SUMMARY: How to configure vt100/wyse50 in VP/ix for line graphics

[Bill Irwin]

I originally posted:

>I am trying to configure an Altos III (vt100 compatible, almost) and Wyse
>60  with an ascii keyboard for use with VP/ix.  I have a front-end script
>which  changes  the  TERM variable from vt100 to vt100nam,  but  for  the
>wyse60 it changes to wyse50n.
>
>When  I  invoke  the VP/ix menu (ESC SO or ESC s) I  get  bad  characters
>drawing the box that surrounds the menu.  The vt100 prints "q"s and "x"s,
>while  the wyse50nam prints all "."s.  I have not been able to locate  in
>TFM  where the appropriate graphic characters are specified.  In the file
>"/usr/vpix/term/wyse50n",  the  output  characters mappings  section  has
>every line being mapped to a ".".

I  received one email providing the VT100 codes for start/stop graphics  mode,
but  nothing indicating that I didn't have to hand modify the output scan code
mappings  in the "/usr/vpix/term/[altos3-nam|wyse50n]" files.  I was  prepared
to  do  this for the Altos terminal because I know it is not completely  VT100
compatible,  but  I certainly expected the Wyse 60 (running as a Wyse  50)  to
produce  flawless graphics.  After all, what does a "supported terminal" mean,
if not that "it works properly"?

Anyone familiar with the scan code mapping tables in these files will know the
task  I had before me, especially without a table to provide the scan code for
each  of  the  eleven  line drawing characters used to draw  a  box  which  is
dissected vertically and horizontally.

The solution came some 4 hours later after substituting all the letters of the
alphabet  (a-z|A-Z)  for each of a range of scan codes, then running VP/ix  to
see  how  it  was  drawing  boxes.  Eventually I started  seeing  some  of  my
substitute  characters  in  the box, which then told me  which  character  was
supposed to be there and therefore the scan code that needed changing.

Another  trip into the scan code mapping table to find the character I saw and
to  insert  the  sequence that actually draws the correct  graphic  character.
After  getting one terminal configured correctly this way, it was an easy task
to  note  the scan codes that were actually changed, and only deal with  those
codes for the second terminal.

My  question  remains:  why would SCO put out a mature product like VP/ix  and
have  a  "supported  terminal"  (Wyse  50)   using  periods  for  box  drawing
characters?  That doesn't fit my definition of supported.  8^(

If  anyone else is having this problem and would like to know which scan codes
produce  which position graphic for box drawing, email me and I will give  you
the numbers.  It will save you about 3 or 4 hours of trial and error.
-- 
Bill Irwin    -       The Westrheim Group     -    Vancouver, BC, Canada
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