How to run the Clients

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All clients share some basic command line options, since all need some kind of connection to a VTQLserver.

Common Command Line Options

General Options
-h,--helpshow help and exit
-v,--versionshow some version information and exit
-q,--quietdo not show greeting (warranty information)
Connection Configuration
-qs,--querysocket name socket to VTQLserver in query mode
-es,--eventsocket name socket to VTQLserver in event mode
-is,--insertsocket name socket to VTQLserver in insert mode
-cs,--configsocket name socket to VTQLserver in config mode

The default value of "--querysocket", "--eventsocket", "--insertsocket" and "--configsocket" is the value of a shell variable or, if this is not set, it is the default value as defined at compile time in "make.config".

Shell Variables

If the configuration of your sockets is different from the one compiled in, you may set the default sockets with shell variables (see "man 1 bash" or "man 1 tcsh" , ...)

$VTQL_SOCKET default socket to VTQLserver in query mode
$VTQL_SOCKET_EVENT default socket to VTQLserver in event mode
$VTQL_SOCKET_INSERT default socket to VTQLserver in insert mode
$VTQL_SOCKET_CONFIG default socket to VTQLserver in config mode

VTQLclient

To establish a simple connection to any kind of socket of VTQLserver this client will become handy. You can send the raw VTQL commands and you get the raw output of the server. If you start it with a tty attached (i.e. not in a pipe like "echo "SHOW FREQ"| VTQLclient") you have the readline editing and a history.

Command Line Options

VTQLclient [options] [commands]

Examples

Options

Common options: -h,-v,-q,-qs,-es,-is,-cs

Other options:
-e,--eventUse the event socket (see "--eventsocket"). This includes "--noquit"
-i,--insertUse the insert socket (see "--insertsocket").
-c,--configUse the config socket (see "--configsocket").
-s,--socket nameUse name as socket to VTQLserver.
-x,--exit-on-errorExit unsuccessfully if ERROR and suppress any SUCCESS or VOID message. This sets input to non-tty (i.e. no history and no line editing, "--quiet" is also set).
-n,--noquitDo not send "QUIT" command automatically
commandsCommands to execute. A "QUIT" will be added as last command, unless "--noquit".

If you do not add commands in command line, the commands will be read from stdin (i.e. a pipe) or tty (i.e. terminal). If stdin or tty input ends (EOF), a "QUIT" is sent to the server, unless "--noquit". The "--quiet" flag is set if you are not on a tty or calling with commands in command line.

vts_run

This small script may be used to let other programs have access to the video devices.

Command Line Options

vts_run options

Examples

Options

Common options: -h,-cs

Other options:
on,off Open or close video device. This test, wether you need the video device for VTQLserver and opens it only if so.
all_on,all_off Open or close video and vbi device. This stops any page storing for the server, but queries to the database are still possible.

console_vt

This is a pretty fast and handy videotext viewer for your terminal. It cannot display advanced graphics, but only a few stations make use of it. In return you can use it on any color terminal, even if running remote on a slow connection. It comes with a command mode to display the videotext. But first some information about the command line options:

Command Line Options

console_vt [options]

Examples

Options

Common options: -h,-v,-q,-qs,-es

Commands in command mode

The most basic commands are printed in boldface.
* Show a list of available stations as table of: station name, station id, number of pages at the station. The stations with the latest pages are marked (i.e. the station, that is tuned in). The letters, that make a station name unique, are marked red.
*station Change to station station. Only the part of the station name, that makes it unique (see "*") of the station must be given. If station is "*", we change to the station with the latest page (and lowest ID). After changing the station, the latest "100" page will be shown.
!match Look for pages that matches match, put them into a list and display the first matching page. You may proccess thru the list with the commands "+", "-" and "l" or display the list with the "list" command. The match syntax is the same as in VTQL.

If no matching page is found, it is tried to wait for a incoming page, that matches. You may abort the waiting by pressing <ctrl>+<c>.
Note: The waiting does not work properly for regular expressions.

match Same as "!match", but fill the station_id_range and frequency_range according to actual station. Examples:
  • 100 (show page 100)
  • 303.2 (show page 303, subpage 2)
  • /tom.*jerry (search for "Tom and Jerry")
+,-,l Go thru the list of matches found by the last match or !match command: "+" goes to next match, "-" goes to previous match and "l" goes to latest page in list (at creation time of the list). If you get the message "no match", the page has been deleted from the server meanwhile.
list Show the list of matches found by the last match or !match command.
1,2,...,6 Look for pages, that match the fastlink 1,2,... or 6 of actual page and show the latest of these matches.
? Toggle hidden text. A lot of pages have hidden information such as answers to questions, VPS tables etc. You can toggle the display of this information.
Umatch Show updates of all pages matching match. The match syntax is the same as in VTQL, regular expressions will be interpreted as find strings. You may abort the waiting by pressing <ctrl>+<c>.

This is like the "!match" command, but for updating. You may use it, if you want to be up to date with some page information, e.g. subtitles or sock data.

umatch Same as Umatch, but fill the station_id_range and frequency_range according to actual station. Example:
  • u150 (show updates of page 150 of actual station)
helpShow a short help text.
warrantyShow warranty info.
quit,exitExit console_vt.

At start, console_vt switches to the latest station and shows the latest "100" page.
Note: Any station with empty station name will be ignored. Station names beginning with "*" and doubled station names are not supported.

VTQLsubtitles

This is a simple client to filter and display some actual information that is broadcasted by a station.

Command Line Options

VTQLsubtitles [options] page

Examples

Options

Common options: -h,-v,-es

Other options:
-x,--command name command to execute for a matching page (default: xargs -0 xawtv-remote vtx). Set to "void" to disable.
-q,--quietdo not print matching lines to stdout
-n,--newsgrep for newsflashes
-t,--subtitlesgrep for subtitles.
pagepage_range[.subpage_range]

It filters form the incomming pages all that match page and have if using the "-n" or "-t" the news or subtitle flag set. All nonvoid lines are piped to the command where every line is ended with a '\0'. This lines are printed to stdout, too.