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Date:Mon Jan 28 12:17:12 2002 
Subject:Re: Installing Poplog under SuSE Linux 7.3 
From:Aaron Sloman See text for reply address 
Volume-ID:1020128.01 

[To reply replace "Aaron.Sloman.XX" with "A.Sloman"]

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
available -- as suggested by the answers I got when I gave google the
search string:

    "termcap suse linux"

If you get it working please summarise what you had to do so that others
can benefit from your experience.

Thanks.

Aaron
====
Aaron Sloman, ( http://www.cs.bham.ac.uk/~axs/ )
School of Computer Science, The University of Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
EMAIL A.Sloman AT cs.bham.ac.uk   (ReadATas@please !)
PAPERS: http://www.cs.bham.ac.uk/research/cogaff/ (And free book on Philosophy of AI)
FREE TOOLS: http://www.cs.bham.ac.uk/research/poplog/freepoplog.html