west@calgary.UUCP (Darrin West) (07/12/87)
My brohter just got Online V2.0 in the mail, along with a reasonably comprehensive manual. Has anyone else noticed that is doesn't work. The very first thing I tried was: log in to the university and try editing some files in emacs. When in vt100 emulation mode, Online will not insert lines. Simply typing ^J should move the last half of the screen down, and leave a blank line. It move the cursor down a line, but does not move any text. Clearing the screen, and causing emacs to rebuild it does show the the line was inserted. I can not understand how a product, claiming to be extensively modified and corrected could have such a glaring flaw. The previous version did not do this (however it never shut of reverse video once it was on). I am using the vt52 emulator right now, but it seems incapable of sending a ^@ (ie null) to the Vax, making it extremely difficult to set a mark. GRRR! Don't people test their software? Let me now soften this complaint by saying that I have not read the entire manual, and if there is some corrective measure mentioned there, then I owe someone an apology, but I can't see why it can't work the first time I use it. Good money was paid for this thing, and it doesn't seem to have the basic functioning correct. I will have to go back to using Dave Wecker's (I think) vt100 emulator. At least the screen did get confused. Other than this, Online seems to be spruced up substantially. Pretty icon's and nice requestors galore. Much better window control (eg. interlace and 8-colour mode etc), more file transfer protocols, (including auto chop for xmodem), changeable fonts, and other keen bells and whistles. Let me say that the termcap file on the vax drives scores of real vt100's, vt102's and the occasional vt52 on campus. It is NOT probably at fault. -- Darrin West, Master's Unit (read: student). ..![ubc-vision,ihnp4]! Department of Computer Science alberta!calgary!west University of Calgary. Can you say '88 Winter Games? Brain fault (cortex dumped)
rjg@nis.NIS.MN.ORG (Robert J. Granvin) (07/15/87)
>My brohter just got Online V2.0 in the mail, along with a >reasonably comprehensive manual. Has anyone else noticed that >is doesn't work. The very first thing I tried was: log in >to the university and try editing some files in emacs. >When in vt100 emulation mode, Online will not insert lines. >Simply typing ^J should move the last half of the screen down, >and leave a blank line. It move the cursor down a line, but >does not move any text. Clearing the screen, and causing >emacs to rebuild it does show the the line was inserted. I've documented a few VT100 'inconsistencies' with the company. They examined the system and located apparently a couple of small problems which they have repaired. Return your original diskette to them (and I suggest with a note explaining your problems and that you realize that the problems were previously reported and corrected), and they will update the software for you. I have not received my update yet, so I can't verify the corrections, but based on the support I was getting from them (and the several days of cross-correspondence... :-) I'm feeling fairly confident that the changes will be correct. >I can not understand how a product, claiming to be extensively >modified and corrected could have such a glaring flaw. The >previous version did not do this (however it never shut of >reverse video once it was on). These are not necessarily 'glaring' flaws, and I dispute the other statement. While this may not have occurred on the older VT100 emulator, this new emulator is far superior and much more 'correct' than the previous version. > ... In case anyone else ever runs into it, there is also one error in the manual which they have acknowledged (oopsied on). I forget the page number, but it refers to capture buffer. The manual states that if you specify no name, it will place your entire capture buffer in memory. When your buffer space is full, instead of saving to disk (as is the norm with capture buffers) the oldest text will be deleted to make room for new text (i.e., the way a review buffer works). This is incorrect. The capture buffer will automatically close (you're informed with a beep). Actually, if this is the only error in a new manual, I am usually fairly happy, since it's truly minor (and it is correct for the review buffer option. I see where the oopsie came in. :-) (As usual, I hit R instead of F ... geez. Oh well. The author will simply see two copies of this. :-) -- Robert J. Granvin UNIVERSE: rjg@NIS.MN.ORG Programmer/Analyst - Technical Services UUCP: ihnp4!meccts!nis!rjg National Information Systems, Inc. ATT: (612) 894-9494 "Look out - Muppets!"
jdow@pnet02.CTS.COM (Joanne Dow) (07/18/87)
I haven't been bothered by Online!'s VT100 failures nearly as much as
some other extremely bad habits it seems to have. If I have Amy direct
connected to our VAX at work it still sends the modem wakeup sequence. It's
welcome message is HIGHLY annoying. And when I try to exit the program it goes
to the trouble of sending a disconnect sequence to my modem. I want these
features to work; but, by golly I want them to work on MY terms. I'm about
ready to consign the program to the junk heap.
Then to add insult to injury the darnfool thing doesn't keep track of
my configuration properly. I tell it to load a configuration wherein I set up
VT102 emulation. When I reload with this emulation I get TTY emulation. I set
CR-LF mode OFF. It loads it on. Is this thing really useable at all by
mortals? PHUI!
<`.'>
UUCP: {cbosgd, hplabs!hp-sdd, ihnp4}!crash!gryphon!pnet02!jdow
INET: jdow@pnet02.CTS.COMjdm@pnet02.CTS.COM (John Mesiavech) (07/19/87)
Joanne;
The welcome message can be gotten rid of by going onto the OnLine disk and
renaming the file "OnLine!.scp" to something else. On my own copy of OnLine,
I have no trouble saving the CR+LF state, program sending the hangup sequence
on termination (I have changed term program whilst online with it).
So..haven't seen personally the problems you speak of. (One thing, if your
modem has a dipswitch setting for how it recognizes DTR, you can disable the
hangup feature totally be setting your modem to ignore DTR, and in your
configuration file leave the hangup sequence box blank. If you leave it
blank, then OnLine drops DTR to hangup.
John
UUCP: {ihnp4!crash, hplabs!hp-sdd!crash}!gryphon!pnet02!jdm
INET: jdm@pnet02.CTS.COMbugs@pnet02.CTS.COM (Jim Biggs) (07/19/87)
Mkae sure you leave auto chop on!!! there is a bug that does all kinds of werd
things if you turn it off. Also I beleave there is now a V2.01 release to fix
some problems!
UUCP: {cbosgd, hplabs!hp-sdd, ihnp4}!crash!gryphon!pnet02!bugs
INET: bugs@pnet02.CTS.COMjdow@pnet02.CTS.COM (Joanne Dow) (07/20/87)
I run with the DTR disabled. I often swap modem programs and sometimes even
swap computers. I'd rather not have to relog in after each of them. I wonder
if that hangup that happens is due to the entry in the modem control menu for
it or due to somethng else. I'll dump their sript file - or at least modify it
to avoid that modem setup. Thnks for that data - by the way - it still fails
to remember cr-lf on off for me. <SIGH> It must not like me or something.
(ANd I wish Diga! did something I've carped about on bix at least once. It
should automatically switch handshake protocol to none for XMODEM and
derivatives. Alas, it doesn't.)
<@_@>
UUCP: {cbosgd, hplabs!hp-sdd, ihnp4}!crash!gryphon!pnet02!jdow
INET: jdow@pnet02.CTS.COM.