[syslinux] showing informations in menu

[Ady]

> Correction:
> Ctrl-J      Bypasses labels and tries to load file
> 
> So at the prompt if one inputs foo<Ctrl-J>, pxelinux looks for a file in
> the following order:
> foo.c32
> foo.img
> foo.bss
> foo.bin
> foo.bs
> foo.0
> foo
> 
> 
> On Sat, Feb 22, 2014 at 2:12 PM, Alexandre Blanchette <blanalex at gmail.com>wrote:
> 
> > On Fri, Feb 21, 2014 at 2:50 AM, Ferenc Wagner <wferi at niif.hu> wrote:
> >
> >> Alexandre Blanchette <blanalex at gmail.com> writes:
> >>
> >> > Is there a way to show some bits of information in the menu, like
> >> > Syslinux version, MAC address and IP address? When the menu is loaded
> >> > at startup, this information is quickly erased and is not easily
> >> > readable.
> >>
> >> I suppose you use menu.c32.  Exit the menu with ESC then press Ctrl-V
> >> and Ctrl-N.  From syslinux.doc:
> >>
> >>    ++++ COMMAND LINE KEYSTROKES ++++
> >>
> >> The command line prompt supports the following keystrokes:
> >>
> >> <Enter>         boot specified command line
> >> <BackSpace>     erase one character
> >> <Ctrl-U>        erase the whole line
> >> <Ctrl-V>        display the current Syslinux version
> >> <Ctrl-W>        erase one word
> >> <Ctrl-X>        force text mode
> >> <Tab>           list matching labels
> >> <F1>..<F12>     help screens (if configured)
> >> <Ctrl-F><digit> equivalent to F1..F10
> >> <Ctrl-C>        interrupt boot in progress
> >> <Esc>           interrupt boot in progress
> >> <Ctrl-N>        display network information (PXELINUX only)
> >> --
> >> Feri.
> >>
> >
> > Thanks for the tip. However, Ctrl-N does not show network information.
> >
> > I've found the following undocumented keystrokes in pxelinux.0 (I don't
> > know about the other variants of SYSLINUX):
> > Ctrl-R      Prompt changes to "(reverse-i-search)'': "
> > Ctrl-I      Displays available labels
> > Ctrl-A      Move the cursor at the beginning of the line
> > Ctrl-D      Erases one character after cursor
> > Ctrl-F      Move the cursor at the end of the line
> > Ctrl-H      <Backspace> equivalent
> > Ctrl-J      <Enter> equivalent
> > Ctrl-K      Erases text from the cursor up to the end of the line
> > Ctrl-L      Clear screen
> > Ctrl-N      Execute last command
> > Ctrl-M      <Enter> equivalent
> >
> > Syslinux.doc and the wiki should be updated, but I'd like Ctrl-N to be
> > implemented as documented (display network information)
> >
 
The CTRL+N keys combination for network information is valid from 
Syslinux 3.50 up to 4.xx. It was changed since Syslinux 5.xx, 
together with additional new key combinations, for example to have 
access to the cli commands' history.

During the last discussions about this matter (May 2013 in this 
Syslinux mailing list), there was an agreement (hpa and Matt Fleming) 
that the new behavior will be kept and that CTRL+V should show both, 
the Syslinux version and the network information. AFAIK, the network 
information addition to CTRL+V is not yet implemented.

Regarding the documentation of the new keys combinations, I think its 
adequate (first) place would be in "txt/syslinux-cli.txt'.

IMHO, during the last few releases the changelog ("NEWS") has been 
less explicit (or less clear) regarding features that are closer to 
the final user. Some repetitive questions - such as the library 
modules and dependencies, the new keys combinations, or features that 
are yet not supported as the user expect them - are certainly related 
to these type of "closer-to-the-user" changes.

Regards,   
Ady.