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RE: [h-e-w] Emacs in an xterm


From: Phil Betts
Subject: RE: [h-e-w] Emacs in an xterm
Date: Fri, 8 Oct 2004 18:20:36 +0100

Sarir Khamsi wrote:
>> I got emacs -nw to work nicely in the cygwin rxvt window. 

I think you'll find you were running the cygwin port of emacs
here.  NTemacs won't run under rxvt.

>> Not a *true* xterm (no Tektronix support, e.g.) but it's 
>> a nice emulator for Windows. 
>> I had to create a "~/.inputrc" file with the line:
>>    "\e[3~": delete-char
>> in it so the Backspace and C-h keys don't get mixed up, IIRC.
>>
>> Should find it in cygwin/bin/rxvt.exe.  I launch it with a shortcut 
>> (well, hotkey via Windows Powerpro, but it's the same thing):
>>
>> c:\cygwin\bin\rxvt.exe -e /usr/bin/bash --login -i
>>
>> Maybe that will be more what you're looking for.
>
> Thanks. I am familiar with rxvt but have a strong desire to work with
> an xterm. Maybe it's just not possible to have and Emacs (21.3.50.1)
> session working inside an xterm w/ "emacs -nw" or maybe the the
> XFree86 folks might know. I'll try that route.

The problem is that you're trying to run a native windows application in
a cygwin terminal.  It just won't work.  There has been much discussion
about this on the cygwin mailing list - try googling for "console pty
cmd.exe site:cygwin.com".  Alternatively, check out the following:
  http://www.cygwin.com/cygwin-ug-net/using-effectively.html#AEN1700
or
  http://www.khngai.com/emacs/tty.php
In short - native Windows console apps expect to find a native Windows
console.  This seems reasonable, even if it does cause us problems.

If you *really* must have a genuine xterm, you're going to have to run
the cygwin port of emacs 21.2.1 or xemacs 21.4 (patch 15).  Both will
run in xterm or rxvt.

I can't understand three things:
1) You've been asked already, but seem reluctant to answer - why do
you want to run emacs in an xterm window?  If it's just because that's
the way you've always done it, then it's time to get with the program.
Emacs running in any character based terminal emulator only has
rudimentary syntax highlighting, can only use the on font, can only
use fixed width fonts, cannot display images, has no mouse support,
has only rudimentary menus etc. etc. etc.  It's like buying a car
and removing two wheels because your bike only had two and you're
used to riding your bike.

2) Why are you so averse to rxvt?  It was designed to be a lean, mean
xterm emulator.  If you need an xterm style scrollbar, you can start it
with "--scrollstyle xterm".  It will use X resources even if you're not
running X.  If it's the popup menus you hanker after, I'm afraid I can't
help you, but it is possible to set up menubars which, it seems, can do
almost everything that the xterm popup menus can and plenty that they
can't.

3) You specifically mention wanting to run 21.3.50.1 in an xterm.  Why
would you wan to run a bleeding edge version of emacs in a crusty old
terminal?  I'd guess that 99% of the changes since the 21.2.1 release
(i.e. the one available under cygwin) are related to functionality that
is not available under xterm.

HTH

Phil Betts


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