Using command line up arrow/down arrow

[JohnSeel]

Hello,
I am new to HPUX but have extensive experience on Tru64.

I would like to configure my terminal access to allow use of the up arrow and down arrow for command recall. I have done this in Tru64 by using ksh and setting the editor to emacs (set -o emacs). I use an old terminal emulator called KEA. It can be configured to emulate vt100 or vt400 (7 bit and 9 bit).

So far, I have been unable to get the arrow keys to work properly without actually mapping them via the KEA maps which causes other issues.

I don't like using vi for the command line editor.

Someone recommended installing and using bash instead of ksh, but I would prefer keeping the system shells native to HPUX.

I am running HPUX 11iV3 (B.11.31).

Is there any simple mechanism to configure this? Should I load bash?

Thanks.

[James R. Ferguson]

Hi John:

I think you covered your options: use 'bash' or learn 'vi' at least insofar as using it as a command editor.

Whatever you do, do *not* change the default shell for 'root' from '/sbin/sh' [the POSIX shell in HP parlance]. To do so will lead to an un-startable system. You can temporarily change to the 'bash' shell as root. Simply don't make it the default login shell.

Regards!

...JRF...

[JohnSeel]

Thanks, James.

I have already changed the root shell to ksh. Would this also be an issue?

John

[James R. Ferguson]

Hi (again) John:

> I have already changed the root shell to ksh. Would this also be an issue?

Yes. The default root login shell as defined in '/etc/passwd' *must* remain '/sbin/sh'. This is a statically linked executable that doesn't use shared libraries found in '/usr'. Thus, during startup, before '/usr' is mounted, a fully functional runtime environment exists. Shells other than '/sbin/sh' live in the '/usr' directory and use shared libraries from that mountpoint.

The HP-UX POSIX shell ('/sbin/sh' for root and '/usr/bin/sh' for non-root users) is really as superset of the Korn (ksh88) shell available as '/usr/bin/ksh'. You should have no problems with the POSIX shell if you are accustomed to using 'ksh'.

A Korn93 version of 'ksh' is available as '/usr/dt/bin/dtksh' if you want the enhancements of Korn93. In 11.31, however, you must have loaded the CDE bundle for this to be available.

Regards!

...JRF...

[JohnSeel]

Okay, thanks.
I've changed it back to /sbin/sh.
Thanks for the heads up.
John

[James R. Ferguson]

Hi (again) John:

> Okay, thanks.

If you have found the answers you received, helpful, please read:

http://forums.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/helptips.do?#28

Regards!

...JRF...

[TwoProc]

John -
I'd go with bash. By default, it does command history via arrow keys. You'll just have to invoke the shell by hand after you log in. No biggie.

[VK2COT]

Hello,

Arrow keys can work in Ksh.

Add into .kshrc

set -o emacs
alias __A='^P'
alias __D='^B'
alias __B='^N'
alias __C='^F'

Where:
^P type as CTRL-V CTRL-C P
^B type as CTRL-V CTRL-C B
...

Some of my students asked me this questions
in the past.

Cheers,

VK2COT

[Steven Schweda]

> [...] You'll just have to invoke the shell
> by hand after you log in. [...]

Or exec the thing from the shell start-up
scriptlet (only) if "/usr" is mounted. As
usual, many things are possible.

[Dennis Handly]

>Steven: Or exec the thing from the shell start-up scriptlet (only) if "/usr" is mounted.

This may not be good enough. You should make sure that /usr/local/bin/ (if bash is there) is available and all the shlibs and dld are also available.