sherman@ncifcrf.gov (Arthur Sherman) (10/11/89)
I am in a small group of mathematicians who are trying to upgrade from DOS to unix by putting AIX (v 1.1) on PS/2's (Model 80's and 70's). We have an IBM Token Ring local network on which coexist AIX machines using TCP/IP and DOS machines using IBM PC-LAN. We have no full-time system help; we are end-users who want to use these machines for scientific computing and visualization. IBM has not been much help, so we are appealing to the community. Problem: We can't seem to do some very basic things that even our dumb DOS machines can do. 1) Terminal emulation: When we telnet or rlogin as a vt100 to a non-AIX machine (eg SUN or VMS VAX) vi doesn't work properly. For example, when you type ^U the top line changes but not the rest of the screen; when you delete a line, it is not deleted from the screen; etc. Terminal emulation to AIX machines is ok. 2) Scientific word processing: AIX comes with troff, but drivers only for IBM Graphics Printers. We have an HP Laserjet and Epson LQ-800's. We also want to do LaTeX. I can do troff (using Textware) or plain TeX (using PCTeX) under DOS Merge, but this seems crazy, and anyway LaTeX kills the DOS process instantly. 3) Why not use SCO Xenix? We tried this a couple of years ago, and had lots of problems. There was no support for Token Ring, there were hardware incompatibilities, and VP/IX never materialized. They seem more oriented to the "industry standard" machines like Compaq, etc. Some of our people will stick with DOS and we hope that IBM will have better arrangements for this. We plan to try AIX Access for DOS Users so that they can use the AIX machines as print servers and the PC-LAN software can be junked. Does anyone have experience with this? We hope AIX becomes very popular so that lots of 3rd party software gets written for it, but unless these kinds of problems are fixed it will die an early death. Beset in Bethesda, Arthur Sherman sherman@ncifcrf.gov (301) 496-4325
garnett@rpp386.cactus.org (John Garnett) (10/12/89)
In article <1359@fcs280s.ncifcrf.gov> sherman@fcs260c2.UUCP () writes: > >I am in a small group of mathematicians who are trying to upgrade >from DOS to unix by putting AIX (v 1.1) on PS/2's (Model 80's and 70's). > >Problem: We can't seem to do some very basic things that even our dumb >DOS machines can do. > >1) Terminal emulation: When we telnet or rlogin as a vt100 to a non-AIX >machine (eg SUN or VMS VAX) vi doesn't work properly. For example, when >you type ^U the top line changes but not the rest of the screen; when you >delete a line, it is not deleted from the screen; etc. Terminal emulation >to AIX machines is ok. AIX full screen programs such as Vi and the Devices command rely on the terminfo database (stored in /usr/lib/terminfo) to determine the escape sequences necessary to control a particular type of terminal. Some other vendors' versions of UNIX* use a similar database known as termcap that is stored in /etc/termcap. The problem you are experiencing is most likely occurring because the SUN's and VAXen that you are logging into probably do not have terminfo or termcap entries for the ibm8512, ibm8513, or ibm8514 that you are using on your AIX PS/2. The possible solutions include: 1) adding support for the PS/2 console to the SUN or VAXen's termcap or terminfo files. 2) use the -e vt100 option of AIX telnet to cause telnet to emulate a vt100 terminal (almost every UNIX* machine will have a terminfo or termcap entry for the vt100). Once you login to the remote machine, make sure your TERM environment variable is set correctly. Under /bin/sh, use "TERM=vt100;export TERM"; under /bin/csh use "setenv TERM vt100" to set the terminal type. Use the env command to verify the terminal type. *UNIX is a trademark of AT&T. > >2) Scientific word processing: AIX comes with troff, but drivers >only for IBM Graphics Printers. We have an HP Laserjet and Epson LQ-800's. >We also want to do LaTeX. I can do troff (using Textware) or >plain TeX (using PCTeX) under DOS Merge, but this seems crazy, and >anyway LaTeX kills the DOS process instantly. > IBM recently published a blue softbound book that contains short descriptions of numerous products offered by other vendors. The book is entitled "AIX Catalog" (pretty mundane, huh?). I'm not sure of the order number but I think the book was published within the last few months. Also, the cover sports a picture of a spherical object containing numerous small rectangular mirrors. >We plan to try AIX Access for DOS Users >so that they can use the AIX machines as print servers and the PC-LAN >software can be junked. Does anyone have experience with this? AADU offers a printserving feature that is essentially transparent. Once the AADU connection has been made (and the AIX disk appears as drive E: or whatever on the DOS machine) you merely have to type "printer E: LPT1" to cause all DOS print jobs (including print-screens) to be forwarded to the AIX printer. > >We hope AIX becomes very popular so that lots of 3rd party software >gets written for it... Me too. -- +------------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | John Garnett | Base 1.9 | | garnett@rpp386.cactus.org | | | {bigtex|texbell}!rpp386!garnett | "It's almost binary" |
karish@forel.stanford.edu (Chuck Karish) (10/12/89)
In article <17129@rpp386.cactus.org> garnett@rpp386.UUCP (John Garnett) wrote: [In article <1359@fcs280s.ncifcrf.gov[ sherman@fcs260c2.UUCP () writes: [[1) Terminal emulation: When we telnet or rlogin as a vt100 to a non-AIX [[machine (eg SUN or VMS VAX) vi doesn't work properly. For example, when [[you type ^U the top line changes but not the rest of the screen; when you [[delete a line, it is not deleted from the screen; etc. Terminal emulation [[to AIX machines is ok. [The problem you are experiencing is most likely [occurring because the SUN's and VAXen that you are logging into probably do not [have terminfo or termcap entries for the ibm8512, ibm8513, or ibm8514 [that you are using on your AIX PS/2. The possible solutions include: [1) adding support for the PS/2 console to the SUN or VAXen's termcap [or terminfo files. All terminfo entries for supported AIX monitors in native mode (not X Windows) are based on the `hft' definition. The hft software in the tty driver provides pretty good ANSI terminal emulation. Use the `ansi' termcap entry on the Suns. Works fine for me on ULTRIX machines. [2) use the -e vt100 option of AIX telnet to [cause telnet to emulate a vt100 terminal... This may be necessary on the VMS machines. Chuck Karish karish@mindcraft.com (415) 493-9000 karish@forel.stanford.edu
ghb@locus.com (George Bray) (12/02/89)
In article <1359@fcs280s.ncifcrf.gov> sherman@fcs260c2.UUCP () writes: > >I am in a small group of mathematicians who are trying to upgrade >from DOS to unix by putting AIX (v 1.1) on PS/2's (Model 80's and 70's). >We have an IBM Token Ring local network on which coexist AIX machines >using TCP/IP and DOS machines using IBM PC-LAN. > >1) Terminal emulation: When we telnet or rlogin as a vt100 to a non-AIX >machine (eg SUN or VMS VAX) vi doesn't work properly. For example, when >you type ^U the top line changes but not the rest of the screen; when you >delete a line, it is not deleted from the screen; etc. Terminal emulation >to AIX machines is ok. As others have already said, the problem with this is most likely due to the other machines not knowing how to generate escape sequences to drive the HFT on the AIX machine. You have to create a file on each of the unix machines that tells it how to generate escape sequences for your HFTs. For BSD-based unix systems (like Suns), you'll need to add a termcap entry for HFT. Below is one that I'm using on a 4.3Tahoe Vax. hf|hft|hft-c|ibm8512|ibm8513|IBM High Function Terminal:\ :co#80:li#25:am:ht:\ :cm=\E[%i%d;%dH:ti=\E[20;4l\E[?7h\Eb:te=\E[20h:\ :nd=\E[C:up=\E[A:do=^J:ho=\E[H:\ :ec=\E[%dX:\ :cl=\E[H\E[J:cd=\E[J:el=\E[K:\ :AL=\E[%dL:DL=\E[%dM:al=\E[L:dl=\E[M:\ :im=\E[4h:ei=\E[4l:mi:\ :dm=\E[4h:ed=\E[4l:\ :so=\E[7m:se=\E[m:ul=\E[4m:ue=\E[m:ms:\ :md=\E[1m:mr=\E[7m:mb=\E[5m:me=\E[m:\ :ac=^N:ae=^O:sc=\E[s:rc=\E[u:\ :kb=\E[D:kf=\E[C:ku=\E[A:kd=\E[B:kh=\E[H:\ :k1=\E[001q:k2=\E[002q:k3=\E[003q:k4=\E[004q:k5=\E[005q:\ :k6=\E[006q:k7=\E[007q:k8=\E[008q:k9=\E[009q:k0=\E[010q:\ :is=\Eb\E[m^O\E[?7h:rs=\Eb\E[m^O\E[?7h\E[H\E[J: This should be added to the /etc/termcap file on each of the machines you wish to telnet or rlogin to. >Beset in Bethesda, >Arthur Sherman >sherman@ncifcrf.gov >(301) 496-4325 Hope this helps people. It seems to work well most of the time. George Bray Locus Computing Corporation, 9800 La Cienega Blvd, Inglewood, CA 90301-4440 213-337-5171 {randvax,sdcrdcf,ucbvax}!ucla-se!lcc!ghb lcc!ghb@seas.ucla.edu {gryphon,turnkey,attunix,oblio}!lcc!ghb
pete@bally.Bally.COM (Pete Gregory) (12/16/89)
In article <123@elrond.locus.com> ghb@elrond.locus.com (George Bray) writes: >In article <1359@fcs280s.ncifcrf.gov> sherman@fcs260c2.UUCP () writes: >> >>I am in a small group of mathematicians who are trying to upgrade >>from DOS to unix by putting AIX (v 1.1) on PS/2's (Model 80's and 70's). >>We have an IBM Token Ring local network on which coexist AIX machines >>using TCP/IP and DOS machines using IBM PC-LAN. Token Ring SNA is not yet available on PS/2 running AIX. Sometime next year.... Pete Gregory | uucp: uunet!bally!pete | ________ "My boss Bally Systems | domain: pete@bally.bally.com | |\ / \ is 255 Bell St. | phone: 702-323-6156 x882 | | X IXOYE ) a Reno, NV 89503 | FAX: 702-323-5997 | |/ \ ________ / carpenter."