ncurses 6.2 - patch 20210213

[ncurses.git] / man / tput.1

diff --git a/man/tput.1 b/man/tput.1
index f8da1f2330c5628f1e37bb893cc73d69bb9d4d92..64fb453016eb19223bd99b3c4e710275075acf03 100644 (file)
--- a/man/tput.1
+++ b/man/tput.1
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 '\" t
 .\"***************************************************************************
 '\" t
 .\"***************************************************************************

-.\" Copyright (c) 1998-2012,2016 Free Software Foundation, Inc.              *
+.\" Copyright 2018,2020 Thomas E. Dickey                                     *
+.\" Copyright 1998-2016,2017 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            *
 .\"                                                                          *
 .\" Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a  *
 .\" copy of this software and associated documentation files (the            *


@@ -27,7 +28,7 @@
 .\" authorization.                                                           *
 .\"***************************************************************************
 .\"
 .\" authorization.                                                           *
 .\"***************************************************************************
 .\"

-.\" $Id: tput.1,v 1.44 2016/08/20 23:40:31 tom Exp $
+.\" $Id: tput.1,v 1.65 2020/12/19 22:17:47 tom Exp $

 .TH @TPUT@ 1 ""
 .ds d @TERMINFO@
 .ds n 1
 .TH @TPUT@ 1 ""
 .ds d @TERMINFO@
 .ds n 1


@@ -36,14 +37,15 @@
 .ie \n(.g .ds '' \(rq
 .el       .ds '' ''
 .de bP
 .ie \n(.g .ds '' \(rq
 .el       .ds '' ''
 .de bP

-.IP \(bu 4
+.ie n  .IP \(bu 4
+.el    .IP \(bu 2

 ..
 .SH NAME
 \fB@TPUT@\fR, \fBreset\fR \- initialize a terminal or query terminfo database
 .SH SYNOPSIS
 \fB@TPUT@\fR [\fB\-T\fR\fItype\fR] \fIcapname\fR [\fIparameters\fR]
 .br
 ..
 .SH NAME
 \fB@TPUT@\fR, \fBreset\fR \- initialize a terminal or query terminfo database
 .SH SYNOPSIS
 \fB@TPUT@\fR [\fB\-T\fR\fItype\fR] \fIcapname\fR [\fIparameters\fR]
 .br

-\fB@TPUT@\fR [\fB\-T\fR\fItype\fR] \fBclear\fR
+\fB@TPUT@\fR [\fB\-T\fR\fItype\fR] [\fB\-x\fP] \fBclear\fR

 .br
 \fB@TPUT@\fR [\fB\-T\fR\fItype\fR] \fBinit\fR
 .br
 .br
 \fB@TPUT@\fR [\fB\-T\fR\fItype\fR] \fBinit\fR
 .br


@@ -86,14 +88,6 @@ For a complete list of capabilities
 and the \fIcapname\fR associated with each, see \fBterminfo\fR(5).
 .SS Options
 .TP
 and the \fIcapname\fR associated with each, see \fBterminfo\fR(5).
 .SS Options
 .TP

-\fB\-T\fR\fItype\fR
-indicates the \fItype\fR of terminal.
-Normally this option is
-unnecessary, because the default is taken from the environment
-variable \fBTERM\fR.
-If \fB\-T\fR is specified, then the shell
-variables \fBLINES\fR and \fBCOLUMNS\fR will also be ignored.
-.TP

 \fB\-S\fR
 allows more than one capability per invocation of \fB@TPUT@\fR.  The
 capabilities must be passed to \fB@TPUT@\fR from the standard input
 \fB\-S\fR
 allows more than one capability per invocation of \fB@TPUT@\fR.  The
 capabilities must be passed to \fB@TPUT@\fR from the standard input


@@ -103,91 +97,202 @@ The \fB\-S\fR option changes the
 meaning of the \fB0\fR and \fB1\fR boolean and string exit codes (see the
 EXIT CODES section).
 .IP
 meaning of the \fB0\fR and \fB1\fR boolean and string exit codes (see the
 EXIT CODES section).
 .IP

-Again, \fB@TPUT@\fR uses a table and the presence of parameters in its input
+Because some capabilities may use
+\fIstring\fP parameters rather than \fInumbers\fP,
+\fB@TPUT@\fR uses a table and the presence of parameters in its input

 to decide whether to use \fBtparm\fR(3X),
 and how to interpret the parameters.
 .TP
 to decide whether to use \fBtparm\fR(3X),
 and how to interpret the parameters.
 .TP

+\fB\-T\fR\fItype\fR
+indicates the \fItype\fR of terminal.
+Normally this option is
+unnecessary, because the default is taken from the environment
+variable \fBTERM\fR.
+If \fB\-T\fR is specified, then the shell
+variables \fBLINES\fR and \fBCOLUMNS\fR will also be ignored.
+.TP

 \fB\-V\fR
 reports the version of ncurses which was used in this program, and exits.
 \fB\-V\fR
 reports the version of ncurses which was used in this program, and exits.

+.TP
+.B \-x
+do not attempt to clear the terminal's scrollback buffer
+using the extended \*(``E3\*('' capability.

 .SS Commands
 .SS Commands

+A few commands (\fBinit\fP, \fBreset\fP and \fBlongname\fP) are
+special; they are defined by the \fB@TPUT@\fP program.
+The others are the names of \fIcapabilities\fP from the terminal database
+(see \fBterminfo\fR(5) for a list).
+Although \fBinit\fP and \fBreset\fP resemble capability names,
+\fB@TPUT@\fP uses several capabilities to perform these special functions.

 .TP
 \fIcapname\fR
 .TP
 \fIcapname\fR

-indicates the capability from the \fBterminfo\fR database.  When
-\fBtermcap\fR support is compiled in, the \fBtermcap\fR name for
-the capability is also accepted.
+indicates the capability from the terminal database.

 .IP
 If the capability is a string that takes parameters, the arguments
 following the capability will be used as parameters for the string.
 .IP
 Most parameters are numbers.
 .IP
 If the capability is a string that takes parameters, the arguments
 following the capability will be used as parameters for the string.
 .IP
 Most parameters are numbers.

-Only a few terminfo capabilities require string parameters;
+Only a few terminal capabilities require string parameters;

 \fB@TPUT@\fR uses a table to decide which to pass as strings.
 Normally \fB@TPUT@\fR uses \fBtparm\fR(3X) to perform the substitution.
 If no parameters are given for the capability,
 \fB@TPUT@\fR writes the string without performing the substitution.
 .TP
 \fBinit\fR
 \fB@TPUT@\fR uses a table to decide which to pass as strings.
 Normally \fB@TPUT@\fR uses \fBtparm\fR(3X) to perform the substitution.
 If no parameters are given for the capability,
 \fB@TPUT@\fR writes the string without performing the substitution.
 .TP
 \fBinit\fR

-If the \fBterminfo\fR database is present and an entry for the user's
+If the terminal database is present and an entry for the user's

 terminal exists (see \fB\-T\fR\fItype\fR, above), the following will
 occur:
 .RS
 .TP 5
 (1)
 terminal exists (see \fB\-T\fR\fItype\fR, above), the following will
 occur:
 .RS
 .TP 5
 (1)

-if present, the terminal's initialization strings will be
-output as detailed in the \fBterminfo\fR(5) section on
-.IR "Tabs and Initialization" ,
+first, \fB@TPUT@\fR retrieves the current terminal mode settings
+for your terminal.
+It does this by successively testing
+.RS
+.bP
+the standard error,
+.bP
+standard output,
+.bP
+standard input and
+.bP
+ultimately \*(``/dev/tty\*(''
+.RE
+.IP
+to obtain terminal settings.
+Having retrieved these settings, \fB@TPUT@\fP remembers which
+file descriptor to use when updating settings.

 .TP
 (2)
 .TP
 (2)

-any delays (e.g., newline) specified in the entry will
-be set in the tty driver,
+if the window size cannot be obtained from the operating system,
+but the terminal description (or environment, e.g., \fBLINES\fP
+and \fBCOLUMNS\fP variables specify this),
+update the operating system's notion of the window size.

 .TP
 (3)
 .TP
 (3)

+the terminal modes will be updated:
+.RS
+.bP
+any delays (e.g., newline) specified in the entry will
+be set in the tty driver,
+.bP

 tabs expansion will be turned on or off according to
 the specification in the entry, and
 tabs expansion will be turned on or off according to
 the specification in the entry, and

-.TP
-(4)
+.bP

 if tabs are not expanded,
 standard tabs will be set (every 8 spaces).
 .RE
 if tabs are not expanded,
 standard tabs will be set (every 8 spaces).
 .RE

+.TP
+(4)
+if present, the terminal's initialization strings will be
+output as detailed in the \fBterminfo\fR(5) section on
+.IR "Tabs and Initialization" ,
+.TP
+(5)
+output is flushed.
+.RE

 .IP
 If an entry does not
 contain the information needed for any of these activities,
 that activity will silently be skipped.
 .TP
 \fBreset\fR
 .IP
 If an entry does not
 contain the information needed for any of these activities,
 that activity will silently be skipped.
 .TP
 \fBreset\fR

-Instead of putting out initialization strings, the terminal's
-reset strings will be output if present (\fBrs1\fR, \fBrs2\fR, \fBrs3\fR, \fBrf\fR).
-If the reset strings are not present, but initialization
-strings are, the initialization strings will be output.
+This is similar to \fBinit\fP, with two differences:
+.RS
+.TP 5
+(1)
+before any other initialization,
+the terminal modes will be reset to a \*(``sane\*('' state:
+.RS
+.bP
+set cooked and echo modes,
+.bP
+turn off cbreak and raw modes,
+.bP
+turn on newline translation and
+.bP
+reset any unset special characters to their default values
+.RE
+.TP 5
+(2)
+Instead of putting out \fIinitialization\fP strings, the terminal's
+\fIreset\fP strings will be output if present
+(\fBrs1\fR, \fBrs2\fR, \fBrs3\fR, \fBrf\fR).
+If the \fIreset\fP strings are not present, but \fIinitialization\fP
+strings are, the \fIinitialization\fP strings will be output.
+.RE
+.IP

 Otherwise, \fBreset\fR acts identically to \fBinit\fR.
 .TP
 \fBlongname\fR
 Otherwise, \fBreset\fR acts identically to \fBinit\fR.
 .TP
 \fBlongname\fR

-If the \fBterminfo\fR database is present and an entry for the
+If the terminal database is present and an entry for the

 user's terminal exists (see \fB\-T\fR\fItype\fR above), then the long name
 user's terminal exists (see \fB\-T\fR\fItype\fR above), then the long name

-of the terminal will be put out.  The long name is the last
+of the terminal will be put out.
+The long name is the last

 name in the first line of the terminal's description in the
 \fBterminfo\fR database [see \fBterm\fR(5)].
 .SS Aliases
 name in the first line of the terminal's description in the
 \fBterminfo\fR database [see \fBterm\fR(5)].
 .SS Aliases

-\fB@TPUT@\fR handles the \fBinit\fP and \fBreset\fP commands specially:
+\fB@TPUT@\fR handles the \fBclear\fP, \fBinit\fP and \fBreset\fP
+commands specially:

 it allows for the possibility that it is invoked by a link with those names.
 .PP
 If \fB@TPUT@\fR is invoked by a link named \fBreset\fR, this has the
 same effect as \fB@TPUT@ reset\fR.
 it allows for the possibility that it is invoked by a link with those names.
 .PP
 If \fB@TPUT@\fR is invoked by a link named \fBreset\fR, this has the
 same effect as \fB@TPUT@ reset\fR.

-The \fB@TSET@\fR(\*n) utility also treats a link named \fBreset\fP specially:
+The \fB@TSET@\fR(\*n) utility also treats a link named \fBreset\fP specially.
+.PP
+Before ncurses 6.1, the two utilities were different from each other:

 .bP
 .bP

-That utility resets the terminal modes and special characters (not done here).
+\fB@TSET@\fP utility reset the terminal modes and special characters
+(not done with \fB@TPUT@\fP).

 .bP
 .bP

-On the other hand, @TSET@'s repertoire of terminal capabilities for
-resetting the terminal is more limited, i.e., only \fBreset_1string\fP, \fBreset_2string\fP and \fBreset_file\fP
+On the other hand, \fB@TSET@\fP's repertoire of terminal capabilities for
+resetting the terminal was more limited,
+i.e., only \fBreset_1string\fP, \fBreset_2string\fP and \fBreset_file\fP

 in contrast to the tab-stops and margins which are set by this utility.
 .bP
 in contrast to the tab-stops and margins which are set by this utility.
 .bP

-The \fBreset\fP program is usually an alias for @TSET@,
-due to the resetting of terminal modes and special characters.
+The \fBreset\fP program is usually an alias for \fB@TSET@\fP,
+because of this difference with resetting terminal modes and special characters.
+.PP
+With the changes made for ncurses 6.1, the \fIreset\fP feature of the
+two programs is (mostly) the same.
+A few differences remain:
+.bP
+The \fB@TSET@\fP program waits one second when resetting,
+in case it happens to be a hardware terminal.
+.bP
+The two programs write the terminal initialization strings
+to different streams (i.e., the standard error for \fB@TSET@\fP and the
+standard output for \fB@TPUT@\fP).
+.IP
+\fBNote:\fP although these programs write to different streams,
+redirecting their output to a file will capture only part of their actions.
+The changes to the terminal modes are not affected by redirecting the output.

 .PP
 If \fB@TPUT@\fR is invoked by a link named \fBinit\fR, this has the
 same effect as \fB@TPUT@ init\fR.
 Again, you are less likely to use that link because another program
 named \fBinit\fP has a more well-established use.
 .PP
 If \fB@TPUT@\fR is invoked by a link named \fBinit\fR, this has the
 same effect as \fB@TPUT@ init\fR.
 Again, you are less likely to use that link because another program
 named \fBinit\fP has a more well-established use.

+.SS Terminal Size
+.PP
+Besides the special commands (e.g., \fBclear\fP),
+@TPUT@ treats certain terminfo capabilities specially:
+\fBlines\fP and \fBcols\fP.
+@TPUT@ calls \fBsetupterm\fP(3X) to obtain the terminal size:
+.bP
+first, it gets the size from the terminal database
+(which generally is not provided for terminal emulators
+which do not have a fixed window size)
+.bP
+then it asks the operating system for the terminal's size
+(which generally works, unless connecting via a serial line which
+does not support \fINAWS\fP: negotiations about window size).
+.bP
+finally, it inspects the environment variables \fBLINES\fP and \fBCOLUMNS\fP
+which may override the terminal size.
+.PP
+If the \fB\-T\fP option is given
+@TPUT@ ignores the environment variables by calling \fBuse_tioctl(TRUE)\fP,
+relying upon the operating system (or finally, the terminal database).

 .SH EXAMPLES
 .TP 5
 \fB@TPUT@ init\fR
 .SH EXAMPLES
 .TP 5
 \fB@TPUT@ init\fR


@@ -203,7 +308,7 @@ terminal in the environmental variable \fBTERM\fR.
 .TP 5
 \fB@TPUT@ cup 0 0\fR
 Send the sequence to move the cursor to row \fB0\fR, column \fB0\fR
 .TP 5
 \fB@TPUT@ cup 0 0\fR
 Send the sequence to move the cursor to row \fB0\fR, column \fB0\fR

-(the upper left corner of the screen, usually known as the \*(lqhome\*(rq
+(the upper left corner of the screen, usually known as the \*(``home\*(''

 cursor position).
 .TP 5
 \fB@TPUT@ clear\fR
 cursor position).
 .TP 5
 \fB@TPUT@ clear\fR


@@ -218,7 +323,8 @@ Print the number of columns for the 450 terminal.
 \fBbold=`@TPUT@ smso` offbold=`@TPUT@ rmso`\fR
 Set the shell variables \fBbold\fR, to begin stand-out mode
 sequence, and \fBoffbold\fR, to end standout mode sequence,
 \fBbold=`@TPUT@ smso` offbold=`@TPUT@ rmso`\fR
 Set the shell variables \fBbold\fR, to begin stand-out mode
 sequence, and \fBoffbold\fR, to end standout mode sequence,

-for the current terminal.  This might be followed by a
+for the current terminal.
+This might be followed by a

 prompt: \fBecho "${bold}Please type in your name: ${offbold}\\c"\fR
 .TP 5
 \fB@TPUT@ hc\fR
 prompt: \fBecho "${bold}Please type in your name: ${offbold}\\c"\fR
 .TP 5
 \fB@TPUT@ hc\fR


@@ -248,7 +354,8 @@ variable \fBTERM\fR.
 .RE
 .TP 5
 \&
 .RE
 .TP 5
 \&

-This example shows \fB@TPUT@\fR processing several capabilities in one invocation.
+This example shows \fB@TPUT@\fR processing several capabilities
+in one invocation.

 It clears the screen,
 moves the cursor to position 10, 10
 and turns on bold (extra bright) mode.
 It clears the screen,
 moves the cursor to position 10, 10
 and turns on bold (extra bright) mode.


@@ -272,7 +379,8 @@ and if any errors are found, will set the exit code to 4 plus the
 number of lines with errors.
 If no errors are found, the exit code is \fB0\fR.
 No indication of which line failed can be given so
 number of lines with errors.
 If no errors are found, the exit code is \fB0\fR.
 No indication of which line failed can be given so

-exit code \fB1\fR will never appear.  Exit codes \fB2\fR, \fB3\fR, and
+exit code \fB1\fR will never appear.
+Exit codes \fB2\fR, \fB3\fR, and

 \fB4\fR retain their usual interpretation.
 If the \fB\-S\fR option is not used,
 the exit code depends on the type of \fIcapname\fR:
 \fB4\fR retain their usual interpretation.
 If the \fB\-S\fR option is not used,
 the exit code depends on the type of \fIcapname\fR:


@@ -332,11 +440,9 @@ AT&T System V provided a different \fBtput\fP command,
 whose \fBinit\fP and \fBreset\fP  subcommands
 (more than half the program) were incorporated from
 the \fBreset\fP feature of BSD \fBtset\fP written by Eric Allman.
 whose \fBinit\fP and \fBreset\fP  subcommands
 (more than half the program) were incorporated from
 the \fBreset\fP feature of BSD \fBtset\fP written by Eric Allman.

-Later the corresponding source code for \fIreset\fP
-was removed from the BSD \fBtset\fP
-(in June 1993, released in 4.4BSD-Lite a year later).

 .PP
 .PP

-Keith Bostic replaced the BSD \fBtput\fP command in 1989 with a new implementation
+Keith Bostic replaced the BSD \fBtput\fP command in 1989
+with a new implementation

 based on the AT&T System V program \fBtput\fP.
 Like the AT&T program, Bostic's version
 accepted some parameters named for \fIterminfo capabilities\fP
 based on the AT&T System V program \fBtput\fP.
 Like the AT&T program, Bostic's version
 accepted some parameters named for \fIterminfo capabilities\fP


@@ -346,17 +452,29 @@ it accepted \fItermcap names\fP for other capabilities.
 Also, Bostic's BSD \fBtput\fP did not modify the terminal I/O modes
 as the earlier BSD \fBtset\fP had done.
 .PP
 Also, Bostic's BSD \fBtput\fP did not modify the terminal I/O modes
 as the earlier BSD \fBtset\fP had done.
 .PP

-At the same time, Bostic added a shell script named \*(lqclear\*(rq,
+At the same time, Bostic added a shell script named \*(``clear\*('',

 which used \fBtput\fP to clear the screen.
 .PP
 Both of these appeared in 4.4BSD,
 which used \fBtput\fP to clear the screen.
 .PP
 Both of these appeared in 4.4BSD,

-becoming the \*(lqmodern\*(rq BSD implementation of \fBtput\fP.
+becoming the \*(``modern\*('' BSD implementation of \fBtput\fP.
+.PP
+This implementation of \fBtput\fP began from a different source than
+AT&T or BSD: Ross Ridge's \fImytinfo\fP package, published on
+\fIcomp.sources.unix\fP in December 1992.
+Ridge's program made more sophisticated use of the terminal capabilities
+than the BSD program.
+Eric Raymond used that \fBtput\fP program
+(and other parts of \fImytinfo\fP) in ncurses in June 1995.
+Using the portions dealing with terminal capabilities
+almost without change,
+Raymond made improvements to the way the command-line parameters
+were handled.

 .SH PORTABILITY
 .PP
 This implementation of \fBtput\fP differs from AT&T \fBtput\fP in
 two important areas:
 .bP
 .SH PORTABILITY
 .PP
 This implementation of \fBtput\fP differs from AT&T \fBtput\fP in
 two important areas:
 .bP

-@TPUT@ \fIcapname\fP writes to the standard output.
+\fB@TPUT@\fP \fIcapname\fP writes to the standard output.

 That need not be a regular terminal.
 However, the subcommands which manipulate terminal modes
 may not use the standard output.
 That need not be a regular terminal.
 However, the subcommands which manipulate terminal modes
 may not use the standard output.


@@ -364,15 +482,17 @@ may not use the standard output.
 The AT&T implementation's \fBinit\fP and \fBreset\fP commands
 use the BSD (4.1c) \fBtset\fP source, which manipulates terminal modes.
 It successively tries standard output, standard error, standard input
 The AT&T implementation's \fBinit\fP and \fBreset\fP commands
 use the BSD (4.1c) \fBtset\fP source, which manipulates terminal modes.
 It successively tries standard output, standard error, standard input

-before falling back to \*(lq/dev/tty\*(rq and finally just assumes
+before falling back to \*(``/dev/tty\*('' and finally just assumes

 a 1200Bd terminal.
 When updating terminal modes, it ignores errors.
 .IP
 a 1200Bd terminal.
 When updating terminal modes, it ignores errors.
 .IP

-Until changes made after ncurses 6.0, @TPUT@ did not modify terminal modes.
-@TPUT@ now uses a similar scheme, using functions shared with @TSET@
+Until changes made after ncurses 6.0,
+\fB@TPUT@\fP did not modify terminal modes.
+\fB@TPUT@\fP now uses a similar scheme,
+using functions shared with \fB@TSET@\fP

 (and ultimately based on the 4.4BSD \fBtset\fP).
 If it is not able to open a terminal, e.g., when running in \fBcron\fP,
 (and ultimately based on the 4.4BSD \fBtset\fP).
 If it is not able to open a terminal, e.g., when running in \fBcron\fP,

-@TPUT@ will return an error.
+\fB@TPUT@\fP will return an error.

 .bP
 AT&T \fBtput\fP guesses the type of its \fIcapname\fP operands by seeing if
 all of the characters are numeric, or not.
 .bP
 AT&T \fBtput\fP guesses the type of its \fIcapname\fP operands by seeing if
 all of the characters are numeric, or not.


@@ -386,6 +506,25 @@ This implementation uses a table to determine the parameter types for
 the standard \fIcapname\fR operands, and an internal library
 function to analyze nonstandard \fIcapname\fR operands.
 .PP
 the standard \fIcapname\fR operands, and an internal library
 function to analyze nonstandard \fIcapname\fR operands.
 .PP

+This implementation (unlike others) can accept both \fItermcap\fP
+and \fIterminfo\fP names for the \fIcapname\fP feature,
+if
+\fItermcap\fR support is compiled in.
+However, the predefined \fItermcap\fP and \fIterminfo\fP names have two
+ambiguities in this case (and the \fIterminfo\fP name is assumed):
+.bP
+The \fItermcap\fP name \fBdl\fP corresponds to
+the \fIterminfo\fP name \fBdl1\fP (delete one line).
+.br
+The \fIterminfo\fP name \fBdl\fP corresponds to
+the \fItermcap\fP name \fBDL\fP (delete a given number of lines).
+.bP
+The \fItermcap\fP name \fBed\fP corresponds to
+the \fIterminfo\fP name \fBrmdc\fP (end delete mode).
+.br
+The \fIterminfo\fP name \fBed\fP corresponds to
+the \fItermcap\fP name \fBcd\fP (clear to end of screen).
+.PP

 The \fBlongname\fR and \fB\-S\fR options, and the parameter-substitution
 features used in the \fBcup\fR example,
 were not supported in BSD curses before 4.3reno (1989) or in
 The \fBlongname\fR and \fB\-S\fR options, and the parameter-substitution
 features used in the \fBcup\fR example,
 were not supported in BSD curses before 4.3reno (1989) or in


@@ -416,20 +555,43 @@ only a few may not be apparent.
 X/Open Curses Issue 7 documents \fBtput\fP differently, with \fIcapname\fP
 and the other features used in this implementation.
 .bP
 X/Open Curses Issue 7 documents \fBtput\fP differently, with \fIcapname\fP
 and the other features used in this implementation.
 .bP

-That is, there are two standards for \fBtput\fP: POSIX (a subset) and X/Open Curses (the full implementation).
+That is, there are two standards for \fBtput\fP:
+POSIX (a subset) and X/Open Curses (the full implementation).

 POSIX documents a subset to avoid the complication of including X/Open Curses
 and the terminal capabilities database.
 .bP
 POSIX documents a subset to avoid the complication of including X/Open Curses
 and the terminal capabilities database.
 .bP

-While it is certainly possible to write a \fBtput\fP program without using curses,
+While it is certainly possible to write a \fBtput\fP program
+without using curses,

 none of the systems which have a curses implementation provide
 a \fBtput\fP utility which does not provide the \fIcapname\fP feature.
 none of the systems which have a curses implementation provide
 a \fBtput\fP utility which does not provide the \fIcapname\fP feature.

+.PP
+X/Open Curses Issue 7 (2009) is the first version to document utilities.
+However that part of X/Open Curses does not follow existing practice
+(i.e., Unix features documented in SVID 3):
+.bP
+It assigns exit code 4 to \*(``invalid operand\*('',
+which may be the same as \fIunknown capability\fP.
+For instance, the source code for Solaris' xcurses uses the term
+\*(``invalid\*('' in this case.
+.bP
+It assigns exit code 255 to a numeric variable that is not specified in
+the terminfo database.
+That likely is a documentation error,
+confusing the \fB\-1\fP written to the standard output for an absent
+or cancelled numeric value versus an (unsigned) exit code.
+.PP
+The various Unix systems (AIX, HPUX, Solaris) use the same exit-codes
+as ncurses.
+.PP
+NetBSD curses documents different exit codes which do not correspond
+to either ncurses or X/Open.

 .SH SEE ALSO
 \fB@CLEAR@\fR(\*n),
 \fBstty\fR(1),
 \fB@TABS@\fR(\*n),
 \fB@TSET@\fR(\*n),
 .SH SEE ALSO
 \fB@CLEAR@\fR(\*n),
 \fBstty\fR(1),
 \fB@TABS@\fR(\*n),
 \fB@TSET@\fR(\*n),

-\fBterminfo\fR(5),
-\fBcurs_termcap\fR(3X).
+\fBcurs_termcap\fR(3X),
+\fBterminfo\fR(5).

 .PP
 This describes \fBncurses\fR
 version @NCURSES_MAJOR@.@NCURSES_MINOR@ (patch @NCURSES_PATCH@).
 .PP
 This describes \fBncurses\fR
 version @NCURSES_MAJOR@.@NCURSES_MINOR@ (patch @NCURSES_PATCH@).