Re: can't global-set-key in emacs -nw

[Stefan Monnier]

>> Once your terminal emulator is properly configured you need to tell Emacs
>> what that seuqnce is by appropriate (define-key function-key-map ...) calls.
>> See lisp/term/xterm.el for some default settings used if your terminal
>> is xterm.  The same terminal emulator may send different sequences
>> depending on the configuration, so there's no standard sadly.

> Assuming the user has not changed any escape sequences via resources
> settings, is this still really the case?

Well, yes, it seems.

> On my (Debian x86) system, xterm and gnome-terminal (which gives $TERM
> as "xterm") seem to agree on a quasi-standard set of escape sequences
> for function-keys modified by shift, control, alt, shift-control and
> shift-alt, all of which are distinct.

Xterm on Redhat did not send the same sequences as xterm from XFree86, last
time I checked (which was a whilie back admittedly).

> But in term/xterm.el, only the unmodified function-key escapes are
> translated.  Is there a good reason for this absence?  Are the escape
> sequences for modified function-keys in fact different in xterm from
> system to system?  Is it really true that life is messier than it seems on
> my system?

Since adding sequences to lisp/term/xterm.el is mostly harmless even if the
sequences are not used (as long as there's no conflict), the CVS version of
the file has more entries because I've added the sequences I've come across.
You may want to check that version of the file (from
savannah.gnu.org/projects/emacs, for example) and tell me if you know of
other sequences so I can add them.

> I am aware that the escape sequences for rxvt and rxvt-derived
> terminal emulators are completely different, but again term/rxvt.el
> translates some of these -- including control-modified function keys
> -- but not all, such as shift-control modified function-keys.  Again,
> is there a good reason for this omission?

I wouldn't know.  I never use rxvt.


        Stefan