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<H1 class="no-header">term 5</H1>
<PRE>
-<STRONG><A HREF="term.5.html">term(5)</A></STRONG>
<STRONG><A HREF="term.5.html">term(5)</A></STRONG>
+<STRONG><A HREF="term.5.html">term(5)</A></STRONG>
File Formats Manual <STRONG><A HREF="term.5.html">term(5)</A></STRONG>
</PRE><H3><a name="h3-STORAGE-LOCATION">STORAGE LOCATION</a></H3><PRE>
Compiled terminfo descriptions are placed under the directory
<STRONG>/usr/share/terminfo</STRONG>. Two configurations are supported (when building
- the ncurses libraries):
+ the <STRONG>ncurses</STRONG> libraries):
<STRONG>directory</STRONG> <STRONG>tree</STRONG>
A two-level scheme is used to avoid a linear search of a huge UNIX
the terminfo's primary name as a key, and records containing only
aliases pointing to the primary name.
- If built to write hashed databases, ncurses can still read ter-
+ If built to write hashed databases, <STRONG>ncurses</STRONG> can still read ter-
minfo databases organized as a directory tree, but cannot write
entries into the directory tree. It can write (or rewrite)
entries in the hashed database.
- ncurses distinguishes the two cases in the TERMINFO and TER-
+ <STRONG>ncurses</STRONG> distinguishes the two cases in the TERMINFO and TER-
MINFO_DIRS environment variable by assuming a directory tree for
entries that correspond to an existing directory, and hashed data-
base otherwise.
-</PRE><H3><a name="h3-
STORAGE-FORMAT">STORAGE FORMAT</a></H3><PRE>
+</PRE><H3><a name="h3-
LEGACY-STORAGE-FORMAT">LEGACY STORAGE FORMAT</a></H3><PRE>
The format has been chosen so that it will be the same on all hardware.
An 8 or more bit byte is assumed, but no assumptions about byte order-
ing or sign extension are made.
the least significant 8 bits of the value, and the second byte contains
the most significant 8 bits. (Thus, the value represented is 256*sec-
ond+first.) The value -1 is represented by the two bytes 0377, 0377;
- other negative values are illegal. This value generally means that the
+ other negative values are illegal. This value generally means that the
corresponding capability is missing from this terminal. Note that this
format corresponds to the hardware of the VAX and PDP-11 (that is, lit-
tle-endian machines). Machines where this does not correspond to the
binary format is used in all modern UNIX systems. Each system uses a
predefined set of boolean, number or string capabilities.
- The ncurses libraries and applications support extended terminfo binary
+ The <STRONG>ncurses</STRONG> libraries and applications support extended terminfo binary
format, allowing users to define capabilities which are loaded at run-
time. This extension is made possible by using the fact that the other
implementations stop reading the terminfo data when they have reached
- the end of the size given in the header. ncurses checks the size, and
+ the end of the size given in the header. <STRONG>ncurses</STRONG> checks the size, and
if it exceeds that due to the predefined data, continues to parse
according to its own scheme.
(3) count of extended string capabilities
- (4) size of the extended string table in bytes.
+ (4) count of the items in extended string table
- (5) last offset of the extended string table in bytes.
+ (5) size of the extended string table in bytes
- Using the counts and sizes, ncurses allocates arrays and reads data for
+ The count- and size-values for the extended string table include the
+ extended capability <EM>names</EM> as well as extended capability <EM>values</EM>.
+
+ Using the counts and sizes, <STRONG>ncurses</STRONG> allocates arrays and reads data for
the extended capabilities in the same order as the header information.
- The extended string table contains values for string capabilities.
- After the end of these values, it contains the names for each of the
- extended capabilities in order, e.g., booleans, then numbers and
+ The extended string table contains values for string capabilities.
+ After the end of these values, it contains the names for each of the
+ extended capabilities in order, e.g., booleans, then numbers and
finally strings.
+ Applications which manipulate terminal data can use the definitions
+ described in <STRONG><A HREF="term_variables.3x.html">term_variables(3x)</A></STRONG> which associate the long capability
+ names with members of a <STRONG>TERMTYPE</STRONG> structure.
+
+
+</PRE><H3><a name="h3-EXTENDED-NUMBER-FORMAT">EXTENDED NUMBER FORMAT</a></H3><PRE>
+ On occasion, 16-bit signed integers are not large enough. With <STRONG>ncurses</STRONG>
+ 6.1, a new format was introduced by making a few changes to the legacy
+ format:
+
+ <STRONG>o</STRONG> a different magic number (octal 01036)
+
+ <STRONG>o</STRONG> changing the type for the <EM>number</EM> array from signed 16-bit integers
+ to signed 32-bit integers.
+
+ To maintain compatibility, the library presents the same data struc-
+ tures to direct users of the <STRONG>TERMTYPE</STRONG> structure as in previous formats.
+ However, that cannot provide callers with the extended numbers. The
+ library uses a similar but hidden data structure <STRONG>TERMTYPE2</STRONG> to provide
+ data for the terminfo functions.
+
</PRE><H2><a name="h2-PORTABILITY">PORTABILITY</a></H2><PRE>
+
+</PRE><H3><a name="h3-setupterm">setupterm</a></H3><PRE>
Note that it is possible for <STRONG>setupterm</STRONG> to expect a different set of
capabilities than are actually present in the file. Either the data-
base may have been updated since <STRONG>setupterm</STRONG> has been recompiled (result-
new capabilities must always be added at the end of the lists of bool-
ean, number, and string capabilities.
+
+</PRE><H3><a name="h3-Binary-format">Binary format</a></H3><PRE>
+ X/Open Curses does not specify a format for the terminfo database.
+ UNIX System V curses used a directory-tree of binary files, one per
+ terminal description.
+
Despite the consistent use of little-endian for numbers and the other-
wise self-describing format, it is not wise to count on portability of
binary terminfo entries between commercial UNIX versions. The problem
<STRONG><A HREF="terminfo.5.html">terminfo(5)</A></STRONG> for detailed discussion of terminfo source compatibility
issues.
+ This implementation is by default compatible with the binary terminfo
+ format used by Solaris curses, except in a few less-used details where
+ it was found that the latter did not match X/Open Curses. The format
+ used by the other Unix versions can be matched by building ncurses with
+ different configuration options.
+
+
+</PRE><H3><a name="h3-Magic-codes">Magic codes</a></H3><PRE>
+ The magic number in a binary terminfo file is the first 16-bits (two
+ bytes). Besides making it more reliable for the library to check that
+ a file is terminfo, utilities such as <STRONG>file</STRONG> also use that to tell what
+ the file-format is. System V defined more than one magic number, with
+ 0433, 0435 as screen-dumps (see <STRONG><A HREF="scr_dump.5.html">scr_dump(5)</A></STRONG>). This implementation uses
+ 01036 as a continuation of that sequence, but with a different high-
+ order byte to avoid confusion.
+
+
+</PRE><H3><a name="h3-The-TERMTYPE-structure">The TERMTYPE structure</a></H3><PRE>
+ Direct access to the <STRONG>TERMTYPE</STRONG> structure is provided for legacy applica-
+ tions. Portable applications should use the <STRONG>tigetflag</STRONG> and related
+ functions described in <STRONG><A HREF="curs_terminfo.3x.html">curs_terminfo(3x)</A></STRONG> for reading terminal capabili-
+ ties.
+
+
+</PRE><H3><a name="h3-Mixed-case-terminal-names">Mixed-case terminal names</a></H3><PRE>
+ A small number of terminal descriptions use uppercase characters in
+ their names. If the underlying filesystem ignores the difference
+ between uppercase and lowercase, <STRONG>ncurses</STRONG> represents the "first charac-
+ ter" of the terminal name used as the intermediate level of a directory
+ tree in (two-character) hexadecimal form.
+
</PRE><H2><a name="h2-EXAMPLE">EXAMPLE</a></H2><PRE>
- As an example, here is a hex dump of the description for the Lear-
- Siegler ADM-3, a popular though rather stupid early terminal:
-
- adm3a|lsi adm3a,
- am,
- cols#80, lines#24,
- bel=^G, clear= 32$<1>, cr=^M, cub1=^H, cud1=^J,
- cuf1=^L, cup=\E=%p1%{32}%+%c%p2%{32}%+%c, cuu1=^K,
- home=^^, ind=^J,
-
- 0000 1a 01 10 00 02 00 03 00 82 00 31 00 61 64 6d 33 ........ ..1.adm3
- 0010 61 7c 6c 73 69 20 61 64 6d 33 61 00 00 01 50 00 a|lsi ad m3a...P.
- 0020 ff ff 18 00 ff ff 00 00 02 00 ff ff ff ff 04 00 ........ ........
- 0030 ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff 0a 00 25 00 27 00 ff ff ........ ..%.'...
- 0040 29 00 ff ff ff ff 2b 00 ff ff 2d 00 ff ff ff ff ).....+. ..-.....
- 0050 ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ........ ........
- 0060 ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ........ ........
- 0070 ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ........ ........
- 0080 ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ........ ........
- 0090 ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ........ ........
- 00a0 ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ........ ........
- 00b0 ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ........ ........
- 00c0 ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ........ ........
- 00d0 ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ........ ........
- 00e0 ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ........ ........
- 00f0 ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ........ ........
- 0100 ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ........ ........
- 0110 ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ........ ........
- 0120 ff ff ff ff ff ff 2f 00 07 00 0d 00 1a 24 3c 31 ....../. .....$<1
- 0130 3e 00 1b 3d 25 70 31 25 7b 33 32 7d 25 2b 25 63 >..=%p1% {32}%+%c
- 0140 25 70 32 25 7b 33 32 7d 25 2b 25 63 00 0a 00 1e %p2%{32} %+%c....
- 0150 00 08 00 0c 00 0b 00 0a 00 ........ .
+ As an example, here is a description for the Lear-Siegler ADM-3, a pop-
+ ular though rather stupid early terminal:
+
+ adm3a|lsi adm3a,
+ am,
+ cols#80, lines#24,
+ bel=^G, clear= 32$<1>, cr=^M, cub1=^H, cud1=^J,
+ cuf1=^L, cup=\E=%p1%{32}%+%c%p2%{32}%+%c, cuu1=^K,
+ home=^^, ind=^J,
+
+
+ and a hexadecimal dump of the compiled terminal description:
+
+ 0000 1a 01 10 00 02 00 03 00 82 00 31 00 61 64 6d 33 ........ ..1.adm3
+ 0010 61 7c 6c 73 69 20 61 64 6d 33 61 00 00 01 50 00 a|lsi ad m3a...P.
+ 0020 ff ff 18 00 ff ff 00 00 02 00 ff ff ff ff 04 00 ........ ........
+ 0030 ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff 0a 00 25 00 27 00 ff ff ........ ..%.'...
+ 0040 29 00 ff ff ff ff 2b 00 ff ff 2d 00 ff ff ff ff ).....+. ..-.....
+ 0050 ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ........ ........
+ 0060 ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ........ ........
+ 0070 ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ........ ........
+ 0080 ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ........ ........
+ 0090 ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ........ ........
+ 00a0 ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ........ ........
+ 00b0 ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ........ ........
+ 00c0 ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ........ ........
+ 00d0 ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ........ ........
+ 00e0 ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ........ ........
+ 00f0 ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ........ ........
+ 0100 ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ........ ........
+ 0110 ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ........ ........
+ 0120 ff ff ff ff ff ff 2f 00 07 00 0d 00 1a 24 3c 31 ....../. .....$<1
+ 0130 3e 00 1b 3d 25 70 31 25 7b 33 32 7d 25 2b 25 63 >..=%p1% {32}%+%c
+ 0140 25 70 32 25 7b 33 32 7d 25 2b 25 63 00 0a 00 1e %p2%{32} %+%c....
+ 0150 00 08 00 0c 00 0b 00 0a 00 ........ .
</PRE><H2><a name="h2-LIMITS">LIMITS</a></H2><PRE>
- Some limitations: total compiled entries cannot exceed 4096 bytes. The
- name field cannot exceed 128 bytes.
+ Some limitations:
+
+ <STRONG>o</STRONG> total compiled entries cannot exceed 4096 bytes in the legacy for-
+ mat.
+
+ <STRONG>o</STRONG> total compiled entries cannot exceed 32768 bytes in the extended
+ format.
+
+ <STRONG>o</STRONG> the name field cannot exceed 128 bytes.
</PRE><H2><a name="h2-FILES">FILES</a></H2><PRE>
Thomas E. Dickey
extended terminfo format for ncurses 5.0
hashed database support for ncurses 5.6
+ extended number support for ncurses 6.1
Eric S. Raymond
+ documented legacy terminfo format, e.g., from pcurses.
<li><a href="#h2-DESCRIPTION">DESCRIPTION</a>
<ul>
<li><a href="#h3-STORAGE-LOCATION">STORAGE LOCATION</a></li>
-<li><a href="#h3-STORAGE-FORMAT">STORAGE FORMAT</a></li>
+<li><a href="#h3-LEGACY-STORAGE-FORMAT">LEGACY STORAGE FORMAT</a></li>
<li><a href="#h3-EXTENDED-STORAGE-FORMAT">EXTENDED STORAGE FORMAT</a></li>
+<li><a href="#h3-EXTENDED-NUMBER-FORMAT">EXTENDED NUMBER FORMAT</a></li>
+</ul>
+</li>
+<li><a href="#h2-PORTABILITY">PORTABILITY</a>
+<ul>
+<li><a href="#h3-setupterm">setupterm</a></li>
+<li><a href="#h3-Binary-format">Binary format</a></li>
+<li><a href="#h3-Magic-codes">Magic codes</a></li>
+<li><a href="#h3-The-TERMTYPE-structure">The TERMTYPE structure</a></li>
+<li><a href="#h3-Mixed-case-terminal-names">Mixed-case terminal names</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
-<li><a href="#h2-PORTABILITY">PORTABILITY</a></li>
<li><a href="#h2-EXAMPLE">EXAMPLE</a></li>
<li><a href="#h2-LIMITS">LIMITS</a></li>
<li><a href="#h2-FILES">FILES</a></li>
projects / ncurses.git / blobdiff