ramsey@malathion (Ed Ramsey) (08/07/90)
I was wondering if there were any specific reason elm doesn't
repaint/redraw the screen after having been suspended and
returned to. Elm displays a message to the effect that "you may
want to redraw the screen", but doesn't provide any way to do
that. Along the same lines, dialup users who experience line
noise don't have any simple way to request a redraw.
Is a screen redraw option something that can be added?
-Ed
--
Ed Ramsey NPIRS User Services Manager Ramsey@npirs.purdue.edu
"You gave your life to become the person you are right now.
Was it worth it?" Richard Bach, *One*syd@DSI.COM (Syd Weinstein) (08/07/90)
ramsey@malathion (Ed Ramsey) writes: >I was wondering if there were any specific reason elm doesn't >repaint/redraw the screen after having been suspended and >returned to. Elm displays a message to the effect that "you may >want to redraw the screen", but doesn't provide any way to do >that. Along the same lines, dialup users who experience line >noise don't have any simple way to request a redraw. One more for the frequently asked questions.... Due to Elm's mini curses internal stuff, it doesn't know whats on the screen, so it cannot redraw it. It can repaint the menu, or the list of messages, but that might not be what is on the screen. We had planned to go to a real curses a while back, but couldn't really get a portable set of curses routines working, so we punted it. (too many bugs in too many manf. curses packages). >Is a screen redraw option something that can be added? not easily. -- ===================================================================== Sydney S. Weinstein, CDP, CCP Elm Coordinator Datacomp Systems, Inc. Voice: (215) 947-9900 syd@DSI.COM or dsinc!syd FAX: (215) 938-0235
craig@fouriron.UUCP (Craig S. Cochran) (08/08/90)
In article <244@malathion> ramsey@malathion (Ed Ramsey) writes: >I was wondering if there were any specific reason elm doesn't >repaint/redraw the screen after having been suspended and >returned to. Elm displays a message to the effect that "you may >want to redraw the screen", but doesn't provide any way to do >that... Good point. Most curses-based applications automatically get a redraw from curses when a SIGCONT (signal 19) is received, which is sent by the kernel when an "fg" or "bg" is requested. Usually this takes no extra programming effort - it's built into curses. My best guess is that this is a feature of the built-in curses packaged with Elm, and that it has not been fixed since the development group eventually plans to migrate Elm to stock system-supplied curses, which should fix the problem (if this is the problem). Is this a correct assumption, developers? > ... Along the same lines, dialup users who experience line >noise don't have any simple way to request a redraw. >Is a screen redraw option something that can be added? It's already implemented. Try typing "Cntl-L". ("Cntl-L", by the way, is a partial Unix standard for screen refresh). -- Craig S. Cochran Valid Logic Systems Path: {sun,decwrl}!valid!ccochran 2820 Orchard Parkway Voice: 408/944-8037 San Jose, CA 95134
craig@calvin.UUCP (Craig S. Cochran) (08/10/90)
In article <1990Aug7.164242.11518@DSI.COM> syd@DSI.COM writes: > >Due to Elm's mini curses internal stuff, it doesn't know whats >on the screen, so it cannot redraw it. It can repaint the menu, >or the list of messages, but that might not be what is on the screen. > >We had planned to go to a real curses a while back, but couldn't >really get a portable set of curses routines working, so we punted it. >(too many bugs in too many manf. curses packages). Hmm. It's unfortunate that this effort was scrubbed. Using a system-supplied curses would solve many problems, such as this screen-clearing issue. Might I suggest that we add a Configure option to use the system-supplied curses and let the system administrator decide which works best? This way, if the system's curses are not bug-ridden, user's can get the full functionality of curses. If they do have problems with the system-supplied curses, then they can Configure in Elm's mini-curses. With this approach, there would be no additional support requirements from the development group to work around system curses bugs. -Craig -- Craig S. Cochran Valid Logic Systems Path: {sun,decwrl}!valid!ccochran 2820 Orchard Parkway Voice: 408/944-8037 San Jose, CA 95134
syd@DSI.COM (Syd Weinstein) (08/10/90)
craig@calvin.UUCP (Craig S. Cochran) writes: :In article <1990Aug7.164242.11518@DSI.COM> syd@DSI.COM writes: :>We had planned to go to a real curses a while back, but couldn't :>really get a portable set of curses routines working, so we punted it. :>(too many bugs in too many manf. curses packages). :Hmm. It's unfortunate that this effort was scrubbed. Using a :system-supplied curses would solve many problems, such as this :screen-clearing issue. :Might I suggest that we add a Configure option to use the system-supplied :curses and let the system administrator decide which works best? Won't work, the going to curses was going to be a complete rewrite of the screen stuff. The internal stuff is really just terminfo/termcap routines. Its not compatible, nor is it really using curses. Again, if it was that easy, we would have done it. Its a shame. -- ===================================================================== Sydney S. Weinstein, CDP, CCP Elm Coordinator Datacomp Systems, Inc. Voice: (215) 947-9900 syd@DSI.COM or dsinc!syd FAX: (215) 938-0235