Newsgroups: bit.listserv.info-gcg
Date:         Wed, 4 Nov 1992 09:30:09 -0600
Reply-To:     "(Joseph King - Genetics Computer Group)" <jking@GCG.COM>
              <INFO-GCG@UTORONTO.BITNET>
From:         "(Joseph King - Genetics Computer Group)" <jking@GCG.COM>
Subject:      UNIX, VMS, GCG and graphics.
Comments: To: info-gcg@utoronto.bitnet@gcg.com

Dr. Liuni Sabino writes:

>I connect to a VAX/VMS through my Silicon Graphics to use GCG package.
>Which conficuration should I use to visualize the graphic output of
>some of the graphic programs?

On machines with X displays, the X Windows driver is by far the fastest
and highest quality method of viewing GCG graphics.  However, one must
be connected and configured properly to use it.

First you must have a network connection between your UNIX machine and
the VAX that is a supported transport of the X Windows system that you
are using.  What this means is that while your UNIX and VMS machines
may be networked together, the X Window system on either machine might
not know how to talk to that network.  Your network and X Windows
system documentation can tell you more about supported transports.  In
most cases, however, this means running TCP/IP on the VAX since all
UNIX X servers support TCP/IP as a transport.  I don't know whether or
not the SGI X server supports DECnet.

Assuming your VAX is running TCP/IP, you would next allow access to
your UNIX X server by using the xhost command (on ULTRIX, see Security
under the Session Manager Customize menu).

ON UNIX:

% xhost +vms.domain.name

Next you connect to the VAX:

% telnet vms.domain.name

After logging in, tell the VAX to use your UNIX X Server.

ON VMS:

$ Set Display/Create/Node=unix.domain.name/Transport=TCPIP

Now start the X Windows graphics driver.

$ GCG
$ XWindows

Now graphics will be displayed independently of your text window.  The
window is resizable and it supports zoom operations.

If DECnet is a supported transport between your VMS and UNIX machines,
use the following xhost and set commands instead.

ON UNIX:
% xhost +vmsnode::

ON VMS:
$ set display/create/node=unixnode/transport=decnet

-----

The SGI terminal windows are not the best when connecting to VMS.  We
find that the "xterm" terminal emualator behaves slightly better,
since it emulates a VT100.  It also supports tektronics graphics which
you can use if you do not have a supported transport in common between
your UNIX and VMS machines.

% /usr/bin/X11/xterm

(% $OPENWINHOME/demo/xterm   # on OPEN LOOK 2.0)
(% $OPENWINHOME/bin/xterm    # on OPEN LOOK 3.0)

-----

The best terminal emulator for VMS is the one that comes with it.
With X, it is possible to use the VMS DECterm terminal emulator from
your UNIX machine.  As above:

FROM UNIX:

% xhost +vms.domain.name
% telnet vms.domain.name

FROM VMS:

$ Set Display/Create/Node=unix.domain.name/Transport=TCPIP

Now start a DECterm window.

$ Create/Terminal/Detach

---

While it may require more setup than using the graphics that terminal
emulators provide, the X Windows Graphics driver offers flexibility
and speed that is far superior to terminal emulator graphics.

Sincerely,

Joe King
---

Joseph J. King, Ph.D.
Software Development
Genetics Computer Group, Inc.
fax: (608) 231 5202
tel: (608) 231 5200
email: JKing@GCG.Com
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU