NAME

getty − set typewriter mode

SYNTAX

/etc/getty [ char ]

DESCRIPTION

The getty command is invoked by init(8) immediately after a typewriter is opened following a dial-up.  It reads the user’s login name and calls login(1) with the name as argument.  While reading the name getty attempts to adapt the system to the speed and type of terminal being used. 

The init command calls getty with a single character argument taken from the ttys(5) file entry for the terminal line.  This argument is used as an index into the gettytab(5) database, to determine the characteristics of the line.  If there is no /etc/gettytab a set of system defaults is used. 

The user’s name is read a character at a time.  If a null character is received, it is assumed to be the result of the user pushing the break (interrupt) key.  The speed is usually then changed and the greeting message is printed again.  Successive break characters cycle through some standard set of speeds. 

The user’s name is terminated by a new-line or carriage-return character.  In the second case CRMOD mode is set.  For further information, see ioctl(2). 

The name is scanned to see if it contains any lower-case alphabetic characters.  If not, and if the name is nonempty, the system is told to map any future upper-case characters into the corresponding lower-case characters. 

Finally, login is called with the user’s name as argument. 

Most of the default actions of getty can be circumvented, or modified, by a suitable gettytab table. 

The following arguments from the ttys file are understood. 

0 Cycles through 300-1200-150-110 baud.  Useful as a default for dialup lines accessed by a variety of terminals. 

− Intended for an on-line Teletype model 33, for example an operator’s console. 

1 Optimized for a 150-baud Teletype model 37. 

2 Intended for an on-line 9600-baud terminal, for example a Digital VT100 series terminal. 

3 Starts at 1200 baud, cycles to 300 and back.  Useful with 212 datasets where most terminals run at 1200 speed. 

5 Same as ’3’ but starts at 300. 

4 Useful for on-line console DECwriter (LA36). 

6 Intended for an on-line 2400-baud terminal. 

7 Intended for an on-line 4800-baud terminal. 

a Fixed speed 110-baud terminal. 

b Fixed speed 135.4-baud terminal. 

d Fixed speed 600-baud terminal. 

f Fixed speed 1200-baud terminal. 

h Intended for 2400-baud dialup lines. 

For additional terminal types and special purpose entries, refer to a listing of the /etc/gettytab table. 

FILES

/etc/gettytab

SEE ALSO

login(1), ioctl(2), gettytab(5), ttys(5), init(8)
ULTRIX-11 System Management Guide