MMA 2.1 graphics and HP X-terminals: solved
- To: mathgroup at yoda.physics.unc.edu
- Subject: MMA 2.1 graphics and HP X-terminals: solved
- From: harrison at faraday.physics.utoronto.ca (David Harrison)
- Date: Mon, 19 Oct 92 10:08:09 -0400
Recently I posted a plea for help in resolving a problem I was having
with Mathematica 2.1 and graphics on an HP X-terminal. This summarises
the information and help I have received.
The problem is with the interaction between the 'motifps' program
in Mathematica as shipped for at least some UNIX machines and the
HP X-server. As a result of my posting I have received a beta
of HP's next release of the X-server and graphics now work flawlessly;
I believe this server is due to be released in November.
The following information was sent to me and seems correct, but I have
not personally tested it.
WORKAROUND 1:
Apparantly, the motifps program performs a "listfonts" with
"*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*" which causes the X-terminal to hang.
This report said that you can also create the problem with:
xlsfonts -fn "*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*"
The problem can be fixed by patching the motifps program changing
"*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*"
to
"*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*"
(two "*" less !!! )
WORKAROUND 2:
This workaround is for those who still have access to Mathematica 2.0.
Restore X11.m in ~mathhome/StartUp and x11ps in ~mathhome/Bin*/Display.
Then in ~mathome/StartUp/init.m call X11.m instead of Motif.m when the
environment calls for X.
My advice is to get the new X-server when it is released: it has many
many nice features besides allowing Mathematica graphics to work.
Finally, the "honor roll" of people who helped me with this includes:
Dave Kelly <kelly at waterloo.hp.com>
John Cramer <CRAMER at phast.phys.washington.edu>
Paul Katula <pkatula at wri.com>
David Jacobson <jacobson at cello.hpl.hp.com>
Pierre Mathieu <mathieu at geod.emr.ca>
Eddy Reniers <reniers at prl.philips.nl>
---
David Harrison | "Music is a hidden practice of
Dept. of Physics, Univ. of Toronto | soul, which does not know that
Inet: harrison at faraday.physics.utoronto.ca | it is doing mathematics."
| -- Leibniz