HOBLink X11 for OS/2

October 05, 2001 by Dwight Brown

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The PC Connectivity solution that opens the world of graphical host applications to OS/2 platforms

HOBLink X11 for OS/2 is an integrated PC X Server package that allows you to use your PC running OS/2 as an X Window terminal.

The Connectivity Package for TCP/IP

• X11 Server, Release 6.4
• Telnet Terminal Emulation
• GUI for the File Transfer Protocol (FTP)
• GUI for the Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP)
• LPR - program for printing on remote computers
• Interactive, menu-driven installation and configuration programs
• Ping program for testing the configuration and the physical connections
• Automatic program start via REXEC and the RSH protocol for hosts that are not capable of XDMCP (e.g. Tektronix)
• Numerous character sets for on screen display of the standard X character sets
• Online help

The X Server

The main component of HOBLink X11 is the X Server. This "Multiple X Server" allows you to execute several graphical applications (X Clients) concurrently - parallel to other OS/2 applications. Different X clients can even be running on different network nodes. A heterogeneous network on a single PC appears as a uniform system to the PC user. HOBLink X11 supports the current TCP/IP standards as well as the X Window System (X11R6.4). The management of the windows can be handled either locally by OS/2 or remotely using, for example, Desktop Window Manager, Motif or Open Look.

Three Different Display Modes

The X Server can run in three different display modes: multiple window mode, single window mode and full screen mode.

• In the multiple window mode each X client is displayed in a separate OS/2 window. IBM OS/2 assumes the task of the X Window Manager (displaying and managing the windows)..
• In the single window mode all X clients are displayed in a single window, in the X-session window. The management of the windows is handled by the remote system.
• In the full screen mode all X clients are displayed outside of the OS/2 GUI. The X session occupies the entire screen.

X Window System Support
The X server supports the X Window System - X11 Release 6.4 (X11R6.4)

Multiple X Session Capability
The X server can be started several times and can connect to different hosts simultaneously.

Supports Non-XDMCP Hosts
HOBLink X11 supports Citrix and WinDD (Tektronix) as well as other hosts that do not support XDMCP.

Support for DIVE (Direct Interface Video Extensions)
Gives optimum performance when you use programs that refresh the screen display often, e.g. CAD or video.

True Color Support
HOBLink X11 supports the display of color up to True Color (24 bit).

Copy and Paste Between the X Window System and OS/2
HOBLink X11 lets you copy and paste data between X client applications and the OS/2 clipboard and vice versa. It's also possible to copy data direct from the clipboard into a text file.

Emulates a Three-Button Mouse
HOBLink X11 supports any two- and three-button mouse that is compatible with OS/2. It also allows you to emulate a three-button mouse using a two-button mouse.

Display with "Backing Store and Save Under"
This display feature allows you to store the X Window System window "off-screen". This means that X clients do not need to refresh their windows whenever they are hidden by another window, resulting in a reduction of the data traffic on the network - and better performance.

Virtual Screen Size
In both the single window and the full screen mode, the size of the virtual screen can be set up to 2048 x 2048 pixels. This means that the size of the X session window can be larger than your physical terminal.

Four Different Start Methods
The program package offers you four different methods of esta-blishing a connection to a host computer and of starting a remote login session:

• Telnet Terminal Emulation
• X Display Manager Control Protocol (XDMCP): Query, Broadcast and Indirect Mode
• REXEC Protocol
• RSH Protocol

Automatic Start of X Clients
You can place icons for starting X clients in any program group using HOBLink X11. Program are started by means of either the EXEC or the RSH protocol.

Keyboard Mapping
In addition to the keyboard layouts already contained in the package, HOBLink X11 allows you to define your own keyboard configurations. In the easy-to-use mapping dialogs, you can assign any character to any key with the click of the mouse. It's also possible to assign macros to keys, making it easy to call frequently-used functions.

Font Server
In addition to the locally installed fonts, the HOBLink X Server can access font servers over the network and make use of the any fonts stored there.

Interactive Programs for Installation and Configuration
All X server settings for input, communication, video, color and transmission protocol can be defined at installation and easily modified at any time.

File Transfer via FTP and TFTP
HOBLink includes two programs that offer you a user interface for the "File Transfer Protocol" and "Trivial File Transfer Protocol". HOBLink FTP allows you to transfer texts and binary files to numerous FTP servers including UNIX, VMS, MVS and VM. HOBLink TFTP supports the "Trivial File Transfer Protocol".

HOBLink Ping
The HOBLink Ping function lets you test your TCP/IP connection.

Network Installation
You can also make HOBLink X11 available to multiple users across your network by installing a single copy on a network server.

Printing via TCP/IP

HOBLink LPR - Remote Print Client
HOBLink LPR is a LPR print program based on the Line Printer Demon protocol (RFC 1179). It allows you to print on remote hosts connected to the network. The hosts must support the "Berkeley Line Printer" protocol. You can specify the number of copies, the cover page and the page headers, and you can print any files that are stored on the PC. It is also possible to display the printer queue and remove jobs from it.

System Requirements 

Your system must meet the following requirements in order to be able to install and run HOBLink X11: 

PC Hardware 

• Connection to a TCP/IP network 
• Otherwise HOBLink X11 requires no additional hardware other than that required by the operating system OS/2

PC Software 

• IBM OS/2 Warp 3 or higher 

Host 

• TCP/IP protocol via Token-Ring or Ethernet 
• Optional: server support for FTP and TFTP 
• Virtual terminal protocol Telnet and/or 
• xdm client with XDMCP support and/or 
• RSH and/or REXEC 
• Optional: server support for the "Berkeley Line Printer" protocol 
• X applications (Clients); e.g. xterm, mwm

Network 

• HOBLink X11 runs on any network that supports the TCP/IP protocol.