TERM variable and keymap.ini

Telnet clients often transmit the TERM environment variable as part of the default configuration setup. This setup can affect your key mappings and potentially the placement of screen text on RF screens. Using multiple telnet client brands may require the use of more than one rfuser Linux login account so that TERM and keymap.ini can be explicitly configured for each telnet client.

The key mappings for the DEL, INS, PGUP, PGDN, BACKSPACE, etc., are stored within the rf/metarf/keymap.ini file. The TERM environment variable, which can be explicitly set in .profile and .bashrc SHELL startup files, may require different integer values in your keymap.ini file.

These issues are the most common causes of problems with function keys, or the DEL or BACKSPACE keys:

  • Session configuration within the telnet client software is missing configuration for one or more function keys.
  • Check the rfuser login script (.profile or .bashrc) file for stty commands that explicitly change the raw characters used by DEL and BACKSPACE. Some telnet clients, such as PuTTY, provide a configuration for these keys. You may need to change the script in your telnet client configuration, or in the startup file.
  • Your keymap.ini may have an incorrect integer value. Use Key Finder on the E1 (Exit) menu in metarf to discover what integer metarf expects, then compare that to the integer for the corresponding key in keymap.ini. Edit keymap.ini to match what metarf expects.
  • If some of the RF screens seem to be displaying labels twice or adding extra whitespace inappropriately, this could be caused by an incorrect TERM configuration. For example, your RF equipment or the startup file, .profile or .bashrc, might need to be changed from xterm to vt300.

RF administrators can determine what value is expected at the terminal. The RF administrators can use a Windows workstation and the PuTTY telnet client to exit from the Meta RF application to the command prompt using a required password required. At the command prompt, press Ctrl-V, then press the function key that does not work on your keyboard. This step should print the characters needed by your RF equipment’s function key configuration. For example: A typical value for F5 is: ^[[15~.