virtual consoles on serial terminal?

Hello all.

I have successfully connected a dummy terminal (serial computer terminal)
to a linux box via port ttyS1.

It works great but I have one request from my boss that I can not seem to
find a solution for.

I would like to have two or more programs running at the same time with
the ability to toggle back and forth on a tts based serial console.
Similar to mingetty's <alt-F1, alt-F2...> keystrokes to toggle between
other tty consoles.
Our goal is to have PINE and LYNX running at the same time without needing
to exit each app to get to the other.

I hope this is possible.

TIA all.

-Trode

On 2003-11-26, trode <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> I would like to have two or more programs running at the same time with
> the ability to toggle back and forth on a tts based serial console.

http://www.gnu.org/software/screen/

--
Grant Edwards grante Yow! It's NO USE... I've
at gone to "CLUB MED"!!
visi.com

On Wed, 26 Nov 2003 16:39:17 +0000, Grant Edwards wrote:

> On 2003-11-26, trode <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>> I would like to have two or more programs running at the same time with
>> the ability to toggle back and forth on a tts based serial console.
>
> http://www.gnu.org/software/screen/

Thanks!

That'll do it.

On Wed, 26 Nov 2003 16:35:47 GMT, trode <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>
> Hello all.
>
> I have successfully connected a dummy terminal (serial computer terminal)
> to a linux box via port ttyS1.
>
> It works great but I have one request from my boss that I can not seem to
> find a solution for.
>
> I would like to have two or more programs running at the same time with
> the ability to toggle back and forth on a tts based serial console.
> Similar to mingetty's <alt-F1, alt-F2...> keystrokes to toggle between
> other tty consoles.
> Our goal is to have PINE and LYNX running at the same time without needing
> to exit each app to get to the other.
>
> I hope this is possible.
>

Would screen work for you? It divides a single tty into 2 or more ptys.

(and has networking capabilities)

AC

On Wed, 26 Nov 2003 17:28:54 +0000, Alan Connor wrote:

> On Wed, 26 Nov 2003 16:35:47 GMT, trode <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>>
>>
>> Hello all.
>>
>> I have successfully connected a dummy terminal (serial computer terminal)
>> to a linux box via port ttyS1.
>>
>> It works great but I have one request from my boss that I can not seem to
>> find a solution for.
>>
>> I would like to have two or more programs running at the same time with
>> the ability to toggle back and forth on a tts based serial console.
>> Similar to mingetty's <alt-F1, alt-F2...> keystrokes to toggle between
>> other tty consoles.
>> Our goal is to have PINE and LYNX running at the same time without needing
>> to exit each app to get to the other.
>>
>> I hope this is possible.
>>
>
> Would screen work for you? It divides a single tty into 2 or more ptys.
>
> (and has networking capabilities)
>
> AC

I'm not at a point to tell yet. It seems to be the right solution. I
just can't figure out the "keybinding". I thought C-a meant <CTRL>-a but
that is not the case. the Man pages are not well written for me to
understand how the keybind works. I'll did the web a bit to find out
more.
I am currently reading/editing the .screenrc file.

Any two cents is appreciated.

>>
>> Would screen work for you? It divides a single tty into 2 or more ptys.
>>
>> (and has networking capabilities)
>>
>> AC
>
> I'm not at a point to tell yet. It seems to be the right solution. I
> just can't figure out the "keybinding". I thought C-a meant <CTRL>-a but
> that is not the case. the Man pages are not well written for me to
> understand how the keybind works. I'll did the web a bit to find out
> more.
> I am currently reading/editing the .screenrc file.
>
> Any two cents is appreciated.
Nevermind. I got it. I screwed up the parameters in the screenrc file.
Now all is well.
Thanks for the suggestion Grant. It is much appreciated.

-Trode

On Wed, 26 Nov 2003 18:15:12 GMT, trode <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>
> On Wed, 26 Nov 2003 17:28:54 +0000, Alan Connor wrote:
>
>> On Wed, 26 Nov 2003 16:35:47 GMT, trode <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>> Hello all.
>>>
>>> I have successfully connected a dummy terminal (serial computer terminal)
>>> to a linux box via port ttyS1.
>>>
>>> It works great but I have one request from my boss that I can not seem to
>>> find a solution for.
>>>
>>> I would like to have two or more programs running at the same time with
>>> the ability to toggle back and forth on a tts based serial console.
>>> Similar to mingetty's <alt-F1, alt-F2...> keystrokes to toggle between
>>> other tty consoles.
>>> Our goal is to have PINE and LYNX running at the same time without needing
>>> to exit each app to get to the other.
>>>
>>> I hope this is possible.
>>>
>>
>> Would screen work for you? It divides a single tty into 2 or more ptys.
>>
>> (and has networking capabilities)
>>
>> AC
>
> I'm not at a point to tell yet. It seems to be the right solution. I
> just can't figure out the "keybinding". I thought C-a meant <CTRL>-a but
> that is not the case. the Man pages are not well written for me to
> understand how the keybind works. I'll did the web a bit to find out
> more.
> I am currently reading/editing the .screenrc file.
>
> Any two cents is appreciated.
>

C-a DOES mean Ctrl-a. Are you holding Ctrl down while typing a?

The man page is a little rough. If you like, I will mail you a short
tutorial I wrote a while back.

Meanwhile, Ctrl-Space is a much better for the escape keybinding, and
Ctrl-y for switching to whatever pty you were on last (especially
useful for your needs). Put these in your .screenrc under KEYBINDINGS:

escape '^@^@'

bind 'y' other

Here's what the top of my .screenrc looks like:

(lines beginning with # ignored, of courese)


startup_message off
shelltitle SH
#nethack on
defscrollback 250
#defflow on # will force screen to process ^S/^Q
deflogin on
#autodetach off
#vbell on
#vbell_msg " Wuff ---- Wuff!! "
hardstatus alwayslastline "%w"
hardcopy_append on
screen -t AC 0
screen -t WER 1
screen -t SYS 2
screen -t MC 3 mc -abd
screen -t CA less .calendar


the last line means: create a window titled CA running the file .calendar
in less at startup.

HTH

AC

On Wed, 26 Nov 2003 18:31:28 GMT, trode <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>
>>>
>>> Would screen work for you? It divides a single tty into 2 or more ptys.
>>>
>>> (and has networking capabilities)
>>>
>>> AC
>>
>> I'm not at a point to tell yet. It seems to be the right solution. I
>> just can't figure out the "keybinding". I thought C-a meant <CTRL>-a but
>> that is not the case. the Man pages are not well written for me to
>> understand how the keybind works. I'll did the web a bit to find out
>> more.
>> I am currently reading/editing the .screenrc file.
>>
>> Any two cents is appreciated.
> Nevermind. I got it. I screwed up the parameters in the screenrc file.
> Now all is well.
> Thanks for the suggestion Grant. It is much appreciated.
>
> -Trode
>

That's odd. This article has your previous post as it's parent article.

No 'Grant'. No posts killed on this group today.

Is Grant your invisible friend? :-)

AC

On 2003-11-26, Alan Connor <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>> Thanks for the suggestion Grant. It is much appreciated.
>
> That's odd. This article has your previous post as it's parent
> article.
>
> No 'Grant'. No posts killed on this group today.
>
> Is Grant your invisible friend? :-)

If you didn't see my previous post, maybe you won't see this
one either, but I'm not invisible -- except to drivers of SUVs
when I'm riding my Motorcycle. Actually, the Miata seems to be
invisible sometimes as well...

--
Grant Edwards grante Yow! Yes, Private
at DOBERMAN!!
visi.com

On 26 Nov 2003 19:55:46 GMT, Grant Edwards <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>
> On 2003-11-26, Alan Connor <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>>> Thanks for the suggestion Grant. It is much appreciated.
>>
>> That's odd. This article has your previous post as it's parent
>> article.
>>
>> No 'Grant'. No posts killed on this group today.
>>
>> Is Grant your invisible friend? :-)
>
> If you didn't see my previous post, maybe you won't see this
> one either, but I'm not invisible -- except to drivers of SUVs
> when I'm riding my Motorcycle. Actually, the Miata seems to be
> invisible sometimes as well...

:-) Got this one, Grant, and recognize you. The other post didn't make
it onto the Earthlink Newsfarm. But I *should* have gotten
a "parent article not available" notice when I checked.

I understand that there are now civilian versions of the Hummer on the
roads. Bet you love them....

Aren't you the one that turned me onto ^Space?

AC