Bug report--window driver 3.51

[Jim Rosenberg]

In article <10581 at stb.UUCP> michael at stb.UUCP (Michael) writes:
>In article <761 at rush.cts.com> bob at rush.cts.com (Bob Ames) writes:
>>In article <10552 at stb.UUCP>, michael at stb.UUCP (Michael) writes:
>>> Bug report, window driver 3.51.
>>> Problem: When windows are switched, the window that was active has all of
>>> its keyboard input flushed.
>>
>>I consider this a feature.  This feature was included in all UNIX PC releases
>
>Well, I don't. It has the following effects:
>
>#1. Ctrl-s is lost when you change windows
>#2. If you type part of a command, switch windows to check the file name in
>	another window, and then go back, there is a command line there
>	that you typed but the system ignores.

Re #2: There seems to be some interaction with the termio state.  In ksh if
you are still "cooked" when you switch windows you will lose your command line,
as reported.  In my opinion what is really a bug here is that YOU GET NO VISUAL
FEEDBACK that you've lost your command line.  When you switch back to the
window the eaten characters still show on the screen.  This is very dangerous.
Just imagine if the argument you first type on switching back is actually the
name of a command, with perhaps nasty side-effects ...

But what is interesting is that if in ksh I remember to type ESC before the
window switch, woila, when I come back *NO* characters have been eaten.  Hittng
ESC causes ksh to consume all of the charaters typed before going into
character-at-a-time I/O, so it appears that when the window manager flushes the
line there is nothing to flush.

One *can* make oneself learn the habit to hit ESC before a window switch, but
it isn't easy!  And of course this does you no good outside of ksh.

[BTW:  I use the vi mode of ksh; no flames please if the character to enter
edit mode for emacs mode isn't ESC -- you get the idea.]
-- 
 Jim Rosenberg
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