Extra! User Guide > Terminal Sessions > Asynchronous Host Sessions > VT Sessions

VT Sessions

When you select a VT 420 or VT 340 session, the escape sequences and operating characteristics of the Digital Equipment Corporation VT420 text terminal or VT340 graphics terminal are supported. A VT 340 session can display graphics, and in several places the online help refers to its graphic functions. However, VT340 emulation may not be available in your version of Extra!.

VT, SCO-ANSI, AT386 Settings - Display General Page

Use the options in the Display General page to select and configure a specific mode of terminal emulation. You can change your terminal mode while a session is active. The default values provided for most options in the Display General page are suitable for most users. The options described here are available in VT, SCO-ANSI, and AT386 sessions.

Table 38 VT, SCO-ANSI, AT386 Settings - Display General Page

Settings

Description

Terminal Mode

In a VT session, select the terminal operating mode from the list. VT400-7bit mode is suitable for most applications. ANSI-BBS mode is suitable for many BBS hosts and supports DOS ANSI.SYS functionality. In VT52 mode, this display is not ANSI compatible. Instead it uses DIGITAL-defined VT52 compatible control sequences. In a SCO-ANSI or AT386 session, no further choice of mode is available.

DA Response

Select a DA (Device Attributes) response from the list. The default DA Response value, E!PC, is a superset of the VT340 DA response including some VT420 functions, and is suitable for most users. If you select Custom, you must also type the appropriate sequences in the Custom Primary DA and Custom Secondary DA edit boxes.

Custom Primary DA

Specify your own Primary DA (Device Attributes) response. If you selected Custom in DA Response, this string is sent in response to a Primary Device Attributes request.

Custom Secondary DA

Specify your own Secondary DA (Device Attributes) response. If you selected Custom in DA Response, this string is sent in response to a Secondary Device Attributes request.

Answerback

Specify your answerback string. This string is sent in response to an ENQ from the host. You can use up to 31 characters, including control and special codes. If you want to include the character { as part of your answerback string, it must be enclosed in quotes when typed in the dialog box, "{". The string will appear as typed, but only the { character will be sent to the host.

Character Set Mode

If you select Multinational, the ASCII character set is mapped into the lower (7-bit) character set (GL), and the User Preferred Character Set is mapped into the upper (8-bit) character set (GR). If you select National, your Character Set is defined by what you select under National set. In a SCO-ANSI or AT386 session, only Multinational is available.

National Set

Map a National Replacement Character Set into the lower (7-bit) character set (GL). This character set is used when you select National under Character Set Mode. National mode uses only seven bits; therefore, the upper (8-bit) character set (GR) is unavailable. Not available in SCO-ANSI or AT386 sessions.

User Preferred Set

Select the 8-bit supplemental character set to use. If you use a serial port, ensure that your port can send all eight bits. To display one of the Turkish or Greek character sets, you must use the Arial Terminal font or Lucida For Attachmate font.

Use Euro For International Currency Symbol

Select this option to use the Euro symbol in place of the international currency symbol. This option applies only when ISO Latin-1 is selected under User Preferred Set. Not available in SCO-ANSI or AT386 sessions.

Local Mode

Set an operating mode in which data you type is sent from the keyboard to the screen, but not to the host. In this mode, data received from the host is buffered until you return the terminal to the online state by selecting Local Mode again.

Local Echo

Select whether to display the characters sent to the host, or let the host handle echo.

Lock User Keys

Select whether the host system can change user-defined key (UDK) definitions. Not available in SCO-ANSI or AT386 sessions.

Lock User Features

Select whether the host system can change the settings of the user preference features: columns, scroll, and inverse screen.

Disable Locator

Select this option to disable ANSI Locator mode. ANSI Locator mode is disabled by default. If clear this option, the ANSI Locator mode will not be enabled until you restart the session. To do this, save your session, then close and re-open it. Disable Locator is not available in SCO-ANSI or AT386 sessions.

To create a VT session

  1. In the New Session wizard, in response to the question "What type of session would you like to use" choose DEC VT420 or DEC VT340.

  2. In the New Session wizard, also select a Connection Type and File Transfer Protocol. After making your selections, choose Finish.

  3. When your session starts, from the Options menu, choose Settings.

  4. Under Categories, choose Display.

  5. In the General page under Terminal Mode, select a terminal to emulate.

    Table 39

    Terminal Mode

    Description

    VT400-7bit

    VT420 features with 7-bit control codes

    VT400-8bit

    VT420 features with 8-bit control codes

    VT100

    VT100 compatible

    VT52

    VT52 compatible

    ANSI-BBS

    Suitable for many BBS hosts; supports DOS ANSI.SYS functionality

    401X

    VT 340 sessions only; emulates a Tektronix 401X series terminal similar to the way a VT340 does

  6. To determine the device attribute response the terminal sends on request from the host, select a Device Attributes response from the DA Response list.

    A device attribute response (report) generally informs the host about particular attribute configurations and the current terminal state. Most of these reports are transparent to you. However, you can configure the primary device attributes and secondary device attributes reports if you select Custom under DA Response. Otherwise, these two reports assume a default based on the selected terminal type.

    Table 40

    DA Response

    Identification Sequence

    VT420

    CSI? 64;1;2;6;7;8;9;15;18;19;21c

    VT340

    CSI? 63;1;2;3;4;6;7;8;9;13;15;16;18;19c

    VT320

    CSI? 63;1;2;6;7;8;9c

    VT240

     

    VT220

    CSI? 62;1;2;6;7;8;9c

    VT131

     

    VT125

     

    VT102

    ESC[6c

    VT101

    ESC[1;0c

    VT100

    ESC[1;2c

    E!PC

    A superset of the VT340 DA response including some VT420 functions; suitable for most users.

    Custom

    Strings stored in Custom Primary DA and Custom Secondary DA.

  7. If you select Custom under DA Response, also type your Custom Primary DA and Custom Secondary DA in the appropriate edit boxes.

To specify a VT character set

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

  2. Under Categories, choose Display.

  3. On the General page, select either Multinational or National from the Character Set Mode list.

  4. If you selected Multinational, also select a User Preferred Set. The User Preferred Set is the upper (8-bit) character set (GR).

    -or-

    If you selected National, also select a National Set.

    NOTE:If you select Multinational and you use a serial port, ensure that your port can send 8 bits of data. To send and receive codes in the GR set, you need 8 bits of data.

  5. If you selected a Turkish or Greek character set, under Categories, choose Font. In the Font General page, ensure that the Arial Terminal font or Lucida For Attachmate font is selected. The character set you choose determines which characters are displayed for each received code. You can also display received control codes if Show Control Characters is selected in the Display page.

    All the VT340 and VT420 character sets are supported. These include ASCII, DEC-MCS, ISO Latin-1, ISO Latin-2, DEC Technical, DEC Special Graphics, National Replacement Character sets, and DRCS (downloadable). Also supported is the standard DOS character set. Each character set contains various sizes including 80- and 132-column styles.

To enter or exit local mode

  1. In a VT, SCO-ANSI, or AT386 session, from the Options menu, choose Settings.

  2. Under Categories, choose Display.

  3. On the General page, select Local Mode.

    NOTE:In local mode, data you type is sent from the keyboard to the screen, but not to the host. Data received from the host is buffered until you return the terminal to the online state by clearing the Local Mode check box.

To enter or exit VT Hold Screen mode

  • In a VT session, press the F1 key. This stops or resumes output to the screen.

    Hold Screen is the default action for the F1 key. If you change the assignment for the F1 key in the Display Keyboard page, you will lose access to Hold Screen, unless you map the function to another key.

To reset the display

  • From the Session menu, choose Reset Display.