[comp.os.vms] SMG and the Debugger

nagy%warner.hepnet@LBL.ARPA (07/23/87)

In response to my:
     
> The VAX DEBUGger uses SMG in screen mode; the performance and utility
> seems very good.
     
Bill Costa wrote:

>    Gee Frank, are you sure?  ...

and comments about poor performance on the MicroTerm Ergo and garbage
on the ADM3A due to use of scrolling region escape codes.
     
Quoting from the VMS V4.4 Release Notes, section 3.3.5.2 (page 3-41):

	The debugger now uses the VAX/VMS Screen Management Facility
	(SMG) to implement screen mode.  If your program also calls
	SMG routines, and you debug it with the debugger running on the
	same terminal, there will probably be interference between
	your program and the debugger.

	To avoid this problem, debug the program using two terminals.
	The technique is described in Appendix D of the VAX/VMS Debugger
	Reference Manual.

A better workaround is to do your debugging on a VAXStation.  If properly
setup (i.e. a logical name needs to be defined, see the VWS Release Notes),
then the debugger screen will pop up in a separate window so you end up
with two VT220 windows, one for your application and one for the debugger.
Neato!     

= Frank J. Nagy
= Fermilab Research Division EED/Controls
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