Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!lll-winken!lll-tis!ames!ucsd!rutgers!iuvax!bsu-cs!cfchiesa
From: cfchiesa@bsu-cs.UUCP (Christopher Chiesa)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.8bit
Subject: Re: vt100 emulators
Message-ID: <2506@bsu-cs.UUCP>
Date: 30 Mar 88 19:08:05 GMT
References: <8803290303.AA02847@mitre-bedford.ARPA>
Organization: CS Dept, Ball St U, Muncie, Indiana
Lines: 64
Summary: A few touch-ups here and there

In article <8803290303.AA02847@mitre-bedford.ARPA>, jhs@MITRE-BEDFORD.ARPA writes:
> Harlan Wolper asks:
> >   Does anyone know if there is any software available
> >   for the 8-bit Atari to emulate a VT100 type terminal?

   [line-eater tells me to delete more... so I am... ]
 
> The two most popular, so far as I know, are kermit65 and OmniCom.  kermit65
> is Public Domain, and ...

     [ excess verbiage (sic) deleted... ] 

> This program does
> kermit file transfer but does not currently support key macro definitions
> or keypad emulation.
  ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

John, you're mistaken.  Kermit65 DOES support a VERY GOOD keypad emulation.
The mapping of functions to keycaps (all SHIFT-CONTROL combinations) is quite 
logical and consistent, and I am able to use it just as fast as a "real" VT100-
and I'm a FAST typist.
 
> The other game in town is OmniCom, which is a "shareware" product...

      [ more verbiage deleted for vnews' sake]

> I've been using OmniCom for over a year now and find it the best solution
> for my needs, because it DOES support keypad emulation and key macro
> definition, and because it has xmodem and plain ASCII capture and "Print
> Screen" functions, all of which I find extremely useful.  With OmniCom, the

I second the motion that having all the different file-transfer protocols in
one program is a great thing!  It's quite a pain to log onto a BBS or whatever
with Kermit (my fave 'terminal emulator') and then have to switch to 850 Ex-
press! to perform an XMODEM transfer!

However, I found that OmniCom's PRINT SCREEN function (an option that can be 
turned ON or OFF to "print all incoming data," as I distinctly remember it)  
was unsatisfactory, because it wasn't able to do anything effective with the
escape sequences typically sent to a VT100 for screen and cursor control.  
Even "stripping out" the escape sequences would be better than PRINTING them,
but not even THAT is done.  I found it completely impossible to print a data-
base form-entry screen, once screen-painting was completed.  Did I miss a 
feature that lets you print an image of an EXISTING DISPLAY?

   [ more deletions for the sake of the line counter ]

> With either of these programs, you should use a monochrome monitor if at all
> possible, because 80-column emulation on an 8-bit Atari pushes the graphics
> resolution to the limit.  Next best would be a composite monitor that has a
> separate chroma input, or an RGB monitor with an external NTSC decoder
> (or just drive the Green input with the Atari luminance signal).  Finally, if
> you HAVE to, you can use some monochrome TV sets with acceptable results.

I've gotten readable 80-column results on a standard color TV; you have to 
turn the contrast way DOWN, and the brightness way UP, though.

   [ John Sangster's closing comments deleted; sorry John, the line-counter
     made me do it! ]

Chris Chiesa 
 
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