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3.10. Automatic Setups for Different Terminals

If you work at several kinds of terminals or terminal emulators, terminal setup can be tough. For instance, my X terminal sends a backspace character when I push the upper-right key, but the same key on another terminal sends a delete character -- I want stty erase (Section 5.8) to set the correct erase character automatically.[7] Maybe you want a full set of calendar programs started when you log in to the terminal at your desk, but not when you make a quick login from somewhere else.

[7]Of course, it is all arbitrary and contingent on your keyboard layout and configuration.

The next seven articles have ideas for changing your login sequence automatically. Some examples are for the C shell and use that shell's switch and if. Examples for Bourne-type shells use case (Section 35.10) and if (Section 35.13). If you use the other type of shell, the idea still applies; just swap the syntax.

Because your terminal type doesn't change after you've logged in, many of these tests probably belong in your .profile or .login file. Those setup files are read when you first log in to a tty. Other tests, especially ones that involve windows, will probably fit better in a per-shell setup file such as .bashrc or .cshrc. Section 3.3 can help you choose.

--JP and SJC



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