Config file problem in xterm

Keith Hedger · 10-06-2015, 07:15 AM

Just came across a minor but irritating problem with the config file options for xterm from here:
http://www.linuxfromscratch.org/blfs...e/x/xterm.html
It's this

Code:

cat >> /etc/X11/app-defaults/XTerm << "EOF"
*VT100*locale: true
*VT100*faceName: Monospace
*VT100*faceSize: 10
*backarrowKeyIsErase: true
*ptyInitialErase: true
EOF

If you use "*VT100*locale: true" redirecting output from a command supplied to xterm vi the -e switch results in an error eg

Code:

term -hold -e 'echo "XXXX"|tee /tmp/data'

You will get an error saying "Couldn't exec: No such file or directory" and the file /tmp/data is not created.
Commenting out or removing "*VT100*locale: true" makes everything work as expected, doesn't matter if you use a pipe or redirect using '>', the same thing happens.

I know xterm is quite old and most people would use a more modern terminal.
Just an FYI

re_nelson · 10-06-2015, 08:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keith Hedger

I know xterm is quite old and most people would use a more modern terminal.

From my cold dead hands!

I generally prefer bleeding edge stuff but good old xterm is still my terminal of choice and that's after trying every alternative that I know of. Thanks to Thomas Dickey for keeping it well maintained.

Keith Hedger · 10-07-2015, 08:36 AM

If I need a user to use/see data in a terminal I default it to xterm but let them settheir own terminal command so they can change it if they want, at least I know xterm should be available/installed in virtually every distro.

stoat · 10-07-2015, 02:53 PM

I use xterm every day. Those lines added to the config file by the BLFS book also change the look of the kernel config editor in xterm (for me, anyway). I have been disabling the one you mentioned and the next two related to font for a while now. I forgot exactly what the problem was, but I didn't like it.