[mod.computers.vax] VAXStations, terminals and SMG$

nagy%bsndbg.hepnet@LBL.ARPA (03/18/87)

>        Have you had any success using SMG$ routines while running on
>a VAXstation (TEK4125 or 4129 emulation)?  If so, I'd like to hear of it.
>For some reason, many of the SMG$ routines (DRAW_BORDER, etc) produce
>mindless drivel on the above terminal, yet work fine on a VT240 or
>a Pc running a VT240 emulator.
     
As I remember it, VAXStations only emulate VT100s, VT220s and Tektronix
4010/4014 terminals.  

I have no experience with Tek4125 or 4129 terminals, so cannot say if
the SMG$ routines will work on a real Tek4125, etc. terminal with the
existing terminal definitions.  If they don't, a custom set of terminal
characteristics tables will have to be generated for SMG$ for these
Tek terminals (see the documentation).
     
>        Also, the table of accepted escape sequences for these terminals
>do not seem to indicate Regis support... 
     
The SMG$ routines do not use graphics.  They provide windowing on character
cell terminals.  Besides, doing SMG$ style windowing on a VT240 in Regis
mode would be sooo slow that... (hard to believe that the same company
which produces the fast VAXStation II/GPX also makes the VT240/VT241).

> ...  yet REGIS is a DEC invention
>and these are DEC terminals... can someone verify this?  Thanks.

Note that the VAXStations don't emulate VT240s or VT241s either.
Makes it hard to use Datatrieve, DECslide, DECgraph, etc. etc. etc.