.\" authorization. *
.\"***************************************************************************
.\"
-.\" $Id: tic.1m,v 1.45 2010/07/31 16:08:48 tom Exp $
+.\" $Id: tic.1m,v 1.46 2010/08/28 19:41:09 tom Exp $
.TH @TIC@ 1M ""
.ds n 5
.ds d @TERMINFO@
.br
.SH DESCRIPTION
The command \fBtic\fR translates a \fBterminfo\fR file from source
-format into compiled format. The compiled format is necessary for use with
+format into compiled format.
+The compiled format is necessary for use with
the library routines in \fBncurses\fR(3X).
.PP
The results are normally placed in the system terminfo
-directory \fB\*d\fR. There are two ways to change this behavior.
+directory \fB\*d\fR.
+There are two ways to change this behavior.
.PP
First, you may override the system default by setting the variable
\fBTERMINFO\fR in your shell environment to a valid (existing) directory name.
.TP
\fB\-a\fR
tells \fBtic\fP to retain commented-out capabilities rather than discarding
-them. Capabilities are commented by prefixing them with a period.
+them.
+Capabilities are commented by prefixing them with a period.
This sets the \fB\-x\fR option, because it treats the commented-out
entries as user-defined names.
If the source is termcap, accept the 2-character names required by version 6.
Otherwise these are ignored.
.TP
\fB\-C\fR
-Force source translation to termcap format. Note: this differs from the \fB\-C\fR
+Force source translation to termcap format.
+Note: this differs from the \fB\-C\fR
option of \fB@INFOCMP@\fR(1M) in that it does not merely translate capability
-names, but also translates terminfo strings to termcap format. Capabilities
+names, but also translates terminfo strings to termcap format.
+Capabilities
that are not translatable are left in the entry under their terminfo names
but commented out with two preceding dots.
.TP
\fB\-c\fR
tells \fBtic\fP to only check \fIfile\fR for errors, including syntax problems and
-bad use links. If you specify \fB\-C\fR (\fB\-I\fR) with this option, the code
+bad use links.
+If you specify \fB\-C\fR (\fB\-I\fR) with this option, the code
will print warnings about entries which, after use resolution, are more than
-1023 (4096) bytes long. Due to a fixed buffer length in older termcap
+1023 (4096) bytes long.
+Due to a fixed buffer length in older termcap
libraries (and a documented limit in terminfo), these entries may cause core
dumps.
.TP
using the long C variable names listed in <\fBterm.h\fR>
.TP
\fB\-N\fR
-Disable smart defaults.
+Disable smart defaults.
Normally, when translating from termcap to terminfo, the compiler makes
a number of assumptions about the defaults of string capabilities
\fBreset1_string\fR, \fBcarriage_return\fR, \fBcursor_left\fR,
\fBcursor_down\fR, \fBscroll_forward\fR, \fBtab\fR, \fBnewline\fR,
\fBkey_backspace\fR, \fBkey_left\fR, and \fBkey_down\fR, then attempts
-to use obsolete termcap capabilities to deduce correct values. It also
+to use obsolete termcap capabilities to deduce correct values.
+It also
normally suppresses output of obsolete termcap capabilities such as \fBbs\fR.
This option forces a more literal translation that also preserves the
obsolete capabilities.
.TP
\fB\-o\fR\fIdir\fR
-Write compiled entries to given directory. Overrides the TERMINFO environment
+Write compiled entries to given directory.
+Overrides the TERMINFO environment
variable.
.TP
\fB\-R\fR\fIsubset\fR
-Restrict output to a given subset. This option is for use with archaic
+Restrict output to a given subset.
+This option is for use with archaic
versions of terminfo like those on SVr1, Ultrix, or HP/UX that do not support
the full set of SVR4/XSI Curses terminfo; and outright broken ports like AIX 3.x
-that have their own extensions incompatible with SVr4/XSI. Available subsets
+that have their own extensions incompatible with SVr4/XSI.
+Available subsets
are "SVr1", "Ultrix", "HP", "BSD" and "AIX"; see \fBterminfo\fR(\*n) for details.
.TP
\fB\-r\fR
Force entry resolution (so there are no remaining tc capabilities) even
-when doing translation to termcap format. This may be needed if you are
+when doing translation to termcap format.
+This may be needed if you are
preparing a termcap file for a termcap library (such as GNU termcap through
version 1.3 or BSD termcap through 4.3BSD) that does not handle multiple
tc capabilities per entry.
.TP
\fIfile\fR
contains one or more \fBterminfo\fR terminal descriptions in source
-format [see \fBterminfo\fR(\*n)]. Each description in the file
+format [see \fBterminfo\fR(\*n)].
+Each description in the file
describes the capabilities of a particular terminal.
.PP
The debug flag levels are as follows:
If the debug level \fIn\fR is not given, it is taken to be one.
.PP
All but one of the capabilities recognized by \fBtic\fR are documented
-in \fBterminfo\fR(\*n). The exception is the \fBuse\fR capability.
+in \fBterminfo\fR(\*n).
+The exception is the \fBuse\fR capability.
.PP
When a \fBuse\fR=\fIentry\fR\-\fIname\fR field is discovered in a
terminal entry currently being compiled, \fBtic\fR reads in the binary
-from \fB\*d\fR to complete the entry. (Entries created from
-\fIfile\fR will be used first. If the environment variable
+from \fB\*d\fR to complete the entry.
+(Entries created from
+\fIfile\fR will be used first.
+If the environment variable
\fBTERMINFO\fR is set, that directory is searched instead of
\fB\*d\fR.) \fBtic\fR duplicates the capabilities in
\fIentry\fR\-\fIname\fR for the current entry, with the exception of
If the environment variable \fBTERMINFO\fR is set, the compiled
results are placed there instead of \fB\*d\fR.
.PP
-Total compiled entries cannot exceed 4096 bytes. The name field cannot
-exceed 512 bytes. Terminal names exceeding the maximum alias length
+Total compiled entries cannot exceed 4096 bytes.
+The name field cannot
+exceed 512 bytes.
+Terminal names exceeding the maximum alias length
(32 characters on systems with long filenames, 14 characters otherwise)
will be truncated to the maximum alias length and a warning message will be printed.
.SH COMPATIBILITY
There is some evidence that historic \fBtic\fR implementations treated
description fields with no whitespace in them as additional aliases or
-short names. This \fBtic\fR does not do that, but it does warn when
+short names.
+This \fBtic\fR does not do that, but it does warn when
description fields may be treated that way and check them for dangerous
characters.
.SH EXTENSIONS
Unlike the stock SVr4 \fBtic\fR command, this implementation can actually
-compile termcap sources. In fact, entries in terminfo and termcap syntax can
-be mixed in a single source file. See \fBterminfo\fR(\*n) for the list of
+compile termcap sources.
+In fact, entries in terminfo and termcap syntax can
+be mixed in a single source file.
+See \fBterminfo\fR(\*n) for the list of
termcap names taken to be equivalent to terminfo names.
.PP
The SVr4 manual pages are not clear on the resolution rules for \fBuse\fR
.PP
This describes \fBncurses\fR
version @NCURSES_MAJOR@.@NCURSES_MINOR@ (patch @NCURSES_PATCH@).
+.SH AUTHOR
+Eric S. Raymond <esr@snark.thyrsus.com>
+and
+.br
+Thomas E. Dickey <dickey@invisible-island.net>
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