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Date:Mon Jan 28 18:54:03 2002 
Subject:Re: Installing Poplog under SuSE Linux 7.3 
From:Andreas Eder 
Volume-ID:1020128.02 

Aaron.Sloman.XX@cs.bham.ac.uk (Aaron Sloman See text for reply address) writes:

> Paul Marker <ug31pxm@cs.bham.ac.uk> wrote directly to me:
> 
> > I followed the instructions you sent me about installing. I followed
> > them through and still got the libtermcap errors. So when i checked for
> > the existence of a libtermcap file (of any version) I found that SuSE
> > 7.3 seemed not to have a file of this description at all. Therefore, i
> > think i I'm right in assuming this causes a bit of problem. Is the file
> > something to do withe Open Motif? Would it be worth upgrading the
> > version SuSE comes with, and then trying the installation?
> 
> It has nothing to do with motif. Motif is part of the X window
> (graphical interface) system.
> 
> Poplog uses termcap even for its non-graphical interaction with keyboard
> and screen in console mode.
> 
> On redhat linux, the "man termcap" command prints out
> 
> DESCRIPTION
>    The  termcap database is an obsolete facility for describing the capabili-
>    ties of character-cell terminals and printers.  It is  retained only  for
>    capability with old programs; new ones should use the terminfo(5) database
>    and associated libraries.
> 
>    /etc/termcap is an ASCII file (the database master) that lists the  capa-
>    bilities  of  many different types of terminal.  Programs can read termcap
>    to  find  the  particular  escape  codes  needed  to  control the  visual
>    attributes  of the terminal actually in use.  (Other aspects of the termi-
>    nal are handled by stty.)  The termcap database is  indexed  on the  TERM
>    environment variable.
> 
>    .....etc.....
> 
> I have often discovered in the past that it is never completely safe to
> remove "obsolete" things: someone always needs them!
> 
> It appears that Suse don't follow this policy.
> 
> > My knowledge of Linux/Unix is fairly limited. I have only just started
> > running it (which is why I bought SuSe has it has a VERY helpful
> > installer :-). Do you have any ideas? I have free support from SuSE,
> > would it be worth contacting them?
> 
> Ideally linux poplog should be upgraded not to require termcap.
> 
> Maybe someone else could suggest how to do this as I lack the relevant
> know-how and time.
> 
> In the meantime I suggest you contact Suse and ask them for a termcap
> package compatible with your system. I am sure you'll find one is

There is a termcap package that comes with SuSE. On my SuSE 7.3 there
is a package 'termcap-2.0.8-392' that contains libtermcap.so. And as
far as I remember, there were also termcap packages in older SuSE
versions.

So try to install that package and see it it works.

Andreas
-- 
Wherever I lay my .emacs, there´s my $HOME.