Re: Use and setup of TN5250

[Scott Klement <klemscot@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Syd,

I am also an experienced AS/400 programmer, who uses SEU a lot... :) 
The tn5250 package can/will do all of the things that you ask!  Except,
you'll probably need to install an icon in KDE manually.

What version of tn5250 are you using?  (Apparently an old one, since 
you're still using the old-style -y switch...)  You can find out by 
typing tn5250 -V (on an older version) or tn5250 +version (on a newer
version)

If you're running this in an xterm, you probably want to use the xt5250
script that's provided with tn5250.  It automates the task of loading your
keyboard map, etc in an xterm.  tn5250 is more intended for console-mode,
rather than in an xterm.  This is the reason that you're not getting the
function keys, shift-tab, etc to work.

To change the keyboard map, try editing the file called:
/usr/local/share/tn5250/XTerm

(at least, thats where its installed in Redhat-6.1, if SUSE is different,
you may need to search for it...)

It doesn't really require programming, but a basic knowledge of how
termcap/terminfo works is very helpful.  (It certainly does not require
you to know C!)  If you can't figure it out, let me/us know the specific
keys you're still having problems with, and we'll help.

The console-mode equiv of the "XTerm" file is called us5250.map (or
uk5250.map if applicable) which is in the tn5250/linux directory of the
source distribution.  If thats useful to you.

Hope that helps!  good luck!



On Sun, 21 May 2000, Dr. Syd Nicholson wrote:

> Hi 
> 
> Can anybody help
> 
> I'm new to LINUX and am trying to use TN5250 in the KDE of SUSE 6.4.
> 
> The TN5250 string I am using is 'tn5250 -y IBM-3477-FC airor', where
> airor is the name of my AS/400. This is being typed into xterm. I need
> the 132 char wide screen for ILE RPG source editing
> 
> How do I add this as an icon to my KDE desktop? I use several
> simultaneous sessions and find this startup method to be rather
> cumbersome. A desktop icon would be much quicker.
> 
> My next problem is the keyboard/cursor handling -- it is terrible,
> almost useless to an experienced AS/400 programmer used to IBM
> terminals!!. Is there a keyboard map I can set up somewhere. These are
> my problems.
> 
> Use of the F9 key to return commands does not put the cursor on the
> command line. I use F9 a lot as a quick method of positioning the
> cursor.
> The Backspace key is ignored - it has no effect
> The numeric key pad is ignored - it has no effect - even with num lock
> on. I make extensive use of the numeric key pad.
> Can we have SHIFT-F1 to F12 for function keys F13 to F24. I use these a
> lot in SEU, especially F16 to search and the existing ESC -SHIFT -1 to 0
> is awful, and cumbersome, certainly not fast.
> Can the cursor blink - this makes it easier to find on the screen
> SHIFT -TAB should cause the cursor to tab fields backwards, in the same
> way that TAB moves the cursor forwards
> SHIFT-ENTER should move the cursor down to the first input field on the
> next or subsequent line of the display
> In WRKLIBPDM etc. anything I do sends the cursor back to the top most
> field of the display. The cursor should stay in the field I am using.
> Constantly repositioning the cursor for every transaction is a pain in
> the *** and wastes a lot of time. This is a big source of frustration
> with the system.
> Can the display be resized to give larger print. On a high resoltion
> screen the text is rather small.
> Could we have Left-CTRL for error reset.
> 
> I know this seems like a lot, but I really do want to use LINUX instead
> of Windows. To be practical TN5250 also has to be usable. with the
> keyboard and cursor behaving as expected. If anybody can help me sort
> this out it would be most appreciated.
> 
> I do not want to modify tn5250 source code myself. I have a little
> experience in 'C' but not enough to do this job and certainly not 'C++'.
> 
> Regards
> Syd Nicholson
> Castlehill Computer Services Ltd.

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