Re: sam confused, Q: arrow keys

[hc05@summitis.com]

> Hello,
> 
> I got sam a couple of days ago. I guess it's a nice thing. But I ran
> into two problems with it:
> 
> 1) sometimes I end up in a situation when the whole editing menu
> (second mouse key) is displayed with parens around the topics and none
> of the commands typed into the ~sam~ window has any effect. I neither
> understand how I get into this situation nor how to escape from. All I
> can do is to terminate sam. Any help?

This means that sam is trying to process a command and hasn't finished.  The
fact that you are stuck there is bad.

> 
> 2) The arrow keys: I'm sitting in front of an AIX. When I try to move
> the cursor using the arrow keys they seem to have all the effect of
> page up/down. I can't move character or line wise. How can I get an
> usable key binding?

You should first understand how sam was designed.  The idea is that you use
the keyboard for entering text, and the mouse for control.  You are supposed
to use the mouse to move the cursor, not the keyboard.

Having said that, you can get the samx patches for sam, which give you 
arrow keys like you expect, the ability to define macros, and autoindent.
I use the package mainly for autoindent (I would have quit using sam without
it), but the arrow keys are handy too.  BTW, I don't know offhand where to
get the samx patches, but others do.

> 
> 3) On different point (unrelated to sam): I attempt to compile 9term
> for the AIX, but I failed. I had to change some code to open a pty (as
> usual with AIX everything is a little different) into a mix of the two
> kinds already in the file pty.c. After doing so I ended up with an
> executable which opened a window. But the shell was obviewsly started
> on a complete different pty!! (After some tries starting and killing
> the 9term, I was left with a window where a couple of shells shared
> ONE pty. Fancy.) Any idea where to look? Did someone succed to compile
> 9term for the AIX (version 3)?

I have a mostly working 9term for AIX 3.2.5.  I had to rewrite the pty logic.
It works mostly.  The things that need work are the special keys like 
INTR and job-control, and it dies occasionally.  I can send it to you if you
want to tinker more.  I don't use 9term much, so I haven't gotten around to
finishing it.

Beirne