.\" authorization. *
.\"***************************************************************************
.\"
-.\" $Id: terminfo.head,v 1.23 2017/02/18 17:04:53 tom Exp $
+.\" $Id: terminfo.head,v 1.31 2017/03/06 09:58:14 tom Exp $
.TH terminfo 5 "" "" "File Formats"
.ds n 5
.ds d @TERMINFO@
specifying padding requirements and initialization sequences.
This describes \fBncurses\fR
version @NCURSES_MAJOR@.@NCURSES_MINOR@ (patch @NCURSES_PATCH@).
+.SS Terminfo Entry Syntax
.PP
Entries in
.I 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
+consist of a sequence of fields:
+.bP
+Each field ends with a comma \*(``,\*(''
+(embedded commas may be
+escaped with a backslash or written as \*(``\\054\*('').
+.bP
+White space between fields is ignored.
+.bP
+The first field in a \fIterminfo\fP entry begins in the first column.
+.bP
+Newlines and leading whitespace (spaces or tabs)
+may be used for formatting entries for readability.
+These are removed from parsed entries.
+.IP
+The \fB@INFOCMP@\fP \fB\-f\fP and \fB\-W\fP 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 \fB@TIC@\fP.
+.bP
+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,
-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;
+.IP
+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 \fBlongname\fP(3X)),
+and all others are treated as synonyms (aliases) for the primary terminal name.
+.IP
+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.
-.PP
+.IP
+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).
+.bP
Lines beginning with a \*(``#\*('' in the first column are treated as comments.
+.IP
While comment lines are legal at any point, the output of \fB@CAPTOINFO@\fP
and \fB@INFOTOCAP@\fP (aliases for \fB@TIC@\fP)
will move comments so they occur only between entries.
.PP
-Newlines and leading tabs may be used for formatting entries for readability.
-These are removed from parsed entries.
-The \fB@INFOCMP@\ \-f\fP option relies on this to format if-then-else expressions:
-the result can be read by \fB@TIC@\fP.
-.PP
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
.TE
.PP
For more on terminal naming conventions, see the \fBterm(7)\fR manual page.
+.SS Terminfo Capabilities Syntax
+.PP
+The terminfo entry consists of several \fIcapabilities\fP,
+i.e., features that the terminal has,
+or methods for exercising the terminal's features.
+.PP
+After the first field (giving the name(s) of the terminal entry),
+there should be one or more \fIcapability\fP fields.
+These are boolean, numeric or string names with corresponding values:
+.bP
+Boolean capabilities are true when present, false when absent.
+There is no explicit value for boolean capabilities.
+.bP
+Numeric capabilities have a \*(``#\*('' following the name,
+then an unsigned decimal integer value.
+.bP
+String capabilities have a \*(``=\*('' following the name,
+then an string of characters making up the capability value.
+.IP
+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.
+.PP
+Any capability can be \fIcanceled\fP,
+i.e., suppressed from the terminal entry,
+by following its name with \*(``@\*(''
+rather than a capability value.
+.SS Similar Terminals
+.PP
+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 \fBuse\fR can be given with
+the name of the base terminal:
+.bP
+The capabilities given before
+.B use
+override those in the base type named by
+.BR use .
+.bP
+If there are multiple \fBuse\fR capabilities, they are merged in reverse order.
+That is, the rightmost \fBuse\fR reference is processed first, then the one to
+its left, and so forth.
+.bP
+Capabilities given explicitly in the entry override
+those brought in by \fBuse\fR references.
+.PP
+A capability can be canceled by placing \fBxx@\fR to the left of the
+use reference that imports it, where \fIxx\fP is the capability.
+For example, the entry
+.RS
+.PP
+2621\-nl, smkx@, rmkx@, use=2621,
+.RE
+.PP
+defines a 2621\-nl that does not have the \fBsmkx\fR or \fBrmkx\fR 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.
+.PP
+An entry included via \fBuse\fP can contain canceled capabilities,
+which have the same effect as if those cancels were inline in the
+using terminal entry.
.SS Predefined Capabilities
.\" Head of terminfo man page ends here
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