SunSITE Denmark


Xinvest/Xquote FAQ (with answers)

Send us any suggestions for FAQ topics, include any proposed solutions (if you have any).


GeneralNew

  1. How can I get Xquote to remember the entered ticker symbols (or what is session management)?
  2. Why does Xquote 1.0[.1] report that it can't find Xinvest, it's sitting right there on my desktop?
  3. Is there a mailing list for Xinvest/Xquote so I can discuss some really neat features I'd like to see?

Linux

  1. What's this 'Unknown host' error stuff from the Linux statically linked Xquote, all of my other Linux network apps can resolve names ok?
  2. Do I need Motif to use the Linux statically linked binary?

Motif

  1. The backspace key does not work the way I expect, what can I do to change it's behavior?


General

  1. How can I get Xquote to remember the entered ticker symbols (or what is session management)?
  2. Manual Session management:New

    Use the Xquote (1.1 and later) File->Save Session menu item. This creates a ".xquoterc" session file in either the $SM_SAVE_DIR or $HOME directories. You can restore this session the next time you start Xquote with the -restore option: Xquote -restore $HOME/.xquoterc.

    Automatic Session Management:

    It's quite easy, Xinvest and Xquote both support the X Consortium's X11R5 and X11R6 session management protocols.

    Well what does that mean?

    It means that if you use a session manager that supports the protocol, Xinvest and Xquote will save their state when the desktop is closed or a 'checkpoint' command instructs them to do so. On restarting the desktop, both apps will 'remember' most of the important operating characteristics they had when they were last ended.

    What kind of information is saved?

    Xinvest saves: the list of all open account files, the last date and price entered in the total return tool for each account, which account was displayed, the current working directory, and the list of accounts loaded into the asset allocation table.

    Xquote saves: the list of entered ticker symbols and their types, which detail table items were selected, any http proxy info, the network auto update and delay values, the ticker tape smooth and speed settings, which view was last on, and which server was last active.

    Where do I get these session managers?

    You can use X11R6's xsm program or CDE 1.x.

    What's the bad news?

    Under session management the window manager is supposed to save it's state as well. The really bad news is that it's supposed to save all of the client windows geometry information. The only complying window managers are X11R6's twm and CDE's dtwm. The result of using fvwm or some other popular window manager is that restored sessions from xsm will come up with a geometry that is calculated at startup, which is probably not the size and location you left it with. So, to work around this, set the geometry of your clients explicitly in your .Xdefaults file. The longer term solution is to ask window manager writers to comply with this neato, actually working protocol.

  3. Why does Xquote 1.0[.1] report that it can't find Xinvest, it's sitting right there on my desktop?
  4. Xinvest 2.3.1 does not support communication from Xquote. You'll have to use Xinvest 2.4 or later and Xquote 1.0.2 for the communication to work correctly.

  5. Is there a mailing list for Xinvest/Xquote so I can discuss some really neat features I'd like to see?
  6. Yes there is.

    To subscribe send email to xinvest-request@sunsite.dk with a subject of 'subscribe'.

    To unsubscribe send email to xinvest-request@sunsite.dk with a subject of 'unsubscribe'.

    To post a message to the group, send your email to xinvest@sunsite.dk.

Linux

  1. What's this 'Unknown host' error stuff from the Linux statically linked Xquote, all of my other Linux network apps can resolve names ok?
  2. The static C library I link with seems to read /etc/nsswitch.conf as part of the gethostbyname() call. A lot of systems don't have this file, so the call ends up failing. There are two workarounds until I can get an answer to why the library was built this way:

    1. Replace the FQDN names in the url resources with IP dotted number addresses. You can change Xquote.ad or just add the following lines to your .Xdefaults file:
    2. Xquote*server.stockfind.all.url: 199.171.136.211/bin/fullquote?Symbol=SYMBOL
      Xquote*server.cnnfn.stock.url: 207.25.71.70/cgi-bin/stockquote?symbols=SYMBOL&submit=Get quote
      Xquote*server.cnnfn.fund.url: 207.25.71.70/cgi-bin/stockquote?symbols=SYMBOL&submit=Get quote
      Xquote*server.yahoo.stock.url: 204.71.177.135/quotes?symbols=SYMBOL&detailed=t
      Xquote*server.yahoo.fund.url: 204.71.177.135/quotes?symbols=SYMBOL&detailed=t

    3. Add a /etc/nsswitch.conf file. Here's the one from my system. Install it as 644 owned by root.

    I'll continue to work this problem, but I'm happy enough with the workarounds.

  3. Do I need Motif to use the Linux statically linked binary?
  4. No, the static binaries are completely self contained.

Motif

  1. The backspace key does not work the way I expect, what can I do to change it's behavior?
  2. Motif has it's own opinion of what the backspace and delete keys should do. To get backspace to remove the preceding character you can modify the key map using xmodmap. Run this program from your .xinitrc or other startup file. Here's a sample .Xmodmap file that works on Linux with a PC style keyboard:

    keycode 22 = BackSpace


If you have comments or suggestions, email me at xinvest@sunsite.dk

Updated $Date: 2004/05/01 19:19:53 $ by $Author: danny $