virtual consoles

virtual consoles

[Gregory Nowak]

Hi All,

I know that you can access virtual consoles
with alt+f1-f12.
However, I remember reading somewhere
that Linux has up to 64 virtual consoles.
Howdoes one access the remaining consoles
via the keyboard?
Thanks.
Greg

Re: virtual consoles

[Frank Carmickle]

Hi Greg

I don't actually think there is a limit on the number of consoles one
can use.  If you want to get more then 12 you have to setup your keymap
and inittab.  There is one more step involved but it escapes me right
now.  The issue is that each of the gettys takes up a bit of memory.  Your
probably better off running screen once you get above 12 anyway.


On Sat, 21 Jul 2001, Gregory Nowak wrote:

> Hi All,
> 
> I know that you can access virtual consoles
> with alt+f1-f12.
> However, I remember reading somewhere
> that Linux has up to 64 virtual consoles.
> Howdoes one access the remaining consoles
> via the keyboard?
> Thanks.
> Greg

-- 
     Frank Carmickle
phone:     412 761-9568
email:     frankiec@dryrose.com

Re: virtual consoles

[Raul A. Gallegos]

I've always used slackware linux and only have access to 6 consoles.  I can move across them with alt-left-arrow or alt-right-arrow in addition to the alt-f1 
through alt-f6 but I can never get to 7 through 12, this would be nice to do if I can figure it out.

On Sun, 22 Jul 2001 00:11:51 -0400 (EDT), Frank Carmickle wrote:

>Hi Greg
>
>I don't actually think there is a limit on the number of consoles one
>can use.  If you want to get more then 12 you have to setup your keymap
>and inittab.  There is one more step involved but it escapes me right
>now.  The issue is that each of the gettys takes up a bit of memory.  Your
>probably better off running screen once you get above 12 anyway.


--- Raul A. Gallegos http://www.asmodean.net
For millions of years, mankind lived just like the animals...
Then something happened which unleashed the power of our imagination...
We learned to talk...

Re: virtual consoles

[Gregory Nowak]

Now that you mention it,
I can't access anything beyond 
alt+f6 either.
I never knew that.
Greg


On Sun, Jul 22, 2001 at 03:01:00AM -0500, Raul A. Gallegos wrote:
> I've always used slackware linux and only have access to 6 consoles.  I can move across them with alt-left-arrow or alt-right-arrow in addition to the alt-f1 
> through alt-f6 but I can never get to 7 through 12, this would be nice to do if I can figure it out.
> 
> On Sun, 22 Jul 2001 00:11:51 -0400 (EDT), Frank Carmickle wrote:
> 
> >Hi Greg
> >
> >I don't actually think there is a limit on the number of consoles one
> >can use.  If you want to get more then 12 you have to setup your keymap
> >and inittab.  There is one more step involved but it escapes me right
> >now.  The issue is that each of the gettys takes up a bit of memory.  Your
> >probably better off running screen once you get above 12 anyway.
> 
> 
> --- Raul A. Gallegos http://www.asmodean.net
> For millions of years, mankind lived just like the animals...
> Then something happened which unleashed the power of our imagination...
> We learned to talk...
> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Speakup mailing list
> Speakup@braille.uwo.ca
> http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup

Re: virtual consoles

[Steve Holmes]

I thought the number of consoles was determined by compile time options
for the kernel.  Also, look in /etc/initab.  That file has startup code
for the first six consules and I'm quite sure you just add the additional
ones you need.  I'm not really sure about kernel compil options if that is
necessary or not but definitely the initab is worth looking at.  I've
personally never had more than four consules open at once so far.

On Sun, 22 Jul 2001, Raul A. Gallegos wrote:

> I've always used slackware linux and only have access to 6 consoles.  I can move across them with alt-left-arrow or alt-right-arrow in addition to the alt-f1
> through alt-f6 but I can never get to 7 through 12, this would be nice to do if I can figure it out.
>
> On Sun, 22 Jul 2001 00:11:51 -0400 (EDT), Frank Carmickle wrote:
>
> >Hi Greg
> >
> >I don't actually think there is a limit on the number of consoles one
> >can use.  If you want to get more then 12 you have to setup your keymap
> >and inittab.  There is one more step involved but it escapes me right
> >now.  The issue is that each of the gettys takes up a bit of memory.  Your
> >probably better off running screen once you get above 12 anyway.
>
>
> --- Raul A. Gallegos http://www.asmodean.net
> For millions of years, mankind lived just like the animals...
> Then something happened which unleashed the power of our imagination...
> We learned to talk...
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Speakup mailing list
> Speakup@braille.uwo.ca
> http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup
>

Re: virtual consoles

[Steve Holmes]

Correction: That would be /etc/inittab.  I left out a T in there and you
would have never found the file <sigh>.

On Sun, 22 Jul 2001, Steve Holmes wrote:

> I thought the number of consoles was determined by compile time options
> for the kernel.  Also, look in /etc/initab.  That file has startup code
> for the first six consules and I'm quite sure you just add the additional
> ones you need.  I'm not really sure about kernel compil options if that is
> necessary or not but definitely the initab is worth looking at.  I've
> personally never had more than four consules open at once so far.
>
> On Sun, 22 Jul 2001, Raul A. Gallegos wrote:
>
> > I've always used slackware linux and only have access to 6 consoles.  I can move across them with alt-left-arrow or alt-right-arrow in addition to the alt-f1
> > through alt-f6 but I can never get to 7 through 12, this would be nice to do if I can figure it out.
> >
> > On Sun, 22 Jul 2001 00:11:51 -0400 (EDT), Frank Carmickle wrote:
> >
> > >Hi Greg
> > >
> > >I don't actually think there is a limit on the number of consoles one
> > >can use.  If you want to get more then 12 you have to setup your keymap
> > >and inittab.  There is one more step involved but it escapes me right
> > >now.  The issue is that each of the gettys takes up a bit of memory.  Your
> > >probably better off running screen once you get above 12 anyway.
> >
> >
> > --- Raul A. Gallegos http://www.asmodean.net
> > For millions of years, mankind lived just like the animals...
> > Then something happened which unleashed the power of our imagination...
> > We learned to talk...
> >
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Speakup mailing list
> > Speakup@braille.uwo.ca
> > http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup
> >
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Speakup mailing list
> Speakup@braille.uwo.ca
> http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup
>

Re: virtual consoles

[Steve Holmes]

I don't know about kernel compile options at this time but I just went
into inittab and added another console (c7 for tty7) and then did a "init
q" to restart the getties and I now have a seventh terminal available.
Didn't realize it would be so easy.  Not sure what the upper limit is; I
thought the kernel had a limit to the number of tty's that could be
created.  This might even have to do with the number of devices in /dev.

These linux internals get more interesting every day!

On Sun, 22 Jul 2001, Steve Holmes wrote:

> I thought the number of consoles was determined by compile time options
> for the kernel.  Also, look in /etc/initab.  That file has startup code
> for the first six consules and I'm quite sure you just add the additional
> ones you need.  I'm not really sure about kernel compil options if that is
> necessary or not but definitely the initab is worth looking at.  I've
> personally never had more than four consules open at once so far.
>
> On Sun, 22 Jul 2001, Raul A. Gallegos wrote:
>
> > I've always used slackware linux and only have access to 6 consoles.  I can move across them with alt-left-arrow or alt-right-arrow in addition to the alt-f1
> > through alt-f6 but I can never get to 7 through 12, this would be nice to do if I can figure it out.
> >
> > On Sun, 22 Jul 2001 00:11:51 -0400 (EDT), Frank Carmickle wrote:
> >
> > >Hi Greg
> > >
> > >I don't actually think there is a limit on the number of consoles one
> > >can use.  If you want to get more then 12 you have to setup your keymap
> > >and inittab.  There is one more step involved but it escapes me right
> > >now.  The issue is that each of the gettys takes up a bit of memory.  Your
> > >probably better off running screen once you get above 12 anyway.
> >
> >
> > --- Raul A. Gallegos http://www.asmodean.net
> > For millions of years, mankind lived just like the animals...
> > Then something happened which unleashed the power of our imagination...
> > We learned to talk...
> >
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Speakup mailing list
> > Speakup@braille.uwo.ca
> > http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup
> >
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Speakup mailing list
> Speakup@braille.uwo.ca
> http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup
>

Re: virtual consoles

[Kirk Wood]

There is a simple, logical reason for a default install to have only 6
virtual consoles. This leaves the other six function keys for switch to
the associated frame buffer. Now this probably doesn't mean much unless
you happen to be running X.

When you launch X from the first virtual console, the display is sent to
the frame buffer that is found at ALT-F6. While in X you can see the
console messages by pressing CTRL-ALT-F1. You could launch an X session
for each of the virtual consoles. In fact at least one distribution does
just that.

Given that few on this list will be running X anytime soon (other then to
a few programs to run), there should be no reason to not have more virtual
consoles. There is a slight trade-off in that each virtual console will
take a small amount of resources. But if you have a relatively new system,
you probably have an abbundance of resources and would never see the
difference.

=======
Kirk Wood
Cpt.Kirk@1tree.net

The mind is like a parachute; it works much better when open.
If you're too open minded, your brains will fall out.

Re: virtual consoles

[Frank Carmickle]

Hi all

I don't believe that there is a compile time option for number of virtual
terminals.  I think your getting confused with the number of ttys in the
pts file system.  Yes you will need to mknod new ttys in /dev if
your distro didn't make as many as you desire.  

Also to clear up some things about the x sessions.  They do not run gettys
or act like ttys.  And they do not need to be using a frame buffer.  As
long as you've have an x-server running for your video card then you
should be able to switch to the virtual terminal running a graphical log
in manager like xdm or gdm.  
On Sun, 22 Jul 2001, Steve Holmes wrote:

> I don't know about kernel compile options at this time but I just went
> into inittab and added another console (c7 for tty7) and then did a "init
> q" to restart the getties and I now have a seventh terminal available.
> Didn't realize it would be so easy.  Not sure what the upper limit is; I
> thought the kernel had a limit to the number of tty's that could be
> created.  This might even have to do with the number of devices in /dev.
> 
> These linux internals get more interesting every day!
> 
> On Sun, 22 Jul 2001, Steve Holmes wrote:
> 
> > I thought the number of consoles was determined by compile time options
> > for the kernel.  Also, look in /etc/initab.  That file has startup code
> > for the first six consules and I'm quite sure you just add the additional
> > ones you need.  I'm not really sure about kernel compil options if that is

-- 
     Frank Carmickle
phone:     412 761-9568
email:     frankiec@dryrose.com

Re: virtual consoles

[Janina Sajka]

For what it's worth, I have my inittab start 11 consoles. I reserve
Ctrl-Alt-F12 for my X sessions that way.

On Mon, 23 Jul 2001, Frank Carmickle wrote:

> Hi all
>
> I don't believe that there is a compile time option for number of virtual
> terminals.  I think your getting confused with the number of ttys in the
> pts file system.  Yes you will need to mknod new ttys in /dev if
> your distro didn't make as many as you desire.
>
> Also to clear up some things about the x sessions.  They do not run gettys
> or act like ttys.  And they do not need to be using a frame buffer.  As
> long as you've have an x-server running for your video card then you
> should be able to switch to the virtual terminal running a graphical log
> in manager like xdm or gdm.
> On Sun, 22 Jul 2001, Steve Holmes wrote:
>
> > I don't know about kernel compile options at this time but I just went
> > into inittab and added another console (c7 for tty7) and then did a "init
> > q" to restart the getties and I now have a seventh terminal available.
> > Didn't realize it would be so easy.  Not sure what the upper limit is; I
> > thought the kernel had a limit to the number of tty's that could be
> > created.  This might even have to do with the number of devices in /dev.
> >
> > These linux internals get more interesting every day!
> >
> > On Sun, 22 Jul 2001, Steve Holmes wrote:
> >
> > > I thought the number of consoles was determined by compile time options
> > > for the kernel.  Also, look in /etc/initab.  That file has startup code
> > > for the first six consules and I'm quite sure you just add the additional
> > > ones you need.  I'm not really sure about kernel compil options if that is
>
>

-- 

				Janina Sajka, Director
				Technology Research and Development
				Governmental Relations Group
				American Foundation for the Blind (AFB)

Email: janina@afb.net		Phone: (202) 408-8175

Chair, Accessibility SIG
Open Electronic Book Forum (OEBF)
http://www.openebook.org

Will electronic books surpass print books? Read our white paper,
Surpassing Gutenberg, at http://www.afb.org/ebook.asp

Download a free sample Digital Talking Book edition of Martin Luther
King Jr's inspiring "I Have A Dream" speech at
http://www.afb.org/mlkweb.asp

Learn how to make accessible software at
http://www.afb.org/accessapp.asp

RE: virtual consoles

[Holmes, Steve]

With X being inaccessable, what do you do with X? Just curious.

-----Original Message-----
From: Janina Sajka [mailto:janina@afb.net]
Sent: Tuesday, July 24, 2001 6:46 AM
To: speakup@braille.uwo.ca
Subject: Re: virtual consoles


For what it's worth, I have my inittab start 11 consoles. I reserve
Ctrl-Alt-F12 for my X sessions that way.

On Mon, 23 Jul 2001, Frank Carmickle wrote:

> Hi all
>
> I don't believe that there is a compile time option for number of virtual
> terminals.  I think your getting confused with the number of ttys in the
> pts file system.  Yes you will need to mknod new ttys in /dev if
> your distro didn't make as many as you desire.
>
> Also to clear up some things about the x sessions.  They do not run gettys
> or act like ttys.  And they do not need to be using a frame buffer.  As
> long as you've have an x-server running for your video card then you
> should be able to switch to the virtual terminal running a graphical log
> in manager like xdm or gdm.
> On Sun, 22 Jul 2001, Steve Holmes wrote:
>
> > I don't know about kernel compile options at this time but I just went
> > into inittab and added another console (c7 for tty7) and then did a
"init
> > q" to restart the getties and I now have a seventh terminal available.
> > Didn't realize it would be so easy.  Not sure what the upper limit is; I
> > thought the kernel had a limit to the number of tty's that could be
> > created.  This might even have to do with the number of devices in /dev.
> >
> > These linux internals get more interesting every day!
> >
> > On Sun, 22 Jul 2001, Steve Holmes wrote:
> >
> > > I thought the number of consoles was determined by compile time
options
> > > for the kernel.  Also, look in /etc/initab.  That file has startup
code
> > > for the first six consules and I'm quite sure you just add the
additional
> > > ones you need.  I'm not really sure about kernel compil options if
that is
>
>

-- 

				Janina Sajka, Director
				Technology Research and Development
				Governmental Relations Group
				American Foundation for the Blind (AFB)

Email: janina@afb.net		Phone: (202) 408-8175

Chair, Accessibility SIG
Open Electronic Book Forum (OEBF)
http://www.openebook.org

Will electronic books surpass print books? Read our white paper,
Surpassing Gutenberg, at http://www.afb.org/ebook.asp

Download a free sample Digital Talking Book edition of Martin Luther
King Jr's inspiring "I Have A Dream" speech at
http://www.afb.org/mlkweb.asp

Learn how to make accessible software at
http://www.afb.org/accessapp.asp


_______________________________________________
Speakup mailing list
Speakup@braille.uwo.ca
http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup

RE: virtual consoles

[Janina Sajka]

Windows via VMware, if I'm lucky. Yes, X is inaccessible and I haven';t
worked out how to get from startup into my Windows guest without
assistance. One step at a time, though.

Bottom line is that I need Windows for my work. And I particularly do not
want to shutdown linux just to go to Win for something.
 On Tue, 24 Jul
2001, Holmes, Steve wrote:

> With X being inaccessable, what do you do with X? Just curious.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Janina Sajka [mailto:janina@afb.net]
> Sent: Tuesday, July 24, 2001 6:46 AM
> To: speakup@braille.uwo.ca
> Subject: Re: virtual consoles
>
>
> For what it's worth, I have my inittab start 11 consoles. I reserve
> Ctrl-Alt-F12 for my X sessions that way.
>
> On Mon, 23 Jul 2001, Frank Carmickle wrote:
>
> > Hi all
> >
> > I don't believe that there is a compile time option for number of virtual
> > terminals.  I think your getting confused with the number of ttys in the
> > pts file system.  Yes you will need to mknod new ttys in /dev if
> > your distro didn't make as many as you desire.
> >
> > Also to clear up some things about the x sessions.  They do not run gettys
> > or act like ttys.  And they do not need to be using a frame buffer.  As
> > long as you've have an x-server running for your video card then you
> > should be able to switch to the virtual terminal running a graphical log
> > in manager like xdm or gdm.
> > On Sun, 22 Jul 2001, Steve Holmes wrote:
> >
> > > I don't know about kernel compile options at this time but I just went
> > > into inittab and added another console (c7 for tty7) and then did a
> "init
> > > q" to restart the getties and I now have a seventh terminal available.
> > > Didn't realize it would be so easy.  Not sure what the upper limit is; I
> > > thought the kernel had a limit to the number of tty's that could be
> > > created.  This might even have to do with the number of devices in /dev.
> > >
> > > These linux internals get more interesting every day!
> > >
> > > On Sun, 22 Jul 2001, Steve Holmes wrote:
> > >
> > > > I thought the number of consoles was determined by compile time
> options
> > > > for the kernel.  Also, look in /etc/initab.  That file has startup
> code
> > > > for the first six consules and I'm quite sure you just add the
> additional
> > > > ones you need.  I'm not really sure about kernel compil options if
> that is
> >
> >
>
>

-- 

				Janina Sajka, Director
				Technology Research and Development
				Governmental Relations Group
				American Foundation for the Blind (AFB)

Email: janina@afb.net		Phone: (202) 408-8175

Chair, Accessibility SIG
Open Electronic Book Forum (OEBF)
http://www.openebook.org

Will electronic books surpass print books? Read our white paper,
Surpassing Gutenberg, at http://www.afb.org/ebook.asp

Download a free sample Digital Talking Book edition of Martin Luther
King Jr's inspiring "I Have A Dream" speech at
http://www.afb.org/mlkweb.asp

Learn how to make accessible software at
http://www.afb.org/accessapp.asp