25 Dec
2025
25 Dec
'25
2:41 p.m.
IIRC , the vms editors use the terminal type and adjust to what the terminal features are.
So if it thinks you’re using a VTxx it will allow full screen editing with cursor movement
keys and inserting/replacing. You can define macros and assign them to the pf keys. Used
to assign the delete line macro to the pf1 key on the keypad and the undelete line to pf4.
That way i could duplicate a line quickly.
Pf1 deletes the line, pf4 undeletes it. If you hit pf4 again the same line is undeleted
again, basically duplicating the line.
If the editor doesn’t know the terminal type it defaults to single line editing, kinda
like vi.
Edt/Tpu= took a file name where you could define all your keys.
Similar to vi.
The Vms documentation set has a manual called guide to text processing that may be
helpful.
Sent from my iPhone
On Dec 25, 2025, at 10:12, Warner Losh via cctalk
<cctalk(a)classiccmp.org> wrote:
On Thu, Dec 25, 2025, 9:56 AM Peter Ekstrom via cctalk <
cctalk(a)classiccmp.org> wrote:
Oh! I had tried to get TPU to start once before
but for some reason it
didn't work then. Now it works, but is more of an Emacs-style editor.
I have kept trying EDT because it is more vi-like. I did just some across a
setup someone created at some point that has TPU emulate vi.
I may give that a try. I am so used to vi I even hit escape out of habit in
Notepad in Windows when I have to use it.
EDT is a non-modal editor like emacs, but without all the control character
stuff. What makes it more VI like? I'm curious...
Warner
Ps it was likely the 90s since i last used EDT and then it was on my DEC
rainbow before witching to microemacs
TPU starts up now and is working so I just have to learn the commands for
> it now. It should work nicely, especially if the vi emulation works. :)
>
> Thanks!
>
> - Peter
>
>> On Wed, Dec 24, 2025 at 6:40 PM Mark Wickens via cctalk <
>> cctalk(a)classiccmp.org> wrote:
>>
>> Might be worth trying SET TERM/DEV=VT105 on the VAX, this works much
>> better for TPU for example than VT100.
>>
>> Mark.
>>
>>> On 24 Dec 2025, at 19:25, Wayne S via cctalk <cctalk(a)classiccmp.org>
>> wrote:
>>>
>>> There are several editors in VMS.
>>> You might try one if the others.
>>> I think edit/Tpu is one. Can’t remember the others.
>>> Maybe someone on the list can.
>>>
>>>
>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>>
>>> On Dec 24, 2025, at 11:14, Nadav Eiron <nadav.eiron(a)gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>> I believe set term/inquire does more than set term/type. Did you give
> it
>> a try? You may also want to put TCP/IP on your MV if you can, and save
> the
>> Pi middle man and see if makes a difference.
>>>
>>> On Wed, Dec 24, 2025 at 11:10 AM Peter Ekstrom via cctalk <
>> cctalk@classiccmp.org<mailto:cctalk@classiccmp.org>> wrote:
>>> I have tried that. It seems VT220 isn't valid in VMS 5.3-1, but VT200
> is
>>> and I have tried it as well as most of the other types as well.
>>> EDT is very limited in what it supports though:
>>>
>>> SET
>>>
>>> TERMINAL
>>>
>>> Format: SET TERMINAL { HCPY | VT100 | VT52 }
>>> { SCROLL | NOSCROLL }
>>> { EDIT | NOEDIT }
>>> { EIGHTBIT | NOEIGHTBIT }
>>>
>>> Since it works under RSX11M and M+ I was expecting it to work under VMS
>> as
>>> well, but clearly not. I am wondering if it has something
>>> to do with ssh from my laptop to the pi. I have made sure TERM in each
>>> shell has been set before I ssh and then before I dnlogin, but
>>> that hasn't helped either. I don't have a screen and keyboard on the
> pi.
>> I
>>> may need to setup the decnet stuff on one of my other Linux
>>> machines and try eliminating ssh. And I realize the subject says
> telnet,
>>> but it really is more ssh and then dnlogin.
>>>
>>> - Peter
>>>
>>>
>>> On Wed, Dec 24, 2025 at 1:52 PM Wayne S <wayne.sudol(a)hotmail.com
> <mailto:
>> wayne.sudol(a)hotmail.com>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Can you set your terminal emulator to emulate a vt220 instead of
> trying
>>>> vms to do vt100. You used the set term vt100 command before?
>>>>
>>>> Vms has help. Just type help set from a command prompt.
>>>>
>>>> Also can do show term to see term params. Maybe show term /all … don’t
>>>> remember exactly.
>>>>
>>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>>>
>>>>> On Dec 24, 2025, at 10:23, Peter Ekstrom via cctalk <
>>>> cctalk@classiccmp.org<mailto:cctalk@classiccmp.org>> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> I feel like I have tried everything, although I'm sure I
haven't...
>>>>>
>>>>> I have my real MV 3100 up and running with a serial terminal on the
>>>> console
>>>>> port. It works great but I don't want to sit by the machine all
the
>> time
>>>> to
>>>>> do stuff. I have DECnet running and am able to connect to it. I have
> an
>>>> old
>>>>> raspberry pi running a minimal linux setup with the decnet stuff
>>>> installed.
>>>>>
>>>>> So I ssh to the pi (named gatewy) and from there I use dnlogin to
> talk
>>>>> DECnet and connect to the machines. This way I can connect to my
> PDP-11
>>>>> machines running RSX11M and M+ and use EDT to edit files in screen
>> mode.
>>>>> When I try the same under VMS, EDT starts, loads the file and enters
>>>> screen
>>>>> mode but just shows a blank screen with the cursor in the top-left
>>>> corner.
>>>>> If I go to line mode I can walk through the file and edit using line
>>>> mode.
>>>>> But as soon as I go back to the screen mode (the change command) I
> just
>>>> get
>>>>> the blank screen.
>>>>>
>>>>> I have made sure TERM in each shell is vt100 and I have tried forcing
>> VMS
>>>>> to VT100 but it stays with a vt200_series terminal. I also have a
> SIMH
>>>>> MV3100 also running VMS 5.3-1 (they both run on that version) and it
>> acts
>>>>> the same way as the hardware MV3100. If I go onto the console
>> connection
>>>> in
>>>>> SIMH EDT works fine, as on the physical terminal on the real machine.
>>>>>
>>>>> Anyone have any pointers or ideas I can try?
>>>>>
>>>>> - Peter
>>>>
>>
>>
>