Re: [gtk-list] Two questions and one proposal

[Tim Janik <timj gtk org>]

On Tue, 16 Feb 1999, Pavel Roskin wrote:

> Hello!
> 
> I've got two questions:
> 1) Is this list for GLib developers too? If not, README and HACKING in the
> GLib should be changed.

yes.

> 2) Is GLib the right place for code implementing pseudoterminal opening in
> the portable way?

after reading your below reasonings, i think the answer is yes.
i don't know though how nicely that would intergrate with the
windows port of glib.


> Here are some thoughts why and how this should be done:
> 1) ZTerm from GNOME and all other terminal emulators using Imlib are
> already linked with GLib (AFAIK). All of them open pty's
> 2) GNU Midnight Commander uses GLib. It opens pty's too (for its subshell)
> 3) Wine is going to use GLib, and it open pty's for console programs (such
> as CMD.EXE)
> 4) Samba, rxvt and all clones of xterm open pty's. Some of those programs
> could switch to using GLib some day.
> 5) Some people are using Linux-2.2.x with old C libraries (older than
> approx. glibc-2.0.98). GLib could give them a small part of new GLibc's
> functionality (opening /dev/ptmx) without forcing them to upgrade libc.
> 6) Some people are using new GLibc with Linux kernels without /dev/ptmx
> support. Simple checking for grantpt() is not sufficient, since this
> function can return an error.
> 7) Some commercial systems have problems with /dev/ptmx, so it should be
> tried last.
> 8) Such programs as Midnight Commander and Wine are often distributed as
> binaries, so it is not acceptable to make the choice at the configure time
> 9) Because of all said above, every method of pty opening which can be
> compiled (including direct kernel calls), should be compiled. At the run
> time every available method should be tried in the system-specific order.
> 
> I can contribute some preliminary code working on Linux, Solaris and
> HP-UX. Ok?

pavel, further discussion on this subject is probably best handled on
gtk-devel-list@redhat.com (which actually gets deeper into the matter
of developing than gtk-list). you also might want to contact miguel
(miguel@gnu.org) about this, as he wrote the gnome-pty helper stuff
(gnome-libs/zvt/gnome-pty*).

> 
> Pavel Roskin
> 

---
ciaoTJ