r,i,m keys don't display in labview

[eddiek2000]

When programming vi's in LV, I cannot type a r, i, or m. The i acts as a backspace, the r returns to the beginning of the line, the m backspaces also. I am using Solaris 8 and Labview 6.1. Any Ideas???

[Ben]

Not sure, but I gotta clue.

"\r" is escape code for carrige return.

Ben

[David Duffey]

Hi,

Strange, this is new to me. Here are some questions that might track down what is happening.

Do you know if you are using a unique keyboard mapping?
Does it act any different if you are holding down the shift key as well, or have caps lock on?
Does it act differently when editing a VI vs running it?
If you run LabVIEW over a remote X connection, does it behave differently than if it was running locally?

Thanks!

[eddiek2000]

1) I don't think so.
2) Nope. It acte the same.
3) Same all around in LabView. Other X apps works as expected.
4)Yes and no. If I run a remote X from a Linux machine, it acts the same as locally. If I run a remote X session with an X server on XP(WebTerm X) the keys behave correctly.

Thank You,
Ed

[David Duffey]

Hi Eddie,

Good answers, I think we can try to track this thing down. I installed LabVIEW 6.1 on a solaris 2.9 machine today and didn't see this problem. What I was doing is opening up a blank VI and placing a string control, and then typing values in the string control. I couldn't get anything to do what you are seeing.

I was brainstorming why the XP webterm and the linux x server might be different. This is what I think:

1. Environment Variables. Sometimes certain programs like SSH, telnet, rexec, etc will carry over certain environment variable for you. They will also cause different login scripts to be executing. Maybe in one of the scripts or environment variables something is being done to remap the keyboard, use different
fonts / etc.

2. Fonts. Maybe there is a font being used that doesn't have a displayable character for those three characters? (that's weird if so), try changing the font with the font selector

Here are some more tests that will help narrow down if this is an input problem, or a font problem:

1. Do "File -> Open", can you type "r" in the filename path?
2. In a string control, type "r", then right click on it and change it to a hex display, do you see "72"?
3. In a string control that is set to hex display, type "72" and then change the control to a "normal" display, do you see "r"?
4. Use a password display string control, type "r" and see if you get "*"s in place of the "r's"
5. Create a program with an event structure that watches for "this application -> key down" (in a while loop). Right click on the "char" data node and do "create indicator". Run the VI, you should see the numeric update each time you press keys, "r" is 114.

I know these tests might be time cons
uming, but I tried them all here on my solaris machine. Let me know how these tests work out for you and any other tests you might have came up with.

Thanks!

[David Duffey]

oops, I just read your original post and realized it can't be a font problem.

It is more likely a keyboard input issue. Maybe related to foreign language input?

[eddiek2000]

Thanks. I tried your ideas and here are the results.
1) No.
2) didn't work. Nothing was displayed in hex.
3)This worked.
4) No *'s in the password box.
5) Didn't do.

I finally fixed the problem. Some history first. We purchased this system for a contractor who designed and built a Data Acquisition System for us. The GUI to control it was built in LV6.1. They also installed the OS. Unfortunately, they went hog wild when they installed sun packages. Today I browsed the packages and found somr that I didn;t believe I needed.(different locals and some keyboard maps). I then tried labview and the problem didn't exist, but I was logged in as root. I proceeded to log out then in a my ususal username. The problem was
still there. I then removed the .labviewrc file and lo and behold the problem disappeared. I guess LV kept track of the strange setting that was causing my problem. I still don't understand why the XP Xserver didn't exhibit this strange behavior.

Thanks to everybody. Now if I can only fix the other problem I have of window redraw. It is hard to develop an application when I need to constantly iconify and restore a window to remove display artificats.