2. How to cope with VT-switching hotkeys

Some versions of SVR4 (Esix and Microport) have mechanisms for enabling two-key sequences for VT switching (Alt-Fn). The standard SVR4 mechanism is Alt-SysReq-Fn, which all versions we know use. Running under X, the Alt-Fn sequences are stolen by the driver before the server can see them, so you can't use them for X applications. So you want to switch back to the standard 3-key sequences while you are running X. Here's how to do it:

Microport

Microport makes this very simple. The 2-key mode is called "Microport Mode", and the 3-key mode is called "Compatible Mode". You enter Microport Mode by pressing Alt-SysReq-m. You enter Compatible Mode by pressing Alt-SysReq-c. So all you need to do is press Alt-SysReq-c after starting the X server to allow X clients access to the Alt-Fn sequences.

Esix

Esix has no keyboard-driven way to switch modes. There are two levels at which this can be handled:

1. There is a kernel tunable that determines which mode is the default. The tunable is the initialisation of kd_2keysw in /etc/conf/pack.d/kd/space.c. When set to 1 (the default), 2-key mode is enabled. When set to 0 it is disabled.
2. The mode can be changed for individual VTs programatically by an ioctl(). To make life easier for XFree86 users, a program called `2key' is provided (in xc/programs/Xserver/hw/xfree86/etc/ in the source tree, and in /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/etc/ in the binary kit). You can compile and install this program. Then to make use of it, add the line `VTInit "2key off"' to the Keyboard section of your XF86Config file to cause the program to be run automatically when the server starts up. Doing this means that 2-key switching will be turned off while in the server's VT, but will still be on for the other VTs.

For further details, refer to the keyboard(7) man page included with the release notes (the on-line man page doesn't have this information).