Re: lynx-dev Tweaking LYNX

[Vlad Harchev]

On Mon, 22 May 2000, Klaus Weide wrote:

> On Sat, 20 May 2000, Bob Izenberg wrote:
> 
> > [ Message from un-subscribed address address@hidden forwarded by
> > moderator ]
> > 
> > > I am a developer for a consultant company and we are currently using LYNX 
> > > as
> > > a browser for handheld - text based devices.  Lynx is loaded on a UNIX
> > > server and the devices access this browser via a telnet session.  The text
> > > area is limited in what can be shown, so the telnet session is shrunk 
> > > down (
> > > using stty ) to 20 cols and 16 rows.
> > > 
> > > I have tweaked the keymap configuration some to limit what users can do 
> > > with
> > > keystrokes.  However, there are some features about LYNX that are annoying
> > > when it is shrunk down to that level.
> > > 
> > > -)      The message bar at the bottom of the screen tends to make the page
> > > scroll off the screen to the right effectively cutting off what is shown
> > > (even in ADVANCED mode). .  I've looked everywhere for a way to turn it 
> > > off
> > > completely in configuration files but with no luck.  I've also poured over
> > > the code looking for a function I could override or to replace but I get
> > > lost easily swimming through modules.
> 
> You should never see "the page scroll off the screen" due to any statusline
> messages.  That indicates to me that there is something wrong with your
> setup - like either lynx or the display library (ncurses? slang?) not
> being fully aware of the size you have set with stty, or using an
> inappropriate terminfo (or termcap) description.  Something in front of
> the telnet client must be providing a terminal emulator - I assume in your
> setup it's the "handheld device" that does that - and most likely the
> emulation is not correct, incomplete, or doesn't match the capability
> description that lynx uses (i.e., $TERM variable).  
> 
> Please
>  - subscribe to the lynx-dev list for further discussion,
>  - describe exactly what you mean with "scroll off the screen" and
>    when that happens,
>  - give more information on lynx version, OS, how compiled (curses/slang?
>    terminfo/termcap?), the $TERM in use.
> 
> > > -)      Because the screen is so small, we need to optimize the space used
> > > in the browser.  However, it seems that the body of each HTML page is 
> > > padded
> > > with 3 spaces to the left and 5 spaces to the right.  This cuts a viewable
> > > line from 20 chars to 12.   I've also looked through config files and code
> > > but cannot seem to find the place that pads the page.
> 
> That stuff is hardwirded, as others have pointed out, in
> src/DefaultStyle.c.  The first step should be to change the values there.
> There may be hardwired values in some other places, esp. HTML.c, that may
> then also need tweaking for consistency; I am not aware of anyone having
> tested in recent times how well changing src/DefaultStyle.c works in
> practice.  So if you do that, please share your experience.

 I haven't publically announced that I was working for one company that on
adapting lynx for their handheld devices running under DOS (with text screen
20x16). Lynx is run directly under the DOS in that case (not via telnet). I've
completed the project and the updated browser will be announced and made
available in the end of June (the date it's not my choice). All source code
will be made available when this happens.
 Yes, modifying src/DefaultStyle.c works fine as expected. I should say that
there are a lot of bugs in logic for Options page, that make that page broken
for such screen size.
 I also should say that with support for hyphenation (not available in
standard lynx) the number of lines the document takes is much less (I think
approx. by 30%). IMO justification makes the output more pretty (available in 
standard lynx).
 
 Nate, I can provide services (e.g. consulting or coding) to you
or your company (not for free, of course). Contact me directly if you are
interested.
 
>    Klaus
> 

 Best regards,
  -Vlad


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