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<A HREF="SOLX86.html"><EM>Information for Solaris for x86 Users</EM></A>
 <b>:</b> <EM>The VT-switching sub-system in Solaris x86</EM><BR>
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<HR NOSHADE>
  <H2><A NAME="3"></A>3. The VT-switching sub-system in Solaris x86</H2>

<p>The virtual terminal sub-system is a undocumented, and unsupported 
feature of Solaris x86. Therefore if you use Virtual Terminals, you 
do so at <b>YOUR OWN RISK</b>.</p>

<p>The virtual terminals of Solaris work basically the same way as 
most other Intel based SVR4 VT sub-systems.  However, there are a 
number of limitations documented below.</p>

<p>First, if you are running a Solaris 2.4 x86 system, and you want VT's, 
you will have to create the necessary devices first, so become root.</p>

<p>First verify the chanmux device driver's major number is 100:</p>
<p>
<blockquote><code>
<pre>
	# grep -i chanmux /etc/name_to_major
	chanmux 100
	#
</pre>
</code></blockquote>

If the number after 'chanmux' is anything but 100, I would suggest 
you immediately abort your attempt to create virtual terminals, and 
learn to live without them.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>However, if it is 100, then as root type the following commands to 
create the maximum allowable number of virtual terminals.</p>
<p>
<blockquote><code>
<pre>
	# cd /dev
	# mknod vt01 c 100 1
	# mknod vt02 c 100 2 
	# mknod vt03 c 100 3
	# mknod vt04 c 100 4
	# mknod vt05 c 100 5
	# mknod vt06 c 100 6
	# mknod vt07 c 100 7
</pre>
</code></blockquote>

There is no need for a reconfiguration boot.</p>

<p>Secondly, for both 2.1, and 2.4 x86 systems, add a few lines to the 
<code>inittab</code> to enable logins on them.</p>

<p>(<b>Note</b>, do <b>NOT</b> make a mistake here, you could 
lock yourself out of the system)</p>
<p>
<pre>
---------------------&gt;Snip Snip&lt;-----------------------------------------------
v1:234:respawn:/usr/lib/saf/ttymon -g -h -p "`uname -n` VT01 login: " -T AT386 -d /dev/vt01 -l console
v2:234:respawn:/usr/lib/saf/ttymon -g -h -p "`uname -n` VT02 login: " -T AT386 -d /dev/vt02 -l console
v3:234:respawn:/usr/lib/saf/ttymon -g -h -p "`uname -n` VT03 login: " -T AT386 -d /dev/vt03 -l console
v4:234:respawn:/usr/lib/saf/ttymon -g -h -p "`uname -n` VT04 login: " -T AT386 -d /dev/vt04 -l console
----------------------&gt;End Here&lt;----------------------------------------------- 
</pre>

These four lines enable four VT's on Alt-SysReq-F1 through 
Alt-SysReq-F4.</p>

<p>Then execute the command '<code>init q</code>' to immediately 
enable the virtual 
terminals.</p>

<p>The keys used for VT switching are as follows:</p>

<p>
<blockquote>
<code>Alt-SysReq-F1</code> through <code>Alt-SysReq-F7</code> 
enable VT screens 1-7 respectively 
(if the VT is active).<p><code>Alt-SysReq-n</code> enables the next active VT screen.</p>
<p><code>Alt-SysReq-p</code> enables the previous active VT screen.</p>
<p><code>Alt-SysReq-h</code> returns to the console.</p>

</blockquote>

If you are using virtual terminals, you must leave at least one free 
for use by the Xserver.</p>


<p>Limitations of the virtual terminal sub-system under Solaris x86:</p>

<p>There are only a total of 8 available VT's (7 normal VT's + 1 console) 
not the usual 15. If you have all 8 allocated, and you attempt to 
allocate a additional VT you will panic the system. (This bug is 
worked around in the Solaris XFree86 Xserver.)</p>

<p>From a programming stand point, they work pretty much as documented in 
the AT&amp;T Unix System V/386 Release 4 Integrated Software 
Development 
Guide, however a number of <code>ioctl()</code> calls are broken.</p>



 <HR NOSHADE>
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 <b>:</b> <EM>The VT-switching sub-system in Solaris x86</EM><BR>
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