[comp.windows.x] Sun NeWS and Motif compatibility

dsamperi@Citicorp.COM (Dominick Samperi) (06/10/91)

Since Sun does not support the X server (Xsun) that is built from the
MIT X distribution, and since Xsun does not support the the newer SPARC
keyboards (nothing is sent by PgUP/PgDN keys, for example), I recently
tried to run Motif-based applications using xnews for the server on
SPARC Stations. This doesn't work very well. First I tried using olwm
(OpenLook Window manager), then I tried using mwm (with the NeWS server).
In both cases parts of windows were left behind and could not be removed
from the screen.

What happend to the "Open Systems" idea? I thought the Motif vs.
OpenLook debate was concerned with look-and-feel, but these problems
indicate that even the low-level behavior of X is not being supported
by Sun. And I thought that X was one of the really significant true
standards?!

By the way, using xnews didn't even solve the keyboard problem; the SPARC
keyboard is still not supported as far as I can tell.

-- 
Dominick Samperi -- Citicorp
dsamperi@Citicorp.COM
uunet!ccorp!dsamperi

masa@hpsciz.sc.hp.com (Masayoshi Habu) (06/11/91)

In comp.windows.x, dsamperi@Citicorp.COM (Dominick Samperi) writes:

    By the way, using xnews didn't even solve the keyboard problem; the SPARC
    keyboard is still not supported as far as I can tell.

I have been using my Motif application on SPARCstation 1+ with xnews
(Open Windows 2.0) without problems. For key assignment, try next:

# Install Motif bindings for arrow keys in .xinitrc
xmodmap -e 'keysym Up    = R8'
xmodmap -e 'keysym Down  = R14'
xmodmap -e 'keysym Right = R12'
xmodmap -e 'keysym Left  = R10'

I remember that Open Windows 1.0.1 did not work well with my application.

Masa

sarima@tdatirv.UUCP (Stanley Friesen) (06/15/91)

In article <1991Jun9.221632.5949@Citicorp.COM> dsamperi@Citicorp.COM (Dominick Samperi) writes:
> I recently
>tried to run Motif-based applications using xnews for the server on
>SPARC Stations. This doesn't work very well. First I tried using olwm
>(OpenLook Window manager), then I tried using mwm (with the NeWS server).
>In both cases parts of windows were left behind and could not be removed
>from the screen.

This certainly sounds like a server bug.  What version of the server are
you running?

I am running xnews 2.0 on a Sparc with olvwm or Sun's olwm, and I can
run at least one Motif application with little trouble (FrameMaker 2.1X).
(except for a slight tendency to lose some motion events).

>What happend to the "Open Systems" idea? I thought the Motif vs.
>OpenLook debate was concerned with look-and-feel, but these problems
>indicate that even the low-level behavior of X is not being supported
>by Sun. And I thought that X was one of the really significant true
>standards?!

It is, any conformant application can run with any conformant server.
Most problems are due to either a buggy server (such as xnew 1.X)
or a non-conformant application (such as most older Athena-based apps,
which fail to conform to the ICCCM in several respects).

>By the way, using xnews didn't even solve the keyboard problem; the SPARC
>keyboard is still not supported as far as I can tell.

What version *are* you running?  I am running many X applications and
can access all of the keys just fine.  (Even a straight Xlib app, GNU
emacs works with the Sparc keyboard).

Now it is true that some applications may not have translations attached to
some of the special Sun keys, but that is to be expected, since they are
intended to be generic.
-- 
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uunet!tdatirv!sarima				(Stanley Friesen)