[comp.windows.x] xterm escape sequence hangs window

jlo@pixel.phx.mcd.mot.com (Joe Ortiz) (06/08/89)

We've been tracking down a problem with xterm (R11.2) which results
in the apparent hang of the window.  The symptoms were that the 
xterm window would not echo keyboard data, or paste data. Also, 
the output from commands was not displayed within the xterm window, 
but redirection of command output to a file or another un-hung window 
showed the command was being executed.

The way I got into this mode was within /bin/sh (not /bin/ksh),
I had entered an escape followed by a newline.  The result was 
the xterm finite state machine entered a mode where it was expecting 
an escape sequence, and not finding a valid one, and thus not 
displaying any data.  All characters to be displayed were thrown 
away in the IGNORE_STATE.  Typing the kill character unhung 
the window.

I know the problem is a function of xterm's vt100 terminal emulation
processing, but it seems like there should be some smarts about
not waiting indefinitely for an escape sequence, or smarts about not
allowing escape sequences greater than the max valid vt100 escape
sequence length.

Has anybody seen this problem before? Have any fixes been made to xterm?