[Chicago-talk] Scalar help.

[Brian Katzung]

If this is for a *NIX-style system, you might want to consider TIOCSTI 
(simulate typed input) in tty_ioctl(4).

Richard Reina wrote:
> Good Morning,
>
> Hope everybody had a great weekend.
>
> I have a little program called query_aid.pl that helps users here on 
> are land enter information more easily by matching scalar choices as 
> they are matched.  For example if a user begins typing the name 
> "lincoln" it will begin showing him the matches as he types and 
> eliminating records that no longer match with each successive letter 
> that is typed.  The program uses readkey to see if the user has typed 
> a number.  A number means that the user is attempting to make a 
> selection by typing in one of they corresponding numbers for a 
> displayed record.  The program has worked great for years except for 
> one annoying inconvenience.  It deals with adding the first number 
> typed for the selection in the following way:
>
> if ($char > 0) { #it's numeric, they're making a selection
>     ReadMode 'normal';
>     print $char;
>     chomp ($choice = <STDIN>);
>     $choice = $char . $choice;
> }
>
> Accordingly, if the user accidentally types the wrong first digit of 
> the number (selection) the user cannot backspace and erase the first 
> digit of the selection ($char) and retype it, but instead has to start 
> over. Is there a way to make $char accessible to the user so they can 
> backspace and erase it if they made a mistake?
>
> Thanks for considering my quandary.
>
> Richard
-- 
Brian Katzung
Kappa Computer Solutions, LLC
www.kappacs.com 877.367.8837 x1