Re: Looking for the perfect 5250 client...

On Thu, 28 Mar 2002, James Rich wrote:

> On Thu, 28 Mar 2002, Dan Bale wrote:
>
> [snip requirements: copy/paste, colorize, 132x27, nonstandard port for
> VPN]
>
> > I am wondering if the open-source 5250 client I've seen discussed here would
> > allow me to do the customization I require "out-of-the-box".  I would be
> > willing to develop something for it, if it is possible, and is within my
> > skillset.
>
> The open source tn5250 project (tn5250.sourceforge.net) does not support
> everything you mention.  Here is what is does and doesn't as applied to
> your criteria (it does a lot of great things that you don't mention):
>
> copy/paste - On Windows copy/paste works like every other windows program
> I know of (I don't use windows so I don't know too many :) ) you highlight
> what you want to copy, press the standard copy keys, and then paste using
> the standard paste keys.  I think those are control C and control V?  On
> unix the copy paste is a little easier: you highlight what you want to
> copy with the left mouse button and paste by clicking with the middle (or
> left and right together) button.  Less hand movement I think.

Actually, it does NOT use Ctrl-C and Ctrl-V, since these key codes are
used for other functions, but uses Shift-Insert & Shift-Delete.   The
Windows version also can do the same copy/paste style that you do in your
xt5250 version.... well, almost.   Instead of using the middle button for
paste, it uses the right button.  (Windows does not, without a lot of
extra work, allow you to read the middle button, so I used the right
button)

> coloring source lines - I don't ever colorize any source lines so I don't
> know how this is done, but I assume it requires a (possibly complex)
> sequence of key strokes.  You can certainly type in any sequence of key
> strokes, but I bet you want a macro to do it for you.  Currently tn5250
> does not have key stroke macros.

That would need to be added, but should be very easy.

>
> 132x27 - I use this mode all the time.  It looks great on my machine.  You
> can easily select the fonts you want to use for 80 column and 132 column.
> This part is very nice.
>
> nonstandard port for VPN - I believe this is no problem either (though I
> haven't tested it).  If it is, the fix is simple and can probably be added
> in a matter of minutes.

Nonstandard ports work fine for both telnet & ssl.  (I use these quite a
bit for testing, I connect through a proxy that just hex dumps the data
stream to my screen)

>
> If you feel like tn5250 doesn't meet your requirements you are welcome to
> change it so it does.  It has the features that the people who use it
> need.  Any contributions you or anyone else make will be welcomed.  Or get
> on the mailing list (linux5250@midrange.com) and ask someone to add your
> feature.
>

None of these things are big changes :)  We could implement them, but
nobody has yet requested them.  If Dan joins the project and gives his
input, it'll get done....    even more so if he actually contributes the
code :)