Date   : Sun, 28 Apr 1985 10:07:33 EST
From   : David Towson (SECAD) <towson@AMSAA.ARPA>
Subject: Re: Kaypro Termcap Entry - Comparison with ADM-3A

Richard et al - The string "ma=...etc" in the termcaps you posted for the
ADM-3A and kaypro appears to be in error.  The "ma" string is an "arrow-key
map" for use with the screen editor "vi", version 2 only.  This string is
now essentially obsolete.  Nevertheless, the string you posted "j^Jk^P^K^Pl"
appears to have two problems: it contains a printing character "j" as the
first character, and the field-separator ":" is missing from the end.  It
seems that having a printing character as the first character issued by an
arrow key would be extremely confusing, since it could not be distinguished
from the same character in text until a following key or keys had been
examined.  This would cause that particular printing character not to be
echoed to the screen until the following character or characters had been
entered.  The ADM-3A termcap entry for our local UNIX machines gives just
"^K^P" for the "ma" string.  This is, I admit, a minor point since the "ma"
string will be rarely (if ever) used.  A more significant apparent error is
in the string "cs=...etc".  Our local UNIX documentation has this string
being used to change the scrolling region, which is quite different from
"clear-to-end-of-display" ("cd"), which seems to have been the intent.

     Of possibly more interest is the following termcap for the Kaypro-II,
taken from our local "/etc/termcap" file.

# KayPro II from Richard G Turner <rturner at Darcom-Hq.ARPA>
# I've found that my KayPro II, running MDM730, continues to emulate an
# ADM-3A terminal, just like I was running TERM.COM. On our 4.2 UNIX
# system the following termcap entry works well:
# I have noticed a couple of minor glitches, but nothing I can't work
# around.
k2|kaypro|KayPro II:\
       :am:bs:li#24:co#80:\
       :cm=\E=%+ %+ :\
       :ho=^^:cl=1^Z:\
       :nd=^L:up=^K:do=^J:\
       :ce=^X:cd=^W:\
       :al=\EE:dl=\ER:

I have no personal experience with this termcap, and I don't know why there
are strings for moving the cursor right, up and down ("nd", "up" and "do"
respectively), but not one to move the cursor left ("le").  But the added
string "al" (add line) is particularly desirable for use with screen editors
via low-speed communications, as it allows local re-writing of a substantial
portion of the screen, and you don't have to wait for this re-writing to be
done at low speed from the remote machine.  Perhaps Richard Turner, the author
(who receives info-cpm), will comment on the missing "le" string, and also
on whether his shorter (one millisecond versus three) delay for the clear-
screen ("cl") string has caused any problems.

     General note:  Termcaps seem awfully cryptic and confusing at first
encounter, but they are really not difficult to comprehend PROVIDED you have
a good set of instructions.  I will be happy to send such a set of instructions
to anyone who wants it.  But please send requests to me, and not to the whole
list unless absolutely necessary.



Dave