*BSD News Article 25126


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Newsgroups: comp.os.386bsd.questions
Path: sserve!newshost.anu.edu.au!munnari.oz.au!news.Hawaii.Edu!ames!sgiblab!swrinde!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!brunix!cs.brown.edu!Mark_Weaver
From: Mark_Weaver@brown.edu
Subject: Re: [NetBSD 0.9] problem with elvis (vi) on serial line
In-Reply-To: jan@filetek.com's message of Fri, 17 Dec 1993 03:50:34 GMT
Message-ID: <MARK_WEAVER.93Dec18171936@tonto-slip9.cis.brown.edu>
Sender: news@cs.brown.edu
Reply-To: Mark_Weaver@brown.edu
Organization: Brown University Department of Computer Science
References: <CI5uoB.Gpt@filetek.com>
Date: Sat, 18 Dec 1993 22:19:36 GMT
Lines: 30

In article <CI5uoB.Gpt@filetek.com> jan@filetek.com (Jan Morales) writes:

> When I use elvis (vi) on a serial line it writes all kinds of apparent
> garbage on the terminal and I end up having to kill it by hand.  This
> happens both when:
> 
> 	- logged in on a directly connected serial dumb terminal, and
> 	- in an xterm dialed out of one modem and into another on the
> 	  same system.

This is not a problem with elvis, it is a problem with the com driver.
I'm not sure why, but certain programs change the frame type of the
data.  If you try to use gdb to step through a program you will soon
see a similar effect.  Or quitting out of emacs 19.22 will leave you
at a shell prompt with a different frame type.

When I say frame type, I mean the number of data bits, stop bits and
parity.  I have seen it switch between the following frame types:

  - 8 data bits, 1 stop bit, no parity
  - 7 data bits, 1 stop bit, even parity
  - 7 data bits, 1 stop bit, no parity

The com driver needs a serious overhaul IMHO anyway, during which time
this problem should hopefully be solved.

	Mark
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