fmcgee@cuuxb.ATT.COM (~XT6510300~Frank McGee~C23~L25~6326~) (08/09/89)
In article <CRUM.89Jul26111859@lipari.usc.edu> crum@lipari.usc.edu (Gary L. Crum) writes: >A Microport representative told me that their Merge products allowed >execution of DOS programs only from the console ttys of 286 and 386 >computers. Do any DOS-Over-UNIX systems allow execution of DOS >programs from other ttys, e.g. by users logged in over network and >serial line connections? What about VP/ix (and the derived system >used in the Sun-386i?) I realize that difficulties might arise from >the lack of display cards associated with non-console ttys. This issue >wasn't addressed by the article in the 1-May-1989 UNIX Today! article on You can run Simultask (AT&T's version of VP/ix from Interactive) on remote terminals. Your mileage may vary on other vendors products, my comments refer to Simultask only. There are some things to watch for though because a lot of remote terminals don't map well to MSDOS consoles. Some differences that can be a real pain in the but are : Most ascii terminals are 80x24, and an MSDOS console is 80x25. This means that when you use something like a real vt100 instead of a terminal specifically designed for MSDOS use (such as an AT&T 605 or Wyse) you'll lose a line; could be the top or bottom line depending upon how your application paints the screen. On Lotus 1-2-3, you lose the Status line, which wasn't too painfull to me because I know Lotus well enough to not have to use it that much. Keep in mind that many MSDOS applications need keys that don't have an analogue under general purpose computing, like NumLock, PageUp, Alt, PageDown, End, and Home. Under Simultask, there are terminal description files in /usr/vpix/term that you can use to map ascii keystrokes to PC scan-code sequences, so you can make ctrl-whatever sequences map to other keys that you don't have on your keyboard. In addition, most MSDOS applications like you to have atleast 8 function keys, and some applications like them to be "shift"able or "alt"able. You can only use applications that use standard text modes remotely. You can run graphics programs on the console (EGA and CGA are the only modes currently supported, but VGA items (VGAROM) are provided but you use it at your own risk). There are some specific ioctl's that you need to run Simultask over a serial line. The AT&T IPC drivers have always had enough in them to support Simultask over remote terminal lines. Your mileage may vary with other vendors. I've run Simultask on the Bell Technologies Hub-6, ICC, and ACE without problems, I think the Computone 8-port card worked as well. I've used an AT&T 630 and an AT&T 5620 to run Simultask in multiple windows. The only thing to watch for was to make sure that function keys were programmed properly, and corresponding entries were made to the terminfo definitions and /usr/vpix/term entries. My applications only needed arrow keys and function keys; don't know what you'd do to use PageUp, PageDown, ALT, or others. Also, it helped a lot to have an 80x25 window (user-configurable on the 630, you have to make a layers init file for the 5620). Also, the IPC 2.1 drivers will install a bad xt driver that won't let you run layers if you have an IPC present. If you have an IPC, you should get the 3.0 drivers from NSSC (1-800-922-0354). I was able to run 7 simultaneous Simultasks with those configurations, but performance was pretty poor. Hope this helps you out, -- Frank McGee, AT&T Tier 3 Indirect Channel Sales Support attmail!fmcgee
les@chinet.chi.il.us (Leslie Mikesell) (08/15/89)
>> You can run PC programs under VPIX ANYWHERE you can get a prompt. There are >> all sorts of work around for normal boring terminals to allow for the 25th >> line display (toggle between lines 1-24 , 2-25), and the special keys. >> ...FYI: PCTERM emulation software for PC's is also available. Has anyone hacked msdos kermit to emulate a scan-code style terminal for use with VP/ix? Les Mikesell
petri@digiw.UUCP (Petri Alhola) (08/21/89)
In article <14488@bfmny0.UUCP> tneff@bfmny0.UUCP (Tom Neff) writes: >VP/ix does work over dialins, serial terminals and other non-console >tty's. The only place it doesn't work is in the background. VP/ix will work in background if you use it in text mode but it does not work in graphics mode. I have one my friend using it with fidonet DOS software in backround. Petri Alhola petri@digiw.UUCP