Very Computer

I've read through every FAQ I can find, every man page that seems like it
might be applicable, and tried everything I can think of based on my Linux
experience, but I still can't find a way to make the 'Delete' key on my
Ultra 5 delete forward instead of duplicating the effects of 'Backspace' and
'Ctrl-h'. I'm beginning to wonder if this is even possible, though surely it
must be? Perhaps I'm blind or very dense and the answer is staring me right
in the face and I'm failing to recognize it, but could somebody please offer
a specific suggestion? (i.e. not something like "use xmodmap" -- I've tried
that with numerous variations in arguments -- but xmodmap with the specific
keycodes and/or keysyms that are needed)

This is the last remaining annoyance with my Sun keyboard, and I'd really
like to lay it to rest since I normally use 'delete-forward' frequently when
editing a command line.

Thanks in advance!

Larry

  :
  :

Quote:>This is the last remaining annoyance with my Sun keyboard, and I'd really
>like to lay it to rest since I normally use 'delete-forward' frequently when
>editing a command line.

Well, here are some thoughts that might get you closer to your goal:

  - /usr/openwin/demo/xev will show you what's happening in terms of
    keysyms and keycodes when you hit that key.  You should be getting
    a Delete keysym.  If you are, then the X server itself is
    configured O.K. -- it's a matter of applications that use the
    server properly interpreting that keysym.

  - All the xmodmap-ing in the world won't change a thing if your
    shell treats a delete (ascii 127, a/k/a ^?) the same as a backspace
    (ascii 8, a/k/a ^H).

  - Your shell doesn't see keysyms at all.  It runs under a terminal,
    so it just sees tty input which means control characters.  xterm
    (or whatever terminal emulator you use -- maybe dtterm instead)
    chooses how it's going to translate that keysym into some input for
    the tty.

  - You didn't mention whether your problem is in a shell or what.
    I'm assuming it is a shell you're having problems with since you
    mentioned "editing a command line".

  - You also didn't mention which shell you're using.  If you're using
    ksh, you probably need to rebind an input sequence to a command
    history editing function.

  - There's even a level of translation between the shell and the
    xterm -- the tty's input processing.  You might need to use
    "stty -a" to see whether the input that your terminal emulator
    generates when you hit that delete key is set up as one of the
    keys that are specially processed by the tty.

  - control-d does the job just fine in emacs editing mode, as does "x"
    in vi editing mode.

Hope that helps.

  - Logan

[[ PLEASE DON'T SEND ME EMAIL COPIES OF POSTINGS ]]

It's not a keyboard, it's an application think.  Personally, I hate
delete forward (I don't type to the right of the cursor anyway),
and feel that backspace should just reposition whereas delete should
actually rub out as it did on some type writers.  I'm not sure which genius
thought that backspace and Delete did more or less the same so he could
redefine delete, but he ought to be .....

Quote:>This is the last remaining annoyance with my Sun keyboard, and I'd really
>like to lay it to rest since I normally use 'delete-forward' frequently when
>editing a command line.

Since you want to delete forward on your command line, you must
have a shell able of command line editing.

All shells I know that do this (tcsh, bash, ksh) use ^D for "delete-char";
you can remap this in some cases:

In tcsh, this is:

                bindkey '^?' delete-char
In bash:

                bind ^?:delete-char

Ksh: ???

Casper
--
Expressed in this posting are my opinions.  They are in no way related
to opinions held by my employer, Sun Microsystems.
Statements on Sun products included here are not gospel and may
be fiction rather than truth.

I'm using bash, and bind did the trick for that, at least. I'd been hoping
for a more general solution, but I suppose there isn't or there would've
been an answer in one of the FAQs. Now I'm looking for a text editor that
will work or allow itself to be configured so the d*** Delete key works the
way I've become accustomed to it working over the last 15 years...

Quote:>   - There's even a level of translation between the shell and the
>     xterm -- the tty's input processing.  You might need to use
>     "stty -a" to see whether the input that your terminal emulator
>     generates when you hit that delete key is set up as one of the
>     keys that are specially processed by the tty.

Was the object in designing things this way just an attempt to see how many
layers of complexity someone could add to a simple job? I suppose things
just evolved and layers got added, but this reminds me of the way some USAF
comm systems I worked on were designed (apparently with an eye towards
maximum contractor work (and profit) and bloated military organizational
empires).

Quote:> Hope that helps.

It did. Thank you!

Larry

Quote:> [[ PLEASE DON'T SEND ME EMAIL COPIES OF POSTINGS ]]

I did know I had...

Really? Not even when you have to correct something at the beginning of a
long line you've typed? That's when I use delete-forward a lot, after I've
backed up by words (or the whole line) and what needs deleting is ahead of
the cursor. Happens even more often in text editors than the shell, which is
why I'm very surprised that delete and backspace both delete-backwards in
each of the text editors I've tried on my Ultra.

Quote:> and feel that backspace should just reposition whereas delete should
> actually rub out as it did on some type writers.

That's what arrow keys are for :)  You didn't happen to learn typing on a
typewriter, did you?

Quote:> I'm not sure which genius
> thought that backspace and Delete did more or less the same so he could
> redefine delete, but he ought to be .....

I share the same thoughts about the clowns who decided they really did do
the same thing and made it the default behavior on some systems!

Quote:> >This is the last remaining annoyance with my Sun keyboard, and I'd really
> >like to lay it to rest since I normally use 'delete-forward' frequently
when
> >editing a command line.

> Since you want to delete forward on your command line, you must
> have a shell able of command line editing.

> All shells I know that do this (tcsh, bash, ksh) use ^D for "delete-char";
> you can remap this in some cases:

bind did the trick in bash. Thanks for the suggestion!

Larry

If you're in vi, the x key will do what you want.

--
Rich Teer

NT tries to do almost everything UNIX does, but fails - miserably.

The use of Windoze cripples the mind; its use should, therefore, be
regarded as a criminal offence.  (With apologies to Edsger W. Dijkstra)

Voice: +1 (250) 979-1638
URL: http://www.rite-online.net

Bah!  Next you'll be wanting the Cpas Lock key top o be moved to where the
Control Key belongs - next to the A.

Quote:> Was the object in designing things this way just an attempt to see how many
> layers of complexity someone could add to a simple job? I suppose things

Nope - it was designed to be flexible.  Back in the old days, there were many
different terminal types, so the system HAD to be flexible.

--
Rich Teer

NT tries to do almost everything UNIX does, but fails - miserably.

The use of Windoze cripples the mind; its use should, therefore, be
regarded as a criminal offence.  (With apologies to Edsger W. Dijkstra)

Voice: +1 (250) 979-1638
URL: http://www.rite-online.net