Meta (Compose) Key Strangeness on DS3100

[Kurt L. Reisler]

Well, here is another bit of strangeness with our DECStation 3100
workstations.  We are running using Xterm and uws rather than DECterm
and dxwm (under UWS 2.0) so that we can provide a consistant interface
between the DS3100 and the VS2000.  On the DS3100, it you press the
META key and the left mouse button in a window, that window iconifies.
No big deal.  However, the "Compose Key" light on the keyboard comes
on.  It will stay on, until you open the iconified window, and attempt
to type in it.  At that time, it will eat from 1 to 3 characters and
then the keyboard will feep at you as the light goes out.  It is also
odd that this happens only if the "Compose Key" light is out.  Once it
is lit, all META key actions, in any other windows have no unusual
effects, until you deiconify the window that light the light. 

Is this a problem with

	- the supplied xterm
	- the supplied uwm
	- keyboard setups I am not aware of
	- firmware
	- hardware

and has anyone else noticed the same thing?

I can not tell how dxterm handles this situation, as we are not using it
at the moment.


Kurt Reisler (703) 359-6100
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