Re: INFORMIX - the help message don't disappear

Reference <newsgate.112> <1991May22.152643.27444@rhrk.uni-kl.de>, <newsgate.117> <1022@trac2000.ueci.com> In <newsgate.112>, das@trac2000.ueci.com (David Snyder) writes: >In <newsgate.117>, schulz@rhrk.uni-kl.de (Christian Schulz [MW]) writes: >> to specify a menu entry we have used the following statement >> COMMAND "ADD" "ADD a new user" HELP 123 >> this really works fine but after invoking the HELP-message this message >> don't disappear from the screen ... >> >The problem is that you have text in column 80 of one or more lines in >your form. For some strange reason HELP leaves its remains at random places >when there is text in column 80 ANYWHERE on the screen. If you look at the >screens Informix uses... all of them have column 80 unused. If a help message or screen form displays incorrectly, the fact that it has text in column 80 may not be the problem per se. I think Informix still uses the curses screen package or a work-alike, which can do *strange* things if your TERMCAP, stty and terminal hardware settings are not in agreement. Curses tries to optimize its output based on your terminal's characteristics as indicated by TERMCAP. For example, when displaying a character in the last column on your terminal, curses may check whether your terminal will automatically move the cursor to the next line. So, you might want to check your terminal and TERMCAP settings before rewriting all of your help screens. If you don't have that many, I too suggest that you chop them to 79 characters per line. As a matter of defensive programming, I developed the habit long ago of not using the last columns on screens or reports unless absolutely necessary. In the real world, that approach is easier than having to make sure that every terminal set-up, stty and TERMCAP is always correct for every user. Walt. -- Walt Hultgren Internet: walt@rmy.emory.edu Emory University Alternates: walt%rmy.emory.edu@uunet.uu.net 954 Gatewood Road, NE walt%rmy.emory.edu@wsmr-simtel20.army.mil Atlanta, GA 30329 USA BITNET: walt@EMORY Voice: +1 404 727 0648 UUCP: {...,gatech,rutgers,uunet}!emory!rmy!walt