Scroll Back Buffer

[skeeterII]

Hello All,

I have been using Procomm Plus for about 6 years now (currently version 4.8) and have run across something I can not figure out. I am connecting to a Status system (via Telnet) that has hundreds of different screens you can view. When I go from one screen to another, the previous screen is placed in the Procomm plus scroll back buffer. One of these screens (which has a header and a footer, meaning they are fixed and do not scroll) displays logs of data that I can scroll forward or backward through. The problem I am having is that as the logs scroll off the viewing area I would like to see them in Procomm’s scroll back buffer however they are not there. I have tried nearly all Procomm emulations (currently VT-220) and they all act the same. Terminal scroll method: is set to Normal Scroll and Screen Scroll is checked.

The reason I believe that this is an emulation or Procomm setting is because if I used Hummingbirds Exceed program set to VT 220 it works just fine.

FYI… If I access other systems that send data one line at a time the data does get placed in the scroll back buffer like it should.

Any information would be much appreciated. If you need any more details please let me know.


Thanks,
BigD

 

[knob]

The way Procomm's scrollback buffer works is that text must "scroll" off the top of the page before it is captured. If the system repaints bits and pieces of the screen, which it sounds like is happening here, then the contents will not be in the buffer. To force a screen into the scrollback buffer, you can press Alt-C, which clears the screen and forces the current page into the buffer.


aspect@aspectscripting.com

http://www.aspectscripting.com

 

[skeeterII]

I was afraid of that. Thanks knob!

Thanks,
BigD

 

[knob]

One thing you can do to make this a little easier is right a little script that either uses waitfor FOREVER or when target to look for a consistent string of text (if one exists) that is displayed when the entire screen is done painting, and then it can issue a clear command so you don't have to do so manually.


aspect@aspectscripting.com

http://www.aspectscripting.com

 

[johnpoole]

you can also use a short script that does a waitquiet 5 then transmits an alt c.. 5 seconds after screen paint ends the alt c pops.. the catch is that a idle screen paints 12 times a minute.. if you have a constant in the files you can waitfor until that constant is seen.. i use a simular script to wait for the last line in a txt file in a constant string from a nortel pbx, it turns cap off then back on to create a text file for each set

john poole
bellsouth business
columbia,sc