Configuring the Terminal Software

During configuration, you need to:

• Edit the file /etc/ttytype to associate the TTY port you have chosen with a file that describes your terminal settings. These terminal descriptor files reside in the directory /usr/lib/terminfo.

• Update the file /etc/inittab to allow a login to that port.

Note: The utilities described in this section are distributed as part of the eoe2.sw.terminfo package. You must have installed this package on your system in order to use these utilities. See IRIX Admin: Software Installation and Licensing for information and specific instructions on installing this package. The /usr/lib/terminfo directory contains files that describe different terminal models, their capabilities, and how they operate. For most ASCII terminal models, you do not need to edit this database.

Note: If your terminal is not in the database, or if it does not work properly after you have configured the software, you may need to write a terminal description. Refer to the optional Topics in IRIX Programming and the tset(1), stty(1), and terminfo(4) reference pages. Additionally, your terminal may support a compatible terminal mode (such as VT100). Check your terminal documentation for compatibility modes. The directory /usr/lib/terminfo is divided into numerical and alphabetical subdirectories. Each subdirectory contains entries for terminals whose names begin with that character. For example, /usr/lib/terminfo/v contains the entry for the Visual 50. The entry name listed in the subdirectory is v50am. Use the fgrep command to search for the terminal model name that corresponds to the entry name.

To find the entry name for your terminal and to configure software for an ASCII terminal, follow these steps:

1. Log in as root or become the superuser by entering the su command.

2. Change directories to /usr/lib/terminfo, type:

   cd /usr/lib/terminfo

3. Find the entry name for your terminal. Issue the fgrep command with a string that you suspect could make up part of your terminal name.

   ls -R | fgrep -i string

   If this fails, examine the subdirectories of /usr/lib/terminfo, which contain all the terminal entries.

4. Once you find the terminal name as it appears in /usr/lib/terminfo, issue the infocmp command to determine the model name of your terminal. For example, for a Visual 50, issue this command:

   infocmp -I v50am

   You see a display that begins with this line:

   v50am|visual50 (v50 emulation) with automatic margins,

   The data in the first field (v50am) is the model name of your terminal.

   Tip: If it looks like there are many terminal names that could apply, use this example shell script to help speed up the search. This example uses the string wy60* to help locate all the Wyse60 models. Substitute your own string, as appropriate.

   sh

   for i in wy60*

   do

   infocmp -I $i

   done

   Note: If you choose an incorrect model name, you can change it later; the line still works, but screen-based commands do not display correctly.

5. Edit /etc/ttytype and enter the model name.

   This file associates the model name with the port where the terminal is connected. In the line that contains the port you are using, replace du with the model name of your terminal.

   An /etc/ttytype might look like this example:

   iris-ansi systty
?v50am ttyd1
?v50am ttyd2
?v50am ttyd3
?v50am ttyd4
?v50am ttyd5
?v50am ttyd6
?v50am ttyd7
?v50am ttyd8
?v50am ttyd9
?v50am ttyd10
?v50am ttyd11
?v50am ttyd12

   Hint: The optional question mark (?) at the beginning of a line in /etc/ttytype causes tset to display the model name as supplied (for example, v50am here) and prompts for the model name you are currently using. If you are not using the model name as provided, type in the name that you are using; otherwise, press <Enter> to accept the default. This provides an easy way to switch terminal settings if you use more than one type of terminal.

   tset is normally called in your login startup script (.login or .profile). tset commands use information from /etc/ttytype and /usr/lib/terminfo to initialize the terminal. These files also provide information on setting environment variables so that editors and other programs know how to communicate with the terminal. See tset(1) for detailed information.

6. Edit /etc/inittab so that you can log in. /etc/inittab provides information about how the computer ports behave. This is a sample from an /etc/inittab file:

   t1:23:respawn:/etc/getty -s console ttyd1 co_9600 # port 1

   t2:23:off:/etc/getty -N ttyd2 co_9600 # port 2

   t3:23:off:/etc/getty -N ttyd3 co_9600 # port 3

   t4:23:off:/etc/getty -N ttyd4 co_9600 # port 4

   Here are two example entries, with an explanation of each field in the entries:

   t1:23:respawn:/etc/getty -s console ttyd1 co_9600

   t2:23:off:/etc/getty -N ttyd2 co_9600

   t1 t2

   uniquely identifies the entry.

   23

   defines the init run level in which this entry is to be processed. A 23 means this entry is to be processed in run levels two and three. Refer to init(1M) for more information about run levels.

   off

   means do not perform the action on the process field of init.

   respawn

   means start the program in the process field of init and restart it every time the process terminates. See inittab(4) for a description of all possible actions.

   /etc/getty -s console ttyd1 co_9600

   
   runs the getty process on the port labeled 1 at the baud rate and with the options specified in the co_9600 entry in the /etc/gettydefs file. The -s console option instructs getty that the login shell generated is a system console, and therefore receives system error messages.

   /etc/getty -N ttyd2 co_9600

   
   runs the getty process on the port labeled 2 at the baud rate and with the options specified in the co_9600 entry in the /etc/gettydefs file. The -N option instructs getty to honor the presence of the /etc/nologin file, which does not allow remote logins over the network.

   To enable you to log in to the terminal connected to the port labeled 2, find this line:

   t2:23:off:/etc/getty -N ttyd2 co_9600

   Change it to:

   t2:23:respawn:/etc/getty -N ttyd2 co_9600

7. If you don't plan to run the terminal at 9600 baud, replace co_9600 in /etc/inittab with the correct entry name from /etc/gettydefs.

   /etc/inittab refers to /etc/gettydefs for information about the terminal line settings. In the example from /etc/inittab above, co_9600 refers to the name of an entry in /etc/gettydefs; it defines a 9600 baud console setting.

   To see what entries are defined in /etc/gettydefs, examine the file, or see "Checking Line Settings Using IRIX Shell Commands". To make a new entry, see "Creating and Testing Line Settings".

8. Inform init of the change to /etc/inittab, and start a getty process for the port:

   telinit q

9. Power on the terminal. The workstation sends a login prompt to the terminal screen. Press <Enter> if the login prompt doesn't appear.

Note: If the default line speed set in /etc/inittab is incorrect, the prompt may be garbled or may not appear. You should choose another line speed.