Interesting solution for VP/ix-Esix mouse problem

[Michael Richardson]

In article <25685 at well.sf.ca.us> nlane at well.sf.ca.us (Nathan D. Lane) writes:
>Today I called Esix technical support and asked if it was possible to use
>a mouse for BOTH Esix (with X-windows) and for VP/ix.  They said no.

  The problem is a software problem, not a hardware one. 

>However, I found a way to make it work.  Have TWO mouses (mice?)

  That is the hardware solution :-)

  The first trick is getting some sort of loopback tty device which is
usable from VP/ix. I'm really not certain what an asy driver requires
in order to be usable from VP/ix, but I suppose I could check out fas
source and see.  It would be nice to be able to set up
/dev/[pt]ty[pqr]? with the required stuff. I can think of a dozen
things that would be very interesting to do that way. A lot of them
somewhat silly, unless you are in the integration business.

  a) run SLIP through that kind of port. It would connect DOS and Unix
AS IF THE DOS was more than a virtual box. If you ran PPP, one might
be able to do wierd things like access an external Novell server (this
would require that Unix be able to act as a multiprotocol gateway)

  b) invoke Unix commands from inside DOS as if one was connected via a
serial cable. (connect a shell/getty to the other side of the link) 
  Aside from the debugging of asy links and stuff (the
software side), it would be easier for me to finish prototyping a
monitoring system that will eventually sit on a PC connected to a Unix
box :-)

  c) mice. Rewrite xpcterm to set the connection up, set
PointerMotionMask (I think), and emulate the mouse of your choice. 

  The hardware solution doesn't help people on X terminals, or remote
machines who are across the network and want to log in to a 386/ix and
run a DOS app.






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