Article 9726 of comp.sys.apollo: Path: eba!svin09.info.win.tue.nl!tuegate.tue.nl!sun4nl!mcsun!Germany.EU.net!gmd.de!newsserver.jvnc.net!yale.edu!spool.mu.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!usc!rpi!batcomputer!munnari.oz.au!bunyip.cc.uq.oz.au!uqcspe!cs.uq.oz.au!dusan From: dusan@cs.uq.oz.au (VK4FCW) Newsgroups: comp.sys.apollo Subject: PROCEDURE and PUZZLE: Converting DN3500 into X terminal Message-ID: <12003@uqcspe.cs.uq.oz.au> Date: 10 Feb 93 02:22:42 GMT Sender: news@cs.uq.oz.au Reply-To: dusan@cs.uq.oz.au Lines: 199 1. Background ------------- I posted a summary on converting DN3500 workstations into X terminals in this newsgroup on 23 October 1992. In spite of several helpful hints from the resourceful people on the Network, I have never been able to convert a diskless Apollo workstation into an X terminal (I am thankful for the comments from a number of users that I have received since I had posted my original message). And what is even more mysterious - only SOME diskful Apollos have "accepted" to be converted into X terminals. This report aims to: * Summarize steps for the conversion of an DN3500 workstation into an X terminal. * Serve as a reference for similar tasks. * Warn about possible problems even when everything seems to be correct!? (I wish I had the answer.) * Serve as an entry-point for possible discussion on problems I have experienced. I am not an expert on DomainOS and my knowledge of Apollos is limited. 2. X terminal emulation ----------------------- Scenario is as follows: - Diskful Apollo DN3500 workstation running DomainOS 10.4. - Xdm provider is a Sun workstation running SunOS 4.1.3. Tne following steps should be performed: Apollo workstation ================== 1 Create the "snf" fonts stored in an appropriate directory using "bdftosnf" program: # bdftosnf $i >$i.snf (example!) # cp *.snf any_dir 2 # touch /etc/daemons/Xdomain 3 Modify "/etc/rc": if [ -f /etc/daemons/Xapollo -o -f /etc/daemons/X -o -f /etc/daemons/xdm \ -o -f /etc/daemons/vue -o -f /etc/daemons/Xdomain ]; then if [ -f /etc/vuerc -a -f /usr/X11/lib/vue/etc/vuelogin \ -a \( -f /etc/daemons/vue -o -f /etc/daemons/xdm \) ]; then ( echo " vuelogin\c" > /dev/console ) ( /etc/vuerc )& elif [ -f /etc/xdm -a -f /etc/daemons/xdm ]; then (echo " xdm\c" >/dev/console) (/etc/xdm) & elif [ -f /etc/Xdomain -a -f /etc/daemons/Xdomain ]; then (echo " Xdomain\c" >/dev/console) (/etc/Xdomain bc -fp /usr/local/X11/lib/X11/fonts/misc,\ /usr/local/X11/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi,\ /usr/local/X11/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi -query `cat /etc/xdmserver`)& elif [ -f /etc/Xapollo -a -f /etc/daemons/X ]; then (echo " X\c" >/dev/console) if [ -f /bin/nice ]; then (/bin/nice --5 /etc/Xapollo -D1 S+r+ ) & else (echo "Sorry. Cannot start Xapollo. No /bin/nice available.\c" >/dev/console) fi elif [ -f /etc/Xapollo -a -f /etc/daemons/Xapollo ]; then (echo " Xapollo\c" >/dev/console) if [ -f /bin/nice ]; then (/bin/nice --5 /etc/Xapollo -K /usr/X11/lib/keyboard/keyboard.config -D1 s+r-) & else (echo "Sorry. Cannot start Xapollo. No /bin/nice available.\c" >/dev/console) fi fi fi (echo "." >/dev/console) 4 Edit file "/etc/xdmserver" so that it contains the name of the host to which the X terminal is connected. 5 Edit file "/etc/X0.hosts" to add "/etc/xdmserver" contents. Xdm provider workstation ======================== 1 Make sure that "xdm" access is not restricted. In my case the file is "/slocal/etc/xdm/Xservers". 3. Problem ---------- So far, I have managed to convert two diskful DN3500 workstations into X terminals. The problem is the third diskful workstation and one diskless workstation. No matter what I do, they simply refuse to start "Xdomain" process properly. What happens is that root window and pointer get displayed (stipple pattern on the entire screen with the "X" cursor in the middle), but no terminal window appears. I am puzzled and feel quite disturbed because of the following: - ALL THREE diskful DN3500 have the same configuration: a Winchester disk, 8 Mb of memory and plenty of free disk space. - ALL THREE diskful DN3500 workstations have been set in the same manner. They all run the same set of programs and daemons under DomainOS 10.4. - ALL THREE diskful DN3500 workstations have local copies of all system files (no symbolic links!). - ALL THREE diskful DN3500 workstations are on the same network. And yet, one of them cannot start "Xdomain". I enclose herewith a copy of the tcpdump(1) run on the Xdm server (a Sun server called "zumz"). Case 1: Successful DN3500 when "Xdomain" starts =============================================== 10:16:25.490003 arp who-has zumz tell portal 10:16:49.430519 portal.1026 > zumz.177: udp 7 10:17:28.267639 portal.1026 > zumz.177: udp 53 10:17:28.329193 portal.1026 > zumz.177: udp 29 10:17:28.448951 portal.6000 > zumz.2300: R 729210771:729210771(0) win 9116 10:17:28.450989 portal.6000 > zumz.2302: R 729241493:729241493(0) win 9116 10:17:28.926824 portal.6000 > zumz.2269: P 729366535:729366731(196) ack 335424049 win 9116 10:17:29.005560 portal.6000 > zumz.2269: P 196:228(32) ack 49 win 9116 10:17:29.409187 portal.6000 > zumz.2270: P 729366728:729366924(196) ack 335552049 win 9116 10:17:29.425596 portal.6000 > zumz.2270: P 196:228(32) ack 49 win 9116 10:17:29.714997 portal.6000 > zumz.2270: P 228:260(32) ack 361 win 9116 10:17:29.722040 portal.6000 > zumz.2270: . ack 362 win 9116 10:17:29.727260 portal.6000 > zumz.2270: F 260:260(0) ack 362 win 9116 10:17:29.851953 portal.6000 > zumz.2271: S 729366920:729366920(0) ack 335680001 win 9116 10:17:29.933530 portal.6000 > zumz.2271: P 197:505(308) ack 97 win 9116 10:17:29.977686 portal.6000 > zumz.2271: P 505:537(32) ack 121 win 9116 10:17:30.112342 portal.6000 > zumz.2271: P 537:569(32) ack 141 win 9116 10:17:30.125227 portal.6000 > zumz.2271: P 569:601(32) ack 149 win 9116 10:17:30.140306 portal.6000 > zumz.2271: P 601:633(32) ack 153 win 9116 Case 2: Unsuccessful DN3500 when "Xdomain" starts ================================================= 11:28:56.082696 alpha.1060 > zumz.177: udp 7 11:28:58.777065 alpha.1060 > zumz.177: udp 61 11:28:58.800961 alpha.1060 > zumz.177: udp 29 11:29:00.815585 alpha.1060 > zumz.177: udp 29 11:29:04.832601 alpha.1060 > zumz.177: udp 29 11:29:12.850494 alpha.1060 > zumz.177: udp 29 11:29:28.852964 alpha.1060 > zumz.177: udp 29 11:30:32.872594 alpha.1060 > zumz.177: udp 29 For some reason, Apollo host "alpha" never starts talking on port 6000 (X11 port). I have also checked the following: * Networking (TCP/IP). I can ping, rlogin, rsh without problems. * Xdm provider (in my case a Sun workstation) does not restrict "xdm" services to any Apollo workstation on our network. * The xdm error log files (no errors!). What can be wrong? Why is one Apollo failing all the time? Any idea? 4. Conclusion ------------- The procedure seems to work fine for some(!!?) diskful DN3500. Diskless and some diskful Apollos are still not usable (or at least we do not know how to convert them) as X terminals. Maybe someone on the network can help us. It might be good for many sites. As always, I shall post a summary if we find a solution. Thank you for your time to read this and maybe help. Best wishes, Dusan The Department of Computer Science E-mail: dusan@cs.uq.oz.au The University of Qld, 4072, Australia -- Dusan U Baljevic, Systems Programmer Ph. (07) 365 2864 The Department of Computer Science E-mail: dusan@cs.uq.oz.au The University of Qld, 4072, Australia Amateur Radio: VK4FCW