[MPICH2-dev] MPIEXEC, MPICH2 and getchar

[Ilkka Karasalo]

I recently switched to MPICH2 after using MPICH
for more than a decade. When running in interactive
mode, my programs use the C functions getchar and
putchar for character-per-character reading of
keystrokes and writing characters to the display (standard
output). This functionality is quite useful, enabling control
of the interpretation of keystrokes, in particular keys
generating escape sequences (such as e.g. the arrow keys).

In programs started with MPIEXEC,  however, the functionality
of getchar is lost.  Under MPIEXEC characters and character sequences
generated keystrokes are read, written one-by-one to the display, and 
put into
a buffer. The buffer is sent to the input stream of my programs getchar 
calls
only at a keystroke (like the enter key) generating an end-of-line 
character.

Thus, e.g., an arrow key results in the chacters of the generated
escape sequence being written to the display, instead of being
sent to the input stream of 'getchar'.  This is, of course, quite annoying
and destroys the intended interpretation of keystrokes.

Any help with a work-around for this feature of MPIEXEC would be most
welcome.

Sincerely,
Ilkka Karasalo

-- 

Ilkka Karasalo

FOI, Systems Technology         KTH, MWL
Gullfossgatan 6                 Teknikringen 8
SE-164 90 Stockholm             SE-100 44 Stockholm
Phone: +46-8-55503627           Phone: +46-8-7908017
Fax:   +46-8-55503869           Fax:   +46-8-7906122
Email: ilkka.karasalo at foi.se    Email: ilkkak at kth.se