Extra! User Guide > Terminal Sessions > Asynchronous Host Sessions > VT Sessions > ANSI-BBS Mode

ANSI-BBS Mode

ANSI-BBS mode, an operating mode of VT sessions, supports DOS ANSI.SYS functionality and is suitable for many BBS hosts. In this mode, your session works as it does in the VT400 modes, with some exceptions. These exceptions are as follows:

The sequence Esc [ s restores the cursor. (A VT420 uses this sequence to define a rectangular region.)

The sequence Esc J clears the entire screen. (A VT420 uses this sequence to provide several clearing options.)

ANSI-BBS mode uses the 8-bit IBM character set instead of a DIGITAL character set. Therefore, DIGITAL VT 8-bit control functions are not available. To access control functions, the host must use the equivalent 7-bit sequences.

Asynchronous sessions interpret keystrokes as ISO Latin-1 characters and translate them to equivalent IBM characters before sending them to the host. This includes all 7-bit and 8-bit characters. This translation is performed even if you use the ALT+keypad method of generating special characters. Consequently, there are many IBM characters you cannot send from the keyboard as they have no ISO equivalents. This translation is not performed when you map strings to a key. If you need to send special IBM characters to your host, you do so by mapping the special character to a key on your keyboard.

To enter ANSI-BBS mode

  1. In a VT session, from the Options menu, choose Settings.

  2. Under Categories, choose Display.

  3. In the General page Terminal Mode list, select ANSI-BBS.

    NOTE:When you select ANSI-BBS as your Terminal Mode, the Automatic Line Wrap option in the Display page is automatically selected. If you do not want Automatic Line Wrap selected, choose the Display tab and clear the Automatic Line Wrap check box.