Opening a UNIX Window at an RCS workstation allows you to type commands for the system to execute. For example, you can list the files in a directory, copy or move files, check your disk quota, print documents, and more.
If you are logged in remotely to UNIX, that is, you are using UNIX and you are not sitting in front of an RCS UNIX workstation, you are already viewing a UNIX prompt at this point, and you are ready to enter UNIX commands.
If you are using an RCS UNIX workstation, at this point you need to open a UNIX window to obtain a UNIX prompt and to be able to enter any UNIX commands.
To do this, move your mouse pointer to the RCS Applications menu. Click the left mouse button on the UNIX option. A UNIX window will appear in a few seconds. This is the window in which you will enter your UNIX commands.
For general information about RCS Accounts and using them, please refer to Memos RPI.112, Using UNIX Workstations, and RPI.113, Using UNIX: The Rensselaer Computing System (RCS).
You can have several UNIX windows open at once on an RCS workstation.
If you are logged in remotely via the Xyplex (276-7990), you can open more than one RCS session from the Xyplex menu and swap between them. To jump from your active RCS session back to the xyplex, press CTRL-o. To go forward a session, press CTRL-f. To go backward a session, press CTRL-b.
You can also use a program called screen, which is supported by the student chapter of the ACM, to run more than one "window" at a time from a regular remote dial-up connection. (/dept/acm/bin)
If you are using SLIP, you can open more than one telnet session to obtain multiple windows.
If you try to open a UNIX window and you get a message like too many ptys in your Messages window, that means the server that your home directory is on is overloaded. Call 276-7777 and report the problem.
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