Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!apple!portal!cup.portal.com!thad
From: thad@cup.portal.com (Thad P Floryan)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: JR-Comm VT100 emulation
Message-ID: <37397@cup.portal.com>
Date: 30 Dec 90 15:31:47 GMT
References: <600@caslon.cs.arizona.edu>
Organization: The Portal System (TM)
Lines: 41

dave@cs.arizona.edu (Dave P. Schaumann) in <600@caslon.cs.arizona.edu> writes:

	I am running JR-Comm, V1.01 (unregistered) to acess the school's Un*x
	box.  Upon login, I tell the computer I have a VT100.  This works fine
	for more and rn.  It does not work well for GnuEmacs :(.
	Specifically, when I do block inserts or deletes, the screen is not
	updated properly.  If I do a CTRL/L (screen-refresh), the screen is
	displayed properly.  Also, the backspace char erases the character it
	backs over (again, only on the screen).

	So, my question is: what can I do to fix it?  I remember hearing
	somewhere that there is a termcap for the Amiga.  Where is it?  I
	really like JR-Comm, and I really like GnuEmacs -- I would be loath to
	give up either.  Any help would be appreciated beyond the ability of
	mere mortal man to comprehend...

Sigh.  Don't people read previous postings?  Almost NO terminal emulator for
ANY computer will properly emulate a VT100 (as tested using vttest).  The one
I use on the Amiga is Handshake which works PERFECTLY with GNU EMACS, EMACS on
a DEC-20, VAX/VMS' SMG screen applications, etc etc.

It would be less trouble for YOU to simply toss JR-Comm and get Handshake.

If you're really set in your ways, you will have to determine by trial-and-
error what brain-damaged subset of VT100 capabilities that JR-Comm does support
and write your own termcap or terminfo description file, and call it something
OTHER than "vt100".  Suggest you get a copy of the Nutsell "terminfo and
termcap" book to help you.  You "may" be able to start from the vt100 entry
and delete EVERYTHING dealing with line and character insert and delete, and
region scrolling for starters.

Another alternative, though I haven't tried it, is the commercially-available
A-Talk-III package for the Amiga; its author, Marco Papa, claims it does pass
the vttest suite, so it should work for your intended application.

As a hint, once you have a proper emulator, you're better off specifying "dt80"
instead of "vt100" due to fewer pad and fill chars sent to the terminal.  I
have real VT100 and DT80 (Datamedia) terminals with which I've run my tests,
but I exclusively use Handshake nowadays.

Thad Floryan [ thad@cup.portal.com (OR) ..!sun!portal!cup.portal.com!thad ]