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From: eriks@yetti.UUCP (Eriks Rugelis)
Newsgroups: mod.computers.vax
Subject: RE: Toggle Interactive/Detached
Message-ID: <8605232225.AA04004@seismo.CSS.GOV>
Date: Fri, 23-May-86 01:08:18 EDT
Article-I.D.: seismo.8605232225.AA04004
Posted: Fri May 23 01:08:18 1986
Date-Received: Mon, 26-May-86 02:05:08 EDT
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Reply-To: yetti!eriks@seismo.CSS.GOV (Eriks Rugelis)
Organization: York University Computing Services, Toronto, Ontario
Lines: 33
Keywords: trapping broadcast messages in detached and/or batch processes
Approved: info-vax@sri-kl.arpa


> I am interested in making a detached process appear to be an interactive
> process that is visible via $ show user. That process then should receive
> messages sent to him using sys$brkthru. Is that possible and has somebody
> already written a routine modifying it?
> And how, on the other hand can an interactive process be made detached, whereas
> in reality it is still connected to a terminal with a user?
>
> Christoph Gatzka                <ZRPLIB3@DTUZDV5A> in Bitnet

here at york, we have been working on at least part of what you want...
in our case, i need a process that is not attached to a physical terminal
thus does not waste a terminal port but is still capable of responding
in some intelligent fashion to broadcast messages

we've been experimenting with kevin carosso's ptydriver (pseudo-terminal)
with some success...  we're just trying to get opcom to recognize a pty
as a legitimate terminal so that we can trap and react to opcom messages

it isn't working quite yet but i fully expect that it will in the very near
future

if you are interested in the final result send me mail and i'll send you
a copy of the finished hack

p.s.  the ptydriver is a really neat piece of code and was submitted to
at least two u.s. decus tapes..  it still works under vms 4.3.. take that
as a good omen

          Voice: Eriks Rugelis
        Ma Bell: 416/736-5257 x.2688
     Electronic: {allegra|decvax|ihnp4|linus}!utzoo!yetti!eriks.UUCP
              or eriks@yulibra.BITNET