X-Git-Url: http://ncurses.scripts.mit.edu/?a=blobdiff_plain;ds=sidebyside;f=doc%2Fhtml%2Fman%2Fterminfo.5.html;h=23b27bfb43992ef5eb6756023b909746e2ad624d;hb=HEAD;hp=13e890bb0ee4d47d99641496003295f889dcd03e;hpb=b11cef1e315b58820ea0cde239ebf2f741ef8948;p=ncurses.git diff --git a/doc/html/man/terminfo.5.html b/doc/html/man/terminfo.5.html index 13e890bb..f9496ff8 100644 --- a/doc/html/man/terminfo.5.html +++ b/doc/html/man/terminfo.5.html @@ -1,11 +1,12 @@ -
- --terminfo(5) File Formats terminfo(5) +terminfo(5) File formats terminfo(5) --
- terminfo - terminal capability data base +
+ terminfo - terminal capability database --
+
/usr/share/terminfo/*/* --
- Terminfo is a data base describing terminals, used by - screen-oriented programs such as nvi(1), rogue(1) and - libraries such as curses(3x). Terminfo describes termi- - nals by giving a set of capabilities which they have, by - specifying how to perform screen operations, and by speci- - fying padding requirements and initialization sequences. - This describes ncurses version 6.0 (patch 20151205). - - Entries in terminfo consist of a sequence of `,' separated - fields (embedded commas may be escaped with a backslash or - notated as \054). White space after the `,' separator is - ignored. The first entry for each terminal gives the - names which are known for the terminal, separated by `|' - characters. The first name given is the most common - abbreviation for the terminal, the last name given should - be a long name fully identifying the terminal, and all - others are understood as synonyms for the terminal name. - All names but the last should be in lower case and contain - no blanks; the last name may well contain upper case and - blanks for readability. - - Lines beginning with a `#' in the first column are treated - as comments. While comment lines are legal at any point, - the output of captoinfo and infotocap (aliases for tic) - will move comments so they occur only between entries. - - Newlines and leading tabs may be used for formatting - entries for readability. These are removed from parsed - entries. The infocmp -f option relies on this to format - if-then-else expressions: the result can be read by tic. - - Terminal names (except for the last, verbose entry) should - be chosen using the following conventions. The particular - piece of hardware making up the terminal should have a - root name, thus "hp2621". This name should not contain - hyphens. Modes that the hardware can be in, or user pref- - erences, should be indicated by appending a hyphen and a - mode suffix. Thus, a vt100 in 132 column mode would be - vt100-w. The following suffixes should be used where pos- - sible: - - Suffix Meaning Example - -nn Number of lines on the screen aaa-60 - -np Number of pages of memory c100-4p - -am With automargins (usually the default) vt100-am - -m Mono mode; suppress color ansi-m - -mc Magic cookie; spaces when highlighting wy30-mc - -na No arrow keys (leave them in local) c100-na - -nam Without automatic margins vt100-nam - -nl No status line att4415-nl - -ns No status line hp2626-ns - -rv Reverse video c100-rv - -s Enable status line vt100-s - -vb Use visible bell instead of beep wy370-vb - - -w Wide mode (> 80 columns, usually 132) vt100-w - - For more on terminal naming conventions, see the term(7) - manual page. +
+ Terminfo is a database describing terminals, used by screen-oriented + programs such as nvi(1), lynx(1), mutt(1), and other curses + applications, using high-level calls to libraries such as curses(3x). + It is also used via low-level calls by non-curses applications which + may be screen-oriented (such as clear(1)) or non-screen (such as + tabs(1)). + Terminfo describes terminals by giving a set of capabilities which they + have, by specifying how to perform screen operations, and by specifying + padding requirements and initialization sequences. --
- The following is a complete table of the capabilities - included in a terminfo description block and available to - terminfo-using code. In each line of the table, - - The variable is the name by which the programmer (at the - terminfo level) accesses the capability. - - The capname is the short name used in the text of the - database, and is used by a person updating the database. - Whenever possible, capnames are chosen to be the same as - or similar to the ANSI X3.64-1979 standard (now superseded - by ECMA-48, which uses identical or very similar names). - Semantics are also intended to match those of the specifi- - cation. - - The termcap code is the old termcap capability name (some - capabilities are new, and have names which termcap did not - originate). - - Capability names have no hard length limit, but an infor- - mal limit of 5 characters has been adopted to keep them - short and to allow the tabs in the source file Caps to - line up nicely. - - Finally, the description field attempts to convey the - semantics of the capability. You may find some codes in - the description field: - - (P) indicates that padding may be specified - - #[1-9] in the description field indicates that the string - is passed through tparm with parms as given (#i). - - (P*) indicates that padding may vary in proportion to - the number of lines affected - - (#i) indicates the ith parameter. - - - These are the boolean capabilities: - - - Variable Cap- TCap Description - Booleans name Code - auto_left_margin bw bw cub1 wraps from col- - umn 0 to last column - auto_right_margin am am terminal has auto- - matic margins - back_color_erase bce ut screen erased with - background color - can_change ccc cc terminal can re- - define existing col- - ors - ceol_standout_glitch xhp xs standout not erased - by overwriting (hp) - col_addr_glitch xhpa YA only positive motion - for hpa/mhpa caps - - - - cpi_changes_res cpix YF changing character - pitch changes reso- - lution - cr_cancels_micro_mode crxm YB using cr turns off - micro mode - dest_tabs_magic_smso xt xt tabs destructive, - magic so char - (t1061) - eat_newline_glitch xenl xn newline ignored - after 80 cols (con- - cept) - erase_overstrike eo eo can erase over- - strikes with a blank - generic_type gn gn generic line type - hard_copy hc hc hardcopy terminal - hard_cursor chts HC cursor is hard to - see - has_meta_key km km Has a meta key - (i.e., sets 8th-bit) - has_print_wheel daisy YC printer needs opera- - tor to change char- - acter set - has_status_line hs hs has extra status - line - hue_lightness_saturation hls hl terminal uses only - HLS color notation - (Tektronix) - insert_null_glitch in in insert mode distin- - guishes nulls - lpi_changes_res lpix YG changing line pitch - changes resolution - memory_above da da display may be - retained above the - screen - memory_below db db display may be - retained below the - screen - move_insert_mode mir mi safe to move while - in insert mode - move_standout_mode msgr ms safe to move while - in standout mode - needs_xon_xoff nxon nx padding will not - work, xon/xoff - required - no_esc_ctlc xsb xb beehive (f1=escape, - f2=ctrl C) - no_pad_char npc NP pad character does - not exist - non_dest_scroll_region ndscr ND scrolling region is - non-destructive - non_rev_rmcup nrrmc NR smcup does not - reverse rmcup - over_strike os os terminal can over- - strike - prtr_silent mc5i 5i printer will not - echo on screen - row_addr_glitch xvpa YD only positive motion - for vpa/mvpa caps - semi_auto_right_margin sam YE printing in last - column causes cr - status_line_esc_ok eslok es escape can be used - on the status line - tilde_glitch hz hz cannot print ~'s - (Hazeltine) - - - transparent_underline ul ul underline character - overstrikes - xon_xoff xon xo terminal uses - xon/xoff handshaking - - These are the numeric capabilities: - - - Variable Cap- TCap Description - Numeric name Code - columns cols co number of columns in - a line - init_tabs it it tabs initially every - # spaces - label_height lh lh rows in each label - label_width lw lw columns in each - label - lines lines li number of lines on - screen or page - lines_of_memory lm lm lines of memory if > - line. 0 means varies - magic_cookie_glitch xmc sg number of blank - characters left by - smso or rmso - max_attributes ma ma maximum combined - attributes terminal - can handle - max_colors colors Co maximum number of - colors on screen - max_pairs pairs pa maximum number of - color-pairs on the - screen - maximum_windows wnum MW maximum number of - definable windows - no_color_video ncv NC video attributes - that cannot be used - with colors - num_labels nlab Nl number of labels on - screen - padding_baud_rate pb pb lowest baud rate - where padding needed - virtual_terminal vt vt virtual terminal - number (CB/unix) - width_status_line wsl ws number of columns in - status line - - The following numeric capabilities are present in the - SVr4.0 term structure, but are not yet documented in the - man page. They came in with SVr4's printer support. - - - Variable Cap- TCap Description - Numeric name Code - bit_image_entwining bitwin Yo number of passes for - each bit-image row - bit_image_type bitype Yp type of bit-image - device - buffer_capacity bufsz Ya numbers of bytes - buffered before - printing - buttons btns BT number of buttons on - mouse - dot_horz_spacing spinh Yc spacing of dots hor- - izontally in dots - per inch - - dot_vert_spacing spinv Yb spacing of pins ver- - tically in pins per - inch - max_micro_address maddr Yd maximum value in - micro_..._address - max_micro_jump mjump Ye maximum value in - parm_..._micro - micro_col_size mcs Yf character step size - when in micro mode - micro_line_size mls Yg line step size when - in micro mode - number_of_pins npins Yh numbers of pins in - print-head - output_res_char orc Yi horizontal resolu- - tion in units per - line - output_res_horz_inch orhi Yk horizontal resolu- - tion in units per - inch - output_res_line orl Yj vertical resolution - in units per line - output_res_vert_inch orvi Yl vertical resolution - in units per inch - print_rate cps Ym print rate in char- - acters per second - wide_char_size widcs Yn character step size - when in double wide - mode - - These are the string capabilities: - - - Variable Cap- TCap Description - String name Code - acs_chars acsc ac graphics charset - pairs, based on - vt100 - back_tab cbt bt back tab (P) - bell bel bl audible signal - (bell) (P) - carriage_return cr cr carriage return (P*) - (P*) - change_char_pitch cpi ZA Change number of - characters per inch - to #1 - change_line_pitch lpi ZB Change number of - lines per inch to #1 - change_res_horz chr ZC Change horizontal - resolution to #1 - change_res_vert cvr ZD Change vertical res- - olution to #1 - change_scroll_region csr cs change region to - line #1 to line #2 - (P) - char_padding rmp rP like ip but when in - insert mode - clear_all_tabs tbc ct clear all tab stops - (P) - clear_margins mgc MC clear right and left - soft margins - clear_screen clear cl clear screen and - home cursor (P*) - clr_bol el1 cb Clear to beginning - of line - - - clr_eol el ce clear to end of line - (P) - clr_eos ed cd clear to end of - screen (P*) - column_address hpa ch horizontal position - #1, absolute (P) - command_character cmdch CC terminal settable - cmd character in - prototype !? - create_window cwin CW define a window #1 - from #2,#3 to #4,#5 - cursor_address cup cm move to row #1 col- - umns #2 - cursor_down cud1 do down one line - cursor_home home ho home cursor (if no - cup) - cursor_invisible civis vi make cursor invisi- - ble - cursor_left cub1 le move left one space - cursor_mem_address mrcup CM memory relative cur- - sor addressing, move - to row #1 columns #2 - cursor_normal cnorm ve make cursor appear - normal (undo - civis/cvvis) - cursor_right cuf1 nd non-destructive - space (move right - one space) - cursor_to_ll ll ll last line, first - column (if no cup) - cursor_up cuu1 up up one line - cursor_visible cvvis vs make cursor very - visible - define_char defc ZE Define a character - #1, #2 dots wide, - descender #3 - delete_character dch1 dc delete character - (P*) - delete_line dl1 dl delete line (P*) - dial_phone dial DI dial number #1 - dis_status_line dsl ds disable status line - display_clock dclk DK display clock - down_half_line hd hd half a line down - ena_acs enacs eA enable alternate - char set - enter_alt_charset_mode smacs as start alternate - character set (P) - enter_am_mode smam SA turn on automatic - margins - enter_blink_mode blink mb turn on blinking - enter_bold_mode bold md turn on bold (extra - bright) mode - enter_ca_mode smcup ti string to start pro- - grams using cup - enter_delete_mode smdc dm enter delete mode - enter_dim_mode dim mh turn on half-bright - mode - enter_doublewide_mode swidm ZF Enter double-wide - mode - enter_draft_quality sdrfq ZG Enter draft-quality - mode - enter_insert_mode smir im enter insert mode - enter_italics_mode sitm ZH Enter italic mode - enter_leftward_mode slm ZI Start leftward car- - riage motion - - enter_micro_mode smicm ZJ Start micro-motion - mode - enter_near_letter_quality snlq ZK Enter NLQ mode - enter_normal_quality snrmq ZL Enter normal-quality - mode - enter_protected_mode prot mp turn on protected - mode - enter_reverse_mode rev mr turn on reverse - video mode - enter_secure_mode invis mk turn on blank mode - (characters invisi- - ble) - enter_shadow_mode sshm ZM Enter shadow-print - mode - enter_standout_mode smso so begin standout mode - enter_subscript_mode ssubm ZN Enter subscript mode - enter_superscript_mode ssupm ZO Enter superscript - mode - enter_underline_mode smul us begin underline mode - enter_upward_mode sum ZP Start upward car- - riage motion - enter_xon_mode smxon SX turn on xon/xoff - handshaking - erase_chars ech ec erase #1 characters - (P) - exit_alt_charset_mode rmacs ae end alternate char- - acter set (P) - exit_am_mode rmam RA turn off automatic - margins - exit_attribute_mode sgr0 me turn off all - attributes - exit_ca_mode rmcup te strings to end pro- - grams using cup - exit_delete_mode rmdc ed end delete mode - exit_doublewide_mode rwidm ZQ End double-wide mode - exit_insert_mode rmir ei exit insert mode - exit_italics_mode ritm ZR End italic mode - exit_leftward_mode rlm ZS End left-motion mode - exit_micro_mode rmicm ZT End micro-motion - mode - exit_shadow_mode rshm ZU End shadow-print - mode - exit_standout_mode rmso se exit standout mode - exit_subscript_mode rsubm ZV End subscript mode - exit_superscript_mode rsupm ZW End superscript mode - exit_underline_mode rmul ue exit underline mode - exit_upward_mode rum ZX End reverse charac- - ter motion - exit_xon_mode rmxon RX turn off xon/xoff - handshaking - fixed_pause pause PA pause for 2-3 sec- - onds - flash_hook hook fh flash switch hook - flash_screen flash vb visible bell (may - not move cursor) - form_feed ff ff hardcopy terminal - page eject (P*) - from_status_line fsl fs return from status - line - goto_window wingo WG go to window #1 - hangup hup HU hang-up phone - init_1string is1 i1 initialization - string - init_2string is2 is initialization - string - - init_3string is3 i3 initialization - string - init_file if if name of initializa- - tion file - init_prog iprog iP path name of program - for initialization - initialize_color initc Ic initialize color #1 - to (#2,#3,#4) - initialize_pair initp Ip Initialize color - pair #1 to - fg=(#2,#3,#4), - bg=(#5,#6,#7) - insert_character ich1 ic insert character (P) - insert_line il1 al insert line (P*) - insert_padding ip ip insert padding after - inserted character - key_a1 ka1 K1 upper left of keypad - key_a3 ka3 K3 upper right of key- - pad - key_b2 kb2 K2 center of keypad - key_backspace kbs kb backspace key - key_beg kbeg @1 begin key - key_btab kcbt kB back-tab key - key_c1 kc1 K4 lower left of keypad - key_c3 kc3 K5 lower right of key- - pad - key_cancel kcan @2 cancel key - key_catab ktbc ka clear-all-tabs key - key_clear kclr kC clear-screen or - erase key - key_close kclo @3 close key - key_command kcmd @4 command key - key_copy kcpy @5 copy key - key_create kcrt @6 create key - key_ctab kctab kt clear-tab key - key_dc kdch1 kD delete-character key - key_dl kdl1 kL delete-line key - key_down kcud1 kd down-arrow key - key_eic krmir kM sent by rmir or smir - in insert mode - key_end kend @7 end key - key_enter kent @8 enter/send key - key_eol kel kE clear-to-end-of-line - key - key_eos ked kS clear-to-end-of- - screen key - key_exit kext @9 exit key - key_f0 kf0 k0 F0 function key - key_f1 kf1 k1 F1 function key - key_f10 kf10 k; F10 function key - key_f11 kf11 F1 F11 function key - key_f12 kf12 F2 F12 function key - key_f13 kf13 F3 F13 function key - key_f14 kf14 F4 F14 function key - key_f15 kf15 F5 F15 function key - key_f16 kf16 F6 F16 function key - key_f17 kf17 F7 F17 function key - key_f18 kf18 F8 F18 function key - key_f19 kf19 F9 F19 function key - key_f2 kf2 k2 F2 function key - key_f20 kf20 FA F20 function key - key_f21 kf21 FB F21 function key - key_f22 kf22 FC F22 function key - key_f23 kf23 FD F23 function key - key_f24 kf24 FE F24 function key - - key_f25 kf25 FF F25 function key - key_f26 kf26 FG F26 function key - key_f27 kf27 FH F27 function key - key_f28 kf28 FI F28 function key - key_f29 kf29 FJ F29 function key - key_f3 kf3 k3 F3 function key - key_f30 kf30 FK F30 function key - key_f31 kf31 FL F31 function key - key_f32 kf32 FM F32 function key - key_f33 kf33 FN F33 function key - key_f34 kf34 FO F34 function key - key_f35 kf35 FP F35 function key - key_f36 kf36 FQ F36 function key - key_f37 kf37 FR F37 function key - key_f38 kf38 FS F38 function key - key_f39 kf39 FT F39 function key - key_f4 kf4 k4 F4 function key - key_f40 kf40 FU F40 function key - key_f41 kf41 FV F41 function key - key_f42 kf42 FW F42 function key - key_f43 kf43 FX F43 function key - key_f44 kf44 FY F44 function key - key_f45 kf45 FZ F45 function key - key_f46 kf46 Fa F46 function key - key_f47 kf47 Fb F47 function key - key_f48 kf48 Fc F48 function key - key_f49 kf49 Fd F49 function key - key_f5 kf5 k5 F5 function key - key_f50 kf50 Fe F50 function key - key_f51 kf51 Ff F51 function key - key_f52 kf52 Fg F52 function key - key_f53 kf53 Fh F53 function key - key_f54 kf54 Fi F54 function key - key_f55 kf55 Fj F55 function key - key_f56 kf56 Fk F56 function key - key_f57 kf57 Fl F57 function key - key_f58 kf58 Fm F58 function key - key_f59 kf59 Fn F59 function key - key_f6 kf6 k6 F6 function key - key_f60 kf60 Fo F60 function key - key_f61 kf61 Fp F61 function key - key_f62 kf62 Fq F62 function key - key_f63 kf63 Fr F63 function key - key_f7 kf7 k7 F7 function key - key_f8 kf8 k8 F8 function key - key_f9 kf9 k9 F9 function key - key_find kfnd @0 find key - key_help khlp %1 help key - key_home khome kh home key - key_ic kich1 kI insert-character key - key_il kil1 kA insert-line key - key_left kcub1 kl left-arrow key - key_ll kll kH lower-left key (home - down) - key_mark kmrk %2 mark key - key_message kmsg %3 message key - key_move kmov %4 move key - key_next knxt %5 next key - key_npage knp kN next-page key - key_open kopn %6 open key - key_options kopt %7 options key - key_ppage kpp kP previous-page key - key_previous kprv %8 previous key - key_print kprt %9 print key - key_redo krdo %0 redo key - - key_reference kref &1 reference key - key_refresh krfr &2 refresh key - key_replace krpl &3 replace key - key_restart krst &4 restart key - key_resume kres &5 resume key - key_right kcuf1 kr right-arrow key - key_save ksav &6 save key - key_sbeg kBEG &9 shifted begin key - key_scancel kCAN &0 shifted cancel key - key_scommand kCMD *1 shifted command key - key_scopy kCPY *2 shifted copy key - key_screate kCRT *3 shifted create key - key_sdc kDC *4 shifted delete-char- - acter key - key_sdl kDL *5 shifted delete-line - key - key_select kslt *6 select key - key_send kEND *7 shifted end key - key_seol kEOL *8 shifted clear-to- - end-of-line key - key_sexit kEXT *9 shifted exit key - key_sf kind kF scroll-forward key - key_sfind kFND *0 shifted find key - key_shelp kHLP #1 shifted help key - key_shome kHOM #2 shifted home key - key_sic kIC #3 shifted insert-char- - acter key - key_sleft kLFT #4 shifted left-arrow - key - key_smessage kMSG %a shifted message key - key_smove kMOV %b shifted move key - key_snext kNXT %c shifted next key - key_soptions kOPT %d shifted options key - key_sprevious kPRV %e shifted previous key - key_sprint kPRT %f shifted print key - key_sr kri kR scroll-backward key - key_sredo kRDO %g shifted redo key - key_sreplace kRPL %h shifted replace key - key_sright kRIT %i shifted right-arrow - key - key_srsume kRES %j shifted resume key - key_ssave kSAV !1 shifted save key - key_ssuspend kSPD !2 shifted suspend key - key_stab khts kT set-tab key - key_sundo kUND !3 shifted undo key - key_suspend kspd &7 suspend key - key_undo kund &8 undo key - key_up kcuu1 ku up-arrow key - keypad_local rmkx ke leave 'key- - board_transmit' mode - keypad_xmit smkx ks enter 'key- - board_transmit' mode - lab_f0 lf0 l0 label on function - key f0 if not f0 - lab_f1 lf1 l1 label on function - key f1 if not f1 - lab_f10 lf10 la label on function - key f10 if not f10 - lab_f2 lf2 l2 label on function - key f2 if not f2 - lab_f3 lf3 l3 label on function - key f3 if not f3 - lab_f4 lf4 l4 label on function - key f4 if not f4 - - - lab_f5 lf5 l5 label on function - key f5 if not f5 - lab_f6 lf6 l6 label on function - key f6 if not f6 - lab_f7 lf7 l7 label on function - key f7 if not f7 - lab_f8 lf8 l8 label on function - key f8 if not f8 - lab_f9 lf9 l9 label on function - key f9 if not f9 - label_format fln Lf label format - label_off rmln LF turn off soft labels - label_on smln LO turn on soft labels - meta_off rmm mo turn off meta mode - meta_on smm mm turn on meta mode - (8th-bit on) - micro_column_address mhpa ZY Like column_address - in micro mode - micro_down mcud1 ZZ Like cursor_down in - micro mode - micro_left mcub1 Za Like cursor_left in - micro mode - micro_right mcuf1 Zb Like cursor_right in - micro mode - micro_row_address mvpa Zc Like row_address #1 - in micro mode - micro_up mcuu1 Zd Like cursor_up in - micro mode - newline nel nw newline (behave like - cr followed by lf) - order_of_pins porder Ze Match software bits - to print-head pins - orig_colors oc oc Set all color pairs - to the original ones - orig_pair op op Set default pair to - its original value - pad_char pad pc padding char - (instead of null) - parm_dch dch DC delete #1 characters - (P*) - parm_delete_line dl DL delete #1 lines (P*) - parm_down_cursor cud DO down #1 lines (P*) - parm_down_micro mcud Zf Like parm_down_cur- - sor in micro mode - parm_ich ich IC insert #1 characters - (P*) - parm_index indn SF scroll forward #1 - lines (P) - parm_insert_line il AL insert #1 lines (P*) - parm_left_cursor cub LE move #1 characters - to the left (P) - parm_left_micro mcub Zg Like parm_left_cur- - sor in micro mode - parm_right_cursor cuf RI move #1 characters - to the right (P*) - parm_right_micro mcuf Zh Like parm_right_cur- - sor in micro mode - parm_rindex rin SR scroll back #1 lines - (P) - parm_up_cursor cuu UP up #1 lines (P*) - parm_up_micro mcuu Zi Like parm_up_cursor - in micro mode - pkey_key pfkey pk program function key - #1 to type string #2 - - - pkey_local pfloc pl program function key - #1 to execute string - #2 - pkey_xmit pfx px program function key - #1 to transmit - string #2 - plab_norm pln pn program label #1 to - show string #2 - print_screen mc0 ps print contents of - screen - prtr_non mc5p pO turn on printer for - #1 bytes - prtr_off mc4 pf turn off printer - prtr_on mc5 po turn on printer - pulse pulse PU select pulse dialing - quick_dial qdial QD dial number #1 with- - out checking - remove_clock rmclk RC remove clock - repeat_char rep rp repeat char #1 #2 - times (P*) - req_for_input rfi RF send next input char - (for ptys) - reset_1string rs1 r1 reset string - reset_2string rs2 r2 reset string - reset_3string rs3 r3 reset string - reset_file rf rf name of reset file - restore_cursor rc rc restore cursor to - position of last - save_cursor - row_address vpa cv vertical position #1 - absolute (P) - save_cursor sc sc save current cursor - position (P) - scroll_forward ind sf scroll text up (P) - scroll_reverse ri sr scroll text down (P) - select_char_set scs Zj Select character - set, #1 - set_attributes sgr sa define video - attributes #1-#9 - (PG9) - set_background setb Sb Set background color - #1 - set_bottom_margin smgb Zk Set bottom margin at - current line - set_bottom_margin_parm smgbp Zl Set bottom margin at - line #1 or (if smgtp - is not given) #2 - lines from bottom - set_clock sclk SC set clock, #1 hrs #2 - mins #3 secs - set_color_pair scp sp Set current color - pair to #1 - set_foreground setf Sf Set foreground color - #1 - set_left_margin smgl ML set left soft margin - at current column. - See smgl. (ML is not - in BSD termcap). - set_left_margin_parm smglp Zm Set left (right) - margin at column #1 - set_right_margin smgr MR set right soft mar- - gin at current col- - umn - set_right_margin_parm smgrp Zn Set right margin at - column #1 - - set_tab hts st set a tab in every - row, current columns - set_top_margin smgt Zo Set top margin at - current line - set_top_margin_parm smgtp Zp Set top (bottom) - margin at row #1 - set_window wind wi current window is - lines #1-#2 cols - #3-#4 - start_bit_image sbim Zq Start printing bit - image graphics - start_char_set_def scsd Zr Start character set - definition #1, with - #2 characters in the - set - stop_bit_image rbim Zs Stop printing bit - image graphics - stop_char_set_def rcsd Zt End definition of - character set #1 - subscript_characters subcs Zu List of subscript- - able characters - superscript_characters supcs Zv List of superscript- - able characters - tab ht ta tab to next 8-space - hardware tab stop - these_cause_cr docr Zw Printing any of - these characters - causes CR - to_status_line tsl ts move to status line, - column #1 - tone tone TO select touch tone - dialing - underline_char uc uc underline char and - move past it - up_half_line hu hu half a line up - user0 u0 u0 User string #0 - user1 u1 u1 User string #1 - user2 u2 u2 User string #2 - user3 u3 u3 User string #3 - user4 u4 u4 User string #4 - user5 u5 u5 User string #5 - user6 u6 u6 User string #6 - user7 u7 u7 User string #7 - user8 u8 u8 User string #8 - user9 u9 u9 User string #9 - wait_tone wait WA wait for dial-tone - xoff_character xoffc XF XOFF character - xon_character xonc XN XON character - zero_motion zerom Zx No motion for subse- - quent character - - The following string capabilities are present in the - SVr4.0 term structure, but were originally not documented - in the man page. - - - Variable Cap- TCap Description - String name Code - alt_scancode_esc scesa S8 Alternate escape - for scancode emu- - lation - bit_image_carriage_return bicr Yv Move to beginning - of same row - bit_image_newline binel Zz Move to next row - of the bit image - - bit_image_repeat birep Xy Repeat bit image - cell #1 #2 times - char_set_names csnm Zy Produce #1'th item - from list of char- - acter set names - code_set_init csin ci Init sequence for - multiple codesets - color_names colornm Yw Give name for - color #1 - define_bit_image_region defbi Yx Define rectangular - bit image region - device_type devt dv Indicate lan- - guage/codeset sup- - port - display_pc_char dispc S1 Display PC charac- - ter #1 - end_bit_image_region endbi Yy End a bit-image - region - enter_pc_charset_mode smpch S2 Enter PC character - display mode - enter_scancode_mode smsc S4 Enter PC scancode - mode - exit_pc_charset_mode rmpch S3 Exit PC character - display mode - exit_scancode_mode rmsc S5 Exit PC scancode - mode - get_mouse getm Gm Curses should get - button events, - parameter #1 not - documented. - key_mouse kmous Km Mouse event has - occurred - mouse_info minfo Mi Mouse status - information - pc_term_options pctrm S6 PC terminal - options - pkey_plab pfxl xl Program function - key #1 to type - string #2 and show - string #3 - req_mouse_pos reqmp RQ Request mouse - position - scancode_escape scesc S7 Escape for scan- - code emulation - set0_des_seq s0ds s0 Shift to codeset 0 - (EUC set 0, ASCII) - set1_des_seq s1ds s1 Shift to codeset 1 - set2_des_seq s2ds s2 Shift to codeset 2 - set3_des_seq s3ds s3 Shift to codeset 3 - set_a_background setab AB Set background - color to #1, using - ANSI escape - set_a_foreground setaf AF Set foreground - color to #1, using - ANSI escape - set_color_band setcolor Yz Change to ribbon - color #1 - set_lr_margin smglr ML Set both left and - right margins to - #1, #2. (ML is - not in BSD term- - cap). - set_page_length slines YZ Set page length to - #1 lines - - - set_tb_margin smgtb MT Sets both top and - bottom margins to - #1, #2 - - The XSI Curses standard added these hardcopy capabili- - ties. They were used in some post-4.1 versions of System - V curses, e.g., Solaris 2.5 and IRIX 6.x. Except for YI, - the ncurses termcap names for them are invented. Accord- - ing to the XSI Curses standard, they have no termcap - names. If your compiled terminfo entries use these, they - may not be binary-compatible with System V terminfo - entries after SVr4.1; beware! - - - Variable Cap- TCap Description - String name Code - enter_horizontal_hl_mode ehhlm Xh Enter horizontal - highlight mode - enter_left_hl_mode elhlm Xl Enter left highlight - mode - enter_low_hl_mode elohlm Xo Enter low highlight - mode - enter_right_hl_mode erhlm Xr Enter right high- - light mode - enter_top_hl_mode ethlm Xt Enter top highlight - mode - enter_vertical_hl_mode evhlm Xv Enter vertical high- - light mode - set_a_attributes sgr1 sA Define second set of - video attributes - #1-#6 - set_pglen_inch slengthYI Set page length to - #1 hundredth of an - inch (some implemen- - tations use sL for - termcap). + This document describes ncurses version 6.5 (patch 20240622). --
- The preceding section listed the predefined capabilities. - They deal with some special features for terminals no - longer (or possibly never) produced. Occasionally there - are special features of newer terminals which are awkward - or impossible to represent by reusing the predefined capa- - bilities. - - ncurses addresses this limitation by allowing user-defined - capabilities. The tic and infocmp programs provide the -x - option for this purpose. When -x is set, tic treats - unknown capabilities as user-defined. That is, if tic - encounters a capability name which it does not recognize, - it infers its type (boolean, number or string) from the - syntax and makes an extended table entry for that capabil- - ity. The use_extended_names function makes this informa- - tion conditionally available to applications. The ncurses - library provides the data leaving most of the behavior to - applications: - - o User-defined capability strings whose name begins with - "k" are treated as function keys. - - o The types (boolean, number, string) determined by tic - can be inferred by successful calls on tigetflag, etc. - - o If the capability name happens to be two characters, - the capability is also available through the termcap - interface. - - While termcap is said to be extensible because it does not - use a predefined set of capabilities, in practice it has - been limited to the capabilities defined by terminfo - implementations. As a rule, user-defined capabilities - intended for use by termcap applications should be limited - to booleans and numbers to avoid running past the 1023 - byte limit assumed by termcap implementations and their - applications. In particular, providing extended sets of - function keys (past the 60 numbered keys and the handful - of special named keys) is best done using the longer names - available using terminfo. +
+ Entries in terminfo consist of a sequence of fields: + o Each field ends with a comma "," (embedded commas may be escaped + with a backslash or written as "\054"). --
- The following entry, describing an ANSI-standard terminal, - is representative of what a terminfo entry for a modern - terminal typically looks like. + o White space between fields is ignored. + + o The first field in a terminfo entry begins in the first column. + + o Newlines and leading whitespace (spaces or tabs) may be used for + formatting entries for readability. These are removed from parsed + entries. + + The infocmp -f and -W options rely on this to format if-then-else + expressions, or to enforce maximum line-width. The resulting + formatted terminal description can be read by tic. + + o The first field for each terminal gives the names which are known + for the terminal, separated by "|" characters. + + The first name given is the most common abbreviation for the + terminal (its primary name), the last name given should be a long + name fully identifying the terminal (see longname(3x)), and all + others are treated as synonyms (aliases) for the primary terminal + name. + + X/Open Curses advises that all names but the last should be in + lower case and contain no blanks; the last name may well contain + upper case and blanks for readability. + + This implementation is not so strict; it allows mixed case in the + primary name and aliases. If the last name has no embedded blanks, + it allows that to be both an alias and a verbose name (but will + warn about this ambiguity). + + o Lines beginning with a "#" in the first column are treated as + comments. + + While comment lines are valid at any point, the output of captoinfo + and infotocap (aliases for tic) will move comments so they occur + only between entries. + + Terminal names (except for the last, verbose entry) should be chosen + using the following conventions. The particular piece of hardware + making up the terminal should have a root name, thus "hp2621". This + name should not contain hyphens. Modes that the hardware can be in, or + user preferences, should be indicated by appending a hyphen and a mode + suffix. Thus, a vt100 in 132-column mode would be vt100-w. The + following suffixes should be used where possible: + + Suffix Example Meaning + ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + -nn aaa-60 Number of lines on the screen + -np c100-4p Number of pages of memory + -am vt100-am With automargins (usually the default) + -m ansi-m Mono mode; suppress color + -mc wy30-mc Magic cookie; spaces when highlighting + -na c100-na No arrow keys (leave them in local) + -nam vt100-nam Without automatic margins + -nl hp2621-nl No status line + -ns hp2626-ns No status line + -rv c100-rv Reverse video + -s vt100-s Enable status line + -vb wy370-vb Use visible bell instead of beep + -w vt100-w Wide mode (> 80 columns, usually 132) + + For more on terminal naming conventions, see the term(7) manual page. + + +
+ The terminfo entry consists of several capabilities, i.e., features + that the terminal has, or methods for exercising the terminal's + features. + + After the first field (giving the name(s) of the terminal entry), there + should be one or more capability fields. These are Boolean, numeric or + string names with corresponding values: + + o Boolean capabilities are true when present, false when absent. + There is no explicit value for Boolean capabilities. + + o Numeric capabilities have a "#" following the name, then an + unsigned decimal integer value. + + o String capabilities have a "=" following the name, then an string + of characters making up the capability value. + + String capabilities can be split into multiple lines, just as the + fields comprising a terminal entry can be split into multiple + lines. While blanks between fields are ignored, blanks embedded + within a string value are retained, except for leading blanks on a + line. + + Any capability can be canceled, i.e., suppressed from the terminal + entry, by following its name with "@" rather than a capability value. + + +
+ If there are two very similar terminals, one (the variant) can be + defined as being just like the other (the base) with certain + exceptions. In the definition of the variant, the string capability + use can be given with the name of the base terminal: + + o The capabilities given before use override those in the base type + named by use. + + o If there are multiple use capabilities, they are merged in reverse + order. That is, the rightmost use reference is processed first, + then the one to its left, and so forth. + + o Capabilities given explicitly in the entry override those brought + in by use references. + + A capability can be canceled by placing xx@ to the left of the use + reference that imports it, where xx is the capability. For example, + the entry + + 2621-nl, smkx@, rmkx@, use=2621, + + defines a 2621-nl that does not have the smkx or rmkx capabilities, and + hence does not turn on the function key labels when in visual mode. + This is useful for different modes for a terminal, or for different + user preferences. + + An entry included via use can contain canceled capabilities, which have + the same effect as if those cancels were inline in the using terminal + entry. + + +
+ Tables of capabilities ncurses recognizes in a terminfo terminal type + description and available to terminfo-using code follow. + + o The capability name identifies the symbol by which the programmer + using the terminfo API accesses the capability. + + o The TI (terminfo) code is the short name used by a person composing + or updating a terminal type entry. + + Whenever possible, these codes are the same as or similar to those + of the ANSI X3.64-1979 standard (now superseded by ECMA-48, which + uses identical or very similar names). Semantics are also intended + to match those of the specification. + + terminfo codes have no hard length limit, but ncurses maintains an + informal one of 5 characters to keep them short and to allow the + tabs in the source file Caps to line up nicely. (Some standard + codes exceed this limit regardless.) + + o The TC (termcap) code is that used by the corresponding API of + ncurses. (Some capabilities are new, and have names that BSD + termcap did not originate.) + + o The description field attempts to convey the capability's + semantics. + + The description field employs a handful of notations. + + (P) indicates that padding may be specified. + + (P*) indicates that padding may vary in proportion to the number of + output lines affected. + + #i indicates the ith parameter of a string capability; the + programmer should pass the string to tparm(3x) with the + parameters listed. + + If the description lists no parameters, passing the string to + tparm(3x) may produce unexpected behavior, for instance if the + string contains percent signs. + + Code + Boolean Capability Name TI TC Description + ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + + + auto_left_margin bw bw cub1 wraps from column 0 to + last column + auto_right_margin am am terminal has automatic margins + no_esc_ctlc xsb xb beehive (f1=escape, f2=ctrl C) + ceol_standout_glitch xhp xs standout not erased by + overwriting (hp) + eat_newline_glitch xenl xn newline ignored after 80 cols + (concept) + erase_overstrike eo eo can erase overstrikes with a + blank + generic_type gn gn generic line type + hard_copy hc hc hardcopy terminal + has_meta_key km km Has a meta key (i.e., sets + 8th-bit) + has_status_line hs hs has extra status line + insert_null_glitch in in insert mode distinguishes + nulls + memory_above da da display may be retained above + the screen + memory_below db db display may be retained below + the screen + move_insert_mode mir mi safe to move while in insert + mode + move_standout_mode msgr ms safe to move while in standout + mode + over_strike os os terminal can overstrike + status_line_esc_ok eslok es escape can be used on the + status line + dest_tabs_magic_smso xt xt tabs destructive, magic so + char (t1061) + tilde_glitch hz hz cannot print ~'s (Hazeltine) + transparent_underline ul ul underline character + overstrikes + xon_xoff xon xo terminal uses xon/xoff + handshaking + needs_xon_xoff nxon nx padding will not work, + xon/xoff required + prtr_silent mc5i 5i printer will not echo on + screen + hard_cursor chts HC cursor is hard to see + non_rev_rmcup nrrmc NR smcup does not reverse rmcup + no_pad_char npc NP pad character does not exist + non_dest_scroll_region ndscr ND scrolling region is non- + destructive + can_change ccc cc terminal can re-define + existing colors + back_color_erase bce ut screen erased with background + color + hue_lightness_saturation hls hl terminal uses only HLS color + notation (Tektronix) + col_addr_glitch xhpa YA only positive motion for + hpa/mhpa caps + cr_cancels_micro_mode crxm YB using cr turns off micro mode + has_print_wheel daisy YC printer needs operator to + change character set + row_addr_glitch xvpa YD only positive motion for + vpa/mvpa caps + semi_auto_right_margin sam YE printing in last column causes + cr + cpi_changes_res cpix YF changing character pitch + changes resolution + lpi_changes_res lpix YG changing line pitch changes + resolution + + Code + + Numeric Capability Name TI TC Description + ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + columns cols co number of columns in a line + init_tabs it it tabs initially every # spaces + lines lines li number of lines on screen or + page + lines_of_memory lm lm lines of memory if > line. 0 + means varies + magic_cookie_glitch xmc sg number of blank characters + left by smso or rmso + padding_baud_rate pb pb lowest baud rate where padding + needed + virtual_terminal vt vt virtual terminal number + (CB/unix) + width_status_line wsl ws number of columns in status + line + num_labels nlab Nl number of labels on screen + label_height lh lh rows in each label + label_width lw lw columns in each label + max_attributes ma ma maximum combined attributes + terminal can handle + maximum_windows wnum MW maximum number of definable + windows + max_colors colors Co maximum number of colors on + screen + max_pairs pairs pa maximum number of color-pairs + on the screen + no_color_video ncv NC video attributes that cannot + be used with colors + + The following numeric capabilities are present in the SVr4.0 term + structure, but are not yet documented in the man page. They came in + with SVr4's printer support. + + Code + Numeric Capability Name TI TC Description + ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + buffer_capacity bufsz Ya numbers of bytes buffered + before printing + dot_vert_spacing spinv Yb spacing of pins vertically in + pins per inch + dot_horz_spacing spinh Yc spacing of dots horizontally + in dots per inch + max_micro_address maddr Yd maximum value in + micro_..._address + max_micro_jump mjump Ye maximum value in + parm_..._micro + micro_col_size mcs Yf character step size when in + micro mode + micro_line_size mls Yg line step size when in micro + mode + number_of_pins npins Yh numbers of pins in print-head + output_res_char orc Yi horizontal resolution in units + per line + output_res_line orl Yj vertical resolution in units + per line + output_res_horz_inch orhi Yk horizontal resolution in units + per inch + output_res_vert_inch orvi Yl vertical resolution in units + per inch + print_rate cps Ym print rate in characters per + second + wide_char_size widcs Yn character step size when in + double wide mode + buttons btns BT number of buttons on mouse + + bit_image_entwining bitwin Yo number of passes for each bit- + image row + bit_image_type bitype Yp type of bit-image device + + Code + String Capability Name TI TC Description + ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + back_tab cbt bt back tab (P) + bell bel bl audible signal (bell) (P) + carriage_return cr cr carriage return (P*) (P*) + change_scroll_region csr cs change region to line #1 to + line #2 (P) + clear_all_tabs tbc ct clear all tab stops (P) + clear_screen clear cl clear screen and home cursor + (P*) + clr_eol el ce clear to end of line (P) + clr_eos ed cd clear to end of screen (P*) + column_address hpa ch horizontal position #1, + absolute (P) + command_character cmdch CC terminal settable cmd + character in prototype !? + cursor_address cup cm move to row #1 columns #2 + cursor_down cud1 do down one line + cursor_home home ho home cursor (if no cup) + cursor_invisible civis vi make cursor invisible + cursor_left cub1 le move left one space + cursor_mem_address mrcup CM memory relative cursor + addressing, move to row #1 + columns #2 + cursor_normal cnorm ve make cursor appear normal + (undo civis/cvvis) + cursor_right cuf1 nd non-destructive space (move + right one space) + cursor_to_ll ll ll last line, first column (if no + cup) + cursor_up cuu1 up up one line + cursor_visible cvvis vs make cursor very visible + delete_character dch1 dc delete character (P*) + delete_line dl1 dl delete line (P*) + dis_status_line dsl ds disable status line + down_half_line hd hd half a line down + enter_alt_charset_mode smacs as start alternate character set + (P) + enter_blink_mode blink mb turn on blinking + enter_bold_mode bold md turn on bold (extra bright) + mode + enter_ca_mode smcup ti string to start programs using + cup + enter_delete_mode smdc dm enter delete mode + enter_dim_mode dim mh turn on half-bright mode + enter_insert_mode smir im enter insert mode + enter_secure_mode invis mk turn on blank mode (characters + invisible) + enter_protected_mode prot mp turn on protected mode + enter_reverse_mode rev mr turn on reverse video mode + enter_standout_mode smso so begin standout mode + enter_underline_mode smul us begin underline mode + erase_chars ech ec erase #1 characters (P) + exit_alt_charset_mode rmacs ae end alternate character set + (P) + exit_attribute_mode sgr0 me turn off all attributes + exit_ca_mode rmcup te strings to end programs using + cup + exit_delete_mode rmdc ed end delete mode + exit_insert_mode rmir ei exit insert mode + + exit_standout_mode rmso se exit standout mode + exit_underline_mode rmul ue exit underline mode + flash_screen flash vb visible bell (may not move + cursor) + form_feed ff ff hardcopy terminal page eject + (P*) + from_status_line fsl fs return from status line + init_1string is1 i1 initialization string + init_2string is2 is initialization string + init_3string is3 i3 initialization string + init_file if if name of initialization file + insert_character ich1 ic insert character (P) + insert_line il1 al insert line (P*) + insert_padding ip ip insert padding after inserted + character + key_backspace kbs kb backspace key + key_catab ktbc ka clear-all-tabs key + key_clear kclr kC clear-screen or erase key + key_ctab kctab kt clear-tab key + key_dc kdch1 kD delete-character key + key_dl kdl1 kL delete-line key + key_down kcud1 kd down-arrow key + + key_eic krmir kM sent by rmir or smir in insert + mode + key_eol kel kE clear-to-end-of-line key + key_eos ked kS clear-to-end-of-screen key + key_f0 kf0 k0 F0 function key + key_f1 kf1 k1 F1 function key + key_f10 kf10 k; F10 function key + key_f2 kf2 k2 F2 function key + key_f3 kf3 k3 F3 function key + key_f4 kf4 k4 F4 function key + key_f5 kf5 k5 F5 function key + key_f6 kf6 k6 F6 function key + key_f7 kf7 k7 F7 function key + key_f8 kf8 k8 F8 function key + key_f9 kf9 k9 F9 function key + key_home khome kh home key + key_ic kich1 kI insert-character key + key_il kil1 kA insert-line key + key_left kcub1 kl left-arrow key + key_ll kll kH lower-left key (home down) + key_npage knp kN next-page key + key_ppage kpp kP previous-page key + key_right kcuf1 kr right-arrow key + key_sf kind kF scroll-forward key + key_sr kri kR scroll-backward key + key_stab khts kT set-tab key + key_up kcuu1 ku up-arrow key + keypad_local rmkx ke leave keyboard transmit mode + keypad_xmit smkx ks enter keyboard transmit mode + lab_f0 lf0 l0 label on function key f0 if + not f0 + lab_f1 lf1 l1 label on function key f1 if + not f1 + lab_f10 lf10 la label on function key f10 if + not f10 + lab_f2 lf2 l2 label on function key f2 if + not f2 + lab_f3 lf3 l3 label on function key f3 if + not f3 + lab_f4 lf4 l4 label on function key f4 if + not f4 + + + lab_f5 lf5 l5 label on function key f5 if + not f5 + lab_f6 lf6 l6 label on function key f6 if + not f6 + lab_f7 lf7 l7 label on function key f7 if + not f7 + lab_f8 lf8 l8 label on function key f8 if + not f8 + lab_f9 lf9 l9 label on function key f9 if + not f9 + meta_off rmm mo turn off meta mode + meta_on smm mm turn on meta mode (8th-bit on) + newline nel nw newline (behave like cr + followed by lf) + pad_char pad pc padding char (instead of null) + parm_dch dch DC delete #1 characters (P*) + parm_delete_line dl DL delete #1 lines (P*) + parm_down_cursor cud DO down #1 lines (P*) + parm_ich ich IC insert #1 characters (P*) + parm_index indn SF scroll forward #1 lines (P) + parm_insert_line il AL insert #1 lines (P*) + parm_left_cursor cub LE move #1 characters to the left + (P) + parm_right_cursor cuf RI move #1 characters to the + right (P*) + parm_rindex rin SR scroll back #1 lines (P) + parm_up_cursor cuu UP up #1 lines (P*) + pkey_key pfkey pk program function key #1 to + type string #2 + pkey_local pfloc pl program function key #1 to + execute string #2 + pkey_xmit pfx px program function key #1 to + transmit string #2 + print_screen mc0 ps print contents of screen + prtr_off mc4 pf turn off printer + prtr_on mc5 po turn on printer + repeat_char rep rp repeat char #1 #2 times (P*) + reset_1string rs1 r1 reset string + reset_2string rs2 r2 reset string + + reset_3string rs3 r3 reset string + reset_file rf rf name of reset file + restore_cursor rc rc restore cursor to position of + last save_cursor + row_address vpa cv vertical position #1 absolute + (P) + save_cursor sc sc save current cursor position + (P) + scroll_forward ind sf scroll text up (P) + scroll_reverse ri sr scroll text down (P) + set_attributes sgr sa define video attributes #1-#9 + (PG9) + set_tab hts st set a tab in every row, + current columns + set_window wind wi current window is lines #1-#2 + cols #3-#4 + tab ht ta tab to next 8-space hardware + tab stop + to_status_line tsl ts move to status line, column #1 + underline_char uc uc underline char and move past + it + up_half_line hu hu half a line up + init_prog iprog iP path name of program for + initialization + key_a1 ka1 K1 upper left of keypad + + key_a3 ka3 K3 upper right of keypad + key_b2 kb2 K2 center of keypad + key_c1 kc1 K4 lower left of keypad + key_c3 kc3 K5 lower right of keypad + prtr_non mc5p pO turn on printer for #1 bytes + char_padding rmp rP like ip but when in insert + mode + acs_chars acsc ac graphics charset pairs, based + on vt100 + plab_norm pln pn program label #1 to show + string #2 + key_btab kcbt kB back-tab key + enter_xon_mode smxon SX turn on xon/xoff handshaking + exit_xon_mode rmxon RX turn off xon/xoff handshaking + enter_am_mode smam SA turn on automatic margins + exit_am_mode rmam RA turn off automatic margins + xon_character xonc XN XON character + xoff_character xoffc XF XOFF character + ena_acs enacs eA enable alternate char set + label_on smln LO turn on soft labels + label_off rmln LF turn off soft labels + key_beg kbeg @1 begin key + key_cancel kcan @2 cancel key + key_close kclo @3 close key + key_command kcmd @4 command key + key_copy kcpy @5 copy key + key_create kcrt @6 create key + key_end kend @7 end key + key_enter kent @8 enter/send key + key_exit kext @9 exit key + key_find kfnd @0 find key + key_help khlp %1 help key + key_mark kmrk %2 mark key + key_message kmsg %3 message key + key_move kmov %4 move key + key_next knxt %5 next key + key_open kopn %6 open key + key_options kopt %7 options key + key_previous kprv %8 previous key + key_print kprt %9 print key + key_redo krdo %0 redo key + key_reference kref &1 reference key + key_refresh krfr &2 refresh key + key_replace krpl &3 replace key + key_restart krst &4 restart key + key_resume kres &5 resume key + key_save ksav &6 save key + key_suspend kspd &7 suspend key + key_undo kund &8 undo key + + key_sbeg kBEG &9 shifted begin key + key_scancel kCAN &0 shifted cancel key + key_scommand kCMD *1 shifted command key + key_scopy kCPY *2 shifted copy key + key_screate kCRT *3 shifted create key + key_sdc kDC *4 shifted delete-character key + key_sdl kDL *5 shifted delete-line key + key_select kslt *6 select key + key_send kEND *7 shifted end key + key_seol kEOL *8 shifted clear-to-end-of-line + key + key_sexit kEXT *9 shifted exit key + key_sfind kFND *0 shifted find key + key_shelp kHLP #1 shifted help key + key_shome kHOM #2 shifted home key + + key_sic kIC #3 shifted insert-character key + key_sleft kLFT #4 shifted left-arrow key + key_smessage kMSG %a shifted message key + key_smove kMOV %b shifted move key + key_snext kNXT %c shifted next key + key_soptions kOPT %d shifted options key + key_sprevious kPRV %e shifted previous key + key_sprint kPRT %f shifted print key + key_sredo kRDO %g shifted redo key + key_sreplace kRPL %h shifted replace key + key_sright kRIT %i shifted right-arrow key + key_srsume kRES %j shifted resume key + key_ssave kSAV !1 shifted save key + key_ssuspend kSPD !2 shifted suspend key + key_sundo kUND !3 shifted undo key + req_for_input rfi RF send next input char (for + ptys) + key_f11 kf11 F1 F11 function key + key_f12 kf12 F2 F12 function key + key_f13 kf13 F3 F13 function key + key_f14 kf14 F4 F14 function key + key_f15 kf15 F5 F15 function key + key_f16 kf16 F6 F16 function key + key_f17 kf17 F7 F17 function key + key_f18 kf18 F8 F18 function key + key_f19 kf19 F9 F19 function key + key_f20 kf20 FA F20 function key + key_f21 kf21 FB F21 function key + key_f22 kf22 FC F22 function key + key_f23 kf23 FD F23 function key + key_f24 kf24 FE F24 function key + key_f25 kf25 FF F25 function key + key_f26 kf26 FG F26 function key + key_f27 kf27 FH F27 function key + key_f28 kf28 FI F28 function key + key_f29 kf29 FJ F29 function key + key_f30 kf30 FK F30 function key + key_f31 kf31 FL F31 function key + key_f32 kf32 FM F32 function key + key_f33 kf33 FN F33 function key + key_f34 kf34 FO F34 function key + key_f35 kf35 FP F35 function key + key_f36 kf36 FQ F36 function key + key_f37 kf37 FR F37 function key + key_f38 kf38 FS F38 function key + key_f39 kf39 FT F39 function key + key_f40 kf40 FU F40 function key + key_f41 kf41 FV F41 function key + key_f42 kf42 FW F42 function key + + key_f43 kf43 FX F43 function key + key_f44 kf44 FY F44 function key + key_f45 kf45 FZ F45 function key + key_f46 kf46 Fa F46 function key + key_f47 kf47 Fb F47 function key + key_f48 kf48 Fc F48 function key + key_f49 kf49 Fd F49 function key + key_f50 kf50 Fe F50 function key + key_f51 kf51 Ff F51 function key + key_f52 kf52 Fg F52 function key + key_f53 kf53 Fh F53 function key + key_f54 kf54 Fi F54 function key + key_f55 kf55 Fj F55 function key + key_f56 kf56 Fk F56 function key + key_f57 kf57 Fl F57 function key + + key_f58 kf58 Fm F58 function key + key_f59 kf59 Fn F59 function key + key_f60 kf60 Fo F60 function key + key_f61 kf61 Fp F61 function key + key_f62 kf62 Fq F62 function key + key_f63 kf63 Fr F63 function key + clr_bol el1 cb Clear to beginning of line + clear_margins mgc MC clear right and left soft + margins + set_left_margin smgl ML set left soft margin at + current column (not in BSD + termcap) + set_right_margin smgr MR set right soft margin at + current column + label_format fln Lf label format + set_clock sclk SC set clock, #1 hrs #2 mins #3 + secs + display_clock dclk DK display clock + remove_clock rmclk RC remove clock + create_window cwin CW define a window #1 from #2,#3 + to #4,#5 + goto_window wingo WG go to window #1 + hangup hup HU hang-up phone + dial_phone dial DI dial number #1 + quick_dial qdial QD dial number #1 without + checking + tone tone TO select touch tone dialing + pulse pulse PU select pulse dialing + flash_hook hook fh flash switch hook + fixed_pause pause PA pause for 2-3 seconds + wait_tone wait WA wait for dial-tone + user0 u0 u0 User string #0 + user1 u1 u1 User string #1 + user2 u2 u2 User string #2 + user3 u3 u3 User string #3 + user4 u4 u4 User string #4 + user5 u5 u5 User string #5 + user6 u6 u6 User string #6 + user7 u7 u7 User string #7 + user8 u8 u8 User string #8 + user9 u9 u9 User string #9 + orig_pair op op Set default pair to its + original value + orig_colors oc oc Set all color pairs to the + original ones + initialize_color initc Ic initialize color #1 to + (#2,#3,#4) + initialize_pair initp Ip Initialize color pair #1 to + fg=(#2,#3,#4), bg=(#5,#6,#7) + set_color_pair scp sp Set current color pair to #1 + set_foreground setf Sf Set foreground color #1 + set_background setb Sb Set background color #1 + change_char_pitch cpi ZA Change number of characters + per inch to #1 + change_line_pitch lpi ZB Change number of lines per + inch to #1 + change_res_horz chr ZC Change horizontal resolution + to #1 + change_res_vert cvr ZD Change vertical resolution to + #1 + define_char defc ZE Define a character #1, #2 dots + wide, descender #3 + enter_doublewide_mode swidm ZF Enter double-wide mode + + enter_draft_quality sdrfq ZG Enter draft-quality mode + + enter_italics_mode sitm ZH Enter italic mode + enter_leftward_mode slm ZI Start leftward carriage motion + enter_micro_mode smicm ZJ Start micro-motion mode + enter_near_letter_quality snlq ZK Enter NLQ mode + enter_normal_quality snrmq ZL Enter normal-quality mode + enter_shadow_mode sshm ZM Enter shadow-print mode + enter_subscript_mode ssubm ZN Enter subscript mode + enter_superscript_mode ssupm ZO Enter superscript mode + enter_upward_mode sum ZP Start upward carriage motion + exit_doublewide_mode rwidm ZQ End double-wide mode + exit_italics_mode ritm ZR End italic mode + exit_leftward_mode rlm ZS End left-motion mode + exit_micro_mode rmicm ZT End micro-motion mode + exit_shadow_mode rshm ZU End shadow-print mode + exit_subscript_mode rsubm ZV End subscript mode + exit_superscript_mode rsupm ZW End superscript mode + exit_upward_mode rum ZX End reverse character motion + micro_column_address mhpa ZY Like column_address in micro + mode + micro_down mcud1 ZZ Like cursor_down in micro mode + micro_left mcub1 Za Like cursor_left in micro mode + micro_right mcuf1 Zb Like cursor_right in micro + mode + micro_row_address mvpa Zc Like row_address #1 in micro + mode + micro_up mcuu1 Zd Like cursor_up in micro mode + order_of_pins porder Ze Match software bits to print- + head pins + parm_down_micro mcud Zf Like parm_down_cursor in micro + mode + parm_left_micro mcub Zg Like parm_left_cursor in micro + mode + parm_right_micro mcuf Zh Like parm_right_cursor in + micro mode + parm_up_micro mcuu Zi Like parm_up_cursor in micro + mode + select_char_set scs Zj Select character set, #1 + set_bottom_margin smgb Zk Set bottom margin at current + line + set_bottom_margin_parm smgbp Zl Set bottom margin at line #1 + or (if smgtp is not given) #2 + lines from bottom + set_left_margin_parm smglp Zm Set left (right) margin at + column #1 + set_right_margin_parm smgrp Zn Set right margin at column #1 + set_top_margin smgt Zo Set top margin at current line + set_top_margin_parm smgtp Zp Set top (bottom) margin at row + #1 + start_bit_image sbim Zq Start printing bit image + graphics + start_char_set_def scsd Zr Start character set definition + #1, with #2 characters in the + set + stop_bit_image rbim Zs Stop printing bit image + graphics + stop_char_set_def rcsd Zt End definition of character + set #1 + subscript_characters subcs Zu List of subscriptable + characters + superscript_characters supcs Zv List of superscriptable + characters + these_cause_cr docr Zw Printing any of these + characters causes CR + zero_motion zerom Zx No motion for subsequent + character + + The following string capabilities are present in the SVr4.0 term + structure, but were originally not documented in the man page. + + Code + String Capability Name TI TC Description + ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + char_set_names csnm Zy Produce #1'th item from list + of character set names + key_mouse kmous Km Mouse event has occurred + mouse_info minfo Mi Mouse status information + req_mouse_pos reqmp RQ Request mouse position + get_mouse getm Gm Curses should get button + events, parameter #1 not + documented. + set_a_foreground setaf AF Set foreground color to #1, + using ANSI escape + set_a_background setab AB Set background color to #1, + using ANSI escape + pkey_plab pfxl xl Program function key #1 to + type string #2 and show string + #3 + device_type devt dv Indicate language, codeset + support + code_set_init csin ci Init sequence for multiple + codesets + set0_des_seq s0ds s0 Shift to codeset 0 (EUC set 0, + ASCII) + set1_des_seq s1ds s1 Shift to codeset 1 + set2_des_seq s2ds s2 Shift to codeset 2 + set3_des_seq s3ds s3 Shift to codeset 3 + set_lr_margin smglr ML Set both left and right + margins to #1, #2. (ML is not + in BSD termcap). + set_tb_margin smgtb MT Sets both top and bottom + margins to #1, #2 + bit_image_repeat birep Xy Repeat bit image cell #1 #2 + times + bit_image_newline binel Zz Move to next row of the bit + image + bit_image_carriage_return bicr Yv Move to beginning of same row + color_names colornm Yw Give name for color #1 + define_bit_image_region defbi Yx Define rectangular bit image + region + end_bit_image_region endbi Yy End a bit-image region + set_color_band setcolor Yz Change to ribbon color #1 + set_page_length slines YZ Set page length to #1 lines + display_pc_char dispc S1 Display PC character #1 + enter_pc_charset_mode smpch S2 Enter PC character display + mode + exit_pc_charset_mode rmpch S3 Exit PC character display mode + enter_scancode_mode smsc S4 Enter PC scancode mode + exit_scancode_mode rmsc S5 Exit PC scancode mode + pc_term_options pctrm S6 PC terminal options + scancode_escape scesc S7 Escape for scancode emulation + alt_scancode_esc scesa S8 Alternate escape for scancode + emulation + + The XSI Curses standard added these hardcopy capabilities. They were + used in some post-4.1 versions of System V curses, e.g., Solaris 2.5 + and IRIX 6.x. Except for YI, the ncurses termcap names for them are + invented. According to the XSI Curses standard, they have no termcap + names. If your compiled terminfo entries use these, they may not be + binary-compatible with System V terminfo entries after SVr4.1; beware! + + Code + + String Capability Name TI TC Description + ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + enter_horizontal_hl_mode ehhlm Xh Enter horizontal highlight + mode + enter_left_hl_mode elhlm Xl Enter left highlight mode + enter_low_hl_mode elohlm Xo Enter low highlight mode + enter_right_hl_mode erhlm Xr Enter right highlight mode + enter_top_hl_mode ethlm Xt Enter top highlight mode + enter_vertical_hl_mode evhlm Xv Enter vertical highlight mode + set_a_attributes sgr1 sA Define second set of video + attributes #1-#6 + set_pglen_inch slength YI Set page length to #1 + hundredth of an inch (some + implementations use sL for + termcap). + + +
+ The preceding section listed the predefined capabilities. They deal + with some special features for terminals no longer (or possibly never) + produced. Occasionally there are special features of newer terminals + which are awkward or impossible to represent by reusing the predefined + capabilities. + + ncurses addresses this limitation by allowing user-defined + capabilities. The tic and infocmp programs provide the -x option for + this purpose. When -x is set, tic treats unknown capabilities as user- + defined. That is, if tic encounters a capability name which it does + not recognize, it infers its type (Boolean, number or string) from the + syntax and makes an extended table entry for that capability. The + use_extended_names(3x) function makes this information conditionally + available to applications. The ncurses library provides the data + leaving most of the behavior to applications: + + o User-defined capability strings whose name begins with "k" are + treated as function keys. + + o The types (Boolean, number, string) determined by tic can be + inferred by successful calls on tigetflag, etc. + + o If the capability name happens to be two characters, the capability + is also available through the termcap interface. + + While termcap is said to be extensible because it does not use a + predefined set of capabilities, in practice it has been limited to the + capabilities defined by terminfo implementations. As a rule, user- + defined capabilities intended for use by termcap applications should be + limited to Booleans and numbers to avoid running past the 1023 byte + limit assumed by termcap implementations and their applications. In + particular, providing extended sets of function keys (past the 60 + numbered keys and the handful of special named keys) is best done using + the longer names available using terminfo. + + The ncurses library uses a few of these user-defined capabilities, as + described in user_caps(5). Other user-defined capabilities (including + function keys) are described in the terminal database, in the section + on NCURSES USER-DEFINABLE CAPABILITIES + + +
+ The following entry, describing an ANSI-standard terminal, is + representative of what a terminfo entry for a modern terminal typically + looks like. ansi|ansi/pc-term compatible with color, am, mc5i, mir, msgr, @@ -1106,46 +1006,59 @@ smul=\E[4m, tbc=\E[3g, u6=\E[%i%d;%dR, u7=\E[6n, u8=\E[?%[;0123456789]c, u9=\E[c, vpa=\E[%i%p1%dd, - Entries may continue onto multiple lines by placing white - space at the beginning of each line except the first. - Comments may be included on lines beginning with "#". - Capabilities in terminfo are of three types: + Entries may continue onto multiple lines by placing white space at the + beginning of each line except the first. Comments may be included on + lines beginning with "#". Capabilities in terminfo are of three types: - o Boolean capabilities which indicate that the terminal - has some particular feature, + o Boolean capabilities which indicate that the terminal has some + particular feature, - o numeric capabilities giving the size of the terminal - or the size of particular delays, and + o numeric capabilities giving the size of the terminal or the size of + particular delays, and - o string capabilities, which give a sequence which can - be used to perform particular terminal operations. + o string capabilities, which give a sequence which can be used to + perform particular terminal operations. --
- All capabilities have names. For instance, the fact that - ANSI-standard terminals have automatic margins (i.e., an - automatic return and line-feed when the end of a line is - reached) is indicated by the capability am. Hence the - description of ansi includes am. Numeric capabilities are - followed by the character "#" and then a positive value. - Thus cols, which indicates the number of columns the ter- - minal has, gives the value "80" for ansi. Values for - numeric capabilities may be specified in decimal, octal or - hexadecimal, using the C programming language conventions - (e.g., 255, 0377 and 0xff or 0xFF). - - Finally, string valued capabilities, such as el (clear to - end of line sequence) are given by the two-character code, - an "=", and then a string ending at the next following - ",". - - A number of escape sequences are provided in the string - valued capabilities for easy encoding of characters there. - Both \E and \e map to an ESCAPE character, ^x maps to a - control-x for any appropriate x, and the sequences \n \l - \r \t \b \f \s give a newline, line-feed, return, tab, - backspace, form-feed, and space. Other escapes include +
+ All capabilities have names. For instance, the fact that ANSI-standard + terminals have automatic margins (i.e., an automatic return and line- + feed when the end of a line is reached) is indicated by the capability + am. Hence the description of ansi includes am. Numeric capabilities + are followed by the character "#" and then a positive value. Thus + cols, which indicates the number of columns the terminal has, gives the + value "80" for ansi. Values for numeric capabilities may be specified + in decimal, octal, or hexadecimal, using the C programming language + conventions (e.g., 255, 0377 and 0xff or 0xFF). + + Finally, string valued capabilities, such as el (clear to end of line + sequence) are given by the two-character code, an "=", and then a + string ending at the next following ",". + + A number of escape sequences are provided in the string valued + capabilities for easy encoding of characters there: + + o Both \E and \e map to an ESCAPE character, + + o ^x maps to a control-x for any appropriate x, and + + o the sequences + + \n, \l, \r, \t, \b, \f, and \s + + produce + + newline, line-feed, return, tab, backspace, form-feed, and space, + + respectively. + + X/Open Curses does not say what "appropriate x" might be. In practice, + that is a printable ASCII graphic character. The special case "^?" is + interpreted as DEL (127). In all other cases, the character value is + AND'd with 0x1f, mapping to ASCII control codes in the range 0 through + 31. + + Other escapes include o \^ for ^, @@ -1157,170 +1070,165 @@ o and \0 for null. - \0 will produce \200, which does not terminate a - string but behaves as a null character on most termi- - nals, providing CS7 is specified. See stty(1). - - The reason for this quirk is to maintain binary com- - patibility of the compiled terminfo files with other - implementations, e.g., the SVr4 systems, which docu- - ment this. Compiled terminfo files use null-termi- - nated strings, with no lengths. Modifying this would - require a new binary format, which would not work with - other implementations. - - Finally, characters may be given as three octal digits - after a \. - - A delay in milliseconds may appear anywhere in a string - capability, enclosed in $<..> brackets, as in el=\EK$<5>, - and padding characters are supplied by tputs to provide - this delay. The delay must be a number with at most one - decimal place of precision; it may be followed by suffixes - "*" or "/" or both. A "*" indicates that the padding - required is proportional to the number of lines affected - by the operation, and the amount given is the per- - affected-unit padding required. (In the case of insert - character, the factor is still the number of lines - affected.) Normally, padding is advisory if the device - has the xon capability; it is used for cost computation - but does not trigger delays. A "/" suffix indicates that - the padding is mandatory and forces a delay of the given - number of milliseconds even on devices for which xon is - present to indicate flow control. - - Sometimes individual capabilities must be commented out. - To do this, put a period before the capability name. For - example, see the second ind in the example above. + \0 will produce \200, which does not terminate a string but behaves + as a null character on most terminals, providing CS7 is specified. + See stty(1). + The reason for this quirk is to maintain binary compatibility of + the compiled terminfo files with other implementations, e.g., the + SVr4 systems, which document this. Compiled terminfo files use + null-terminated strings, with no lengths. Modifying this would + require a new binary format, which would not work with other + implementations. --
- The ncurses library searches for terminal descriptions in - several places. It uses only the first description found. - The library has a compiled-in list of places to search - which can be overridden by environment variables. Before - starting to search, ncurses eliminates duplicates in its - search list. - - o If the environment variable TERMINFO is set, it is - interpreted as the pathname of a directory containing - the compiled description you are working on. Only - that directory is searched. - - o If TERMINFO is not set, ncurses will instead look in - the directory $HOME/.terminfo for a compiled descrip- - tion. - - o Next, if the environment variable TERMINFO_DIRS is - set, ncurses will interpret the contents of that vari- - able as a list of colon-separated directories (or - database files) to be searched. - - An empty directory name (i.e., if the variable begins - or ends with a colon, or contains adjacent colons) is - interpreted as the system location /usr/share/ter- - minfo. - - o Finally, ncurses searches these compiled-in locations: - - o a list of directories - (/usr/local/ncurses/share/terminfo:/usr/share/ter- - minfo), and + Finally, characters may be given as three octal digits after a \. - o the system terminfo directory, /usr/share/terminfo - (the compiled-in default). + A delay in milliseconds may appear anywhere in a string capability, + enclosed in $<..> brackets, as in el=\EK$<5>, and padding characters + are supplied by tputs(3x) to provide this delay. + o The delay must be a number with at most one decimal place of + precision; it may be followed by suffixes "*" or "/" or both. --
- We now outline how to prepare descriptions of terminals. - The most effective way to prepare a terminal description - is by imitating the description of a similar terminal in - terminfo and to build up a description gradually, using - partial descriptions with vi or some other screen-oriented - program to check that they are correct. Be aware that a - very unusual terminal may expose deficiencies in the abil- - ity of the terminfo file to describe it or bugs in the - screen-handling code of the test program. - - To get the padding for insert line right (if the terminal - manufacturer did not document it) a severe test is to edit - a large file at 9600 baud, delete 16 or so lines from the - middle of the screen, then hit the "u" key several times - quickly. If the terminal messes up, more padding is usu- - ally needed. A similar test can be used for insert char- - acter. + o A "*" indicates that the padding required is proportional to the + number of lines affected by the operation, and the amount given is + the per-affected-unit padding required. (In the case of insert + character, the factor is still the number of lines affected.) + Normally, padding is advisory if the device has the xon capability; + it is used for cost computation but does not trigger delays. --
- The number of columns on each line for the terminal is - given by the cols numeric capability. If the terminal is - a CRT, then the number of lines on the screen is given by - the lines capability. If the terminal wraps around to the - beginning of the next line when it reaches the right mar- - gin, then it should have the am capability. If the termi- - nal can clear its screen, leaving the cursor in the home - position, then this is given by the clear string capabil- - ity. If the terminal overstrikes (rather than clearing a - position when a character is struck over) then it should - have the os capability. If the terminal is a printing - terminal, with no soft copy unit, give it both hc and os. - (os applies to storage scope terminals, such as TEKTRONIX - 4010 series, as well as hard copy and APL terminals.) If - there is a code to move the cursor to the left edge of the - current row, give this as cr. (Normally this will be car- - riage return, control M.) If there is a code to produce - an audible signal (bell, beep, etc) give this as bel. - - If there is a code to move the cursor one position to the - left (such as backspace) that capability should be given - as cub1. Similarly, codes to move to the right, up, and - down should be given as cuf1, cuu1, and cud1. These local - cursor motions should not alter the text they pass over, - for example, you would not normally use "cuf1= " because - the space would erase the character moved over. - - A very important point here is that the local cursor - motions encoded in terminfo are undefined at the left and - top edges of a CRT terminal. Programs should never - attempt to backspace around the left edge, unless bw is - given, and never attempt to go up locally off the top. In - order to scroll text up, a program will go to the bottom - left corner of the screen and send the ind (index) string. - - To scroll text down, a program goes to the top left corner - of the screen and sends the ri (reverse index) string. - The strings ind and ri are undefined when not on their - respective corners of the screen. - - Parameterized versions of the scrolling sequences are indn - and rin which have the same semantics as ind and ri except - that they take one parameter, and scroll that many lines. - They are also undefined except at the appropriate edge of - the screen. - - The am capability tells whether the cursor sticks at the - right edge of the screen when text is output, but this - does not necessarily apply to a cuf1 from the last column. - The only local motion which is defined from the left edge - is if bw is given, then a cub1 from the left edge will - move to the right edge of the previous row. If bw is not - given, the effect is undefined. This is useful for draw- - ing a box around the edge of the screen, for example. If - the terminal has switch selectable automatic margins, the - terminfo file usually assumes that this is on; i.e., am. - If the terminal has a command which moves to the first - column of the next line, that command can be given as nel - (newline). It does not matter if the command clears the - remainder of the current line, so if the terminal has no - cr and lf it may still be possible to craft a working nel - out of one or both of them. - - These capabilities suffice to describe hard-copy and - "glass-tty" terminals. Thus the model 33 teletype is - described as + o A "/" suffix indicates that the padding is mandatory and forces a + delay of the given number of milliseconds even on devices for which + xon is present to indicate flow control. + + Sometimes individual capabilities must be commented out. To do this, + put a period before the capability name. For example, see the second + ind in the example above. + + +
+ Terminal descriptions in ncurses are stored in terminal databases. + These databases, which are found by their pathname, may be configured + either as directory trees or hashed databases (see term(5)), + + The library uses a compiled-in list of pathnames, which can be + overridden by environment variables. Before starting to search, + ncurses checks the search list, eliminating duplicates and pathnames + where no terminal database is found. The ncurses library reads the + first description which passes its consistency checks. + + o The environment variable TERMINFO is checked first, for a terminal + database containing the terminal description. + + o Next, ncurses looks in $HOME/.terminfo for a compiled description. + + This is an optional feature which may be omitted entirely from the + library, or limited to prevent accidental use by privileged + applications. + + o Next, if the environment variable TERMINFO_DIRS is set, ncurses + interprets the contents of that variable as a list of colon- + separated pathnames of terminal databases to be searched. + + An empty pathname (i.e., if the variable begins or ends with a + colon, or contains adjacent colons) is interpreted as the system + location /usr/share/terminfo. + + o Finally, ncurses searches these compiled-in locations: + + o a list of directories (/usr/share/terminfo), and + + o the system terminfo directory, /usr/share/terminfo + + The TERMINFO variable can contain a terminal description instead of the + pathname of a terminal database. If this variable begins with "hex:" + or "b64:" then ncurses reads a terminal description from hexadecimal- + or base64-encoded data, and if that description matches the name + sought, will use that. This encoded data can be set using the "-Q" + option of tic or infocmp. + + The preceding addresses the usual configuration of ncurses, which uses + terminal descriptions prepared in terminfo format. While termcap is + less expressive, ncurses can also be configured to read termcap + descriptions. In that configuration, it checks the TERMCAP and + TERMPATH variables (for content and search path, respectively) after + the system terminal database. + + +
+ We now outline how to prepare descriptions of terminals. The most + effective way to prepare a terminal description is by imitating the + description of a similar terminal in terminfo and to build up a + description gradually, using partial descriptions with vi or some other + screen-oriented program to check that they are correct. Be aware that + a very unusual terminal may expose deficiencies in the ability of the + terminfo file to describe it or bugs in the screen-handling code of the + test program. + + To get the padding for insert line right (if the terminal manufacturer + did not document it) a severe test is to edit a large file at 9600 + baud, delete 16 or so lines from the middle of the screen, then hit the + "u" key several times quickly. If the terminal messes up, more padding + is usually needed. A similar test can be used for insert character. + + +
+ The number of columns on each line for the terminal is given by the + cols numeric capability. If the terminal is a CRT, then the number of + lines on the screen is given by the lines capability. If the terminal + wraps around to the beginning of the next line when it reaches the + right margin, then it should have the am capability. If the terminal + can clear its screen, leaving the cursor in the home position, then + this is given by the clear string capability. If the terminal + overstrikes (rather than clearing a position when a character is struck + over) then it should have the os capability. If the terminal is a + printing terminal, with no soft copy unit, give it both hc and os. (os + applies to storage scope terminals, such as TEKTRONIX 4010 series, as + well as hard copy and APL terminals.) If there is a code to move the + cursor to the left edge of the current line, give this as cr. + (Normally this will be carriage return, control/M.) If there is a code + to produce an audible signal (bell, beep, etc) give this as bel. + + If there is a code to move the cursor one position to the left (such as + backspace) that capability should be given as cub1. Similarly, codes + to move to the right, up, and down should be given as cuf1, cuu1, and + cud1. These local cursor motions should not alter the text they pass + over, for example, you would not normally use "cuf1= " because the + space would erase the character moved over. + + A very important point here is that the local cursor motions encoded in + terminfo are undefined at the left and top edges of a CRT terminal. + Programs should never attempt to backspace around the left edge, unless + bw is given, and never attempt to go up locally off the top. In order + to scroll text up, a program will go to the bottom left corner of the + screen and send the ind (index) string. + + To scroll text down, a program goes to the top left corner of the + screen and sends the ri (reverse index) string. The strings ind and ri + are undefined when not on their respective corners of the screen. + + Parameterized versions of the scrolling sequences are indn and rin + which have the same semantics as ind and ri except that they take one + parameter, and scroll that many lines. They are also undefined except + at the appropriate edge of the screen. + + The am capability tells whether the cursor sticks at the right edge of + the screen when text is output, but this does not necessarily apply to + a cuf1 from the last column. The only local motion which is defined + from the left edge is if bw is given, then a cub1 from the left edge + will move to the right edge of the previous line. If bw is not given, + the effect is undefined. This is useful for drawing a box around the + edge of the screen, for example. If the terminal has switch selectable + automatic margins, the terminfo file usually assumes that this is on; + i.e., am. If the terminal has a command which moves to the first + column of the next line, that command can be given as nel (newline). + It does not matter if the command clears the remainder of the current + line, so if the terminal has no cr and lf it may still be possible to + craft a working nel out of one or both of them. + + These capabilities suffice to describe hard-copy and "glass-tty" + terminals. Thus the model 33 teletype is described as 33|tty33|tty|model 33 teletype, bel=^G, cols#72, cr=^M, cud1=^J, hc, ind=^J, os, @@ -1332,24 +1240,21 @@ ind=^J, lines#24, --
- Cursor addressing and other strings requiring parameters - in the terminal are described by a parameterized string - capability, with printf-like escapes such as %x in it. - For example, to address the cursor, the cup capability is - given, using two parameters: the row and column to address - to. (Rows and columns are numbered from zero and refer to - the physical screen visible to the user, not to any unseen - memory.) If the terminal has memory relative cursor - addressing, that can be indicated by mrcup. - - The parameter mechanism uses a stack and special % codes - to manipulate it. Typically a sequence will push one of - the parameters onto the stack and then print it in some - format. Print (e.g., "%d") is a special case. Other - operations, including "%t" pop their operand from the - stack. It is noted that more complex operations are often +
+ Cursor addressing and other strings requiring parameters in the + terminal are described by a parameterized string capability, with + printf-like escapes such as %x in it. For example, to address the + cursor, the cup capability is given, using two parameters: the line and + column to address to. (Lines and columns are numbered from zero and + refer to the physical screen visible to the user, not to any unseen + memory.) If the terminal has memory relative cursor addressing, that + can be indicated by mrcup. + + The parameter mechanism uses a stack and special % codes to manipulate + it. Typically a sequence will push one of the parameters onto the + stack and then print it in some format. Print (e.g., "%d") is a + special case. Other operations, including "%t" pop their operand from + the stack. It is noted that more complex operations are often necessary, e.g., in the sgr string. The % encodings have the following meanings: @@ -1357,21 +1262,21 @@ %% outputs "%" %[[:]flags][width[.precision]][doxXs] - as in printf, flags are [-+#] and space. Use a ":" - to allow the next character to be a "-" flag, avoid- - ing interpreting "%-" as an operator. + as in printf(3), flags are [-+#] and space. Use a ":" to allow + the next character to be a "-" flag, avoiding interpreting "%-" as + an operator. - %c print pop() like %c in printf + %c print pop() like %c in printf - %s print pop() like %s in printf + %s print pop() like %s in printf %p[1-9] push i'th parameter %P[a-z] - set dynamic variable [a-z] to pop() + set dynamic variable [a-z] to pop() - %g[a-z]/ + %g[a-z] get dynamic variable [a-z] and push it %P[A-Z] @@ -1380,12 +1285,41 @@ %g[A-Z] get static variable [a-z] and push it - The terms "static" and "dynamic" are misleading. - Historically, these are simply two different sets of - variables, whose values are not reset between calls - to tparm. However, that fact is not documented in - other implementations. Relying on it will adversely - impact portability to other implementations. + The terms "static" and "dynamic" are misleading. Historically, + these are simply two different sets of variables, whose values are + not reset between calls to tparm(3x). However, that fact is not + documented in other implementations. Relying on it will adversely + impact portability to other implementations: + + o SVr2 curses supported dynamic variables. Those are set only + by a %P operator. A %g for a given variable without first + setting it with %P will give unpredictable results, because + dynamic variables are an uninitialized local array on the + stack in the tparm function. + + o SVr3.2 curses supported static variables. Those are an array + in the TERMINAL structure (declared in term.h), and are zeroed + automatically when the setupterm function allocates the data. + + o SVr4 curses made no further improvements to the dynamic/static + variable feature. + + o Solaris XPG4 curses does not distinguish between dynamic and + static variables. They are the same. Like SVr4 curses, XPG4 + curses does not initialize these explicitly. + + o Before version 6.3, ncurses stores both dynamic and static + variables in persistent storage, initialized to zeros. + + o Beginning with version 6.3, ncurses stores static and dynamic + variables in the same manner as SVr4. + + o Unlike other implementations, ncurses zeros dynamic + variables before the first %g or %P operator. + + o Like SVr2, the scope of dynamic variables in ncurses is + within the current call to tparm. Use static variables if + persistent storage is needed. %'c' char constant c @@ -1395,11 +1329,10 @@ %l push strlen(pop) %+, %-, %*, %/, %m - arithmetic (%m is mod): push(pop() op pop()) + arithmetic (%m is mod): push(pop() op pop()) %&, %|, %^ - bit operations (AND, OR and exclusive-OR): push(pop() - op pop()) + bit operations (AND, OR and exclusive-OR): push(pop() op pop()) %=, %>, %< logical operations: push(pop() op pop()) @@ -1408,419 +1341,474 @@ logical AND and OR operations (for conditionals) %!, %~ - unary operations (logical and bit complement): - push(op pop()) + unary operations (logical and bit complement): push(op pop()) %i add 1 to first two parameters (for ANSI terminals) %? expr %t thenpart %e elsepart %; - This forms an if-then-else. The %e elsepart is - optional. Usually the %? expr part pushes a value - onto the stack, and %t pops it from the stack, test- - ing if it is nonzero (true). If it is zero (false), - control passes to the %e (else) part. + This forms an if-then-else. The %e elsepart is optional. Usually + the %? expr part pushes a value onto the stack, and %t pops it + from the stack, testing if it is nonzero (true). If it is zero + (false), control passes to the %e (else) part. It is possible to form else-if's a la Algol 68: %? c1 %t b1 %e c2 %t b2 %e c3 %t b3 %e c4 %t b4 %e %; where ci are conditions, bi are bodies. - Use the -f option of tic or infocmp to see the struc- - ture of if-then-else's. Some strings, e.g., sgr can - be very complicated when written on one line. The -f - option splits the string into lines with the parts - indented. - - Binary operations are in postfix form with the operands in - the usual order. That is, to get x-5 one would use - "%gx%{5}%-". %P and %g variables are persistent across - escape-string evaluations. - - Consider the HP2645, which, to get to row 3 and column 12, - needs to be sent \E&a12c03Y padded for 6 milliseconds. - Note that the order of the rows and columns is inverted - here, and that the row and column are printed as two dig- - its. Thus its cup capability is "cup=6\E&%p2%2dc%p1%2dY". - - The Microterm ACT-IV needs the current row and column sent - preceded by a ^T, with the row and column simply encoded - in binary, "cup=^T%p1%c%p2%c". Terminals which use "%c" - need to be able to backspace the cursor (cub1), and to - move the cursor up one line on the screen (cuu1). This is - necessary because it is not always safe to transmit \n ^D - and \r, as the system may change or discard them. (The - library routines dealing with terminfo set tty modes so - that tabs are never expanded, so \t is safe to send. This - turns out to be essential for the Ann Arbor 4080.) - - A final example is the LSI ADM-3a, which uses row and col- - umn offset by a blank character, thus "cup=\E=%p1%' - '%+%c%p2%' '%+%c". After sending "\E=", this pushes the - first parameter, pushes the ASCII value for a space (32), - adds them (pushing the sum on the stack in place of the - two previous values) and outputs that value as a charac- - ter. Then the same is done for the second parameter. - More complex arithmetic is possible using the stack. - - --
- If the terminal has a fast way to home the cursor (to very - upper left corner of screen) then this can be given as - home; similarly a fast way of getting to the lower left- - hand corner can be given as ll; this may involve going up - with cuu1 from the home position, but a program should - never do this itself (unless ll does) because it can make - no assumption about the effect of moving up from the home - position. Note that the home position is the same as - addressing to (0,0): to the top left corner of the screen, - not of memory. (Thus, the \EH sequence on HP terminals - cannot be used for home.) - - If the terminal has row or column absolute cursor address- - ing, these can be given as single parameter capabilities - hpa (horizontal position absolute) and vpa (vertical posi- - tion absolute). Sometimes these are shorter than the more - general two parameter sequence (as with the hp2645) and - can be used in preference to cup. If there are parameter- - ized local motions (e.g., move n spaces to the right) - these can be given as cud, cub, cuf, and cuu with a single - parameter indicating how many spaces to move. These are - primarily useful if the terminal does not have cup, such - as the TEKTRONIX 4025. - - If the terminal needs to be in a special mode when running - a program that uses these capabilities, the codes to enter - and exit this mode can be given as smcup and rmcup. This - arises, for example, from terminals like the Concept with - more than one page of memory. If the terminal has only - memory relative cursor addressing and not screen relative - cursor addressing, a one screen-sized window must be fixed - into the terminal for cursor addressing to work properly. - This is also used for the TEKTRONIX 4025, where smcup sets - the command character to be the one used by terminfo. If - the smcup sequence will not restore the screen after an - rmcup sequence is output (to the state prior to outputting - rmcup), specify nrrmc. - - --
- If the terminal can clear from the current position to the - end of the line, leaving the cursor where it is, this - should be given as el. If the terminal can clear from the - beginning of the line to the current position inclusive, - leaving the cursor where it is, this should be given as - el1. If the terminal can clear from the current position - to the end of the display, then this should be given as - ed. Ed is only defined from the first column of a line. - (Thus, it can be simulated by a request to delete a large - number of lines, if a true ed is not available.) - - --
- If the terminal can open a new blank line before the line - where the cursor is, this should be given as il1; this is - done only from the first position of a line. The cursor - must then appear on the newly blank line. If the terminal - can delete the line which the cursor is on, then this - should be given as dl1; this is done only from the first - position on the line to be deleted. Versions of il1 and - dl1 which take a single parameter and insert or delete - that many lines can be given as il and dl. - - If the terminal has a settable scrolling region (like the - vt100) the command to set this can be described with the - csr capability, which takes two parameters: the top and - bottom lines of the scrolling region. The cursor position - is, alas, undefined after using this command. - - It is possible to get the effect of insert or delete line - using csr on a properly chosen region; the sc and rc (save - and restore cursor) commands may be useful for ensuring - that your synthesized insert/delete string does not move - the cursor. (Note that the ncurses(3x) library does this - synthesis automatically, so you need not compose + Use the -f option of tic or infocmp to see the structure of if- + then-else's. Some strings, e.g., sgr can be very complicated when + written on one line. The -f option splits the string into lines + with the parts indented. + + Binary operations are in postfix form with the operands in the usual + order. That is, to get x-5 one would use "%gx%{5}%-". %P and %g + variables are persistent across escape-string evaluations. + + Consider the HP2645, which, to get to line 3 and column 12, needs to be + sent \E&a12c03Y padded for 6 milliseconds. The order of the lines and + columns is inverted here, and the lines and column are printed as two + digits. The corresponding terminal description is expressed thus: + cup=\E&a%p2%dc%p1%dY$<6>, + + The Microterm ACT-IV needs the current line and column sent preceded by + a ^T, with the line and column simply encoded in binary, + cup=^T%p1%c%p2%c + + Terminals which use "%c" need to be able to backspace the cursor + (cub1), and to move the cursor up one line on the screen (cuu1). This + is necessary because it is not always safe to transmit \n ^D and \r, as + the system may change or discard them. (The library routines dealing + with terminfo set tty modes so that tabs are never expanded, so \t is + safe to send. This turns out to be essential for the Ann Arbor 4080.) + + A final example is the LSI ADM-3a, which uses line and column offset by + a blank character, thus + cup=\E=%p1%' '%+%c%p2%' '%+%c + + After sending "\E=", this pushes the first parameter, pushes the ASCII + value for a space (32), adds them (pushing the sum on the stack in + place of the two previous values) and outputs that value as a + character. Then the same is done for the second parameter. More + complex arithmetic is possible using the stack. + + +
+ If the terminal has a fast way to home the cursor (to very upper left + corner of screen) then this can be given as home; similarly a fast way + of getting to the lower left-hand corner can be given as ll; this may + involve going up with cuu1 from the home position, but a program should + never do this itself (unless ll does) because it can make no assumption + about the effect of moving up from the home position. Note that the + home position is the same as addressing to (0,0): to the top left + corner of the screen, not of memory. (Thus, the \EH sequence on HP + terminals cannot be used for home.) + + If the terminal has line or column absolute cursor addressing, these + can be given as single parameter capabilities hpa (horizontal position + absolute) and vpa (vertical position absolute). Sometimes these are + shorter than the more general two parameter sequence (as with the + hp2645) and can be used in preference to cup. If there are + parameterized local motions (e.g., move n spaces to the right) these + can be given as cud, cub, cuf, and cuu with a single parameter + indicating how many spaces to move. These are primarily useful if the + terminal does not have cup, such as the TEKTRONIX 4025. + + If the terminal needs to be in a special mode when running a program + that uses these capabilities, the codes to enter and exit this mode can + be given as smcup and rmcup. This arises, for example, from terminals + like the Concept with more than one page of memory. If the terminal + has only memory relative cursor addressing and not screen relative + cursor addressing, a one screen-sized window must be fixed into the + terminal for cursor addressing to work properly. This is also used for + the TEKTRONIX 4025, where smcup sets the command character to be the + one used by terminfo. If the smcup sequence will not restore the + screen after an rmcup sequence is output (to the state prior to + outputting rmcup), specify nrrmc. + + +
+ SVr4 (and X/Open Curses) list several string capabilities for setting + margins. Two were intended for use with terminals, and another six + were intended for use with printers. + + o The two terminal capabilities assume that the terminal may have the + capability of setting the left and/or right margin at the current + cursor column position. + + o The printer capabilities assume that the printer may have two types + of capability: + + o the ability to set a top and/or bottom margin using the current + line position, and + + o parameterized capabilities for setting the top, bottom, left, + right margins given the number of lines or columns. + + In practice, the categorization into "terminal" and "printer" is not + suitable: + + o The AT&T SVr4 terminal database uses smgl four times, for AT&T + hardware. + + Three of the four are printers. They lack the ability to set + left/right margins by specifying the column. + + o Other (non-AT&T) terminals may support margins but using different + assumptions from AT&T. + + For instance, the DEC VT420 supports left/right margins, but only + using a column parameter. As an added complication, the VT420 uses + two settings to fully enable left/right margins (left/right margin + mode, and origin mode). The former enables the margins, which + causes printed text to wrap within margins, but the latter is + needed to prevent cursor-addressing outside those margins. + + o Both DEC VT420 left/right margins are set with a single control + sequence. If either is omitted, the corresponding margin is set to + the left or right edge of the display (rather than leaving the + margin unmodified). + + These are the margin-related capabilities: + + Name Description + --------------------------------------------------- + smgl Set left margin at current column + smgr Set right margin at current column + smgb Set bottom margin at current line + smgt Set top margin at current line + smgbp Set bottom margin at line N + smglp Set left margin at column N + smgrp Set right margin at column N + smgtp Set top margin at line N + smglr Set both left and right margins to L and R + smgtb Set both top and bottom margins to T and B + + When writing an application that uses these string capabilities, the + pairs should be first checked to see if each capability in the pair is + set or only one is set: + + o If both smglp and smgrp are set, each is used with a single + argument, N, that gives the column number of the left and right + margin, respectively. + + o If both smgtp and smgbp are set, each is used to set the top and + bottom margin, respectively: + + o smgtp is used with a single argument, N, the line number of the + top margin. + + o smgbp is used with two arguments, N and M, that give the line + number of the bottom margin, the first counting from the top of + the page and the second counting from the bottom. This + accommodates the two styles of specifying the bottom margin in + different manufacturers' printers. + + When designing a terminfo entry for a printer that has a settable + bottom margin, only the first or second argument should be used, + depending on the printer. When developing an application that uses + smgbp to set the bottom margin, both arguments must be given. + + Conversely, when only one capability in the pair is set: + + o If only one of smglp and smgrp is set, then it is used with two + arguments, the column number of the left and right margins, in that + order. + + o Likewise, if only one of smgtp and smgbp is set, then it is used + with two arguments that give the top and bottom margins, in that + order, counting from the top of the page. + + When designing a terminfo entry for a printer that requires setting + both left and right or top and bottom margins simultaneously, only + one capability in the pairs smglp and smgrp or smgtp and smgbp + should be defined, leaving the other unset. + + Except for very old terminal descriptions, e.g., those developed for + SVr4, the scheme just described should be considered obsolete. An + improved set of capabilities was added late in the SVr4 releases (smglr + and smgtb), which explicitly use two parameters for setting the + left/right or top/bottom margins. + + When setting margins, the line- and column-values are zero-based. + + The mgc string capability should be defined. Applications such as + tabs(1) rely upon this to reset all margins. + + +
+ If the terminal can clear from the current position to the end of the + line, leaving the cursor where it is, this should be given as el. If + the terminal can clear from the beginning of the line to the current + position inclusive, leaving the cursor where it is, this should be + given as el1. If the terminal can clear from the current position to + the end of the display, then this should be given as ed. Ed is only + defined from the first column of a line. (Thus, it can be simulated by + a request to delete a large number of lines, if a true ed is not + available.) + + +
+ If the terminal can open a new blank line before the line where the + cursor is, this should be given as il1; this is done only from the + first position of a line. The cursor must then appear on the newly + blank line. If the terminal can delete the line which the cursor is + on, then this should be given as dl1; this is done only from the first + position on the line to be deleted. Versions of il1 and dl1 which take + a single parameter and insert or delete that many lines can be given as + il and dl. + + If the terminal has a settable scrolling region (like the vt100) the + command to set this can be described with the csr capability, which + takes two parameters: the top and bottom lines of the scrolling region. + The cursor position is, alas, undefined after using this command. + + It is possible to get the effect of insert or delete line using csr on + a properly chosen region; the sc and rc (save and restore cursor) + commands may be useful for ensuring that your synthesized insert/delete + string does not move the cursor. (Note that the ncurses(3x) library + does this synthesis automatically, so you need not compose insert/delete strings for an entry with csr). - Yet another way to construct insert and delete might be to - use a combination of index with the memory-lock feature - found on some terminals (like the HP-700/90 series, which - however also has insert/delete). - - Inserting lines at the top or bottom of the screen can - also be done using ri or ind on many terminals without a - true insert/delete line, and is often faster even on ter- - minals with those features. - - The boolean non_dest_scroll_region should be set if each - scrolling window is effectively a view port on a screen- - sized canvas. To test for this capability, create a - scrolling region in the middle of the screen, write some- - thing to the bottom line, move the cursor to the top of - the region, and do ri followed by dl1 or ind. If the data - scrolled off the bottom of the region by the ri re- - appears, then scrolling is non-destructive. System V and - XSI Curses expect that ind, ri, indn, and rin will simu- - late destructive scrolling; their documentation cautions - you not to define csr unless this is true. This curses - implementation is more liberal and will do explicit erases - after scrolling if ndstr is defined. - - If the terminal has the ability to define a window as part - of memory, which all commands affect, it should be given - as the parameterized string wind. The four parameters are - the starting and ending lines in memory and the starting - and ending columns in memory, in that order. - - If the terminal can retain display memory above, then the - da capability should be given; if display memory can be - retained below, then db should be given. These indicate - that deleting a line or scrolling may bring non-blank - lines up from below or that scrolling back with ri may + Yet another way to construct insert and delete might be to use a + combination of index with the memory-lock feature found on some + terminals (like the HP-700/90 series, which however also has + insert/delete). + + Inserting lines at the top or bottom of the screen can also be done + using ri or ind on many terminals without a true insert/delete line, + and is often faster even on terminals with those features. + + The Boolean non_dest_scroll_region should be set if each scrolling + window is effectively a view port on a screen-sized canvas. To test + for this capability, create a scrolling region in the middle of the + screen, write something to the bottom line, move the cursor to the top + of the region, and do ri followed by dl1 or ind. If the data scrolled + off the bottom of the region by the ri re-appears, then scrolling is + non-destructive. System V and X/Open Curses expect that ind, ri, indn, + and rin will simulate destructive scrolling; their documentation + cautions you not to define csr unless this is true. This curses + implementation is more liberal and will do explicit erases after + scrolling if ndsrc is defined. + + If the terminal has the ability to define a window as part of memory, + which all commands affect, it should be given as the parameterized + string wind. The four parameters are the starting and ending lines in + memory and the starting and ending columns in memory, in that order. + + If the terminal can retain display memory above, then the da capability + should be given; if display memory can be retained below, then db + should be given. These indicate that deleting a line or scrolling may + bring non-blank lines up from below or that scrolling back with ri may bring down non-blank lines. --
- There are two basic kinds of intelligent terminals with - respect to insert/delete character which can be described - using terminfo. The most common insert/delete character - operations affect only the characters on the current line - and shift characters off the end of the line rigidly. - Other terminals, such as the Concept 100 and the Perkin - Elmer Owl, make a distinction between typed and untyped - blanks on the screen, shifting upon an insert or delete - only to an untyped blank on the screen which is either - eliminated, or expanded to two untyped blanks. - - You can determine the kind of terminal you have by clear- - ing the screen and then typing text separated by cursor - motions. Type "abc def" using local cursor motions - (not spaces) between the "abc" and the "def". Then posi- - tion the cursor before the "abc" and put the terminal in - insert mode. If typing characters causes the rest of the - line to shift rigidly and characters to fall off the end, - then your terminal does not distinguish between blanks and - untyped positions. If the "abc" shifts over to the "def" - which then move together around the end of the current - line and onto the next as you insert, you have the second - type of terminal, and should give the capability in, which +
+ There are two basic kinds of intelligent terminals with respect to + insert/delete character which can be described using terminfo. The + most common insert/delete character operations affect only the + characters on the current line and shift characters off the end of the + line rigidly. Other terminals, such as the Concept 100 and the Perkin + Elmer Owl, make a distinction between typed and untyped blanks on the + screen, shifting upon an insert or delete only to an untyped blank on + the screen which is either eliminated, or expanded to two untyped + blanks. + + You can determine the kind of terminal you have by clearing the screen + and then typing text separated by cursor motions. Type "abc def" + using local cursor motions (not spaces) between the "abc" and the + "def". Then position the cursor before the "abc" and put the terminal + in insert mode. If typing characters causes the rest of the line to + shift rigidly and characters to fall off the end, then your terminal + does not distinguish between blanks and untyped positions. If the + "abc" shifts over to the "def" which then move together around the end + of the current line and onto the next as you insert, you have the + second type of terminal, and should give the capability in, which stands for "insert null". - While these are two logically separate attributes (one - line versus multi-line insert mode, and special treatment - of untyped spaces) we have seen no terminals whose insert - mode cannot be described with the single attribute. - - Terminfo can describe both terminals which have an insert - mode, and terminals which send a simple sequence to open a - blank position on the current line. Give as smir the - sequence to get into insert mode. Give as rmir the - sequence to leave insert mode. Now give as ich1 any - sequence needed to be sent just before sending the charac- - ter to be inserted. Most terminals with a true insert - mode will not give ich1; terminals which send a sequence - to open a screen position should give it here. - - If your terminal has both, insert mode is usually prefer- - able to ich1. Technically, you should not give both - unless the terminal actually requires both to be used in - combination. Accordingly, some non-curses applications - get confused if both are present; the symptom is doubled - characters in an update using insert. This requirement is - now rare; most ich sequences do not require previous smir, - and most smir insert modes do not require ich1 before each - character. Therefore, the new curses actually assumes - this is the case and uses either rmir/smir or ich/ich1 as - appropriate (but not both). If you have to write an entry - to be used under new curses for a terminal old enough to - need both, include the rmir/smir sequences in ich1. - - If post insert padding is needed, give this as a number of - milliseconds in ip (a string option). Any other sequence - which may need to be sent after an insert of a single - character may also be given in ip. If your terminal needs - both to be placed into an "insert mode" and a special code - to precede each inserted character, then both smir/rmir - and ich1 can be given, and both will be used. The ich - capability, with one parameter, n, will repeat the effects - of ich1 n times. - - If padding is necessary between characters typed while not - in insert mode, give this as a number of milliseconds pad- - ding in rmp. - - It is occasionally necessary to move around while in - insert mode to delete characters on the same line (e.g., - if there is a tab after the insertion position). If your - terminal allows motion while in insert mode you can give - the capability mir to speed up inserting in this case. - Omitting mir will affect only speed. Some terminals - (notably Datamedia's) must not have mir because of the way - their insert mode works. - - Finally, you can specify dch1 to delete a single charac- - ter, dch with one parameter, n, to delete n characters, - and delete mode by giving smdc and rmdc to enter and exit - delete mode (any mode the terminal needs to be placed in - for dch1 to work). - - A command to erase n characters (equivalent to outputting - n blanks without moving the cursor) can be given as ech - with one parameter. - - --
- If your terminal has one or more kinds of display - attributes, these can be represented in a number of dif- - ferent ways. You should choose one display form as stand- - out mode, representing a good, high contrast, easy-on-the- - eyes, format for highlighting error messages and other - attention getters. (If you have a choice, reverse video - plus half-bright is good, or reverse video alone.) The - sequences to enter and exit standout mode are given as - smso and rmso, respectively. If the code to change into - or out of standout mode leaves one or even two blank spa- - ces on the screen, as the TVI 912 and Teleray 1061 do, - then xmc should be given to tell how many spaces are left. - - Codes to begin underlining and end underlining can be - given as smul and rmul respectively. If the terminal has - a code to underline the current character and move the - cursor one space to the right, such as the Microterm Mime, - this can be given as uc. - - Other capabilities to enter various highlighting modes - include blink (blinking) bold (bold or extra bright) dim - (dim or half-bright) invis (blanking or invisible text) - prot (protected) rev (reverse video) sgr0 (turn off all - attribute modes) smacs (enter alternate character set - mode) and rmacs (exit alternate character set mode). - Turning on any of these modes singly may or may not turn - off other modes. - - If there is a sequence to set arbitrary combinations of - modes, this should be given as sgr (set attributes), tak- - ing 9 parameters. Each parameter is either 0 or nonzero, - as the corresponding attribute is on or off. The 9 param- - eters are, in order: standout, underline, reverse, blink, - dim, bold, blank, protect, alternate character set. Not - all modes need be supported by sgr, only those for which + While these are two logically separate attributes (one line versus + multi-line insert mode, and special treatment of untyped spaces) we + have seen no terminals whose insert mode cannot be described with the + single attribute. + + Terminfo can describe both terminals which have an insert mode, and + terminals which send a simple sequence to open a blank position on the + current line. Give as smir the sequence to get into insert mode. Give + as rmir the sequence to leave insert mode. Now give as ich1 any + sequence needed to be sent just before sending the character to be + inserted. Most terminals with a true insert mode will not give ich1; + terminals which send a sequence to open a screen position should give + it here. + + If your terminal has both, insert mode is usually preferable to ich1. + Technically, you should not give both unless the terminal actually + requires both to be used in combination. Accordingly, some non-curses + applications get confused if both are present; the symptom is doubled + characters in an update using insert. This requirement is now rare; + most ich sequences do not require previous smir, and most smir insert + modes do not require ich1 before each character. Therefore, the new + curses actually assumes this is the case and uses either rmir/smir or + ich/ich1 as appropriate (but not both). If you have to write an entry + to be used under new curses for a terminal old enough to need both, + include the rmir/smir sequences in ich1. + + If post insert padding is needed, give this as a number of milliseconds + in ip (a string option). Any other sequence which may need to be sent + after an insert of a single character may also be given in ip. If your + terminal needs both to be placed into an "insert mode" and a special + code to precede each inserted character, then both smir/rmir and ich1 + can be given, and both will be used. The ich capability, with one + parameter, n, will repeat the effects of ich1 n times. + + If padding is necessary between characters typed while not in insert + mode, give this as a number of milliseconds padding in rmp. + + It is occasionally necessary to move around while in insert mode to + delete characters on the same line (e.g., if there is a tab after the + insertion position). If your terminal allows motion while in insert + mode you can give the capability mir to speed up inserting in this + case. Omitting mir will affect only speed. Some terminals (notably + Datamedia's) must not have mir because of the way their insert mode + works. + + Finally, you can specify dch1 to delete a single character, dch with + one parameter, n, to delete ncharacters, and delete mode by giving smdc + and rmdc to enter and exit delete mode (any mode the terminal needs to + be placed in for dch1 to work). + + A command to erase n characters (equivalent to outputting n blanks + without moving the cursor) can be given as ech with one parameter. + + +
+ If your terminal has one or more kinds of display attributes, these can + be represented in a number of different ways. You should choose one + display form as standout mode, representing a good, high contrast, + easy-on-the-eyes, format for highlighting error messages and other + attention getters. (If you have a choice, reverse video plus half- + bright is good, or reverse video alone.) The sequences to enter and + exit standout mode are given as smso and rmso, respectively. If the + code to change into or out of standout mode leaves one or even two + blank spaces on the screen, as the TVI 912 and Teleray 1061 do, then + xmc should be given to tell how many spaces are left. + + Codes to begin underlining and end underlining can be given as smul and + rmul respectively. If the terminal has a code to underline the current + character and move the cursor one space to the right, such as the + Microterm Mime, this can be given as uc. + + Other capabilities to enter various highlighting modes include blink + (blinking) bold (bold or extra bright) dim (dim or half-bright) invis + (blanking or invisible text) prot (protected) rev (reverse video) sgr0 + (turn off all attribute modes) smacs (enter alternate character set + mode) and rmacs (exit alternate character set mode). Turning on any of + these modes singly may or may not turn off other modes. + + If there is a sequence to set arbitrary combinations of modes, this + should be given as sgr (set attributes), taking 9 parameters. Each + parameter is either zero (0) or nonzero, as the corresponding attribute + is on or off. The 9 parameters are, in order: standout, underline, + reverse, blink, dim, bold, blank, protect, alternate character set. + Not all modes need be supported by sgr, only those for which corresponding separate attribute commands exist. For example, the DEC vt220 supports most of the modes: - tparm parameter attribute escape sequence - - none none \E[0m - p1 standout \E[0;1;7m - p2 underline \E[0;4m - p3 reverse \E[0;7m - p4 blink \E[0;5m - p5 dim not available - p6 bold \E[0;1m - p7 invis \E[0;8m - p8 protect not used - p9 altcharset ^O (off) ^N (on) - - We begin each escape sequence by turning off any existing - modes, since there is no quick way to determine whether - they are active. Standout is set up to be the combination - of reverse and bold. The vt220 terminal has a protect - mode, though it is not commonly used in sgr because it - protects characters on the screen from the host's era- - sures. The altcharset mode also is different in that it - is either ^O or ^N, depending on whether it is off or on. - If all modes are turned on, the resulting sequence is - \E[0;1;4;5;7;8m^N. - - Some sequences are common to different modes. For exam- - ple, ;7 is output when either p1 or p3 is true, that is, - if either standout or reverse modes are turned on. - - Writing out the above sequences, along with their depen- - dencies yields - - sequence when to output terminfo translation - - \E[0 always \E[0 - ;1 if p1 or p6 %?%p1%p6%|%t;1%; - ;4 if p2 %?%p2%|%t;4%; - ;5 if p4 %?%p4%|%t;5%; - ;7 if p1 or p3 %?%p1%p3%|%t;7%; - ;8 if p7 %?%p7%|%t;8%; - m always m - ^N or ^O if p9 ^N, else ^O %?%p9%t^N%e^O%; + tparm Parameter Attribute Escape Sequence + ------------------------------------------------ + none none \E[0m + p1 standout \E[0;1;7m + p2 underline \E[0;4m + p3 reverse \E[0;7m + p4 blink \E[0;5m + p5 dim not available + p6 bold \E[0;1m + p7 invis \E[0;8m + p8 protect not used + p9 altcharset ^O (off) ^N (on) + + We begin each escape sequence by turning off any existing modes, since + there is no quick way to determine whether they are active. Standout + is set up to be the combination of reverse and bold. The vt220 + terminal has a protect mode, though it is not commonly used in sgr + because it protects characters on the screen from the host's erasures. + The altcharset mode also is different in that it is either ^O or ^N, + depending on whether it is off or on. If all modes are turned on, the + resulting sequence is \E[0;1;4;5;7;8m^N. + + Some sequences are common to different modes. For example, ;7 is + output when either p1 or p3 is true, that is, if either standout or + reverse modes are turned on. + + Writing out the above sequences, along with their dependencies yields + + Sequence When to Output terminfo Translation + ---------------------------------------------------- + \E[0 always \E[0 + ;1 if p1 or p6 %?%p1%p6%|%t;1%; + ;4 if p2 %?%p2%|%t;4%; + ;5 if p4 %?%p4%|%t;5%; + ;7 if p1 or p3 %?%p1%p3%|%t;7%; + ;8 if p7 %?%p7%|%t;8%; + m always m + ^N or ^O if p9 ^N, else ^O %?%p9%t^N%e^O%; Putting this all together into the sgr sequence gives: sgr=\E[0%?%p1%p6%|%t;1%;%?%p2%t;4%;%?%p4%t;5%; %?%p1%p3%|%t;7%;%?%p7%t;8%;m%?%p9%t\016%e\017%;, - Remember that if you specify sgr, you must also specify - sgr0. Also, some implementations rely on sgr being given - if sgr0 is, Not all terminfo entries necessarily have an - sgr string, however. Many terminfo entries are derived - from termcap entries which have no sgr string. The only - drawback to adding an sgr string is that termcap also - assumes that sgr0 does not exit alternate character set - mode. - - Terminals with the "magic cookie" glitch (xmc) deposit - special "cookies" when they receive mode-setting - sequences, which affect the display algorithm rather than - having extra bits for each character. Some terminals, - such as the HP 2621, automatically leave standout mode - when they move to a new line or the cursor is addressed. - Programs using standout mode should exit standout mode - before moving the cursor or sending a newline, unless the - msgr capability, asserting that it is safe to move in - standout mode, is present. - - If the terminal has a way of flashing the screen to indi- - cate an error quietly (a bell replacement) then this can - be given as flash; it must not move the cursor. - - If the cursor needs to be made more visible than normal - when it is not on the bottom line (to make, for example, a - non-blinking underline into an easier to find block or - blinking underline) give this sequence as cvvis. If there - is a way to make the cursor completely invisible, give - that as civis. The capability cnorm should be given which - undoes the effects of both of these modes. - - If your terminal correctly generates underlined characters - (with no special codes needed) even though it does not - overstrike, then you should give the capability ul. If a - character overstriking another leaves both characters on - the screen, specify the capability os. If overstrikes are - erasable with a blank, then this should be indicated by + Remember that if you specify sgr, you must also specify sgr0. Also, + some implementations rely on sgr being given if sgr0 is, Not all + terminfo entries necessarily have an sgr string, however. Many + terminfo entries are derived from termcap entries which have no sgr + string. The only drawback to adding an sgr string is that termcap also + assumes that sgr0 does not exit alternate character set mode. + + Terminals with the "magic cookie" glitch (xmc) deposit special + "cookies" when they receive mode-setting sequences, which affect the + display algorithm rather than having extra bits for each character. + Some terminals, such as the HP 2621, automatically leave standout mode + when they move to a new line or the cursor is addressed. Programs + using standout mode should exit standout mode before moving the cursor + or sending a newline, unless the msgr capability, asserting that it is + safe to move in standout mode, is present. + + If the terminal has a way of flashing the screen to indicate an error + quietly (a bell replacement) then this can be given as flash; it must + not move the cursor. + + If the cursor needs to be made more visible than normal when it is not + on the bottom line (to make, for example, a non-blinking underline into + an easier to find block or blinking underline) give this sequence as + cvvis. If there is a way to make the cursor completely invisible, give + that as civis. The capability cnorm should be given which undoes the + effects of both of these modes. + + If your terminal correctly generates underlined characters (with no + special codes needed) even though it does not overstrike, then you + should give the capability ul. If a character overstriking another + leaves both characters on the screen, specify the capability os. If + overstrikes are erasable with a blank, then this should be indicated by giving eo. --
- If the terminal has a keypad that transmits codes when the - keys are pressed, this information can be given. Note - that it is not possible to handle terminals where the key- - pad only works in local (this applies, for example, to the - unshifted HP 2621 keys). If the keypad can be set to - transmit or not transmit, give these codes as smkx and - rmkx. Otherwise the keypad is assumed to always transmit. - - The codes sent by the left arrow, right arrow, up arrow, - down arrow, and home keys can be given as kcub1, kcuf1, - kcuu1, kcud1, and khome respectively. If there are func- - tion keys such as f0, f1, ..., f10, the codes they send - can be given as kf0, kf1, ..., kf10. If these keys have - labels other than the default f0 through f10, the labels - can be given as lf0, lf1, ..., lf10. - - The codes transmitted by certain other special keys can be - given: +
+ If the terminal has a keypad that transmits codes when the keys are + pressed, this information can be given. Note that it is not possible + to handle terminals where the keypad only works in local (this applies, + for example, to the unshifted HP 2621 keys). If the keypad can be set + to transmit or not transmit, give these codes as smkx and rmkx. + Otherwise the keypad is assumed to always transmit. + + The codes sent by the left arrow, right arrow, up arrow, down arrow, + and home keys can be given as kcub1, kcuf1, kcuu1, kcud1, and khome + respectively. If there are function keys such as f0, f1, ..., f10, the + codes they send can be given as kf0, kf1, ..., kf10. If these keys + have labels other than the default f0 through f10, the labels can be + given as lf0, lf1, ..., lf10. + + The codes transmitted by certain other special keys can be given: o kll (home down), @@ -1856,70 +1844,77 @@ o khts (set a tab stop in this column). - In addition, if the keypad has a 3 by 3 array of keys - including the four arrow keys, the other five keys can be - given as ka1, ka3, kb2, kc1, and kc3. These keys are use- - ful when the effects of a 3 by 3 directional pad are - needed. - - Strings to program function keys can be given as pfkey, - pfloc, and pfx. A string to program screen labels should - be specified as pln. Each of these strings takes two - parameters: the function key number to program (from 0 to - 10) and the string to program it with. Function key num- - bers out of this range may program undefined keys in a - terminal dependent manner. The difference between the - capabilities is that pfkey causes pressing the given key - to be the same as the user typing the given string; pfloc - causes the string to be executed by the terminal in local; - and pfx causes the string to be transmitted to the com- - puter. - - The capabilities nlab, lw and lh define the number of pro- - grammable screen labels and their width and height. If - there are commands to turn the labels on and off, give - them in smln and rmln. smln is normally output after one - or more pln sequences to make sure that the change becomes - visible. + In addition, if the keypad has a 3 by 3 array of keys including the + four arrow keys, the other five keys can be given as ka1, ka3, kb2, + kc1, and kc3. These keys are useful when the effects of a 3 by 3 + directional pad are needed. + Strings to program function keys can be given as pfkey, pfloc, and pfx. + A string to program screen labels should be specified as pln. Each of + these strings takes two parameters: the function key number to program + (from 0 to 10) and the string to program it with. Function key numbers + out of this range may program undefined keys in a terminal dependent + manner. The difference between the capabilities is that pfkey causes + pressing the given key to be the same as the user typing the given + string; pfloc causes the string to be executed by the terminal in + local; and pfx causes the string to be transmitted to the computer. --
- If the terminal has hardware tabs, the command to advance - to the next tab stop can be given as ht (usually control - I). A "back-tab" command which moves leftward to the pre- - ceding tab stop can be given as cbt. By convention, if - the teletype modes indicate that tabs are being expanded - by the computer rather than being sent to the terminal, - programs should not use ht or cbt even if they are - present, since the user may not have the tab stops prop- - erly set. If the terminal has hardware tabs which are - initially set every n spaces when the terminal is powered - up, the numeric parameter it is given, showing the number - of spaces the tabs are set to. This is normally used by - the tset command to determine whether to set the mode for - hardware tab expansion, and whether to set the tab stops. - If the terminal has tab stops that can be saved in non- - volatile memory, the terminfo description can assume that - they are properly set. - - Other capabilities include is1, is2, and is3, initializa- - tion strings for the terminal, iprog, the path name of a - program to be run to initialize the terminal, and if, the - name of a file containing long initialization strings. - These strings are expected to set the terminal into modes - consistent with the rest of the terminfo description. - They are normally sent to the terminal, by the init option - of the tput program, each time the user logs in. They - will be printed in the following order: + The capabilities nlab, lw and lh define the number of programmable + screen labels and their width and height. If there are commands to + turn the labels on and off, give them in smln and rmln. smln is + normally output after one or more pln sequences to make sure that the + change becomes visible. + + +
+ A few capabilities are used only for tabs: + + o If the terminal has hardware tabs, the command to advance to the + next tab stop can be given as ht (usually control/I). + + o A "back-tab" command which moves leftward to the preceding tab stop + can be given as cbt. + + By convention, if the teletype modes indicate that tabs are being + expanded by the computer rather than being sent to the terminal, + programs should not use ht or cbt even if they are present, since + the user may not have the tab stops properly set. + + o If the terminal has hardware tabs which are initially set every n + spaces when the terminal is powered up, the numeric parameter it is + given, showing the number of spaces the tabs are set to. + + The it capability is normally used by the tset command to determine + whether to set the mode for hardware tab expansion, and whether to + set the tab stops. If the terminal has tab stops that can be saved + in non-volatile memory, the terminfo description can assume that + they are properly set. + + Other capabilities include + + o is1, is2, and is3, initialization strings for the terminal, + + o iprog, the path name of a program to be run to initialize the + terminal, + + o and if, the name of a file containing long initialization strings. + + These strings are expected to set the terminal into modes consistent + with the rest of the terminfo description. They are normally sent to + the terminal, by the init option of the tput program, each time the + user logs in. They will be printed in the following order: run the program iprog - output is1 is2 + output + is1 and + is2 set the margins using - mgc, smgl and smgr + mgc or + smglp and smgrp or + smgl and smgr set tabs using tbc and hts @@ -1927,607 +1922,572 @@ print the file if - and finally - output is3. - - Most initialization is done with is2. Special terminal - modes can be set up without duplicating strings by putting - the common sequences in is2 and special cases in is1 and - is3. - - A set of sequences that does a harder reset from a totally - unknown state can be given as rs1, rs2, rf and rs3, analo- - gous to is1 , is2 , if and is3 respectively. These - strings are output by the reset program, which is used - when the terminal gets into a wedged state. Commands are - normally placed in rs1, rs2 rs3 and rf only if they pro- - duce annoying effects on the screen and are not necessary - when logging in. For example, the command to set the - vt100 into 80-column mode would normally be part of is2, - but it causes an annoying glitch of the screen and is not - normally needed since the terminal is usually already in - 80 column mode. - - The reset program writes strings including iprog, etc., in - the same order as the init program, using rs1, etc., - instead of is1, etc. If any of rs1, rs2, rs3, or rf reset - capability strings are missing, the reset program falls - back upon the corresponding initialization capability - string. - - If there are commands to set and clear tab stops, they can - be given as tbc (clear all tab stops) and hts (set a tab - stop in the current column of every row). If a more com- - plex sequence is needed to set the tabs than can be - described by this, the sequence can be placed in is2 or - if. + and finally output + is3. + + Most initialization is done with is2. Special terminal modes can be + set up without duplicating strings by putting the common sequences in + is2 and special cases in is1 and is3. + + A set of sequences that does a harder reset from a totally unknown + state can be given as rs1, rs2, rf and rs3, analogous to is1 , is2 , if + and is3 respectively. These strings are output by reset option of + tput, or by the reset program (an alias of tset), which is used when + the terminal gets into a wedged state. Commands are normally placed in + rs1, rs2 rs3 and rf only if they produce annoying effects on the screen + and are not necessary when logging in. For example, the command to set + the vt100 into 80-column mode would normally be part of is2, but it + causes an annoying glitch of the screen and is not normally needed + since the terminal is usually already in 80-column mode. + + The reset program writes strings including iprog, etc., in the same + order as the init program, using rs1, etc., instead of is1, etc. If + any of rs1, rs2, rs3, or rf reset capability strings are missing, the + reset program falls back upon the corresponding initialization + capability string. + + If there are commands to set and clear tab stops, they can be given as + tbc (clear all tab stops) and hts (set a tab stop in the current column + of every line). If a more complex sequence is needed to set the tabs + than can be described by this, the sequence can be placed in is2 or if. + + The tput reset command uses the same capability strings as the reset + command, although the two programs (tput and reset) provide different + command-line options. + + In practice, these terminfo capabilities are not often used in + initialization of tabs (though they are required for the tabs program): + + o Almost all hardware terminals (at least those which supported tabs) + initialized those to every eight columns: + + The only exception was the AT&T 2300 series, which set tabs to + every five columns. + + o In particular, developers of the hardware terminals which are + commonly used as models for modern terminal emulators provided + documentation demonstrating that eight columns were the standard. + + o Because of this, the terminal initialization programs tput and tset + use the tbc (clear_all_tabs) and hts (set_tab) capabilities + directly only when the it (init_tabs) capability is set to a value + other than eight. + + +
+ Many older and slower terminals do not support either XON/XOFF or DTR + handshaking, including hard copy terminals and some very archaic CRTs + (including, for example, DEC VT100s). These may require padding + characters after certain cursor motions and screen changes. + + If the terminal uses xon/xoff handshaking for flow control (that is, it + automatically emits ^S back to the host when its input buffers are + close to full), set xon. This capability suppresses the emission of + padding. You can also set it for memory-mapped console devices + effectively that do not have a speed limit. Padding information should + still be included so that routines can make better decisions about + relative costs, but actual pad characters will not be transmitted. + + If pb (padding baud rate) is given, padding is suppressed at baud rates + below the value of pb. If the entry has no padding baud rate, then + whether padding is emitted or not is completely controlled by xon. + + If the terminal requires other than a null (zero) character as a pad, + then this can be given as pad. Only the first character of the pad + string is used. + + +
+ Some terminals have an extra "status line" which is not normally used + by software (and thus not counted in the terminal's lines capability). + + The simplest case is a status line which is cursor-addressable but not + part of the main scrolling region on the screen; the Heathkit H19 has a + status line of this kind, as would a 24-line VT100 with a 23-line + scrolling region set up on initialization. This situation is indicated + by the hs capability. + + Some terminals with status lines need special sequences to access the + status line. These may be expressed as a string with single parameter + tsl which takes the cursor to a given zero-origin column on the status + line. The capability fsl must return to the main-screen cursor + positions before the last tsl. You may need to embed the string values + of sc (save cursor) and rc (restore cursor) in tsl and fsl to + accomplish this. + + The status line is normally assumed to be the same width as the width + of the terminal. If this is untrue, you can specify it with the + numeric capability wsl. + + A command to erase or blank the status line may be specified as dsl. + + The Boolean capability eslok specifies that escape sequences, tabs, + etc., work ordinarily in the status line. + + The ncurses implementation does not yet use any of these capabilities. + They are documented here in case they ever become important. + + +
+ Many terminals have alternate character sets useful for forms-drawing. + Terminfo and curses have built-in support for most of the drawing + characters supported by the VT100, with some characters from the AT&T + 4410v1 added. This alternate character set may be specified by the + acsc capability. + + acsc + ACS Name Value Symbol ASCII Fallback / Glyph Name + ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + ACS_RARROW 0x2b + > arrow pointing right + ACS_LARROW 0x2c , < arrow pointing left + ACS_UARROW 0x2d - ^ arrow pointing up + ACS_DARROW 0x2e . v arrow pointing down + ACS_BLOCK 0x30 0 # solid square block + ACS_DIAMOND 0x60 ` + diamond + ACS_CKBOARD 0x61 a : checker board (stipple) + ACS_DEGREE 0x66 f \ degree symbol + ACS_PLMINUS 0x67 g # plus/minus + ACS_BOARD 0x68 h # board of squares + ACS_LANTERN 0x69 i # lantern symbol + ACS_LRCORNER 0x6a j + lower right corner + + ACS_URCORNER 0x6b k + upper right corner + ACS_ULCORNER 0x6c l + upper left corner + ACS_LLCORNER 0x6d m + lower left corner + ACS_PLUS 0x6e n + large plus or crossover + ACS_S1 0x6f o ~ scan line 1 + ACS_S3 0x70 p - scan line 3 + ACS_HLINE 0x71 q - horizontal line + ACS_S7 0x72 r - scan line 7 + ACS_S9 0x73 s _ scan line 9 + ACS_LTEE 0x74 t + tee pointing right + ACS_RTEE 0x75 u + tee pointing left + ACS_BTEE 0x76 v + tee pointing up + ACS_TTEE 0x77 w + tee pointing down + ACS_VLINE 0x78 x | vertical line + ACS_LEQUAL 0x79 y < less-than-or-equal-to + ACS_GEQUAL 0x7a z > greater-than-or-equal-to + ACS_PI 0x7b { * greek pi + ACS_NEQUAL 0x7c | ! not-equal + ACS_STERLING 0x7d } f UK pound sign + ACS_BULLET 0x7e ~ o bullet + + A few notes apply to the table itself: + + o X/Open Curses incorrectly states that the mapping for lantern is + uppercase "I" although Unix implementations use the lowercase "i" + mapping. + + o The DEC VT100 implemented graphics using the alternate character + set feature, temporarily switching modes and sending characters in + the range 0x60 (96) to 0x7e (126) (the acsc Value column in the + table). + + o The AT&T terminal added graphics characters outside that range. + + Some of the characters within the range do not match the VT100; + presumably they were used in the AT&T terminal: board of squares + replaces the VT100 newline symbol, while lantern symbol replaces + the VT100 vertical tab symbol. The other VT100 symbols for control + characters (horizontal tab, carriage return and line-feed) are not + (re)used in curses. + + The best way to define a new device's graphics set is to add a column + to a copy of this table for your terminal, giving the character which + (when emitted between smacs/rmacs switches) will be rendered as the + corresponding graphic. Then read off the VT100/your terminal character + pairs right to left in sequence; these become the ACSC string. + + +
+ The curses library functions init_pair and init_color manipulate the + color pairs and color values discussed in this section (see + curs_color(3x) for details on these and related functions). + + Most color terminals are either "Tektronix-like" or "HP-like": + + o Tektronix-like terminals have a predefined set of N colors (where N + is usually 8), and can set character-cell foreground and background + characters independently, mixing them into N * N color pairs. + + o On HP-like terminals, the user must set each color pair up + separately (foreground and background are not independently + settable). Up to M color pairs may be set up from 2*M different + colors. ANSI-compatible terminals are Tektronix-like. + + Some basic color capabilities are independent of the color method. The + numeric capabilities colors and pairs specify the maximum numbers of + colors and color pairs that can be displayed simultaneously. The op + (original pair) string resets foreground and background colors to their + default values for the terminal. The oc string resets all colors or + color pairs to their default values for the terminal. Some terminals + (including many PC terminal emulators) erase screen areas with the + current background color rather than the power-up default background; + these should have the Boolean capability bce. + + While the curses library works with color pairs (reflecting the + inability of some devices to set foreground and background colors + independently), there are separate capabilities for setting these + features: + + o To change the current foreground or background color on a + Tektronix-type terminal, use setaf (set ANSI foreground) and setab + (set ANSI background) or setf (set foreground) and setb (set + background). These take one parameter, the color number. The SVr4 + documentation describes only setaf/setab; the XPG4 draft says that + "If the terminal supports ANSI escape sequences to set background + and foreground, they should be coded as setaf and setab, + respectively. + + o If the terminal supports other escape sequences to set background + and foreground, they should be coded as setf and setb, + respectively. The vidputs and the refresh(3x) functions use the + setaf and setab capabilities if they are defined. + + The setaf/setab and setf/setb capabilities take a single numeric + argument each. Argument values 0-7 of setaf/setab are portably defined + as follows (the middle column is the symbolic #define available in the + header for the curses or ncurses libraries). The terminal hardware is + free to map these as it likes, but the RGB values indicate normal + locations in color space. + Color #define Value RGB + ------------------------------------------------ + black COLOR_BLACK 0 0, 0, 0 + red COLOR_RED 1 max, 0, 0 + green COLOR_GREEN 2 0, max, 0 + yellow COLOR_YELLOW 3 max, max, 0 + blue COLOR_BLUE 4 0, 0, max + magenta COLOR_MAGENTA 5 max, 0, max + cyan COLOR_CYAN 6 0, max, max + white COLOR_WHITE 7 max, max, max + + The argument values of setf/setb historically correspond to a different + mapping, i.e., + + Color #define Value RGB + ------------------------------------------------ + black COLOR_BLACK 0 0, 0, 0 + blue COLOR_BLUE 1 0, 0, max + green COLOR_GREEN 2 0, max, 0 + cyan COLOR_CYAN 3 0, max, max + red COLOR_RED 4 max, 0, 0 + magenta COLOR_MAGENTA 5 max, 0, max + yellow COLOR_YELLOW 6 max, max, 0 + white COLOR_WHITE 7 max, max, max + + It is important to not confuse the two sets of color capabilities; + otherwise red/blue will be interchanged on the display. + + On an HP-like terminal, use scp with a color pair number parameter to + set which color pair is current. + + Some terminals allow the color values to be modified: + + o On a Tektronix-like terminal, the capability ccc may be present to + indicate that colors can be modified. If so, the initc capability + will take a color number (0 to colors - 1)and three more parameters + which describe the color. These three parameters default to being + interpreted as RGB (Red, Green, Blue) values. If the Boolean + capability hls is present, they are instead as HLS (Hue, Lightness, + Saturation) indices. The ranges are terminal-dependent. + + o On an HP-like terminal, initp may give a capability for changing a + color pair value. It will take seven parameters; a color pair + number (0 to max_pairs - 1), and two triples describing first + background and then foreground colors. These parameters must be + (Red, Green, Blue) or (Hue, Lightness, Saturation) depending on + hls. + + On some color terminals, colors collide with highlights. You can + register these collisions with the ncv capability. This is a bit mask + of attributes not to be used when colors are enabled. The + correspondence with the attributes understood by curses is as follows: + + Attribute Bit Decimal Set by + -------------------------------------- + A_STANDOUT 0 1 sgr + A_UNDERLINE 1 2 sgr + A_REVERSE 2 4 sgr + A_BLINK 3 8 sgr + A_DIM 4 16 sgr + A_BOLD 5 32 sgr + A_INVIS 6 64 sgr + A_PROTECT 7 128 sgr + A_ALTCHARSET 8 256 sgr + A_HORIZONTAL 9 512 sgr1 + A_LEFT 10 1024 sgr1 + A_LOW 11 2048 sgr1 + A_RIGHT 12 4096 sgr1 + A_TOP 13 8192 sgr1 + A_VERTICAL 14 16384 sgr1 + A_ITALIC 15 32768 sitm + + For example, on many IBM PC consoles, the underline attribute collides + with the foreground color blue and is not available in color mode. + These should have an ncv capability of 2. + + SVr4 curses does nothing with ncv, ncurses recognizes it and optimizes + the output in favor of colors. + + +
+ If the terminal requires other than a null (zero) character as a pad, + then this can be given as pad. Only the first character of the pad + string is used. If the terminal does not have a pad character, specify + npc. Note that ncurses implements the termcap-compatible PC variable; + though the application may set this value to something other than a + null, ncurses will test npc first and use napms if the terminal has no + pad character. + + If the terminal can move up or down half a line, this can be indicated + with hu (half-line up) and hd (half-line down). This is primarily + useful for superscripts and subscripts on hard-copy terminals. If a + hard-copy terminal can eject to the next page (form feed), give this as + ff (usually control/L). + + If there is a command to repeat a given character a given number of + times (to save time transmitting a large number of identical + characters) this can be indicated with the parameterized string rep. + The first parameter is the character to be repeated and the second is + the number of times to repeat it. Thus, tparm(repeat_char, 'x', 10) is + the same as "xxxxxxxxxx". --
- Many older and slower terminals do not support either - XON/XOFF or DTR handshaking, including hard copy terminals - and some very archaic CRTs (including, for example, DEC - VT100s). These may require padding characters after cer- - tain cursor motions and screen changes. - - If the terminal uses xon/xoff handshaking for flow control - (that is, it automatically emits ^S back to the host when - its input buffers are close to full), set xon. This capa- - bility suppresses the emission of padding. You can also - set it for memory-mapped console devices effectively that - do not have a speed limit. Padding information should - still be included so that routines can make better deci- - sions about relative costs, but actual pad characters will - not be transmitted. - - If pb (padding baud rate) is given, padding is suppressed - at baud rates below the value of pb. If the entry has no - padding baud rate, then whether padding is emitted or not - is completely controlled by xon. - - If the terminal requires other than a null (zero) charac- - ter as a pad, then this can be given as pad. Only the - first character of the pad string is used. + If the terminal has a settable command character, such as the TEKTRONIX + 4025, this can be indicated with cmdch. A prototype command character + is chosen which is used in all capabilities. This character is given + in the cmdch capability to identify it. The following convention is + supported on some Unix systems: The environment is to be searched for a + CC variable, and if found, all occurrences of the prototype character + are replaced with the character in the environment variable. + + Terminal descriptions that do not represent a specific kind of known + terminal, such as switch, dialup, patch, and network, should include + the gn (generic) capability so that programs can complain that they do + not know how to talk to the terminal. (This capability does not apply + to virtual terminal descriptions for which the escape sequences are + known.) + + If the terminal has a "meta key" which acts as a shift key, setting the + 8th bit of any character transmitted, this fact can be indicated with + km. Otherwise, software will assume that the 8th bit is parity and it + will usually be cleared. If strings exist to turn this "meta mode" on + and off, they can be given as smm and rmm. + If the terminal has more lines of memory than will fit on the screen at + once, the number of lines of memory can be indicated with lm. A value + of lm#0 indicates that the number of lines is not fixed, but that there + is still more memory than fits on the screen. --
- Some terminals have an extra "status line" which is not - normally used by software (and thus not counted in the - terminal's lines capability). - - The simplest case is a status line which is cursor- - addressable but not part of the main scrolling region on - the screen; the Heathkit H19 has a status line of this - kind, as would a 24-line VT100 with a 23-line scrolling - region set up on initialization. This situation is indi- - cated by the hs capability. - - Some terminals with status lines need special sequences to - access the status line. These may be expressed as a - string with single parameter tsl which takes the cursor to - a given zero-origin column on the status line. The capa- - bility fsl must return to the main-screen cursor positions - before the last tsl. You may need to embed the string - values of sc (save cursor) and rc (restore cursor) in tsl - and fsl to accomplish this. - - The status line is normally assumed to be the same width - as the width of the terminal. If this is untrue, you can - specify it with the numeric capability wsl. - - A command to erase or blank the status line may be speci- - fied as dsl. - - The boolean capability eslok specifies that escape - sequences, tabs, etc., work ordinarily in the status line. - - The ncurses implementation does not yet use any of these - capabilities. They are documented here in case they ever - become important. + If the terminal is one of those supported by the Unix virtual terminal + protocol, the terminal number can be given as vt. + Media copy strings which control an auxiliary printer connected to the + terminal can be given as mc0: print the contents of the screen, mc4: + turn off the printer, and mc5: turn on the printer. When the printer + is on, all text sent to the terminal will be sent to the printer. It + is undefined whether the text is also displayed on the terminal screen + when the printer is on. A variation mc5p takes one parameter, and + leaves the printer on for as many characters as the value of the + parameter, then turns the printer off. The parameter should not exceed + 255. All text, including mc4, is transparently passed to the printer + while an mc5p is in effect. --
- Many terminals have alternate character sets useful for - forms-drawing. Terminfo and curses build in support for - the drawing characters supported by the VT100, with some - characters from the AT&T 4410v1 added. This alternate - character set may be specified by the acsc capability. - - Glyph ACS Ascii VT100 - Name Name Default Name - UK pound sign ACS_STERLING f } - arrow pointing down ACS_DARROW v . - arrow pointing left ACS_LARROW < , - arrow pointing right ACS_RARROW > + - arrow pointing up ACS_UARROW ^ - - board of squares ACS_BOARD # h - bullet ACS_BULLET o ~ - checker board (stipple) ACS_CKBOARD : a - degree symbol ACS_DEGREE \ f - diamond ACS_DIAMOND + ` - greater-than-or-equal-to ACS_GEQUAL > z - greek pi ACS_PI * { - horizontal line ACS_HLINE - q - lantern symbol ACS_LANTERN # i - large plus or crossover ACS_PLUS + n - less-than-or-equal-to ACS_LEQUAL < y - lower left corner ACS_LLCORNER + m - lower right corner ACS_LRCORNER + j - not-equal ACS_NEQUAL ! | - plus/minus ACS_PLMINUS # g - scan line 1 ACS_S1 ~ o - scan line 3 ACS_S3 - p - scan line 7 ACS_S7 - r - scan line 9 ACS_S9 _ s - solid square block ACS_BLOCK # 0 - tee pointing down ACS_TTEE + w - tee pointing left ACS_RTEE + u - tee pointing right ACS_LTEE + t - tee pointing up ACS_BTEE + v - upper left corner ACS_ULCORNER + l - upper right corner ACS_URCORNER + k - vertical line ACS_VLINE | x - - The best way to define a new device's graphics set is to - add a column to a copy of this table for your terminal, - giving the character which (when emitted between - smacs/rmacs switches) will be rendered as the correspond- - ing graphic. Then read off the VT100/your terminal char- - acter pairs right to left in sequence; these become the - ACSC string. +
+ Hazeltine terminals, which do not allow "~" characters to be displayed + should indicate hz. --
- Most color terminals are either "Tektronix-like" or "HP- - like". Tektronix-like terminals have a predefined set of - N colors (where N usually 8), and can set character-cell - foreground and background characters independently, mixing - them into N * N color-pairs. On HP-like terminals, the - use must set each color pair up separately (foreground and - background are not independently settable). Up to M - color-pairs may be set up from 2*M different colors. - ANSI-compatible terminals are Tektronix-like. - - Some basic color capabilities are independent of the color - method. The numeric capabilities colors and pairs specify - the maximum numbers of colors and color-pairs that can be - displayed simultaneously. The op (original pair) string - resets foreground and background colors to their default - values for the terminal. The oc string resets all colors - or color-pairs to their default values for the terminal. - Some terminals (including many PC terminal emulators) - erase screen areas with the current background color - rather than the power-up default background; these should - have the boolean capability bce. - - To change the current foreground or background color on a - Tektronix-type terminal, use setaf (set ANSI foreground) - and setab (set ANSI background) or setf (set foreground) - and setb (set background). These take one parameter, the - color number. The SVr4 documentation describes only - setaf/setab; the XPG4 draft says that "If the terminal - supports ANSI escape sequences to set background and fore- - ground, they should be coded as setaf and setab, respec- - tively. If the terminal supports other escape sequences - to set background and foreground, they should be coded as - setf and setb, respectively. The vidputs() function and - the refresh functions use setaf and setab if they are - defined." - - The setaf/setab and setf/setb capabilities take a single - numeric argument each. Argument values 0-7 of setaf/setab - are portably defined as follows (the middle column is the - symbolic #define available in the header for the curses or - ncurses libraries). The terminal hardware is free to map - these as it likes, but the RGB values indicate normal - locations in color space. + Terminals which ignore a line-feed immediately after an am wrap, such + as the Concept and vt100, should indicate xenl. - Color #define Value RGB - black COLOR_BLACK 0 0, 0, 0 - red COLOR_RED 1 max,0,0 - green COLOR_GREEN 2 0,max,0 - yellow COLOR_YELLOW 3 max,max,0 - blue COLOR_BLUE 4 0,0,max - magenta COLOR_MAGENTA 5 max,0,max - cyan COLOR_CYAN 6 0,max,max - white COLOR_WHITE 7 max,max,max - - The argument values of setf/setb historically correspond - to a different mapping, i.e., - - Color #define Value RGB - black COLOR_BLACK 0 0, 0, 0 - blue COLOR_BLUE 1 0,0,max - green COLOR_GREEN 2 0,max,0 - cyan COLOR_CYAN 3 0,max,max - red COLOR_RED 4 max,0,0 - magenta COLOR_MAGENTA 5 max,0,max - yellow COLOR_YELLOW 6 max,max,0 - white COLOR_WHITE 7 max,max,max - - It is important to not confuse the two sets of color capa- - bilities; otherwise red/blue will be interchanged on the - display. - - On an HP-like terminal, use scp with a color-pair number - parameter to set which color pair is current. - - On a Tektronix-like terminal, the capability ccc may be - present to indicate that colors can be modified. If so, - the initc capability will take a color number (0 to colors - - 1)and three more parameters which describe the color. - These three parameters default to being interpreted as RGB - (Red, Green, Blue) values. If the boolean capability hls - is present, they are instead as HLS (Hue, Lightness, Satu- - ration) indices. The ranges are terminal-dependent. - - On an HP-like terminal, initp may give a capability for - changing a color-pair value. It will take seven parame- - ters; a color-pair number (0 to max_pairs - 1), and two - triples describing first background and then foreground - colors. These parameters must be (Red, Green, Blue) or - (Hue, Lightness, Saturation) depending on hls. - - On some color terminals, colors collide with highlights. - You can register these collisions with the ncv capability. - This is a bit-mask of attributes not to be used when col- - ors are enabled. The correspondence with the attributes - understood by curses is as follows: - - Attribute Bit Decimal Set by - A_STANDOUT 0 1 sgr - A_UNDERLINE 1 2 sgr - A_REVERSE 2 4 sgr - A_BLINK 3 8 sgr - A_DIM 4 16 sgr - A_BOLD 5 32 sgr - A_INVIS 6 64 sgr - A_PROTECT 7 128 sgr - A_ALTCHARSET 8 256 sgr - A_HORIZONTAL 9 512 sgr1 - A_LEFT 10 1024 sgr1 - A_LOW 11 2048 sgr1 - A_RIGHT 12 4096 sgr1 - A_TOP 13 8192 sgr1 - A_VERTICAL 14 16384 sgr1 - A_ITALIC 15 32768 sitm - - For example, on many IBM PC consoles, the underline - attribute collides with the foreground color blue and is - not available in color mode. These should have an ncv - capability of 2. - - SVr4 curses does nothing with ncv, ncurses recognizes it - and optimizes the output in favor of colors. + If el is required to get rid of standout (instead of merely writing + normal text on top of it), xhp should be given. + Teleray terminals, where tabs turn all characters moved over to blanks, + should indicate xt (destructive tabs). Note: the variable indicating + this is now "dest_tabs_magic_smso"; in older versions, it was + teleray_glitch. This glitch is also taken to mean that it is not + possible to position the cursor on top of a "magic cookie", that to + erase standout mode it is instead necessary to use delete and insert + line. The ncurses implementation ignores this glitch. --
- If the terminal requires other than a null (zero) charac- - ter as a pad, then this can be given as pad. Only the - first character of the pad string is used. If the termi- - nal does not have a pad character, specify npc. Note that - ncurses implements the termcap-compatible PC variable; - though the application may set this value to something - other than a null, ncurses will test npc first and use - napms if the terminal has no pad character. - - If the terminal can move up or down half a line, this can - be indicated with hu (half-line up) and hd (half-line - down). This is primarily useful for superscripts and sub- - scripts on hard-copy terminals. If a hard-copy terminal - can eject to the next page (form feed), give this as ff - (usually control L). - - If there is a command to repeat a given character a given - number of times (to save time transmitting a large number - of identical characters) this can be indicated with the - parameterized string rep. The first parameter is the - character to be repeated and the second is the number of - times to repeat it. Thus, tparm(repeat_char, 'x', 10) is - the same as "xxxxxxxxxx". + The Beehive Superbee, which is unable to correctly transmit the escape + or control/C characters, has xsb, indicating that the f1 key is used + for escape and f2 for control/C. (Only certain Superbees have this + problem, depending on the ROM.) Note that in older terminfo versions, + this capability was called "beehive_glitch"; it is now "no_esc_ctl_c". - If the terminal has a settable command character, such as - the TEKTRONIX 4025, this can be indicated with cmdch. A - prototype command character is chosen which is used in all - capabilities. This character is given in the cmdch capa- - bility to identify it. The following convention is sup- - ported on some UNIX systems: The environment is to be - searched for a CC variable, and if found, all occurrences - of the prototype character are replaced with the character - in the environment variable. - - Terminal descriptions that do not represent a specific - kind of known terminal, such as switch, dialup, patch, and - network, should include the gn (generic) capability so - that programs can complain that they do not know how to - talk to the terminal. (This capability does not apply to - virtual terminal descriptions for which the escape - sequences are known.) - - If the terminal has a "meta key" which acts as a shift - key, setting the 8th bit of any character transmitted, - this fact can be indicated with km. Otherwise, software - will assume that the 8th bit is parity and it will usually - be cleared. If strings exist to turn this "meta mode" on - and off, they can be given as smm and rmm. + Other specific terminal problems may be corrected by adding more + capabilities of the form xx. - If the terminal has more lines of memory than will fit on - the screen at once, the number of lines of memory can be - indicated with lm. A value of lm#0 indicates that the - number of lines is not fixed, but that there is still more - memory than fits on the screen. - - If the terminal is one of those supported by the UNIX vir- - tual terminal protocol, the terminal number can be given - as vt. - - Media copy strings which control an auxiliary printer con- - nected to the terminal can be given as mc0: print the con- - tents of the screen, mc4: turn off the printer, and mc5: - turn on the printer. When the printer is on, all text - sent to the terminal will be sent to the printer. It is - undefined whether the text is also displayed on the termi- - nal screen when the printer is on. A variation mc5p takes - one parameter, and leaves the printer on for as many char- - acters as the value of the parameter, then turns the - printer off. The parameter should not exceed 255. All - text, including mc4, is transparently passed to the - printer while an mc5p is in effect. +
+ Long terminfo entries are unlikely to be a problem; to date, no entry + has even approached terminfo's 4096-byte string-table maximum. + Unfortunately, the termcap translations are much more strictly limited + (to 1023 bytes), thus termcap translations of long terminfo entries can + cause problems. --
- Hazeltine terminals, which do not allow "~" characters to - be displayed should indicate hz. - - Terminals which ignore a line-feed immediately after an am - wrap, such as the Concept and vt100, should indicate xenl. - - If el is required to get rid of standout (instead of - merely writing normal text on top of it), xhp should be - given. - - Teleray terminals, where tabs turn all characters moved - over to blanks, should indicate xt (destructive tabs). - Note: the variable indicating this is now - "dest_tabs_magic_smso"; in older versions, it was tel- - eray_glitch. This glitch is also taken to mean that it is - not possible to position the cursor on top of a "magic - cookie", that to erase standout mode it is instead neces- - sary to use delete and insert line. The ncurses implemen- - tation ignores this glitch. - - The Beehive Superbee, which is unable to correctly trans- - mit the escape or control C characters, has xsb, indicat- - ing that the f1 key is used for escape and f2 for control - C. (Only certain Superbees have this problem, depending - on the ROM.) Note that in older terminfo versions, this - capability was called "beehive_glitch"; it is now - "no_esc_ctl_c". - - Other specific terminal problems may be corrected by - adding more capabilities of the form xx. + The man pages for 4.3BSD and older versions of tgetent instruct the + user to allocate a 1024-byte buffer for the termcap entry. The entry + gets null-terminated by the termcap library, so that makes the maximum + safe length for a termcap entry 1k-1 (1023) bytes. Depending on what + the application and the termcap library being used does, and where in + the termcap file the terminal type that tgetent is searching for is, + several bad things can happen: + o some termcap libraries print a warning message, --
- If there are two very similar terminals, one (the variant) - can be defined as being just like the other (the base) - with certain exceptions. In the definition of the vari- - ant, the string capability use can be given with the name - of the base terminal. The capabilities given before use - override those in the base type named by use. If there - are multiple use capabilities, they are merged in reverse - order. That is, the rightmost use reference is processed - first, then the one to its left, and so forth. Capabili- - ties given explicitly in the entry override those brought - in by use references. - - A capability can be canceled by placing xx@ to the left of - the use reference that imports it, where xx is the capa- - bility. For example, the entry + o some exit if they find an entry that's longer than 1023 bytes, - 2621-nl, smkx@, rmkx@, use=2621, + o some neither exit nor warn, doing nothing useful, and - defines a 2621-nl that does not have the smkx or rmkx - capabilities, and hence does not turn on the function key - labels when in visual mode. This is useful for different - modes for a terminal, or for different user preferences. + o some simply truncate the entries to 1023 bytes. + Some application programs allocate more than the recommended 1K for the + termcap entry; others do not. --
- Long terminfo entries are unlikely to be a problem; to - date, no entry has even approached terminfo's 4096-byte - string-table maximum. Unfortunately, the termcap transla- - tions are much more strictly limited (to 1023 bytes), thus - termcap translations of long terminfo entries can cause - problems. - - The man pages for 4.3BSD and older versions of tgetent() - instruct the user to allocate a 1024-byte buffer for the - termcap entry. The entry gets null-terminated by the - termcap library, so that makes the maximum safe length for - a termcap entry 1k-1 (1023) bytes. Depending on what the - application and the termcap library being used does, and - where in the termcap file the terminal type that tgetent() - is searching for is, several bad things can happen. - - Some termcap libraries print a warning message or exit if - they find an entry that's longer than 1023 bytes; others - do not; others truncate the entries to 1023 bytes. Some - application programs allocate more than the recommended 1K - for the termcap entry; others do not. - - Each termcap entry has two important sizes associated with - it: before "tc" expansion, and after "tc" expansion. "tc" - is the capability that tacks on another termcap entry to - the end of the current one, to add on its capabilities. - If a termcap entry does not use the "tc" capability, then - of course the two lengths are the same. - - The "before tc expansion" length is the most important - one, because it affects more than just users of that par- - ticular terminal. This is the length of the entry as it - exists in /etc/termcap, minus the backslash-newline pairs, - which tgetent() strips out while reading it. Some termcap - libraries strip off the final newline, too (GNU termcap - does not). Now suppose: - - o a termcap entry before expansion is more than 1023 - bytes long, + Each termcap entry has two important sizes associated with it: before + "tc" expansion, and after "tc" expansion. "tc" is the capability that + tacks on another termcap entry to the end of the current one, to add on + its capabilities. If a termcap entry does not use the "tc" capability, + then of course the two lengths are the same. + + The "before tc expansion" length is the most important one, because it + affects more than just users of that particular terminal. This is the + length of the entry as it exists in /etc/termcap, minus the backslash- + newline pairs, which tgetent strips out while reading it. Some termcap + libraries strip off the final newline, too (GNU termcap does not). Now + suppose: + + o a termcap entry before expansion is more than 1023 bytes long, o and the application has only allocated a 1k buffer, - o and the termcap library (like the one in BSD/OS 1.1 - and GNU) reads the whole entry into the buffer, no - matter what its length, to see if it is the entry it - wants, - - o and tgetent() is searching for a terminal type that - either is the long entry, appears in the termcap file - after the long entry, or does not appear in the file - at all (so that tgetent() has to search the whole - termcap file). - - Then tgetent() will overwrite memory, perhaps its stack, - and probably core dump the program. Programs like telnet - are particularly vulnerable; modern telnets pass along - values like the terminal type automatically. The results - are almost as undesirable with a termcap library, like - SunOS 4.1.3 and Ultrix 4.4, that prints warning messages - when it reads an overly long termcap entry. If a termcap - library truncates long entries, like OSF/1 3.0, it is - immune to dying here but will return incorrect data for - the terminal. - - The "after tc expansion" length will have a similar effect - to the above, but only for people who actually set TERM to - that terminal type, since tgetent() only does "tc" expan- - sion once it is found the terminal type it was looking - for, not while searching. - - In summary, a termcap entry that is longer than 1023 bytes - can cause, on various combinations of termcap libraries - and applications, a core dump, warnings, or incorrect - operation. If it is too long even before "tc" expansion, - it will have this effect even for users of some other ter- - minal types and users whose TERM variable does not have a - termcap entry. - - When in -C (translate to termcap) mode, the ncurses imple- - mentation of tic(1m) issues warning messages when the pre- - tc length of a termcap translation is too long. The -c - (check) option also checks resolved (after tc expansion) - lengths. + o and the termcap library (like the one in BSD/OS 1.1 and GNU) reads + the whole entry into the buffer, no matter what its length, to see + if it is the entry it wants, + + o and tgetent is searching for a terminal type that either is the + long entry, appears in the termcap file after the long entry, or + does not appear in the file at all (so that tgetent has to search + the whole termcap file). + + Then tgetent will overwrite memory, perhaps its stack, and probably + core dump the program. Programs like telnet are particularly + vulnerable; modern telnets pass along values like the terminal type + automatically. The results are almost as undesirable with a termcap + library, like SunOS 4.1.3 and Ultrix 4.4, that prints warning messages + when it reads an overly long termcap entry. If a termcap library + truncates long entries, like OSF/1 3.0, it is immune to dying here but + will return incorrect data for the terminal. + The "after tc expansion" length will have a similar effect to the + above, but only for people who actually set TERM to that terminal type, + since tgetent only does "tc" expansion once it is found the terminal + type it was looking for, not while searching. --
- It is not wise to count on portability of binary terminfo - entries between commercial UNIX versions. The problem is - that there are at least two versions of terminfo (under - HP-UX and AIX) which diverged from System V terminfo after - SVr1, and have added extension capabilities to the string - table that (in the binary format) collide with System V - and XSI Curses extensions. + In summary, a termcap entry that is longer than 1023 bytes can cause, + on various combinations of termcap libraries and applications, a core + dump, warnings, or incorrect operation. If it is too long even before + "tc" expansion, it will have this effect even for users of some other + terminal types and users whose TERM variable does not have a termcap + entry. + When in -C (translate to termcap) mode, the ncurses implementation of + tic(1m) issues warning messages when the pre-tc length of a termcap + translation is too long. The -c (check) option also checks resolved + (after tc expansion) lengths. --
- Searching for terminal descriptions in $HOME/.terminfo and - TERMINFO_DIRS is not supported by older implementations. - - Some SVr4 curses implementations, and all previous to - SVr4, do not interpret the %A and %O operators in parame- - ter strings. - - SVr4/XPG4 do not specify whether msgr licenses movement - while in an alternate-character-set mode (such modes may, - among other things, map CR and NL to characters that do - not trigger local motions). The ncurses implementation - ignores msgr in ALTCHARSET mode. This raises the possi- - bility that an XPG4 implementation making the opposite - interpretation may need terminfo entries made for ncurses - to have msgr turned off. - - The ncurses library handles insert-character and insert- - character modes in a slightly non-standard way to get bet- - ter update efficiency. See the Insert/Delete Character - subsection above. - - The parameter substitutions for set_clock and dis- - play_clock are not documented in SVr4 or the XSI Curses - standard. They are deduced from the documentation for the - AT&T 505 terminal. - - Be careful assigning the kmous capability. The ncurses - wants to interpret it as KEY_MOUSE, for use by terminals - and emulators like xterm that can return mouse-tracking - information in the keyboard-input stream. - - X/Open Curses does not mention italics. Portable applica- - tions must assume that numeric capabilities are signed - 16-bit values. This includes the no_color_video (ncv) - capability. The 32768 mask value used for italics with - ncv can be confused with an absent or cancelled ncv. If - italics should work with colors, then the ncv value must - be specified, even if it is zero. - - Different commercial ports of terminfo and curses support - different subsets of the XSI Curses standard and (in some - cases) different extension sets. Here is a summary, accu- - rate as of October 1995: - - SVR4, Solaris, ncurses -- These support all SVr4 capabili- - ties. - - SGI -- Supports the SVr4 set, adds one undocumented - extended string capability (set_pglen). - - SVr1, Ultrix -- These support a restricted subset of ter- - minfo capabilities. The booleans end with xon_xoff; the - numerics with width_status_line; and the strings with - prtr_non. - - HP/UX -- Supports the SVr1 subset, plus the SVr[234] - numerics num_labels, label_height, label_width, plus func- - tion keys 11 through 63, plus plab_norm, label_on, and - label_off, plus some incompatible extensions in the string - table. - - AIX -- Supports the SVr1 subset, plus function keys 11 - through 63, plus a number of incompatible string table - extensions. - - OSF -- Supports both the SVr4 set and the AIX extensions. +
+ /usr/share/terminfo + compiled terminal description database directory --
- /usr/share/terminfo/?/* files containing terminal - descriptions +
+ Searching for terminal descriptions in $HOME/.terminfo and + TERMINFO_DIRS is not supported by older implementations. --
- tic(1m), infocmp(1m), curses(3x), printf(3), term(5). - term_variables(3x). + Some SVr4 curses implementations, and all previous to SVr4, do not + interpret the %A and %O operators in parameter strings. + SVr4/XPG4 do not specify whether msgr licenses movement while in an + alternate-character-set mode (such modes may, among other things, map + CR and NL to characters that do not trigger local motions). The + ncurses implementation ignores msgr in ALTCHARSET mode. This raises + the possibility that an XPG4 implementation making the opposite + interpretation may need terminfo entries made for ncurses to have msgr + turned off. --
- Zeyd M. Ben-Halim, Eric S. Raymond, Thomas E. Dickey. - Based on pcurses by Pavel Curtis. + The ncurses library handles insert-character and insert-character modes + in a slightly non-standard way to get better update efficiency. See + the Insert/Delete Character subsection above. + + The parameter substitutions for set_clock and display_clock are not + documented in SVr4 or X/Open Curses. They are deduced from the + documentation for the AT&T 505 terminal. + + Be careful assigning the kmous capability. The ncurses library wants + to interpret it as KEY_MOUSE, for use by terminals and emulators like + xterm that can return mouse-tracking information in the keyboard-input + stream. + + X/Open Curses does not mention italics. Portable applications must + assume that numeric capabilities are signed 16-bit values. This + includes the no_color_video (ncv) capability. The 32768 mask value + used for italics with ncv can be confused with an absent or cancelled + ncv. If italics should work with colors, then the ncv value must be + specified, even if it is zero. + + Different commercial ports of terminfo and curses support different + subsets of X/Open Curses and (in some cases) different extensions. + Here is a summary, accurate as of October 1995, after which the + commercial Unix market contracted and lost diversity. + o SVr4, Solaris, and ncurses support all SVr4 capabilities. + o IRIX supports the SVr4 set and adds one undocumented extended + string capability (set_pglen). - terminfo(5) + o SVr1 and Ultrix support a restricted subset of terminfo + capabilities. The Booleans end with xon_xoff; the numerics with + width_status_line; and the strings with prtr_non. + + o HP/UX supports the SVr1 subset, plus the SVr[234] numerics + num_labels, label_height, label_width, plus function keys 11 + through 63, plus plab_norm, label_on, and label_off, plus a number + of incompatible string table extensions. + + o AIX supports the SVr1 subset, plus function keys 11 through 63, + plus a number of incompatible string table extensions. + + o OSF/1 supports both the SVr4 set and the AIX extensions. + + +
+ Do not count on compiled (binary) terminfo entries being portable + between commercial Unix systems. At least two implementations of + terminfo (those of HP-UX and AIX) diverged from those of other System V + Unices after SVr1, adding extension capabilities to the string table + that (in the binary format) collide with subsequent System V and X/Open + Curses extensions. + + +
+ Zeyd M. Ben-Halim, Eric S. Raymond, Thomas E. Dickey. Based on pcurses + by Pavel Curtis. + + +
+ infocmp(1m), tabs(1), tic(1m), curses(3x), curs_color(3x), + curs_terminfo(3x), curs_variables(3x), printf(3), term_variables(3x), + term(5), user_caps(5) + + + +ncurses 6.5 2024-05-11 terminfo(5)