remote [ssh] Backspace] key gives me "^?"

Gary Kline kline at tao.thought.org
Sat Sep 15 14:24:57 PDT 2007


On Sat, Sep 15, 2007 at 10:54:34PM +0200, Mel wrote:
> 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.


	In in ~/.zlogin (on all 5 machines) I've got

	eval `tset -e^H -i^C -s -Q -m 'dialup:?xterm'`;

	That  did the job until recently.   Somewhere in deep memory I
	remember the ^V^H stuff.  Wasn't the '^' + 'H' ??

	I think Garrett had the right solution, tho.

	gary




> 
> 
> -- 
> Mel
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-- 
  Gary Kline  kline at thought.org   www.thought.org  Public Service Unix
      http://jottings.thought.org   http://transfinite.thought.org



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