Chapter 8. Using SoftWindows with a text terminal
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Chapter 8. Using SoftWindows with a text terminal

This chapter describes how to run SoftWindows from a serial text terminal connected to your Unix workstation. It explains the limitations of running SoftWindows on a text terminal, and describes how to configure the text terminal so that you can run SoftWindows.

It also describes the special keyboard sequences provided on the text terminal version of SoftWindows to enter special PC key combinations for your PC applications.

Silicon Graphics workstations support the following text terminals: ansi, vt100, vt220, and wyse60.

Conventions

The following conventions are used in this chapter:

  • keyA-keyB means keyA and keyB pressed simultaneously.

  • keyA, keyB means keyA pressed, followed by keyB pressed.

Limitations of running SoftWindows on a text terminal

Because of the restricted facilities on text terminals, the terminal version of SoftWindows has the following limitations:

  • You can use only monochrome display adapter (MDA) applications. You cannot use applications that require Super VGA, VGA, EGA, CGA, or Hercules displays.

  • You cannot run Microsoft Windows, since this requires a graphics display.

  • You cannot use a mouse.

  • You cannot freeze SoftWindows.

  • Certain keys or key combinations cannot be entered from the keyboard directly, but have to be entered using a special sequence of keys.

  • A menu driven interface is not available for configuring SoftWindows. Instead you can configure SoftWindows by editing the .swin2config file directly; refer to Chapter 7, "SoftWindows configuration file" in the SoftWindows for Unix Administrator's Guide for details.

  • Certain PC characters may not be available.

  • You cannot flush ports individually.

  • Character attributes such as reverse video, bold, underline, or blinking are not supported.

  • The automatic updating of SoftWindows .hdf files does not work in terminal mode. You must either update the .hdf file under Motif or create a new file.

Running SoftWindows

To run SoftWindows from a serial terminal, you need to have the same environment set up as for an X terminal, except that the DISPLAY environment variable is not needed.

To run SoftWindows, enter the following command at the terminal prompt:

swin2 -term

This will run SoftWindows in serial terminal mode, using the default terminal type.

To run SoftWindows with a specific terminal type, give the terminal type after the -term option; for example:

swin2 -term vt100

You can also specify a different keymap, to determine how the serial terminal keys map onto PC keys, using the -keymap option. For example:

swin2 -term vt100 -keymap vt220

The PC startup text will be displayed, followed by the MS-DOS C:\> prompt. You can now use MS-DOS or run PC applications as you would on a PC.

Exiting from SoftWindows

To exit from SoftWindows first return to MS-DOS and exit from any applications you are running. Then give the command:

EXITSWIN

Alternatively, give one of the following key sequences as appropriate:

Table 8-1. Keyboard Sequences to Exit SoftWindows

Terminal

Key sequence

vt100/ansi

Ctrl-N,Esc,1

vt220

Esc,1

wyse60

Ctrl-N,Esc,1


Using SoftWindows

Functions available from the Actions menu in the Motif version of SoftWindows are chosen using special key combinations when you are using a text terminal.

For more information about each function refer to the appropriate section in Chapter 4, “Using SoftWindows”.

Activating/deactivating drives and ports

Use the following key sequences to activate and deactivate the PC drives A: or B:, and the COM/LPT ports:

Activating/deactivating floppy disk drive A:

Table 8-2. Keyboard Sequences to Activate or Deactivate Drive A:

Terminal

Key sequence

vt100/ansi

Ctrl-N,Esc,6

vt220

Esc,6

wyse60

Ctrl-N,Esc,6


Activating/deactivating floppy disk drive B:

Table 8-3. Keyboard Sequences to Activate or Deactivate Drive B:

Terminal

Key sequence

vt100/ansi

Ctrl-N,Esc,7

vt220

Esc,7

wyse60

Ctrl-N,Esc,7


Activating/deactivating COM/LPT ports

Table 8-4. Keyboard Sequencess to Activate or Deactivate COM/LPT Ports

Terminal

Key sequence

vt100/ansi

Ctrl-N,Esc,8

vt220

Esc,8

wyse60

Ctrl-N,Esc,8


Flushing ports

To flush the COM/LPT ports type the following sequence:

Table 8-5. Keyboard Sequences to Flush Ports

Terminal

Key sequence

vt100/ansi

Ctrl-N,Esc,2

vt220

Esc,2

wyse60

Ctrl-N,Esc,2


Editing the SoftWindows Configuration File

To edit the SoftWindows configuration file type the following sequence:

Table 8-6. Keyboard Sequences to Edit Configuration File

Terminal

Key sequence

vt100/ansi

Ctrl-N,Esc,4

vt220

Esc,4

wyse60

Ctrl-N,Esc,4

This loads your configuration file into an editor (by default, vi) to allow you to edit it, and will restart SoftWindows on exit if necessary.

Listing the interface

To list the SoftWindows interface settings give the following sequence:

Table 8-7. Keyboard Sequences to List Interface Settings

Terminal

Key sequence

vt100/ansi

Ctrl-N,Esc,5

vt220

Esc,5

wyse60

Ctrl-N,Esc,5

The settings are listed in the following form:

The COM/LPT ports are all on.
Floppy Drive A is on.
Floppy Drive B is off.
The configuration editor is vi.
Press any key to return to SoftWindows.

Rocking the display

SoftWindows emulates the 25-line MDA display, but if the terminal is set to 24 x 80 characters, only 24 lines will be visible.

SoftWindows provides a rock screen facility to switch between displaying lines 1–24, or 2–25.

To rock the screen, press the hot key sequence:

Table 8-8. Keyboard Sequences to Rock the Screen

Terminal

Key sequence

vt100/ansi

Ctrl-N,Esc,9

vt220

Esc,9

wyse60

Ctrl-N,Esc,9

Rocking the screen has no effect on a 25 line display.

Using the keyboard

The text terminal version of SoftWindows includes extensions to overcome the limitations imposed by the serial terminal. These provide the following features:

  • The most important functions available from menus in the full version of SoftWindows are provided by special escape sequences.

  • Certain key combinations which do not produce distinct characters from the serial terminal are replaced by multi-key sequences.

  • Keys on a standard PC keyboard that cannot be input from the serial terminal keyboard are provided by sequences of keys.

These extensions are described in greater detail in the following sections for each terminal type supported by SoftWindows.

VT100 and ANSI

Table 8-9. Keyboard Substitutions for VT100 and ANSI

Use this key sequence

To generate

Ctrl-L

Toggle Caps Lock

Ctrl-L,Ctrl-L

Ctrl-L

Clear Line

F9

Clear Display

F10

Prev

DEL

Next

INS


Numeric Key Pad

Table 8-10. Numeric Keyboard Substitutions for VT100 and ANSI

Use this key sequence

To generate

0

Backspace

.

Caps Lock

1

End

3

Page Down

4

Ctrl

5

Alt

6

Left Shift

,

Right Shift

7

Home

8

Hold

9

Page Up

+

Scroll Lock

*

Escape

Sys Req/-

Shift Print Screen

To get the normal keypad keys prefix the key with Ctrl-N. For example, Ctrl-N, 0 produces 0.

Command keys

Table 8-11. Command Key Substitutions for VT100 and ANSI

Use this key sequence

To generate

Ctrl-N,Ctrl-N

Ctrl-N

Ctrl-N,Esc,1

Exit SoftWindows

Ctrl-N,Esc,2

Flush COM/LPT ports

Ctrl-N,Esc,3

Refresh Screen

Ctrl-N,Esc,4

Edit SoftWindows configuration file

Ctrl-N,Esc,5

List current configuration

Ctrl-N,Esc,6

Activate/deactivate floppy A

Ctrl-N,Esc,7

Activate/deactivate floppy B

Ctrl-N,Esc,8

Activate/deactivate COM/LPT ports

Ctrl-N,Esc,9

Rock Screen

Ctrl-F,n

Maps to Fn


VT220

Table 8-12. Keyboard Substitutions for VT220

Use this key sequence

To generate

F6

Break

F7

Caps Lock

F8

Toggle special key mode.

The six keys above the four arrow keys are mapped as follows, depending on the state of the "toggle special key mode," key F8.

Table 8-13. More Keyboard Substitutions for VT220

Use this key sequence

F8 off

F8 on

Find

Home

Ctrl

Insert Here

Insert

Left Shift

Remove

Delete

Hold

Select

End

Alt

Prev Screen

Page Up

Right Shift

Next Screen

Page Down

 


Command keys

Table 8-14. Command Keys Substitutions for VT220

Use this key sequence

To generate

Esc,1

Exit SoftWindows

Esc,2

Flush COM/LPT ports

Esc,3

Refresh Screen

Esc,4

Edit SoftWindows configuration file

Esc,5

List current configuration

Esc,6

Activate/deactivate floppy A

Esc,7

Activate/deactivate floppy B

Esc,8

Activate/deactivate COM/LPT ports

Esc,9

Rock Screen


Wyse 60

Num Lock on the keyboard changes the keypad between numeric and application functions.

The Insert/Del block of 6 keys are supported.

The four stand-alone cursor keys are not supported since they produce codes that conflict with other keys. They actually map as follows:

Table 8-15. Keyboard Substitutions for Wyse 60

Use this key

To generate

Left Arrow

Backspace

Right Arrow

Right Arrow (but Ctrl-L will also produce Right Arrow)

Up Arrow

Up Arrow (but Ctrl-K will also produce Up Arrow)

Down Arrow

Return

Function keys are supported as Unshifted, Shifted and Control. To generate an Alt-Function key you must generate the specific Alt key.

The modifier keys do not produce events. Therefore, some combinations of keys or modifiers will have to be produced by generating the modifiers specifically, as shown in the following table. These controls are case sensitive.

Table 8-16. Case Sensitive Keyboard Substitutions for Wyse 60

Use this key sequence

To generate

Ctrl-F,Ctrl-F

DOS Ctrl-F

Ctrl-F,s

Left Shift

Ctrl-F,a

Left Alt

Ctrl-F,c

Left Ctrl

Ctrl-F,n

Num Lock

Ctrl-F,o

Scroll Lock

Ctrl-F,l

Caps Lock

Ctrl-F,b

Pause/Break key

Ctrl-F,p

Print Screen

Ctrl-F,r,s

Right Shift

Ctrl-F,r,c

Right Ctrl

Ctrl-F,r,a

Right Alt

Since the numeric keypad produces a mixture of events, keys from the numeric keypad can be produced in the following manner. Note that the required digits can be generated from either the keypad in numeric mode or the top row of digits:

Table 8-17. Numeric Keyboard Substitutions for Wyse 60

Use this key sequence

To generate

Ctrl-N,Ctrl-N

Ctrl-N

Ctrl-N,0

Keypad 0/Insert

Ctrl-N,1

Keypad 1/End

Ctrl-N,2

Keypad 2/Down Arrow

Ctrl-N,3

Keypad 3/Page Down

Ctrl-N,4

Keypad 4/Left Arrow

Ctrl-N,5

Keypad 5

Ctrl-N,6

Keypad 6/Right Arrow

Ctrl-N,7

Keypad 7/Home

Ctrl-N,8

Keypad 8/Up Arrow

Ctrl-N,9

Keypad 9/Page Up


Command keys

The following commands are available:

Table 8-18. Command Keys Substitutions for Wyse 60

Use this key sequence

To generate

Ctrl-N,Esc,1

Exit SoftWindows

Ctrl-N,Esc,2

Flush COM/LPT ports

Ctrl-N,Esc,3

Refresh Screen

Ctrl-N,Esc,4

Edit SoftWindows configuration file

Ctrl-N,Esc,5

List current configuration

Ctrl-N,Esc,6

Activate/deactivate floppy A

Ctrl-N,Esc,7

Activate/deactivate floppy B

Ctrl-N,Esc,8

Activate/deactivate COM/LPT ports

Ctrl-N,Esc,9

Rock Screen


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