ehsnsr@JUPITER.NMT.EDU (Eric Hobbs) (10/08/89)
I am a two-and-one-half month new user of an Atari STfm. The VT52 emulator that came with it puzzles me. This may sound like a trivial question to a ST experts out there, but what does this accessory do, and how do I use it???
What is it capable of?
I have no manual for it so any responses would be greatly appreciated.
--Eric Hobbs, NewMexTechBob_BobR_Retelle@cup.portal.com (10/11/89)
Eric Hobbs asks: > I am a two-and-one-half month new user of an Atari STfm. The VT52 >emulator that came with it puzzles me. This may sound like a trivial >question to a ST experts out there, but what does this accessory do, >and how do I use it??? >What is it capable of? > >I have no manual for it so any responses would be greatly appreciated. I'm trying to remember, but I don't think my ST came with any documentation for the VT-52 emulator ACC either... Essentially, all it does is let the ST emulate a DEC (Digital Equipment Co) terminal. The VT-52 terminal is a fairly standard unit, and the ST itself uses VT-52 commands for a lot of its screen handling. When you click on the VT-52 ACCessory, your ST becomes a VT-52 terminal. You can send and receive text through a modem connected to the serial port of the ST. If the computer you're connected to can send VT-52 "escape codes", your screen will act just like a real VT-52 terminal. If you have an autodial modem connected to the ST, you can send it's commands by just typing them on the screen, for example ATZ to reset it, or ATD5551212 to dial it. Unfortunately, ALL the VT-52 emulator can do is send and receive text. (As indeed a real VT-52 terminal does...) It CANNOT "upload or download" programs to your ST from CompuServe or local BBSs, it can't "capture" text and save it to your disk, and it can't maintain a "phone directory" of numbers to call automatically. The VERY best thing to do with the VT-52 emulator is to put it back into your disk case, and say "Hmmm.. that was interesting", then go out and buy a commercial terminal program like FLASH from Antic (they're running some kinds of deals on it now), or Interlink from Intersect Software. (There are also Public Domain programs like UniTerm an VanTerm available) These programs are LIGHT YEARS beyond the VT-52 emulator, and give you far more features (truly useful features...) Actually it was kind of nice for Atari to have included the VT-52 emulator with the ST, as it helped to demonstrate another facet of the ST's usefulness But... to do anything really useful, you need to move on to something more capable... BobR
Henry_Burdett_Messenger@cup.portal.com (10/12/89)
Bob Retelle writes: > Essentially, all it does is let the ST emulate a DEC (Digital Equipment Co) > terminal. The VT-52 terminal is a fairly standard unit, and the ST itself > uses VT-52 commands for a lot of its screen handling. > > When you click on the VT-52 ACCessory, your ST becomes a VT-52 terminal. Yo > can send and receive text through a modem connected to the serial port of > the ST. If the computer you're connected to can send VT-52 "escape codes", > your screen will act just like a real VT-52 terminal. That turns out not to be the case. The VT-52 accessory does not emulate a VT-52. On the trivial side, escape sequences are supported that change colors. The VT-52 never
Henry_Burdett_Messenger@cup.portal.com (10/12/89)
Bob Retelle writes: > Essentially, all it does is let the ST emulate a DEC (Digital Equipment Co) > terminal. The VT-52 terminal is a fairly standard unit, and the ST itself > uses VT-52 commands for a lot of its screen handling. > > When you click on the VT-52 ACCessory, your ST becomes a VT-52 terminal. Yo > can send and receive text through a modem connected to the serial port of > the ST. If the computer you're connected to can send VT-52 "escape codes", > your screen will act just like a real VT-52 terminal. That turns out not to be the case. The VT-52 accessory does not emulate a VT-52. On the trivial side, escape sequences are supported that change colors. The VT-52 never had any color other than black and white; trust me, at one time, I fixed them. On the serious side, NONE of the escape sequences that should be generated by the keypad (in application mode) and the 4 function keys can be transmitted without typing them in directly. This means virtually none of the VAX applications will work with it (including EDT, FMS and TDMS). ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Henry B. Messenger henry_burdett_messenger@cup.portal.com Digital Equipment Corporation isn't responsible for anything I say on Usenet