I'm writing a software module that turns a DEC LK201 keyboard into an IFCTF
keyboard (one that generates ASCII/ISO codes and sequences) and among other
features supported on LK201 in various DEC products I want to implement hex
compose on the numeric keypad like on VT420. The problem is, some fine details
of how it should work are unclear and I don't have a VT420 to experiment on,
only VT320 and VT340 which don't have hex compose. I'm wondering if someone on
this list has a VT420 and could test something for me.
First, what happens if you press keypad Enter or keypad '.' in a compose
sequence? I can think of 3 reasonable ways the firmware can handle this:
* Do what it does for Tab, Return, arrow and functions keys in a compose
sequence, i.e., cancel the compose sequence and let the pressed key do its
normal non-compose action.
* Ignore the key (suppress the keyclick) and remain in the compose sequence in
the same state.
* Store the invalid key in the compose sequence accumulator and proceed to the
next character of the sequence. Then at the end of the compose sequence
complain with a warning bell about the invalid sequence.
Can someone with a VT420 please try this and see which of the above (or
something else altogether) does the firmware do?
Also what happens if you mix a main keypad key and a numeric keypad key in a
compose sequence?
MS
P.S. Reverse-engineering state machines is fun, isn't it?