remote [ssh] Backspace] key gives me "^?"
Mel
fbsd.questions at rachie.is-a-geek.net
Sat Sep 15 13:54:38 PDT 2007
On Saturday 15 September 2007 22:28:22 Gary Kline wrote:
> On Sat, Sep 15, 2007 at 10:58:52AM -0700, Garrett Cooper wrote:
> > Chad Perrin wrote:
> > >On Fri, Sep 14, 2007 at 06:01:03PM -0700, Gary Kline wrote:
> > >> Sometimes when I ssh from a remote server and edit a file with
> > >> vi, my [Backspace keys] are not interpretered correctly.
> > >> Instead of erasing characters and backing up one byte and
> > >> clearing that character my cursor moves forward.
> > >>
> > >> Example: typing "This" as "thos" and backspacing to the 'o'
> > >> I'll see "thos^?^?" Can anybody 'splain what idiot thing i'm
> > >> doing wrong and how to fix it?
> > >>
> > >> tia,
> > >>
> > >> gary
> > >
> > >I tend to guess you're using a terminal emulator from within X when
> > >logging in remotely -- probably aterm or another rxvt-based terminal
> > >emulator. I had similar problems. I don't recall my exact fix, but it
> > >involved a two-tiered approach:
> > >
> > > 1. set a behavior using stty
>
> Trying to use stty failed... .
>
> > > 2. change a setting in the aterm makefile before installing from ports
> > >
> > >My reference to the aterm makefile in part of the solution is because I
> > >suffered this problem when I used aterm as my terminal emulator of
> > >choice. I have since then switched to rxvt-unicode (also known as
> > > urxvt) as my preferred terminal emulator, however, and no longer have
> > > this problem (as well as no longer having funny broken ASCII spew on my
> > > screen when reading email that contains unicode characters).
> > >
> > >Best o' luck. Let us know if you think this pseudo-solution doesn't
> > >apply to you so we can help you brainstorm other diagnoses of your
> > >problem.
> >
> > It's because the TERM'inal emulation / keyboard layout's not
> > meshing. ^?--as I discovered after I asked the question ~8 months
> > ago--is a remnant DEC keyboard mapping, when if properly addressed by
> > setting TERM or fixing the keyboard layout to a standard ASCII keyboard
> > layout, the problem will go away.
> >
> > In shorter terms, if you...
> > 1. ... switch over to TERM=xterm (assuming that the terminal prog
> > you're using is xterm compatible) under the settings for the app (if
> > they exist) ...
> > 2. ... script in a fix so that it does this in your login shell [you
> > shouldn't use xterm systemwide for your TERM var, especially if you
> > login remotely via SSH and use CLI programs like pine (pine's stupid and
> > doesn't know how to emulate the xterm terminal properly without hacking
> > the source IIRC)] ...
>
> Ok, I have TERM Set everywhere, plus in ~./zlogin, I have stty
> set things correctly, so it must be 3.
>
> > 3. ... fix the keyboard layout ...
>
> Problem here is HOW? Many months ago my daughter spilled a
> glass of water on my working IBM keyboard. Surprise, the
> water washed away the rinted leads... . (*mumble*) Since I
> have a few others, (old, without the M$ cr*ap keys), I
> chose the best, least sticky keyboard and used it.
>
> I remapped my ~/.xmodmaprc file {{ "temporarily", ha, ha }}.
> How else do I fix the layout? IIRC, there was some place
> to set the keyboard: 101, 104, 105, &c. This old one is
> probably a 101-key model. It's a no-name deal.
>
> Clues please?
>
> gary
>
>
> PS: {{ WARNING}}: I'Ve got a beg-athon posting upcooming....
>
> > ... '^?' will be replaced with backspaces. 3. is the best solution, but
> > I had to do 1. before, because I didn't have root access on the servers.
Gosh, I had this on BSDi terminals for ages and had something in my .*_profile
to fix it. I think it was stty erase ^H where ^H was typed by ctrl+v followed
by 'H'. Should be able to execute that on terminal open vim and test it.
--
Mel
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