4.2 Window Management System

[George Nelan]

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			WINDOW MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

A window management system for 4.2bsd systems is being released by George 
Nelan at Arizona State University.  The system, WMS, is in the public domain 
and consists of :
- MSH, an executable meta-shell manager which resides on the host, manages
sub-shells (csh or user) via ptys, and coordinates communications with an 
external window manager by multiplexing standard I/O;
- WTY, a host-resident executable window manager built upon MSH, utilizing the 
TERMCAP database so that most programs can run in windows (vi,..);
- TOOLS, a set of code fragments to assist the do-it-yourself types in
developing their own [remote] window managers (PC,..) for linkage to MSH;
- DOCUMENTATION, a complete set of user manuals in the form of three 'man' 
entries; and last, but not least,
- SOURCE CODE.

A brief description of WTY follows:
WTY emulates a virtual windowing terminal on a variety of devices (vt100,..).
The underlying actual device must support controllable scrolling regions and
cursor motion as described by a [user-defined] TERMCAP entry. Windows are 
defined as multiplexed scrolling regions; all windows span the width of the 
display.  Each window is truly scrollable (without redraws) with all visible 
windows the same size.  WTY multiplexes sub-shell output into windows in a 
way that allows apparent concurrency.  A 'select current input window' command 
may be used to direct user input to any visible window.  Other commands allow 
window creation/deletion, opening/folding (making visible/invisible), 
labeling (windows are not bordered since context usually provides sufficient 
implicit discrimination clues - labels explicitly delimit borders), and 
buffer manipulation: create/delete (I/O recording), open/fold (enable/disable 
recording), and read selection (take a buffer as user input).  Window size 
information is communicated to sub-shells by a wty-generated "setenv TERM <X>" 
message, where <X> identifies a virtual terminal related to the window size.  
A resize command allows retransmission of this message at any time.  A 'nice' 
option on all commands which affect window size allows quiet dynamic
manipulation of windows (no automatic "setenv" messages are generated).  A
help command  provides a summary and the command character prefix may be user-
defined.

The system has been operational since June 1985 and seems to be fairly robust 
and relatively efficient.  We will provide a copy of the system in 1600 BPI 
TAR format if you send us:

- A mag tape (the system release is ~ 256KB).
- Return postage or a check payable for same made out to:
	"A.S.U. Engineering Computer Center"
  Or indicate shipping collect.
  Shipping will be via UPS unless you specify otherwise.

Upon special request, a shar version is available via UUCP.  As this file is
123KB long (~20 min @ 1200B), we prefer tape transfers.

Contact:

	George Nelan
	Engineering Research Center (ERC 207)
	Arizona State University
	Tempe, Arizona, 85287
	(602)-965-2791

	UUCP:	
	...{ucbvax,ihnp4}!arizona!asuvax!nelan
	...ihnp4!noao!terak!asuvax!nelan

	CSNET:	
	nelan at asu