[ipxe-devel] menu & serial console

[Leo Baltus]

Op 06/03/2013 om 00:40:15 +0000, schreef Michael Brown:
> On Tuesday 05 Mar 2013 21:00:53 Leo Baltus wrote:
> > I tried using iPXE over a serial line using a menu.
> > The output looks garbled and input like using arrow keys does not seem to
> > work. Is this a tested and supported set-up?
> > <snip>
> > I used console redirection to serial by the BIOS.
> 
> The problem is that you have both iPXE and the BIOS's console redirection 
> attempting to control the serial port.  At a minimum, you'll get two copies of 
> each character; after you add in the various control codes typically generated 
> by BIOS console redirection, the result will look inexplicably garbled.
> 
> You need to either disable CONSOLE_SERIAL, or disable the BIOS's console 
> redirection.
> 
> You'll get more predictable results by disabling the BIOS's console 
> redirection and leaving CONSOLE_SERIAL enabled; iPXE produces standard ANSI 
> escape sequences that should work (including colours, menus, etc) on pretty 
> much any serial terminal software.  BIOS console redirection tends to be more 
> limited, and often doesn't cope well with things such as colour changes and 
> cursor movement.
> 

Thanks, but in order to also keep VGA working I now have all patches 
removed and it seems to just work. I don't remember why I was tinkering 
with it in the first place so thanks for getting me back on track.

Now output looks pretty sane, no colors but that's ok, and arrow keys 
working. Still using BIOS console redirection.

There is however something strange with the last line it seems. See 
attached screendump. I have quit the menu to iPXE shell which puts the 
prompt at the last line, then I type something, now the last output line 
gets garbled.

Something like this also happens if I choose a menu option:
:info
# Give some info
echo IP address: \${net0/ip}
echo Subnet mask: \${net0/netmask}
prompt --timeout 0 Press any key...
goto begin

It only shows 
                                                                                
IP address: 145.58.73.19                                                        
Press any key...           

After adding an extra echo I see 'Subnet mask' as well. It's not a serious 
flaw, I can live with it, but I thought I should mention it.

-- 
Leo Baltus, internetbeheerder                         /\
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servicedesk at omroep.nl, 035-6773555                    \/
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