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Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!rutgers!sri-unix!husc6!think!ames!ptsfa!hoptoad!academ!killer!jfh
From: jfh@killer.UUCP
Newsgroups: comp.sources.d
Subject: Re: when using termcap, get it right!
Message-ID: <953@killer.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 1-Jun-87 12:36:20 EDT
Article-I.D.: killer.953
Posted: Mon Jun  1 12:36:20 1987
Date-Received: Sun, 7-Jun-87 08:43:30 EDT
References: <1149@carthage.swatsun.UUCP> <8601@tekecs.TEK.COM>
Organization: The Unix(tm) Connection, Dallas, Texas
Lines: 45
Keywords: termcap, curses
Summary: Visible attributes handled wrong most of the time

In article <8601@tekecs.TEK.COM>, snoopy@doghouse.gwd.tek.com (Snoopy) writes:
> In article <1149@carthage.swatsun.UUCP> schwartz@swatsun (Scott Schwartz) writes:
> 
> >	This is a complaint, I guess.  At Swarthmore we have lots of Adds
> >Viewpoint terminals.  On these beasties the escape sequences to enter
> >standout mode, underline mode, normal mode, etc all take up one space
> >on the screen (gaak).  The problem is that lots of programs that go 
> >to lots of trouble to figure out what the termcap entries for these
> >things are never bother to check the width of the entries as printed.
> >So microEmacs (all versions that I know of, up to 3.8f), for example, 
> >prints like this on a viewpoint:
> 
> >	n o s p a c e s
> 
> Am I missing something here, or should these termcap entries include
> a backspace to return the curser to where it belongs?
> 
> Why screw up a bunch of code to get around brain-damaged hardware
> if it can be fixed in the termcap entry?
> 
> Snoopy
> tektronix!doghouse.gwd!snoopy
> snoopy@doghouse.gwd.tek.com

I don't know if the ADDS Viewpoint has a setup option for visible and
invisible attributes, but the problem seems to be caused by the spaces
that the attributes take up, SG and UG give the number of spaces each
attribute takes.  ERASING OR OVERWRITING THE SPACE MAY MAKE THE ATTRIBUTE
GO AWAY!!!

You may want to make certain your termcap entry has both of the widths
given.  If memory serves correctly, SG is for standout mode and UG is
for underline mode.  You didn't say if you checked your termcap (including
termcap entries in postings needs to become a standard practice with
termcap questions.)

Double check it and repost with the termcap if your problem still exists.
I can't believe anyone wrote that kind of brain-damage :-) code ...

( Snoopy - back to the dog house for you :-)

- John.

Disclaimer -
	No disclaimer.  Whatcha gonna do, sue me?