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Commands Reference, Volume 1

bterm command

Purpose

Emulates terminals in bidirectional (BIDI) mode.

Syntax

bterm [ -maps Map ] [ -help ] [ -keywords ] [ -nobidi ] [ -symmetric ] [ -autopush ] [ -or Orientation ] [ -text TextType ] [ -nss NumShape ] [ -csd CharShape ] [ -tail ] [ -nonulls ]

Description

The bterm command emulates the IBM 3151, VT220, HFT and other terminals. It operates in BIDI mode on ASCII terminals. This command creates a BIDI shell that can run any BIDI application. You cannot initiate the bterm command recursively from within itself.

The maps that determine the keyboard mapping and the symmetric swapping of characters are specified by the -maps flag. You can specify other BIDI behaviors using the flags available to the bterm command or by setting them in the defaults files. Such behaviors include the default text mode, the default screen orientation, the default mode of Arabic character shaping, the default shape of numerals, whether the Symmetric Swapping mode is enabled and whether the Autopush mode is enabled or not. The behaviors specified with flags take precedence over the behaviors set in the defaults files.

The default files are searched in the following order:

  1. The .Bidi-defaults file is searched for in your home directory.
  2. If the file is not found, the bterm command searches for the BTerm resource file in the /usr/lib/nls/bidi/$LANG/app-defaults file.

Flags

-autopush Enables the Autopush mode in visual text mode.
-csd CharShape Specifies the shape of Arabic characters. The CharShape variable can be one of the following options:
  • automatic
  • isolated (visual text mode only)
  • initial (visual text mode only)
  • middle (visual text mode only)
  • final (visual text mode only)
  • passthru

    The default is automatic shaping.
-help Lists the available parameters and their syntax.
-keywords Lists the keywords available in defaults file.
-maps Map Specifies the map used for keyboard mapping and symmetric swapping of characters. Each language has a different map, and the available options for the Map variable are in the /usr/lib/nls/bidi/maps directory. You must specify the environment variable BIDIPATH as follows: 

export BIDIPATH=/usr/lib/nls/bidi
-nobidi Disables the BIDI mode.
-nonulls Initializes the screen with spaces instead of nulls.
-nss NumShape Specifies the shape of the numerals. Specify one of the following options for the NumShape variable:
  • bilingual
  • hindi
  • arabic
  • passthru

The default is bilingual.
-or Orientation Specifies screen orientation. The Orientation variable can be either LTR or RTL. The default is LTR.
-symmetric Enables the Symmetric Swapping mode.
-tail Writes the "seen," "sheen," "sad," and "dad" characters of the Arabic language in two cells instead of one cell.
-text TextType Specifies the type of data stream. The TextType variable can be either implicit or visual. The default is implicit.

Key Combinations

To change the BIDI settings using key combinations, press the Ctrl+X key sequence to enter a BIDI command mode. Any key you type after this key sequence is interpreted as a BIDI command. Invalid keys sound a beep and exit the BIDI command mode. The following keys are valid BIDI commands:

Key Purpose
r Reverses the screen orientation.
n Sets the language keyboard layer to National.
l Sets the language keyboard layer to Latin.
a Toggles the automatic shaping variable option of the Arabic characters (valid also for Implicit mode).
t Displays the status.
space Enters a required space (RSP).

For implicit mode only:

Key Purpose
c Toggles the column heading mode.

For visual mode only:

Key Purpose
s Initiates the Push mode.
e Terminates the End Push mode.
p Toggles the Autopush mode.
f Shapes Arabic characters in their final forms.
i Shapes Arabic characters in their initial forms.
b Shapes Arabic characters in the Passthru mode.
o Shapes Arabic characters in their isolated forms.
m Shapes Arabic characters in their middle forms.

.Bidi-defaults Keywords

Use the following keywords to set the defaults for the bterm command.

.Bidi-defaults Keywords
Keywords Value Effect
fScrRev on Screen reverse function key is enabled.
off Screen reverse function key is disabled.
fRTL on RTL keyboard layer function key is enabled.
off RTL keyboard layer function key is disabled.
fLTR on LTR keyboard layer function key is enabled.
off LTR keyboard layer function key is disabled.
fPush on Push function key is enabled.
off Push function key is disabled.
fEndPush on End Push function key is enabled.
off End Push function key is disabled.
fAutoPush on AutoPush function key is enabled.
off AutoPush function key is disabled.
fASD on Automatic Shape Determination function key is enabled.
off Automatic Shape Determination function key is disabled.
fShapeIS on Isolated Shape function key is enabled.
off Isolated Shape function key is disabled.
fShapeIN on Initial Shape function key is enabled.
off Initial Shape function key is disabled.
fShapeM on Middle Shape function key is enabled.
off Middle Shape function key is disabled.
fShapeF on Final Shape function key is enabled.
off Final Shape function key is disabled.
textType implicit Type of data stream is set to Implicit.
visual Type of data stream is set to Visual.
orientation LTR Left-to-right default screen orientation.
RTL Right-to-left default screen orientation.
symmetric on Symmetric Swapping enabled.
off Symmetric Swapping disabled.
numShape bilingual Numeral shaping is set to bilingual.
hindi Numerals are represented in Hindi.
arabic Numerals are represented in Arabic/Hebrew.
passthru Numerals are represented in passthru.
charShape automatic Arabic characters are shaped automatically.
passthru Arabic characters are displayed in passthru mode.
isolated Arabic characters are displayed in isolated mode.
initial Arabic characters are displayed in initial mode.
final Arabic characters are displayed in final mode.
middle Arabic characters are displayed in middle mode.
maps
Specifies the page code directory to be used for Keyboard. layering, input, output and symmetric character swapping.
expandTail on Writes "seen"-like characters and their tails on two cells.
off Writes "seen"-like characters and their tails on one cell.
nobidi on Activates BIDI mode.
off Turn off BIDI mode.
noNulls on Replaces nulls by spaces.
off Leaves nulls as null, no replacement of spaces.

Related Information

The aixterm command, the telnet, tn, or tn3270 command.

Bidirectionality and Character Shaping in AIX 5L Version 5.2 National Language Support Guide and Reference.

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