HP OpenVMS Systems

DECwindows Euro currency sign support

The following DECwindows Motif for OpenVMS kits are available to support OpenVMS Versions 5.5-2, 6.2, 7.1 and higher:

DECwindows Motif Version 1.2-3 does not support the Euro.

You can access these public kits from the Compaq Services web site.

»  services web site

Just search for the kits by name. Precede the name with a plus sign (+) to simplify the search results; for example, +ALPDWEUR**.

You can also locate the kits using this path:

• Click on "browse patch tree" in the left margin.
• Click on public/.
• Click on vms/.
• Click on axp/ or vax/.
• Click on the appropriate version number.
• Click on decwindows_motif/.
• Select a DECwindows Motif kit by version number.

How is support for the Euro sign implemented in DECwindows Motif for OpenVMS?

Support is implemented using the new ISO8859-1-Euro codeset. This codeset is exactly the same as ISO8859-1, except the code point 0xA4 represents the Euro instead of the international currency sign. In the DECwindows kits, the ISO8859-1-Euro codeset is shipped as a new set of ISO8859-1 fonts. By replacing the international currency sign with the Euro sign, but not changing the name of the codeset, the DECwindows kit allows Euro support on existing applications that require ISO8859-1 fonts.

A new set of keymap files allows users to enter the Euro sign using LeftCompose + E or RightAlt + E. In keymaps where these sequences are already used, alternative sequences can be used.

How do I configure DECwindows Motif for OpenVMS to accept and display the Euro sign?

The kit installation procedure instructs you to edit the DECwindows customization procedures. The customizations you specify are then loaded by the DECwindows startup procedure. If you ever want to revert back to using the international currency sign, you can edit the customization procedures again to change the fonts that are used.

Are there restrictions for using the Euro in DECwindows Motif for OpenVMS?

The following features are not currently implemented; however they may be considered for future releases, if required:

• ISO8859-15 (ISO Latin_9) character set support
• Inter-client communication (using CompoundText) of Euro sign
• Euro support in DECwindows language variant kits
• Euro locale entries in the session manager's language list, and font switching based on the session language

What do I type on the keyboard to input a Euro sign?

In DECwindows Motif for OpenVMS, you can input the Euro sign by using the LeftCompose and E keys on LK-style keyboards and by using the RightAlt and E keys on PC-style keyboards. The key sequence may be different for keyboards supporting some languages. This implementation is consistent with the Tru64 UNIX approach and follows the recommendation of the European Commission.

You need firmware for your terminal to generate a compose sequence and many new keyboards have a Euro key. Contact your terminal vendor to confirm that they follow the same European Commission guidelines stated here.

» Return to OpenVMS Euro Support home page