Console Annoyance
Entelin
plug-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us
03 Nov 2002 19:07:00 -0700
ah excelent, I always was curious how to enter literals on the console.
Thanks good explination
On Sun, 2002-11-03 at 21:59, James Durham wrote:
> I used to have this problem too, until along time ago I read this on
> linuxgazette.com. This should be easier for you, or may be what your looking
> for to fix the problem after this happens. Sory no preventing it as far as I
> know.
>
> The folling is a quote from www.linuxgazette.com Issue 7.
> //
>
> Restoring your screen - Kscreen revisited!
>
>
> Well, here's a very handy bit of information that I recently came across
> while skimming through one of the Linux newsgroups.
>
>
> Remember the 'ol "kscreen" shell function that restored sanity to a screen
> that had gotten all buggered up? Well, here's a very cogent explanation of
> what's happening and how to fix it. The author of this was Henry Wong and
> here's his message:
>
> >Sometimes, when I inadvertently cat a binary file and get junk on my
> >screen, that screen goes into some sort of graphics mode and I can't get
> >it out of it. I've tried changing fonts and SOMETHING changes, stty
> >doesn't do anything, capital letters may still appear. I can switch to
> >another virtual console and everything is fine. When I type commands on
> >my messed up (must remember this is going out to the world, use
> >euphemisms) terminal it seems to understand. I can exit for instance,
> >or reboot, though what is echoed to the screen is screwed up.
>
> >On sunsite (and mirrors), there's a file called fixvt.sh or something in
> >the (I think) system/console directory. It'll clean this up.
>
> I've done this to myself also.
>
> The console appears to be using some sort of VT100 (or similar)
> emulation. This emulation has two modes: G0 which is usually normal
> text and G1 which is usually graphics (these can be changed but is
> usually not). When sending binary text to the screen any ^n (== '\f')
> character will switch the emulator to G1 (graphics) mode whereas any ^o
> (== '\r') will switch to G0 (normal text) mode.
>
> To force it back you need to have a shell or other program to send the
> ^o to the stricken display. I often switch to another virtual terminal
> and do an "echo -e '\017' >/dev/tty2" (assuming that tty2 is the
> stricken terminal) to restore it back to text mode.
>
> Of course you can put this into a shell program with the tty? as the
> parameter.
>
> Hope this helps.
>
> Henry Wong
>
>
> So, want to see that this works? Try this:
>
>
> In BASH, you can enter literal characters using the vi-type key sequence
> control-v (that's hitting the control key and the letter "v" simultaneously)
> followed by the character you want to insert. So, enter the following at the
> command prompt:
>
> ^v^n
>
> That's a control-v followed by a control-n combination. Hit the ENTER key
> and...
>
> ShaaaZZzzamm!, instant trashed console! Except now, we know that the terminal
> isn't really "trashed" but merely in graphics mode. All that needs to be done
> is return it to text mode.
>
>
> Now, you can "blindly" enter the following:
>
> ^v^o
>
> Hit the ENTER key, and your screen is back to normal. You could also use
> Henry's suggestion for echoing a similar string to the afflicted VT from
> another VT. That is, presuming that tty2 was the afflicted VT, switch to
> another VT and then use Henry's command:
> echo -e '\017' >/dev/tty2
>
>
> Thanks, Henry!!
> \\ The following is a end quote from www.linuxgazetee.com Issue 7
>
> On Sunday 03 November 2002 08:29 am, Entelin wrote:
> > When one reads in a binary file to the display it has the chance of
> > somehow altering the characters that are used to print normal text so
> > its unreadable and scrambled up. Loging that term out doesnt have any
> > effect. How is it that this can be fixed or prevented ?
> >
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