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From: rokicki@Navajo.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.micro.amiga
Subject: Re: More errors from console.device
Message-ID: <725@Navajo.ARPA>
Date: Thu, 3-Jul-86 14:38:55 EDT
Article-I.D.: Navajo.725
Posted: Thu Jul  3 14:38:55 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 5-Jul-86 07:08:34 EDT
References: <4021@decwrl.DEC.COM>
Organization: Stanford University
Lines: 21

In article <4021@decwrl.DEC.COM>, ridder@warlok.dec.com writes:
> Further mucking with the console.device seems to indicate that
> a CMD_WRITE returns with io_Error set to the number of characters
> queued for input!  This is very handy data to have, but why
> return this in io_Error (for a WRITE)?  Isn't this just a bit
> perpendicular to the purpose of io_Error?  Besides it isn't even
> documented.  . . .

Is this intentional, supported, etc.?  I am sick of terminal emulation
programs which run at an effective 1200 baud on a 9600+ line; this
would solve that problem.  So, two questions:

	--  Can we count on this in programs we write?

	--  If not, is there any other way to get this information (a
non-blocking read of n characters which returns as many as are in the
queue would do)?

This is essential for reasonable use of the serial port . . .

-tom