Configuring Your Netstations

This chapter tells you how to configure your Netstations.

The first section, Configuration Methods, explains the different configuration methods and how they work together. The configuration methods are described in more detail in the following sections:

• Using the Configuration Screens for Local Configuration

• Using Remote Configuration

• Using BOOTP/DHCP for Network Configuration.

Configuration Parameters That You May Want to Customize explains some of the most commonly used configuration parameters. For detailed information about configuration parameters, see Remote Configuration Parameter Reference.

Configuration Methods

When you add a Netstation to your network with xtadm scripts, you may never need to change the configuration of your Netstation. If you would like to make changes, however, you can use a combination of three methods to customize your Netstation configuration:

• Local configuration, using the configuration screens. This lets users configure their own Netstations without bothering the system administrator. Changes take effect immediately, or the next time the Netstation boots.

  ---

  Note: If the user enters incorrect configuration values, network operations could be disrupted. If you wish to restrict access to the configuration screens, refer to Changing the Security Options.

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• Remote configuration, using the remote configuration file. This file is optionally downloaded each time the Netstation boots. Individual users do not need to know anything about configuration.

• Network configuration, using BOOTP/DHCP. A smaller, limited subset of the network information is consolidated in one place, and downloaded each time the Netstation boots. This greatly simplifies network configuration parameters.

By default, all three types of configuration are enabled:

• All users have access to the configuration screens.

• When the Netstation boots, the remote configuration file is read. Any parameter values that are set in this file override values that were set on the configuration screens.

• When the Netstation boots, BOOTP/DHCP downloads network configuration data. Any parameter values that are set by BOOTP/DHCP override values that were set on the configuration screens.

For information about changing these defaults, see Changing the Configuration Methods.

Using the Configuration Screens for Local Configuration

You can access the configuration screens while you are booting the Netstation or, more commonly, within an X session. If you cannot access some or all of the configuration screens, the administrator may have blocked access as described in Securing the Configuration Screens.

Accessing the Configuration Screens During Bootup

To access a limited number of configuration screens during the initial phase of bootup, select the Setup icon. Configuration screens will appear only for the hardware that is present and the extensions that are loaded by the directives file. You can use the configuration screens before the X server has been downloaded, but the X server configuration screens will not appear. You can access the online help by selecting [Help].

Accessing the Configuration Screens After Bootup

The configuration is an X-based local client. When you access the configuration screens, you can re-size and iconify the window, and leave it running during the session.

To access the configuration screens from within an X session, press and hold [F12]. (On the LK201-layout keyboard, [F12] refers to the key labeled [F3].)

You can also access the configuration screens with the following command:

remsh terminalname config

On Sun systems, the command is rsh instead of remsh.

The configuration screen appears in a window as follows:

A Configuration Screen

Changing Configuration Values

You use the configuration screens as follows:

1. In the left column, select an icon of the configuration system.

2. In the middle column, select a sub-section.

3. In the panel that appears in the right column, change the values that you want to change. For information about commonly changed values, see Configuration Parameters That You May Want to Customize.

4. Read any messages that appear in the message line at the bottom of the configuration screen. To view the message log, select [Diagnostic], then [Log].

5. When you are finished, select [Apply]. All your changes are saved and while some take effect immediately, the rest take effect the next time the Netstation is booted.

If you need information about a field in the configuration screens, select Help.

Saving Configuration Values

Many configuration values take effect immediately. Others do not take effect until you select [Apply] and reboot your Netstation. To cancel all of these deferred changes, select [Cancel].

To cancel all of the changes that you have ever made, and return to the defaults that are shipped with HP Netstation Software, select [Restore to factory defaults...] on the Diagnostic - Restore Defaults configuration screen. Your Netstation automatically reboots and the default configuration settings are restored.

Temporarily Setting X Server Configuration Values

If you are familiar with using xset, you can use this host utility to change your X server configurable values for the current session only. For more information, see:

man xset

Using Remote Configuration

The following files in /opt/hpxt/enware2/xthome/config are used in remote configuration:

• sample.cfg is copied to terminalname.cfg when you add a Netstation with the administration scripts. (For more information about the administration scripts, see Invoking the Netstation Administration Scripts.)

• default.cfg is read if no terminalname.cfg file is found.

In general, there are five ways to customize a Netstation through remote configuration:

• Customize the entries in the sample remote configuration file (sample.cfg). Any new Netstations that are added with the administration scripts will use the new values; existing Netstations will be unchanged.

• Customize the entries in the Netstation's remote configuration file (terminalname.cfg). These changes will affect only one Netstation.

• Customize an include file that is used by remote configuration files. These changes will affect any Netstation that includes the file, the next time it boots.

• Use aliases within any of these files.

• Use variables within any of these files.

These possibilities are described in more detail below. For information about parameters that are commonly customized, see Configuration Parameters That You May Want to Customize.

Customizing One Netstation's Remote Configuration File

When you add a Netstation using the administration scripts, the sample remote configuration file is copied from /opt/hpxt/enware2/xthome/config/sample.cfg to terminalname.cfg. You can edit a terminalname.cfg file to make changes that affect only one Netstation.

Customizing Many Remote Configuration Files

If you want some parameters to have the same values for all Netstations, you should do one of the following before adding any Netstations:

• Set the parameter values in the sample remote configuration file (/opt/hpxt/enware2/xthome
/config/sample.cfg).

• Put an include statement in the sample file, and set the value in the included file. This gives you more flexibility if you later change the parameter value.

Customizing Include Files

The remote configuration file can contain include statements. The include statements can contain variables. By using include statements and variables, you can combine site-wide defaults and individual preferences.

For example, the following include statements:

include $(BasePath)/config/$(Personality)aliases
include $(BasePath)/config/site.aliases

would include a personal aliases file followed by an aliases file for the entire site.

Each include file is read whenever the remote configuration file is read. Changing a parameter in an include file is much easier than changing the same parameter in every remote configuration file.

Using Aliases

You can specify aliases for commonly used strings. For example, if you create an alias for the baud rate of your serial ports, add the line:

alias baud = 4800

Serial (2) Baudrate = baud
Serial (1) Baudrate = baud

Aliases are also used to support translation into other languages.

Using Variables

When specifying the value of a remote configuration parameter, you can include variable names. When the remote configuration file is read, the variable name is replaced by the value of the corresponding remote configuration parameter.

You can use the following variables:

• $(BasePath) is the base path. See BasePath.

• $(FileServerList) is the list of potential file servers and their access mechanisms. See File Server List.

• $(SearchPath) specifies which paths are searched for files, in which order. See SearchPath.

• $(LANG) is the language of the Netstation. See LANG.

• $(TerminalName) is the name of the Netstation. See Terminal Name.

• $(NodeNameList) is a list of the terminal names and IP addresses for each of the Netstation's network interfaces. See Node Name List.

• $(Personality) is a user-defined personality for the Netstation. See Personality.

For example, if:

• The terminal name is xterm16

• The IP address is 125.4.5.6

• The primary file server is fileserver1 and its access mechanism is nfs

• The alternate file server is fileserver2 and its access mechanism is tftp

and you specify:

BasePath = /opt/hpxt/enware2/xthome
Remote Config File = $(SearchPath)/config/$(Personality).cfg

the Netstation loads the first available file from the following list:

/opt/hpxt/enware2/xthome/config/xterm16.cfg
/opt/hpxt/enware2/xthome/config/125.4.5.6.cfg
/opt/hpxt/enware2/xthome/config/.cfg
/nfs/fileserver1/opt/hpxt/enware2/xthome/config/xterm16.cfg
/nfs/fileserver1/opt/hpxt/enware2/xthome/config/125.4.5.6.cfg
/nfs/fileserver1/opt/hpxt/enware2/xthome/config/.cfg
/tftp/fileserver2/opt/hpxt/enware2/xthome/config/xterm16.cfg
/tftp/fileserver2/opt/hpxt/enware2/xthome/config/125.4.5.6.cfg
/tftp/fileserver2/opt/hpxt/enware2/xthome/config/.cfg

Using BOOTP/DHCP for Network Configuration

By default, DHCP (dynamic host configuration protocol) and the related BOOTP (boot protocol) are standard protocols that download network configuration information to a Netstation when it boots. (If BOOTP/DHCP is not available on the host, BOOTP is used instead.)

The network configuration information includes the IP addresses of the Netstation and the computers it accesses. It overrides any information that is specified on the configuration screens.

There are two main advantages of using network configuration:

• The network configuration data for the entire network is in one place (in /etc/bootptab on HP-UX and IBM systems or /opt/hpxt/enware2/bootp/bootptab on Sun systems) and is easy to maintain.

• Once the bootptab file has been set up, the user of a new Netstation does not need to configure it before using it.

How Network Configuration Works

When the Netstation starts up, it sends a boot request that contains its Ethernet address. The host software looks through bootptab for this address. If a match is found, the network configuration data for the Netstation is extracted from bootptab and sent as a packet over the network.

If no match is found and BOOTP/DHCP (rather than BOOTP) is running on the host, dhcpd searches for a resource file that contains IP addresses and terminal names you have made available. If dhcpd can find an available IP address and terminal name, it assigns them to the Netstation.

If the Netstation is not in bootptab and dhcpd cannot find an available address and terminal name, the Netstation fails to boot.

Configuration Parameters That You May Want to Customize

The remote configuration file contains well over 100 parameters that you can customize. Most of these parameters can also be customized through the configuration screens.

The following sections describe some of the most commonly used parameters:

• Changing What Happens When the Netstation Starts
• Changing the Default Font Path
• Changing the Security Options
• Changing the Configuration Methods
• Setting Up a Non-Standard Keyboard
• Setting Up Other Input Devices
• Changing the Gateway List
• Monitoring and Controlling Memory Use
• Filtering Log Messages.

For a complete list of remote configuration parameters, view the /opt/hpxt/enware2/xthome/config
/sample.cfg file or see Remote Configuration Parameter Reference.

For a list of currently configurable parameters for your Netstation, issue the command:

remsh terminalname get config

On Sun systems, the command is rsh instead of remsh.

Changing What Happens When the Netstation Starts

By default, an XDMCP (X Display Manager Control Protocol) request is sent to the file server when your Netstation is booted. You can change this as follows:

• To set the startup mode, use either of the following:

  • The Startup Session remote configuration file parameter (Startup Session)

  • The Mode field on the X Server - XDM configuration screen

  You can specify the following values:

  • XDMCP Direct (the default). A request is always sent to the same host.
  • XDMCP Indirect. A request is always sent to the same host, which either responds or assigns the request to another host.
  • XDMCP Broadcast. A request is sent to hosts on the local subnet, which are then listed on the Select Session Manager screen.
  • XDMCP Broadcast Auto. A request is sent to hosts on the local subnet, and the first host to respond gets the connection.
  • None. No XDMCP request is sent.

  For example, to specify which host receives the XDMCP request, use either of the following:

  • The XDMCP Host remote configuration parameter (XDMCP Host)

  • The Host(s) field on the X Server - XDM configuration screen

  For XDMCP Direct or XDMCP Indirect, you can specify a list of hosts. The default is all file servers included in the list.

  For XDMCP Broadcast or XDMCP Broadcast Auto, you can specify a list of hosts. The default is all of the servers on the local subnet.

• To load one or more applications when the Netstation starts, use either of the following:
  • The XLocalAppsLaunch remote configuration parameter (XLocalAppsLaunch)
  • The Local Applications on X Server Reset list on the X Server - XDM configuration screen.

You can also limit the Netstations that a particular workstation will manage, as described in Controlling Which Netstations a Workstation Will Manage.

Changing the Default Font Path

To change the default font path, use either of the following:

• The FontPath remote configuration parameter (FontPath)

• The Default Font Path field on the X Server - Font Path configuration screen.

If you are using the default fonts on the workstation (before the software was installed) instead of the Netstation's, you should remove the Netstation's fonts from the font path to save memory. For more information, see Using the Workstation's Fonts.

Changing the Security Options

Various configuration parameters affect security.

• To enable or disable client authorization, use either of the following:

  • The Client authorize remote configuration parameter (Client authorize)

  • The Client Authorization button on the X Server - Security configuration screen.

• To enable or disable access control, use either of the following:

  • The Access control remote configuration parameter (Access control)

  • The Access Control button on the X Server - Security configuration screen.

• To restrict which remote shell commands can be issued (and therefore which local applications can be run), use the Remsh Access remote configuration parameter (Remsh Access).

• To restrict which configuration screens can be accessed, use the Configuration Screen Area(n) Access remote configuration parameter (Configuration Screen Area(n) Access).

• To password-protect the configuration screens, use either of the following:

  • The Configuration Password Allowed remote configuration parameter (Configuration Password Allowed)

  • The Password field on the configuration screens.

For more information about these security options, see Security Options.

Changing the Configuration Methods

By default, local configuration, remote configuration, and network configuration are all enabled. You can change the default as follows:

• To disable local configuration or restrict which configuration screens can be accessed, use the Configuration Screen Area(n) Access remote configuration parameter (Configuration Screen Area(n) Access).

• To disable or enable remote configuration, use either of the following:

  • The Remote Config remote configuration parameter (Remote Config)

  • [Download on Next Reboot] on the Terminal - Remote Config configuration screen.

• To enable or disable BOOTP/DHCP network configuration, use either of the following:

  • The Network Config remote configuration parameter (Ethernet (n) Network Config or 100VG (n) Network Config depending on the interface you are using)

  • [Parameters From] on the Network - Ethernet (1) (or the Network - 100VG) configuration screen.

Setting Up a Non-Standard Keyboard

The default keyboard is USASCII PC 101/102. If you have a different keyboard, use either of the following:

• The Keyboard Map (Keyboard Map) remote configuration parameter

• The Keyboard Selection field on the X Server - Keyboard configuration screen.

For information about other ways you can customize your keyboard, see:

• Customizing Your Keyboard
• X Server Reset Key
• X Server Reset Modifiers
• Configuration Key
• Configuration Modifiers
• XKeyboard Device
• Keyboard is Pointer
• Other Keyboards.

For a list of supported keyboards, see the Terminal configuration screen or the sample remote configuration file (/opt/hpxt/enware2/xthome/config/sample.cfg).

Setting Up Other Input Devices

In addition to keyboards, the following input devices are supported:

Product

Description

A2839A

PS/2 3-button mouse

100296-536L-5

PS/2 trackball mouse

various

Serial PC mouse (Microsoft, Logitech)

A4364A

HP Graphic Tablet 12 x 12 (Serial)

A4365A

HP Graphic Tablet 12 x 18 (Serial)

33120SER

CALCOMP 12 x 12 Drawingboard Tablet III (Serial)

33180SER

CALCOMP 12 x 18 Drawingboard Tablet III (Serial)

A4363A

HP Button Box (Serial)

A4362A

HP Dial Box (Serial)

A4360A

HP Spaceball (Serial)

You can set up an input device, use either of the following:

• The Input Drivers (Input Drivers) remote configuration parameter

• The Device on Serial Port fields on the X Server - Input Devices configuration screen.

With the Input Drivers remote configuration parameter, you set Input Drivers equal to the name of an input driver, optionally followed by a default path and parameters. For example:

• PS2_KEYBOARD /dev/ps2kbd (PS/2 keyboard driver)
• PS2_MOUSE /dev/ps2mouse (PS/2 mouse driver)
• PC_MOUSE /dev/serial1 (RS232 PC mouse)
• NULL_KBD /dev/null2 (Keyboard cannot be used)
• NULL_MSE /dev/null2 (Mouse cannot be used)
• HP_TABLET /dev/serial1 (HP graphics tablet)
• HP_BUTTONBOX /dev/serial1 (HP button box)
• HP_KNOBBOX /dev/serial1 (HP dial box).

In the preceding list, serial1 refers to the first serial port. If the device is connected to the second serial port, use serial2 instead. For example, to use both a serial mouse and a tablet you could specify:

Input Drivers = PC_MOUSE /dev/serial1, HP_TABLET /dev/serial2

Operating Without a Keyboard or Mouse

The Netstation does not need a keyboard or a mouse to boot successfully. You can plug in a PS/2-type keyboard or mouse after booting. Please note that if you connect two of the same PS/2 devices (for example, two keyboards), only one will work.

Using a Space Ball

You do not need to do any configuration changes to use a space ball. Applications that use a space ball provide their own drivers.

Additional Configuration for Tablets

To use a tablet, you may need to set additional remote configuration parameters:

• If you will use the tablet in addition to a mouse, set the Other Pointers remote configuration parameter (Other Pointers) to:
  HP_TABLET

• If you will use the tablet instead of a mouse, set the XPointer Device remote configuration parameter (XPointer Device) to TABLET and set the Other Pointers remote configuration parameter (Other Pointers) to TABLET

• If your application uses tablet subsetting, use the Tablet Subset Area remote configuration parameter (Tablet Subset Area (W,H,X,Y)).

Changing the Gateway List

The gateway list determines which gateway is used to access a particular network or host. To change the gateway list, use either of the following:

• The Gateway List remote configuration parameter (Gateway List)

• The Gateway, Route To, and Subnet Mask fields on the Network - Gateways configuration screen.

The Gateway value is the IP address or name of a gateway. The Route To value is an IP address. The Subnet Mask further qualifies the Route To value. Do not enter a value for the Subnet Mask unless you are dividing the network into subnets. If the IP address of the destination matches both the Route To value and the Subnet Mask value, the specified gateway is used.

At the end of the gateway list, you can specify a default gateway with a Route To value of 0.0.0.0.

To use proxy ARP (Address Resolution Protocol), specify the Netstation's IP address for the Gateway and 0.0.0.0 for the Route To value.

For information about other subnet masks, see:

• Ethernet (n) Subnet Mask
• 100VG (n) Subnet Mask
• Loopback (n) Subnet Mask
• PPP (n) Subnet Mask
• SLIP (n) Subnet Mask.

Monitoring and Controlling Memory Use

Several configuration parameters affect either the amount of Netstation memory that you use or the amount of information that you receive about memory usage. For information about a specific parameter, see:

• Backing store
• Font Caching
• GlyphCacheMode
• Warn Cache Mem Used.

For more information about optimizing your use of memory, see Using Netstation Memory Effectively.

Filtering Log Messages

Each message has one of the following syslog message classes:

Message Class

Description

<EMERGENCY>

Not currently used in HP Netstation Software.

<ALERT>

Not currently used in HP Netstation Software.

<CRITICAL>

(reverse bold text) The system has failed.

<ERROR>

(bold text) A function or action has failed.

<WARNING>

(reverse text) The system, a function, or an action has possibly failed.

<NOTICE>

(normal text) A situation requires attention.

<INFO>

(normal text) An informational update.

<DEBUG>

Not currently used in HP Netstation Software.

<CLIENTERR>

(normal text) An error from a local client.

<CLIENT>

(normal text) Normal output from a local client.

Based on the message class, you can specify which messages are displayed in the Log screen and which messages are routed to other hosts.

• To specify which message classes are displayed in your Log screen, use either of the following:

  • The Report remote configuration parameter (Report)

  • The Report button on the Diagnostic - Log configuration screen.

• To send log messages to one or more hosts, use the syslog Class Mask and syslog Host List remote configuration parameters (syslog Class Mask and syslog Host List).

If you want to test that syslog is working correctly, generate a test message for each message class. For example:

remsh terminalname putlog "<ALERT> ALERT test"

(On Sun systems, use rsh instead of remsh.)