[comp.unix.sysv386] VP/ix over serial/modem lines

dnb@rubys.UUCP (Dave Buonomo) (02/05/91)

I'm running VP/ix on top of Interactive UNIX Sys V 3.2.2.  I would like to
dial-in to this box from a PC and run VP/ix remotely and would like to know
of any experiences with this, or wheather it is even practical.  In
particular, what type of terminal emulation is necessary from a dial-in PC?
Will I need a terminal emulation package to emulate a "PC/AT" type terminal?
Other than graphics applications (I think it's safe to rule out these over
dial-in lines), is there a TERM type that I need to set to fully support
"character" graphics, full-screen cursor addressing, etc.?

I'd also like to know of any other configuration items I need to be concerned
with on the UNIX box in relation to VP/ix.  Thanks in advance.

David Buonomo
...!uunet!fltk!ruby!dnb
(301)916-0807

pat@rwing.UUCP (Pat Myrto) (02/10/91)

In article <170@rubys.UUCP> dnb@rubys.UUCP (Dave Buonomo) writes:
>I'm running VP/ix on top of Interactive UNIX Sys V 3.2.2.  I would like to
>dial-in to this box from a PC and run VP/ix remotely and would like to know
>of any experiences with this, or wheather it is even practical.  In
>
>I'd also like to know of any other configuration items I need to be concerned
>with on the UNIX box in relation to VP/ix.  Thanks in advance.

What you propose to do works fine.  The terminal types supported are
listed in /usr/vpix/term, and the files can be modified if you want to
emulate some other special PC key combinations.  The keys like right
shift, left shift, alt, etc are handled by mapping a character to the
key press and key release codes - read the VP/ix docs for more info.
Note that if you map a key to some special key, you also need to map
something to generate the char the key you previously mapped
generates, usually its TWO hits on the given key - look at how escape
is handled.

The remote terminal, if its not a PC (like a vt100) doesn't understand
the IBMPC special graphic chars, you will get the 7 bit equiv
displayed, but still most screens are easily understandable.  Screen
updates on the remote are reasonably intelligent.

As an example of how well it works (for me, at least), I can call the
UNIX system from remote over dialup, log in, bring up VP/ix, run IPX
and NET3, attach to the Netware LAN at work, login to THAT, and run
Netware utilities, like SYSCON, etc to do maint (I am the "lan admin"
at work).

While VP/ix isn't the be-all end-all, I am impressed such a lashup
kludge described above works AT ALL, let alone very well.  I even have
reconfigured the LAN to use Ethernet II packets, and have the BYU IPX
and a Clarkson driver installed, with future intent of trying to get
NFS or something going with the Netware LAN and UNIX, and The PD IPX
and Clarkson driver works fine using VP/ix.  I figure if that works,
just about anything will.  Only constraint on VPix apps are that they
cannot diddle with the DMA (that requires a special kernel driver
addition).  The NIC also has to be set up to use a FREE IRQ number and
I/O port addresses - the setup asks you for the IRQ and starting and
ending I/O port address.

Just be sure your ASYNC driver for the UNIX supports VP/ix - you have
to either be using the stock async driver, or FAS 207 or later.
Otherwise VP/ix complains about not understanding your keyboard, and
is not accessable to your keystrokes.

Try it - I think you will like it.  I also suggest a decent line speed
like 9600 or PEP.  Stuff that likes to redo the whole screen may be
rather slow to run at low line speeds like 1200/2400.....
-- 
pat@rwing                                       (Pat Myrto),  Seattle, WA
                            ...!uunet!pilchuck!rwing!pat
      ...!uw-beaver!uw-entropy!dataio!/
WISDOM:    "Travelling unarmed is like boating without a life jacket" 

davidg%aegis.or.jp@kyoto-u.ac.jp (Dave McLane) (02/11/91)

pat@rwing.UUCP (Pat Myrto) writes:

> In article <170@rubys.UUCP> dnb@rubys.UUCP (Dave Buonomo) writes:
> >I'm running VP/ix on top of Interactive UNIX Sys V 3.2.2.  I would like to
> >dial-in to this box from a PC and run VP/ix remotely and would like to know
> >of any experiences with this, or wheather it is even practical.  In
> >
> >I'd also like to know of any other configuration items I need to be concerne
> >with on the UNIX box in relation to VP/ix.  Thanks in advance.
>
> What you propose to do works fine.  The terminal types supported are

I just got my ISC V3.3 R2.2 set up to run VP/ix and while most of 
what you say is what I've seen, there is one major glitch: if I 
lose the carrier while in VP/ix, the task just sits there as a 
sub-task under getty and doesn't abort. If I log onto another line
and kill -9 the VPIX task, then getty respawns.

Maybe I haven't installed VP/ix right.....

--Dave McLane <davidg%aegis.or.jp@kyoto-u.ac.jp>

tim@dell.co.uk (Tim Wright) (02/11/91)

In <6423@spdcc.SPDCC.COM> rbraun@spdcc.COM (Rich Braun) writes:

>>As an example of how well it works (for me, at least), I can call the
>>UNIX system from remote over dialup, log in, bring up VP/ix, run IPX
>>and NET3...

>OK, this I have to see to believe.  SCO categorically says this _cannot_
>be done with VP/ix.  They do not support any LAN card under VP/ix.

Well, unless SCO development broke something, THEY ARE WRONG !!!!
*I* have run IPX and NET3 under VP/ix under ISC 2.0.2. It *works*.
This was with a WD8003EB card though, not a 3com card.
>> Only constraint on VPix apps are that they
>>cannot diddle with the DMA (that requires a special kernel driver
>>addition).

>Perhaps that's the only thing SCO doesn't support--DMA.  The Clarkson
>driver for the 3C503 requires DMA, as I recall, so that's why I could
>not repeat your success.

Does it really ?? I haven't looked but most drivers for PC ethernet cards
use programmed I/O on AT class machines.

>Am I running up against a problem with SCO that Interactive has licked?
>I'm aware VP/ix is an Interactive product sold under OEM agreement by
>SCO.  Is SCO getting short-shrift in terms of technical capabilities?
>Or did SCO screw up its own kernel?  If either of these is the case, I
>fear for the future of SCO's customers (yes, I'm one) given the recent
>announcement that Interactive has been granted exclusive license to
>Sys-V rel4 on the 386.  SCO would have to OEM the O/S from Interactive,
>and ...

Interactive have been granted no such thing. PLEASE read the announcement
more carefully. Intel are dropping out of the UNIX software game and ISC are
taking over Intel's product and committing wholeheartedly to V.4. SCO have
made no such commitment (yet). If ISC have an "exclusive license" for the
386/486 version of V.4 then Dell, Microport, UHC, ICL etc. are going to be
very upset :-)

Tim
--
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Tel: +44-344-860456                  | Uucp: ...!ukc!delluk!tim
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hotte@sunrise.in-berlin.de (Horst Laumer) (02/13/91)

dnb@rubys.UUCP (Dave Buonomo) writes:

>I'm running VP/ix on top of Interactive UNIX Sys V 3.2.2.  I would like to
>dial-in to this box from a PC and run VP/ix remotely and would like to know
>of any experiences with this, or wheather it is even practical.  In
>particular, what type of terminal emulation is necessary from a dial-in PC?
>Will I need a terminal emulation package to emulate a "PC/AT" type terminal?
>Other than graphics applications (I think it's safe to rule out these over
>dial-in lines), is there a TERM type that I need to set to fully support
>"character" graphics, full-screen cursor addressing, etc.?

>I'd also like to know of any other configuration items I need to be concerned
>with on the UNIX box in relation to VP/ix.  Thanks in advance.

>David Buonomo

If you come over from a PC, there might be no problem. I've done this using
TUN (Terminal UNiversel) by ESKER. Also did id with Wyse 120, but there was
a fix to be made in the fvpix-string. In general, take a look at the files
in /usr/vpix/term/ to get some hints. If that is still insufficient with
regard to the man-pages, email me, and I will try to get you to efforts.

Horst
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INET: hotte@sunrise.in-berlin.de                ! for Autorouters -- me --
UUCP: ..unido!fub!geminix!sunrise.in-berlin.de!hotte

tmh@bigfoot.FOKUS.GMD.DBP.DE (Thomas Hoberg) (02/17/91)

In article <170@rubys.UUCP>, dnb@rubys.UUCP (Dave Buonomo) writes:
|> I'm running VP/ix on top of Interactive UNIX Sys V 3.2.2.  I would like to
|> dial-in to this box from a PC and run VP/ix remotely and would like to know
|> of any experiences with this, or wheather it is even practical.  In
|> particular, what type of terminal emulation is necessary from a dial-in PC?
|> Will I need a terminal emulation package to emulate a "PC/AT" type terminal?
|> Other than graphics applications (I think it's safe to rule out these over
|> dial-in lines), is there a TERM type that I need to set to fully support
|> "character" graphics, full-screen cursor addressing, etc.?
|> 
|> I'd also like to know of any other configuration items I need to be
concerned
|> with on the UNIX box in relation to VP/ix.  Thanks in advance.
|> 
|> David Buonomo
|> ...!uunet!fltk!ruby!dnb
|> (301)916-0807
I'd really be interested in a small PD scan-code terminal emulatore myself,
preferably in source so I can adapt it. I'd also just love to have scan-code
terminal emulation built into telnet. Asking too much?
----
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