Problems with RH 9.0 and Terminal Programs...

From: John Red-Horse (jrredho_at_swcp.com)
Date: 04/23/04 

Date: Fri, 23 Apr 2004 16:22:34 +0000 (UTC)

Hey All,

I am a lowly user (read: I'm not the admin) of an HP x4000, that was
recently upgraded from RH 7.2 to 9.0:

----------------------begin terminal output----------------------------
bash(234)> uname -a
Linux sahp4913 2.4.20-28.9psycho #1 SMP Wed Feb 18 07:08:55 MST 2004 i686
i686 i386 GNU/Linux
bash(235)>
----------------------end terminal output----------------------------

The source of my discontent is that I cannot find a terminal program in
the distribution that will suit my needs. Here are a couple of the
problems (I used and am using the default Gnome desktop for each
distribution):

For xterm:

(1) I cannot get the xterm to display 8-bit characters, and I cannot get
xterm to respond (I use bash as my shell) to 8-bit (alt-<something>)
input. This used to work on RH 7.x with the settings that I have in my
.bash files for stty, and for the X resources that I have for xterm.

Just for completeness, my .bash_profile invokes stty using

------------------begin included .bash_profile contents---------------
#
# Use stty to get my usual key bindings
#
stty intr '^c' erase '^?' susp '^z' kill '^u' tab3

#
# Set the terminal up for 8-bit characters
# (SysV Compatible)

stty cs8 -parenb -istrip
------------------end included .bash_profile contents---------------

and running 'appres xterm' yields

------------------begin included X resources---------------

xterm*VT100.Translations: #override Meta<KeyPress>:insert-eight-bit() \n
xterm*metaSendsEscape: true
xterm*eightBitInput: true

xterm*pointerShape: gumby

------------------end included X resources---------------

The last piece of information that I have regarding the lack of eight-bit
character and keyboard input handling is that when I invoke the xterm Main
Options menu via <cntl>-<btn1>, the menu pick "8-bit controls" is shaded
and, therefore, unselectable.

(2) The last X resource I included above brings up another point. I do
not get to select my pointerShape. No matter what I do, including
invoking the -xrm '*.pointerShape: gumby' command-line option to xterm, my
pointer is overridden by some weird winged critter.

Now, some might suggest that I use gnome-terminal instead. Well, no
matter what I do, the eight-bit problem still occurs, but there's an even
more nettlesome problem with it: gnome-terminal intercepts some characters
before they reach the application. For example, I cannot send a ^-^
(<cntl>-<caret>) keyboard input to the applications I run from this
program. This makes, for example, pico dang near impossible to use.

I know that I'm asking for free advice, and I hope that I've painted a
good picture of my predicament; but, any help that anyone can provide
would really be appreciated (I'm an unreformable retro-grouch who uses
terminal-based applications for email, most of my web-browsing, and for
news reading).

cheers,
john

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