scott@conan.UUCP (Scott Weitzenkamp) (06/15/91)
I am grappling with trying to add a Motif (1.1.2) interface to a command-driven program which is kinda like a shell (such as /bin/csh or /bin/sh). For various reasons, I am trying to implement this as two processes: a Motif process and the normal shell process (sorta like Saber C's X interface, only with Motif). Another good example of this is xterm, which communicates with the shell process via a pty. I am having problems finding a Motif widget to use for this. I looked at XmCommand, but it seems pretty primitive compared to xterm. I am not saying that I have to use pty's, but I would like my interface to look like I am running my shell process "in a window". I do not want to be typing in one widget, and have the output appear in another widget (which is what XmCommand gives you). What I really want is something like the TTY subwindow that SunView and XView offer (does Open Look's OLIT have a TTY widget?). Does OSF have any plans to keep adding new widgets like this, or is Motif's widget set pretty much set in stone? At this point, I see three options: 1) subclass an existing Motif widget, 2) make a new widget based on the code from the XView TTY window, or 3) make a new widget based on the code from xterm. It seems that the Motif XmText widget could possibly be subclassed into what I want. Any new keyboard input could be appended at the bottom. Has anyone done this? Not having looked at the XView TTY code, I don't know how hard it would be to make a widget out of it. My one concern with the XView TTY is that I need this code to be portable to SunOS, Ultrix, HP-UX, IRIS, SCO Unix, AIX, etc., and *VMS* (gag). I know that xterm has been ported to VMS, so this seems like a good place to start. Having looked a little at the xterm source, I see that it has an "xterm" widget that just looks like it could be made generic (any chance of this appearing in R5?). The comment at the beginning of xterm/main.c about "there be serious and nasty dragons here" is a little daunting, though. I apoligize that this message is so lengthy, but I'm getting frustrated. Thanks in advance for any tips/ideas/advice you can offer. -- Thanks in advance... Scott Weitzenkamp, Talarian Corporation, Mountain View, CA uunet!talarian!scott (415) 965-8050 "Welcome to the late show, starring NULL and void" -- Men At Work