Have tried very hard to put 4.6 up on Linux (6.0 by Red Hat). Well, after two days of frustration, we finally got the people in Irvine to admit that it doesn't work on the latest Red Hat release. They think it works on 5.1, but nothing later.

Has anyone had luck finding a way to get it up under 6.0. For that matter, what success has anyone had with PRO-IV under LINUX of any type?

Many Thanks,

Paul

Well, we have success installing Pro-IV 4.6 on Linux, and it is working well. As long as we don't have ksh enviroment on our Linux, we have to make some modifications on the install script to make it work properly. Also we have to create a new crtctl to make it work on Linux console. The only problem we are facing is the PRO4CFG variable that refuses to work. As we have several enviroments running Pro-IV, this issue is very useful to us to have the same applications using different data enviromments.

I had problems installing linux under redhat 6. I called the help desk in the UK and was told about the pdksh shell problem. I found it on the redhat install cd then copied it to /bin/sh replacing the existing sh. All was fine then.

What is the 'pdksh' problem?

Could you tell me what mods had to be made to crtctl?

I'll be testing the new version pro4 released for Linux within aweek and any help on crtctl or other issues would be appreciated.

If one loads any of the 6.X versions of RedHat, the default shell will
be BASH. Under BASH, PROIV simply won't install. Locate the pdksh shell
which is furnished with RedHat. It is usually under RedHat/SRPMS. PDKSH is a public
domain version of the Korn Shell (KSH) which is required by PROIV.

Use the rpm -ivh command to expand and install PDKSH. It will self-install
and be located in the same directory with BASH, TSH, etc - all
the other shells. Please note that when it installs it does nnot
call itself PDKSH as you would expect. It changes its name to KSH
to that it will be recognized as the Korn shell.

With this installed, the PROIV 4.6 will install. However, that is only the
beginning of the problems. The basic program will work, but you will
not be able to properly map the keyboard, and printing will not
operate without SAMBA as well as an inability to use fonts if
you intend to use GUICLR.

Paul

Paul,
THanks for the info. I'd already installed the PDKSH. So far I really like RedHat. RPM's are a really simple way of installing software!

Have you tried using GNOME or Linuxconf? If try both for easy access to system admin tools.

My next step in setting up the RH 6.1 is to setup printing.
I've installed Samba but have never used it before. Any tips on setting it up for printing to network printers like HP 4000n's?

As for controlling the console, did you try somehow setting the console term type to 'ansi' instead of 'linux'?

Paul,
THanks for the info. I'd already installed the PDKSH. So far I really like RedHat. RPM's are a really simple way of installing software!

Have you tried using GNOME or Linuxconf? If try both for easy access to system admin tools.

My next step in setting up the RH 6.1 is to setup printing.
I've installed Samba but have never used it before. Any tips on setting it up for printing to network printers like HP 4000n's?

As for controlling the console, did you try somehow setting the console term type to 'ansi' instead of 'linux'?

Rob,

Well, I will try to respond to your questions, but have
found this whole exercise to be very difficult.

First, I think you will be positively fascinated with Linux.
It is fast, stable and very flexible. It is difficult to set up
as it changes so very fast and the documentation isn't the greatest.
After wrestling with Red Hat versions; 5.1, 5.2, 6.0, & 6.1 as
well as some of the Caldera versions, I have become a real fan
of this operating system. Add to that the simple fact that it now
has 11 million systems in use and is absolutely eating the lunch
of other Unix types and you have a most serious competitor for
NT.

Red Hat surely has the best name, and is what we are using.
We are using it because it is the only thing supported by PRO-IV.
The 'catch' in all this is that PRO-IV notes it as a supported
operating system, but forgets to note that it does NOT support
anything newer than 5.1. The real rub isn't the level of
Red Hat, Caldera, SUSE, Debian, etc. - it is the kernel revision
of Linux. Linux changed to a different basic kernel in what is
now Red Hat 6.X series. It is the same kernel used by everyone
else, but they obvious use different names. What I am leading to
is that the newer kernel uses a completely different parellel
printer architecture. Net result - it doesn't work on PRO-IV.

The people at PRO-IV understand that the product doesn't work
and are making the mods in 4.6 - 200. At least that is what they
say. We have been waiting for this release for several months
and it still is not released. More on that later! Incidentally,
the support people here in CA don't really know very much about
LINUX and/or any of the issues involved. They are very polite and
very cooperative - but have given us tons of bad info. I am 100%
positive that none of it was intentional. In actual fact, we
finally got to converse with their director, Mark Diffey, and he
has tried very hard.

Before going on with installation headaches, let me respond
to the rpm notation. Yes, it is very good. WOrks great, and everyone
has adopted it. I use GNOME, and find it good. Personally,
I prefer KDE - just looks cleaner. Don't think it makes
much difference from an operation standpoint.

Now to the installation issues. First of all, we use ANSICLR for our
terminal on the server. It works OK, but does NOT allow any
printing on a local printer (attached to the server). On our clinets (WIN 98)
we use GUICLR. They work fine with a couple of notable exceptions.
First, you must use SAMBA to make anything print. Second, the
FONTS don't work. Third, printing always goes to the device
specified in the Windows Printer Default. Fourth, the mapping
of the keyboard does not work properly. These seem to be
things recognized by PRO-IV.

Today, we installed a BETA of 4.6 - 200. The local office has
tried to help us by providing this for checking out the changes
they have made. Must say that as of this writing - the problems
persist. Don't want to say to much as we haven't done a
thorough check out.

I think all this will get solved and wish that we hadn't put
two man months of programming time in simply to uncover the things
I am telling you here. We have learned a lot, and one of the
things we learned is that PRO-IV doesn't really have much interest
in LINUX today. I am certain that will change and that they
will solve these printing, mapping, etc. problems. What I can
tell you is that the system runs much faster on LINUX and that
we are dedicated to getting it operating.

Insofar as Samba is concerned, I would recommend that you simply
get a manual and read. There are some good on-line SAMBA manuals
through the Red Hat site, etc. My suggestion is that you try
on of the sample setups that are provided. They seem to work
reasonably well. SAMS publishes a good Red Hat LINUX 6.1 manual.
About $35 - but worth it. First step is to make sure that things
work under Network Neighborhood - if using WIN 98 and SAMBA.
That will go smoothly. You will have some hitches when you now
try to set up printers in LINUX, but suggest that you use the
'printtool' utility. It works quite well.

Sorry to go on at such length. As you may discern, this has
been a very painful process, but we are learning. If I can
answer any specifics on SAMBA - let me know. If you can help
with our printing issues - I would love to hear from you.

Regards,

Paul

Paul,
I was able to get print services going without using Samba.

All our printers are attached with ethernet and have Jetdirect cards built in.

TO setup I used 'printtool' and chose remote lpd ques using the ip addresses of the printers.

I think I also added an entry to /etc/hosts for each printer.
Rob

Thanks Rob,

Did you set this installation up using PRO-IV 4.64 or the about
to be released version 4.64r200? We were given a copy of this
new version for Linux by the tech services people here in
Irvine.

Paul

Paul,
I dl'd from the partner site at proivinc.com
4 6 r200.

I'm not usre if its the same as 4.64 or 4.64r200..

I'll check at work tomorrow.

Rob

ps: did you see me thread above regarding errors opening files?