernet has,
presently, five PCs, each acting as an X-terminal using a program called
PC-Xsight by Locus.  PC-Xsight runs on DOS with an Ethernet board and
(supposedly) looks like an X-terminal to AIXwindows.  Generally works ok.

When running AIX InfoExplorer while in PC-Xsight, the mouse pointer essentially
disappears, but only within the text portion of an Info window.  The pointer
is correct in the Info window *frame* and elsewhere on the screen.  By
"essentially disappears" I mean that the mouse pointer becomes a rectangle of
the same color as the background.  It can be seen only when it passes over
text.  I have contacted Locus about this problem (three weeks ago); so far,
no results.

Guy Harris (guy at auspex.auspex.com) suggested that Info might be based on the
Andrew toolkit and suggested that we obtain fonts from it.  Further research
showed that Harris was right and we did obtain the Andrew distribution.  I have
copied all 110 fonts from Andrew to a PC, compiled the fdbbdf.c program, and
used it and bdftosnf to create useable Andrew fonts for PC-Xsight.  The general
appearance of Info has improved remarkably.  However, the mouse pointer is
still invisible.

Marc Pawliger (marc at neon.paloalto.ibm.com) confirmed that Info is based on
Andrew.  He stated that Info only uses two cursor fonts, cursor.snf and
icon12.snf.  PC-Xsight comes with cursor but not icon12.  I have copied both
from the Andrew distribution and installed them correctly.  No effect.  Marc
wrote, "Cursor should always be available and the only things that will look
strange if icon12 is missing are text carets and the like."  Doesn't sound
like these fonts are the source of our problem.

Last week I contacted the Andrew group at Carnegie-Mellon.  Unfortunately,
they said that IBM did all the programming on Info and they couldn't imagine
what my problem was.

Let me mention one other difference between Info on the console and Info on
PC-Xsight.  It probably is unrelated, but just in case...  Info windows
include their own banner line within the text area.  This line says
"info ... Customize".  On our console, the line has a colored background.
On PC-Xsight, the background is white.  This probably evidences a color
mapping problem, though colors seem fine elsewhere.  Since the result (white)
is the same as my invisible pointer, possibly there is some connection.

If I really do have all the necessary font files, then the problem must be
protocol related.  Info must initiate some command which Xsight doesn't or
can't handle.  Some command which is not used by Motif or any other
application I've tried thus far on AIX.

All suggestions are welcome.  If anyone has successfully run Info from
PC-Xsight, please write so that we can compare notes.  Thanks to all those
who responded earlier and, hopefully, to those who can help me further.

Dave Close, Compata, Arlington, Texas
compata at cup.portal.com
compata at mcimail.com