🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <1jq1clINNqk2@usenet.INS.CWRU.Edu> cb147@cleveland.freenet.edu (David Barzilai) writes:
>I have recently been attempting to use the gnu version of
>emacs but have encountered a major difficulty:  My erase
>character has been interpreted as "delete" rather than
>"backspace."  Please note that my terminal emulation is
>vt102 on my IBM-compatible xt computer.

You did not identify the vt102 emulator you are using, which makes it harder
to respond.

By default, the PC Backspace key transmits a C-h character.  Entering a
CTRL-Backspace key conbination transmits a DEL character, which not too many
people realize.  (The PC Del key does NOT transmit a DEL character, by the
way.)

Emacs, by default, uses the DEL character as an erase character.  When IBM
designed the PC keyboard, it copied the Apple II use of C-h as an erase
character, instead of using DEL, which was becoming the more accepted
character to use.

Digital Equipent uses the DEL character as an erase character in its editors
and its Delete key on its VT terminals (in the same position as the PC
Backspace key is located) generates a DEL character.

The more recent versions of GNU Emacs come with a lisp file called bobcat.el
which switches the GNU Emacs interpretation of C-h and DEL.  It uses the GNU Emacs
keyboard translation table to accomplish this.

Once loaded, GNU Emacs will treat C-h as if a DEL were entered and DEL as if a
C-h were entered.

-- 
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Kevin Gallagher        kgallagh@digi.lonestar.org OR ...!uunet!digi!kgallagh
DSC Communications Corporation   Addr: MS 152, 1000 Coit Rd, Plano, TX 75075
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