ncurses 5.6 - patch 20061230

[ncurses.git] / man / term.5

diff --git a/man/term.5 b/man/term.5
index 3ac1fa8686202863b5d81fcce69829563b7a1298..19af62a350ed48c68b3f45fcee6c9e38f88b353d 100644 (file)
--- a/man/term.5
+++ b/man/term.5
@@ -1,16 +1,47 @@
-.TH TERM 5
+.\"***************************************************************************
+.\" Copyright (c) 1998-2004,2006 Free Software Foundation, Inc.              *
+.\"                                                                          *
+.\" Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a  *
+.\" copy of this software and associated documentation files (the            *
+.\" "Software"), to deal in the Software without restriction, including      *
+.\" without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish,      *
+.\" distribute, distribute with modifications, sublicense, and/or sell       *
+.\" copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is    *
+.\" furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:                 *
+.\"                                                                          *
+.\" The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included  *
+.\" in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.                   *
+.\"                                                                          *
+.\" THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS  *
+.\" OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF               *
+.\" MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT.   *
+.\" IN NO EVENT SHALL THE ABOVE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM,   *
+.\" DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR    *
+.\" OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR    *
+.\" THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.                               *
+.\"                                                                          *
+.\" Except as contained in this notice, the name(s) of the above copyright   *
+.\" holders shall not be used in advertising or otherwise to promote the     *
+.\" sale, use or other dealings in this Software without prior written       *
+.\" authorization.                                                           *
+.\"***************************************************************************
+.\"
+.\" $Id: term.5,v 1.19 2006/12/24 18:12:38 tom Exp $
+.TH term 5

 .ds n 5
 .ds n 5

-.ds d @DATADIR@/terminfo
+.ds d @TERMINFO@

 .SH NAME
 term \- format of compiled term file.
 .SH SYNOPSIS
 .B term
 .SH DESCRIPTION
 .SH NAME
 term \- format of compiled term file.
 .SH SYNOPSIS
 .B term
 .SH DESCRIPTION

-.PP
+.SS STORAGE LOCATION

 Compiled terminfo descriptions are placed under the directory \fB\*d\fP.
 Compiled terminfo descriptions are placed under the directory \fB\*d\fP.

-In order to avoid a linear search of a huge \s-1UNIX\s+1 system directory, a
-two-level scheme is used: \fB\*b/c/name\fP
-where
+Two configurations are supported (when building the ncurses libraries):
+.TP 5
+.B directory tree
+A two-level scheme is used to avoid a linear search
+of a huge \s-1UNIX\s+1 system directory: \fB\*d/c/name\fP where

 .I name
 is the name of the terminal, and
 .I c
 .I name
 is the name of the terminal, and
 .I c


@@ -21,13 +52,29 @@ Thus,
 can be found in the file \fB\*d/a/act4\fP.
 Synonyms for the same terminal are implemented by multiple
 links to the same compiled file.
 can be found in the file \fB\*d/a/act4\fP.
 Synonyms for the same terminal are implemented by multiple
 links to the same compiled file.

-.PP
+.TP 5
+.B hashed database
+Using Berkeley database, two types of records are stored:
+the terminfo data in the same format as stored in a directory tree with
+the terminfo's primary name as a key,
+and records containing only aliases pointing to the primary name.
+.IP
+If built to write hashed databases,
+ncurses can still read terminfo databases organized as a directory tree,
+but cannot write entries into the directory tree.
+It can write (or rewrite) entries in the hashed database.
+.IP
+ncurses distinguishes the two cases in the TERMINFO and TERMINFO_DIRS
+environment variable by assuming a directory tree for entries that
+correspond to an existing directory,
+and hashed database otherwise.
+.SS STORAGE FORMAT

 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 ordering
 or sign extension are made.
 .PP
 The compiled file is created with the
 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 ordering
 or sign extension are made.
 .PP
 The compiled file is created with the

-.I tic 
+.B @TIC@

 program, and read by the routine
 .IR setupterm .
 The file is divided into six parts:
 program, and read by the routine
 .IR setupterm .
 The file is divided into six parts:


@@ -43,19 +90,27 @@ The header section begins the file.
 This section contains six short integers in the format
 described below.
 These integers are
 This section contains six short integers in the format
 described below.
 These integers are

+.RS 5
+.TP 5

 (1) the magic number (octal 0432);
 (1) the magic number (octal 0432);

+.TP 5

 (2) the size, in bytes, of the names section;
 (2) the size, in bytes, of the names section;

+.TP 5

 (3) the number of bytes in the boolean section;
 (3) the number of bytes in the boolean section;

+.TP 5

 (4) the number of short integers in the numbers section;
 (4) the number of short integers in the numbers section;

+.TP 5

 (5) the number of offsets (short integers) in the strings section;
 (5) the number of offsets (short integers) in the strings section;

+.TP 5

 (6) the size, in bytes, of the string table.
 (6) the size, in bytes, of the string table.

+.RE

 .PP
 Short integers are stored in two 8-bit bytes.
 The first byte contains the least significant 8 bits of the value,
 and the second byte contains the most significant 8 bits.
 (Thus, the value represented is 256*second+first.)
 .PP
 Short integers are stored in two 8-bit bytes.
 The first byte contains the least significant 8 bits of the value,
 and the second byte contains the most significant 8 bits.
 (Thus, the value represented is 256*second+first.)

-The value \-1 is represented by the two bytes 0377, 0377; other negative
-values are illegal. This value generally 
+The value -1 is represented by the two bytes 0377, 0377; 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 \s-1VAX\s+1
 and \s-1PDP\s+1-11 (that is, little-endian machines).
 means that the corresponding capability is missing from this terminal.
 Note that this format corresponds to the hardware of the \s-1VAX\s+1
 and \s-1PDP\s+1-11 (that is, little-endian machines).


@@ -83,11 +138,11 @@ All short integers are aligned on a short word boundary.
 The numbers section is similar to the flags section.
 Each capability takes up two bytes,
 and is stored as a little-endian short integer.
 The numbers section is similar to the flags section.
 Each capability takes up two bytes,
 and is stored as a little-endian short integer.

-If the value represented is \-1, the capability is taken to be missing.
+If the value represented is -1, the capability is taken to be missing.

 .PP
 The strings section is also similar.
 Each capability is stored as a short integer, in the format above.
 .PP
 The strings section is also similar.
 Each capability is stored as a short integer, in the format above.

-A value of \-1 means the capability is missing.
+A value of -1 means the capability is missing.

 Otherwise, the value is taken as an offset from the beginning
 of the string table.
 Special characters in ^X or \ec notation are stored in their
 Otherwise, the value is taken as an offset from the beginning
 of the string table.
 Special characters in ^X or \ec notation are stored in their


@@ -99,7 +154,48 @@ The final section is the string table.
 It contains all the values of string capabilities referenced in
 the string section.
 Each string is null terminated.
 It contains all the values of string capabilities referenced in
 the string section.
 Each string is null terminated.

+.SS EXTENDED STORAGE FORMAT
+The previous section describes the conventional terminfo binary format.
+With some minor variations of the offsets (see PORTABILITY),
+the same binary format is used in all modern UNIX systems.
+Each system uses a predefined set of boolean, number or string capabilities.
+.PP
+The ncurses libraries and applications support extended terminfo binary format,
+allowing users to define capabilities which are loaded at runtime.  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 if it exceeds that due to the predefined data,
+continues to parse according to its own scheme.
+.PP
+First, it reads the extended header (5 short integers):
+.RS 5
+.TP 5
+(1)
+count of extended boolean capabilities
+.TP 5
+(2)
+count of extended numeric capabilities
+.TP 5
+(3)
+count of extended string capabilities
+.TP 5
+(4)
+size of the extended string table in bytes.
+.TP 5
+(5)
+last offset of the extended string table in bytes.
+.RE

 .PP
 .PP

+Using the counts and sizes, ncurses allocates arrays and reads data
+for the extended capabilties in the same order as the header information.
+.PP
+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.
+.
+.SH PORTABILITY

 Note that it is possible for
 .I setupterm
 to expect a different set of capabilities
 Note that it is possible for
 .I setupterm
 to expect a different set of capabilities


@@ -126,17 +222,17 @@ 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.  See \fBterminfo\fR(\*n) for detailed
 discussion of terminfo source compatibility issues.
 capabilities to the string table that (in the binary format) collide with
 System V and XSI Curses extensions.  See \fBterminfo\fR(\*n) for detailed
 discussion of terminfo source compatibility issues.

-.PP
+.SH EXAMPLE

 As an example, here is a hex dump of the description for the Lear-Siegler
 ADM-3, a popular though rather stupid early terminal:
 .nf
 .sp
 As an example, here is a hex dump of the description for the Lear-Siegler
 ADM-3, a popular though rather stupid early terminal:
 .nf
 .sp

-adm3a|lsi adm3a, 
-        am, 
-        cols#80, lines#24, 
-        bel=^G, clear=\032$<1>, cr=^M, cub1=^H, cud1=^J, 
-        cuf1=^L, cup=\E=%p1%{32}%+%c%p2%{32}%+%c, cuu1=^K, 
-        home=^^, ind=^J, 
+adm3a|lsi adm3a,
+        am,
+        cols#80, lines#24,
+        bel=^G, clear=\032$<1>, cr=^M, cub1=^H, cud1=^J,
+        cuf1=^L, cup=\\E=%p1%{32}%+%c%p2%{32}%+%c, cuu1=^K,
+        home=^^, ind=^J,

 .sp
 .ft CW
 \s-20000  1a 01 10 00 02 00 03 00  82 00 31 00 61 64 6d 33  ........ ..1.adm3
 .sp
 .ft CW
 \s-20000  1a 01 10 00 02 00 03 00  82 00 31 00 61 64 6d 33  ........ ..1.adm3


@@ -164,13 +260,21 @@ adm3a|lsi adm3a,
 .ft R
 .fi
 .sp
 .ft R
 .fi
 .sp

-.PP
+.SH LIMITS

 Some limitations: total compiled entries cannot exceed 4096 bytes.
 The name field cannot exceed 128 bytes.
 .SH FILES
 \*d/*/*        compiled terminal capability data base
 Some limitations: total compiled entries cannot exceed 4096 bytes.
 The name field cannot exceed 128 bytes.
 .SH FILES
 \*d/*/*        compiled terminal capability data base

-.SH "SEE ALSO"
-curses(3X), terminfo(\*n).
+.SH SEE ALSO
+\fBcurses\fR(3X), \fBterminfo\fR(\*n).
+.SH AUTHORS
+Thomas E. Dickey
+.br
+extended terminfo format for ncurses 5.0
+.br
+hashed database support for ncurses 5.6
+.sp
+Eric S. Raymond

 .\"#
 .\"# The following sets edit modes for GNU EMACS
 .\"# Local Variables:
 .\"#
 .\"# The following sets edit modes for GNU EMACS
 .\"# Local Variables: