Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!swrinde!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!turnkey!jackv
From: jackv@turnkey.tcc.com (Jack F. Vogel)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.sysv386
Subject: Re: Console running ISC setcolor goes bizarro after CU disconnect
Message-ID: <1991May02.154207.594@turnkey.tcc.com>
Date: 2 May 91 15:42:07 GMT
References: <298@raysnec.UUCP>
Reply-To: jackv@turnkey.TCC.COM (Jack F. Vogel)
Distribution: usa
Organization: Turnkey Computer Consultants, Westchester, CA
Lines: 35

In article <298@raysnec.UUCP> shwake@raysnec.UUCP (Ray Shwake) writes:
 
>	Running ISC 2.2. Console virtual terminals typically run
>"setcolor -f hi_white,blue". Every so often, after disconnecting from a
>cu session, the console becomes unreadable with graphic characters taking
>the place of the former ascii. If I type "setcolor", color rows one and
>three appear OK, two and four are illegible. At that point, I can run
>"setcolor -f white,blue", and continue working, but attempts to run the
>colors on lines two and four still don't work. Some time later, those
>other colors *can* be invoked. Is this a known bug?
 
I have this happen to me every once and a while as well. As best as I can
tell what is happening is some serial line noise is zapping the VGA
hardware in a way that makes it turn off highlighting, therefore any of
the colors that use it are no longer displayable. I have also seen certain
rare cases where another spurt of noise turns it back on! More often, however
I need to reboot to get highlighting back.

This is real bothersome for me, since I work remotely fairly frequently,
and for whatever reason on a 370 VM TCP/IP wants to draw its logon screen
highlighted, so once the VGA gets zapped I cannot log directly onto any
of the mainframes :-{.

What I have been trying to find on the system (ISC 2.2) is code in any of
the header files to support writing a simple program to do a reset of the
card. I haven't been able to find anything. I suspect the X server would
have some useful code but I don't have filesystem space to load the code.
Does anyone out there have some sample source to do such a thing??

Any clues appreciated!

-- 
Jack F. Vogel			jackv@locus.com
AIX370 Technical Support	       - or -
Locus Computing Corp.		jackv@turnkey.TCC.COM