Trouble quitting vi without ESC key on DXG

mcmay · 06-25-2013, 02:40 AM

Hi, friends! Following the instructions for installing kiterm (K3) on Kindle 3, I successfully installed this terminal and launched it on my DXG. (intallation instruction page https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=125860) And it went all well until I invoked vi from the command line and found myself unable to quit this editor without the ESC key. I checked the keydefs.ini and couldn't find any key mapping for ESC on Kindle DXG. There was the keymap of Esc for K3 (Left>, which DXG doesn't have). I've tried to modify the launchpad.ini file in the kiterm folder and changed the mapping "TermEsc = Left>" into "TermEsc = Right>" while the machine was connected to my PC through USB stroage. However, this didn't work due to the fact that while still in operation, the app doesn't refresh its configuration and applies the updates. Worse, while the terminal is running, all the other functions (includding Home, Menu, etc.) are rendered inactive so that I couldn't manage a restart to kill the active process. Up to now, I'm still trapped and can't find any path for me to leave vi and return to the command line interface. Please help me with a way of exiting the running vi.
Many thanks in advance for your concern and help!

hawhill · 06-25-2013, 03:11 AM

I guess your only option is a reset (i.e. long hold of the power slider) now. If you mounted your root file system r/w before starting vi, knock on wood...

mcmay · 06-25-2013, 03:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hawhill

I guess your only option is a reset (i.e. long hold of the power slider) now. If you mounted your root file system r/w before starting vi, knock on wood...

Thank you, hawhill. If you refer to 'reset' in the usual sense of holding the power slider long enough to turn kindle off, I'd tried resetting but to no avail. I didn't mount my root file system r/w and I started vi just for a try. I guess I may just wait for my kindle to run out of power if that means a complete turnoff.

hawhill · 06-25-2013, 04:51 AM

There's no real reason why the hold-slider way shouldn't work - it's kind of "hardware" reset, which means it's a dedicated chip that controls power (the PMIC) and which triggers this. It might be necessary to keep the slider pulled for up to two minutes, though.

Matan · 06-25-2013, 04:55 AM

Do you have a key mapped to CONTROL? There are many CONTROL- sequences that enter command mode, the most common is CONTROL-C.

hawhill · 06-25-2013, 04:58 AM

Oh, right: Ctrl-[ is equivalent to ESC! I don't know if it's possible to press this, though. "vi" is especially nasty when it comes to the classig CTRL-C or CTRL-D or CTRL-Z combinations. Though many versions will jump into command mode for CTRL-C, so it's at least worth a try. If CTRL is mapped, that is.

mcmay · 06-25-2013, 06:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hawhill

There's no real reason why the hold-slider way shouldn't work - it's kind of "hardware" reset, which means it's a dedicated chip that controls power (the PMIC) and which triggers this. It might be necessary to keep the slider pulled for up to two minutes, though.

Thank you, dear hawhill. I tried holding the slider for over two minutes long and it worked! Now my machine just performed a restart and the terminal vaporized. Thank you again!

mcmay · 06-25-2013, 06:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matan

Do you have a key mapped to CONTROL? There are many CONTROL- sequences that enter command mode, the most common is CONTROL-C.

Thank you for your suggestion, Matan.

For DXG, I had not sligthly any idea how to map keys. The keydefs.ini and launchpad.ini I'm using are from the downloaded folder except that I changed the mappings "TermEnd = Left<" and "TermEsc = Left>" into "TermEnd = Right<" and "TermEsc = Right>". After I restarted my Kindle DXG, I found only the change "TermEnd = Right<" worked in that when I pressed Right<, the terminal did terminate. However, it is somewhat of a pity that the other change in mapping still remain ineffective. The Esc key refuses to take effect in my vi interface in the terminal. I in turn tried as many combinations of char keys and func keys as I could do within the limit of my spare time and did fortunately find a few effective combinations among many other ineffctive ones. At least, the "Menu + r (t)" combination worked the way an Esc key works in the vi. I'm still exploring other effective combinations. But my wish is that I can learn to map the keys in the way that is convenient for me (or maybe also suitable for many others).

06-25-2013, 02:40 AM	#1
mcmay Member Posts: 13 Karma: 5010 Join Date: Jan 2013 Device: Kindle DXG, iPad2, SAMSUNG NOTE II	Trouble quitting vi without ESC key on DXG Hi, friends! Following the instructions for installing kiterm (K3) on Kindle 3, I successfully installed this terminal and launched it on my DXG. (intallation instruction page https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=125860) And it went all well until I invoked vi from the command line and found myself unable to quit this editor without the ESC key. I checked the keydefs.ini and couldn't find any key mapping for ESC on Kindle DXG. There was the keymap of Esc for K3 (Left>, which DXG doesn't have). I've tried to modify the launchpad.ini file in the kiterm folder and changed the mapping "TermEsc = Left>" into "TermEsc = Right>" while the machine was connected to my PC through USB stroage. However, this didn't work due to the fact that while still in operation, the app doesn't refresh its configuration and applies the updates. Worse, while the terminal is running, all the other functions (includding Home, Menu, etc.) are rendered inactive so that I couldn't manage a restart to kill the active process. Up to now, I'm still trapped and can't find any path for me to leave vi and return to the command line interface. Please help me with a way of exiting the running vi. Many thanks in advance for your concern and help! Last edited by mcmay; 06-25-2013 at 02:48 AM.

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06-25-2013, 03:11 AM	#2
hawhill Wizard Posts: 1,379 Karma: 2155307 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Goettingen, Germany Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Kobo Mini	I guess your only option is a reset (i.e. long hold of the power slider) now. If you mounted your root file system r/w before starting vi, knock on wood...

06-25-2013, 04:51 AM	#4
hawhill Wizard Posts: 1,379 Karma: 2155307 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Goettingen, Germany Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Kobo Mini	There's no real reason why the hold-slider way shouldn't work - it's kind of "hardware" reset, which means it's a dedicated chip that controls power (the PMIC) and which triggers this. It might be necessary to keep the slider pulled for up to two minutes, though.

06-25-2013, 04:55 AM	#5
Matan Enthusiast Posts: 42 Karma: 39432 Join Date: May 2011 Device: none	Do you have a key mapped to CONTROL? There are many CONTROL- sequences that enter command mode, the most common is CONTROL-C.

06-25-2013, 04:58 AM	#6
hawhill Wizard Posts: 1,379 Karma: 2155307 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Goettingen, Germany Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Kobo Mini	Oh, right: Ctrl-[ is equivalent to ESC! I don't know if it's possible to press this, though. "vi" is especially nasty when it comes to the classig CTRL-C or CTRL-D or CTRL-Z combinations. Though many versions will jump into command mode for CTRL-C, so it's at least worth a try. If CTRL is mapped, that is.

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