man5/termcap.5

   1 .\" Copyright (c) 1993 Michael Haardt (michael@moria.de),
   2 .\"     Fri Apr  2 11:32:09 MET DST 1993
   3 .\"
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  24 .\"
  25 .\" Modified formatting Sat Jul 24 17:13:38 1993, Rik Faith (faith@cs.unc.edu)
  26 .\" Modified (extensions and corrections)
  27 .\"   Sun May  1 14:21:25 MET DST 1994 Michael Haardt
  28 .\"   If mistakes in the capabilities are found, please send a bug report to:
  29 .\"   michael@moria.de
  30 .\" Modified Mon Oct 21 17:47:19 EDT 1996 by Eric S. Raymond (esr@thyrsus.com)
  31 .TH TERMCAP 5 2019-03-06 "Linux" "Linux Programmer's Manual"
  32 .SH NAME
  33 termcap \- terminal capability database
  34 .SH DESCRIPTION
  35 The termcap database is an obsolete facility for describing the
  36 capabilities of character-cell terminals and printers.
  37 It is retained only for compatibility with old programs;
  38 new programs should use the
  39 .BR terminfo (5)
  40 database and associated libraries.
  41 .PP
  42 .I /etc/termcap
  43 is an ASCII file (the database master) that lists the capabilities of
  44 many different types of terminals.
  45 Programs can read termcap to find
  46 the particular escape codes needed to control the visual attributes of
  47 the terminal actually in use.
  48 (Other aspects of the terminal are
  49 handled by
  50 .BR stty (1).)
  51 The termcap database is indexed on the
  52 .B TERM
  53 environment variable.
  54 .PP
  55 Termcap entries must be defined on a single logical line, with \(aq\e\(aq
  56 used to suppress the newline.
  57 Fields are separated by \(aq:\(aq.
  58 The first field of each entry starts at the left-hand margin,
  59 and contains a list of names for the terminal, separated by \(aq|\(aq.
  60 .PP
  61 The first subfield may (in BSD termcap entries from versions 4.3 and
  62 earlier) contain a short name consisting of two characters.
  63 This short name may consist of capital or small letters.
  64 In 4.4BSD, termcap entries this field is omitted.
  65 .PP
  66 The second subfield (first, in the newer 4.4BSD format) contains the
  67 name used by the environment variable
  68 .BR TERM .
  69 It should be spelled in lowercase letters.
  70 Selectable hardware capabilities should be marked
  71 by appending a hyphen and a suffix to this name.
  72 See below for an example.
  73 Usual suffixes are w (more than 80 characters wide), am
  74 (automatic margins), nam (no automatic margins), and rv (reverse video
  75 display).
  76 The third subfield contains a long and descriptive name for
  77 this termcap entry.
  78 .PP
  79 Subsequent fields contain the terminal capabilities; any continued
  80 capability lines must be indented one tab from the left margin.
  81 .PP
  82 Although there is no defined order, it is suggested to write first
  83 boolean, then numeric, and then string capabilities, each sorted
  84 alphabetically without looking at lower or upper spelling.
  85 Capabilities of similar functions can be written in one line.
  86 .PP
  87 Example for:
  88 .nf
  89 .PP
  90 Head line: vt|vt101|DEC VT 101 terminal in 80 character mode:\e
  91 Head line: Vt|vt101-w|DEC VT 101 terminal in (wide) 132 character mode:\e
  92 Boolean: :bs:\e
  93 Numeric: :co#80:\e
  94 String: :sr=\eE[H:\e
  95 .fi
  96 .SS Boolean capabilities
  97 .nf
  98 5i      Printer will not echo on screen
  99 am      Automatic margins which means automatic line wrap
 100 bs      Control-H (8 dec.) performs a backspace
 101 bw      Backspace on left margin wraps to previous line and right margin
 102 da      Display retained above screen
 103 db      Display retained below screen
 104 eo      A space erases all characters at cursor position
 105 es      Escape sequences and special characters work in status line
 106 gn      Generic device
 107 hc      This is a hardcopy terminal
 108 HC      The cursor is hard to see when not on bottom line
 109 hs      Has a status line
 110 hz      Hazeltine bug, the terminal can not print tilde characters
 111 in      Terminal inserts null bytes, not spaces, to fill whitespace
 112 km      Terminal has a meta key
 113 mi      Cursor movement works in insert mode
 114 ms      Cursor movement works in standout/underline mode
 115 NP      No pad character
 116 NR      ti does not reverse te
 117 nx      No padding, must use XON/XOFF
 118 os      Terminal can overstrike
 119 ul      Terminal underlines although it can not overstrike
 120 xb      Beehive glitch, f1 sends ESCAPE, f2 sends \fB^C\fP
 121 xn      Newline/wraparound glitch
 122 xo      Terminal uses xon/xoff protocol
 123 xs      Text typed over standout text will be displayed in standout
 124 xt      Teleray glitch, destructive tabs and odd standout mode
 125 .fi
 126 .SS Numeric capabilities
 127 .nf
 128 co      Number of columns
 129 dB      Delay in milliseconds for backspace on hardcopy terminals
 130 dC      Delay in milliseconds for carriage return on hardcopy terminals
 131 dF      Delay in milliseconds for form feed on hardcopy terminals
 132 dN      Delay in milliseconds for new line on hardcopy terminals
 133 dT      Delay in milliseconds for tabulator stop on hardcopy terminals
 134 dV      Delay in milliseconds for vertical tabulator stop on
 135         hardcopy terminals
 136 it      Difference between tab positions
 137 lh      Height of soft labels
 138 lm      Lines of memory
 139 lw      Width of soft labels
 140 li      Number of lines
 141 Nl      Number of soft labels
 142 pb      Lowest baud rate which needs padding
 143 sg      Standout glitch
 144 ug      Underline glitch
 145 vt      virtual terminal number
 146 ws      Width of status line if different from screen width
 147 .fi
 148 .SS String capabilities
 149 .nf
 150 !1      shifted save key
 151 !2      shifted suspend key
 152 !3      shifted undo key
 153 #1      shifted help key
 154 #2      shifted home key
 155 #3      shifted input key
 156 #4      shifted cursor left key
 157 %0      redo key
 158 %1      help key
 159 %2      mark key
 160 %3      message key
 161 %4      move key
 162 %5      next-object key
 163 %6      open key
 164 %7      options key
 165 %8      previous-object key
 166 %9      print key
 167 %a      shifted message key
 168 %b      shifted move key
 169 %c      shifted next key
 170 %d      shifted options key
 171 %e      shifted previous key
 172 %f      shifted print key
 173 %g      shifted redo key
 174 %h      shifted replace key
 175 %i      shifted cursor right key
 176 %j      shifted resume key
 177 &0      shifted cancel key
 178 &1      reference key
 179 &2      refresh key
 180 &3      replace key
 181 &4      restart key
 182 &5      resume key
 183 &6      save key
 184 &7      suspend key
 185 &8      undo key
 186 &9      shifted begin key
 187 *0      shifted find key
 188 *1      shifted command key
 189 *2      shifted copy key
 190 *3      shifted create key
 191 *4      shifted delete character
 192 *5      shifted delete line
 193 *6      select key
 194 *7      shifted end key
 195 *8      shifted clear line key
 196 *9      shifted exit key
 197 @0      find key
 198 @1      begin key
 199 @2      cancel key
 200 @3      close key
 201 @4      command key
 202 @5      copy key
 203 @6      create key
 204 @7      end key
 205 @8      enter/send key
 206 @9      exit key
 207 al      Insert one line
 208 AL      Insert %1 lines
 209 ac      Pairs of block graphic characters to map alternate character set
 210 ae      End alternative character set
 211 as      Start alternative character set for block graphic characters
 212 bc      Backspace, if not \fB^H\fP
 213 bl      Audio bell
 214 bt      Move to previous tab stop
 215 cb      Clear from beginning of line to cursor
 216 cc      Dummy command character
 217 cd      Clear to end of screen
 218 ce      Clear to end of line
 219 ch      Move cursor horizontally only to column %1
 220 cl      Clear screen and cursor home
 221 cm      Cursor move to row %1 and column %2 (on screen)
 222 CM      Move cursor to row %1 and column %2 (in memory)
 223 cr      Carriage return
 224 cs      Scroll region from line %1 to %2
 225 ct      Clear tabs
 226 cv      Move cursor vertically only to line %1
 227 dc      Delete one character
 228 DC      Delete %1 characters
 229 dl      Delete one line
 230 DL      Delete %1 lines
 231 dm      Begin delete mode
 232 do      Cursor down one line
 233 DO      Cursor down #1 lines
 234 ds      Disable status line
 235 eA      Enable alternate character set
 236 ec      Erase %1 characters starting at cursor
 237 ed      End delete mode
 238 ei      End insert mode
 239 ff      Formfeed character on hardcopy terminals
 240 fs      Return character to its position before going to status line
 241 F1      The string sent by function key f11
 242 F2      The string sent by function key f12
 243 F3      The string sent by function key f13
 244 \&...   \&...
 245 F9      The string sent by function key f19
 246 FA      The string sent by function key f20
 247 FB      The string sent by function key f21
 248 \&...   \&...
 249 FZ      The string sent by function key f45
 250 Fa      The string sent by function key f46
 251 Fb      The string sent by function key f47
 252 \&...   \&...
 253 Fr      The string sent by function key f63
 254 hd      Move cursor a half line down
 255 ho      Cursor home
 256 hu      Move cursor a half line up
 257 i1      Initialization string 1 at login
 258 i3      Initialization string 3 at login
 259 is      Initialization string 2 at login
 260 ic      Insert one character
 261 IC      Insert %1 characters
 262 if      Initialization file
 263 im      Begin insert mode
 264 ip      Insert pad time and needed special characters after insert
 265 iP      Initialization program
 266 K1      upper left key on keypad
 267 K2      center key on keypad
 268 K3      upper right key on keypad
 269 K4      bottom left key on keypad
 270 K5      bottom right key on keypad
 271 k0      Function key 0
 272 k1      Function key 1
 273 k2      Function key 2
 274 k3      Function key 3
 275 k4      Function key 4
 276 k5      Function key 5
 277 k6      Function key 6
 278 k7      Function key 7
 279 k8      Function key 8
 280 k9      Function key 9
 281 k;      Function key 10
 282 ka      Clear all tabs key
 283 kA      Insert line key
 284 kb      Backspace key
 285 kB      Back tab stop
 286 kC      Clear screen key
 287 kd      Cursor down key
 288 kD      Key for delete character under cursor
 289 ke      turn keypad off
 290 kE      Key for clear to end of line
 291 kF      Key for scrolling forward/down
 292 kh      Cursor home key
 293 kH      Cursor hown down key
 294 kI      Insert character/Insert mode key
 295 kl      Cursor left key
 296 kL      Key for delete line
 297 kM      Key for exit insert mode
 298 kN      Key for next page
 299 kP      Key for previous page
 300 kr      Cursor right key
 301 kR      Key for scrolling backward/up
 302 ks      Turn keypad on
 303 kS      Clear to end of screen key
 304 kt      Clear this tab key
 305 kT      Set tab here key
 306 ku      Cursor up key
 307 l0      Label of zeroth function key, if not f0
 308 l1      Label of first function key, if not f1
 309 l2      Label of first function key, if not f2
 310 \&...   \&...
 311 la      Label of tenth function key, if not f10
 312 le      Cursor left one character
 313 ll      Move cursor to lower left corner
 314 LE      Cursor left %1 characters
 315 LF      Turn soft labels off
 316 LO      Turn soft labels on
 317 mb      Start blinking
 318 MC      Clear soft margins
 319 md      Start bold mode
 320 me      End all mode like so, us, mb, md, and mr
 321 mh      Start half bright mode
 322 mk      Dark mode (Characters invisible)
 323 ML      Set left soft margin
 324 mm      Put terminal in meta mode
 325 mo      Put terminal out of meta mode
 326 mp      Turn on protected attribute
 327 mr      Start reverse mode
 328 MR      Set right soft margin
 329 nd      Cursor right one character
 330 nw      Carriage return command
 331 pc      Padding character
 332 pf      Turn printer off
 333 pk      Program key %1 to send string %2 as if typed by user
 334 pl      Program key %1 to execute string %2 in local mode
 335 pn      Program soft label %1 to show string %2
 336 po      Turn the printer on
 337 pO      Turn the printer on for %1 (<256) bytes
 338 ps      Print screen contents on printer
 339 px      Program key %1 to send string %2 to computer
 340 r1      Reset string 1 to set terminal to sane modes
 341 r2      Reset string 2 to set terminal to sane modes
 342 r3      Reset string 3 to set terminal to sane modes
 343 RA      disable automatic margins
 344 rc      Restore saved cursor position
 345 rf      Reset string filename
 346 RF      Request for input from terminal
 347 RI      Cursor right %1 characters
 348 rp      Repeat character %1 for %2 times
 349 rP      Padding after character sent in replace mode
 350 rs      Reset string
 351 RX      Turn off XON/XOFF flow control
 352 sa      Set %1 %2 %3 %4 %5 %6 %7 %8 %9 attributes
 353 SA      enable automatic margins
 354 sc      Save cursor position
 355 se      End standout mode
 356 sf      Normal scroll one line
 357 SF      Normal scroll %1 lines
 358 so      Start standout mode
 359 sr      Reverse scroll
 360 SR      scroll back %1 lines
 361 st      Set tabulator stop in all rows at current column
 362 SX      Turn on XON/XOFF flow control
 363 ta      move to next hardware tab
 364 tc      Read in terminal description from another entry
 365 te      End program that uses cursor motion
 366 ti      Begin program that uses cursor motion
 367 ts      Move cursor to column %1 of status line
 368 uc      Underline character under cursor and move cursor right
 369 ue      End underlining
 370 up      Cursor up one line
 371 UP      Cursor up %1 lines
 372 us      Start underlining
 373 vb      Visible bell
 374 ve      Normal cursor visible
 375 vi      Cursor invisible
 376 vs      Standout cursor
 377 wi      Set window from line %1 to %2 and column %3 to %4
 378 XF      XOFF character if not \fB^S\fP
 379 .fi
 380 .PP
 381 There are several ways of defining the control codes for string capabilities:
 382 .PP
 383 Every normal character represents itself,
 384 except \(aq^\(aq, \(aq\e\(aq, and \(aq%\(aq.
 385 .PP
 386 A \fB^x\fP means Control-x.
 387 Control-A equals 1 decimal.
 388 .PP
 389 \ex means a special code.
 390 x can be one of the following characters:
 391 .RS
 392 E Escape (27)
 393 .br
 394 n Linefeed (10)
 395 .br
 396 r Carriage return (13)
 397 .br
 398 t Tabulation (9)
 399 .br
 400 b Backspace (8)
 401 .br
 402 f Form feed (12)
 403 .br
 404 0 Null character.
 405 A \exxx specifies the octal character xxx.
 406 .RE
 407 .IP i
 408 Increments parameters by one.
 409 .IP r
 410 Single parameter capability
 411 .IP +
 412 Add value of next character to this parameter and do binary output
 413 .IP 2
 414 Do ASCII output of this parameter with a field with of 2
 415 .IP d
 416 Do ASCII output of this parameter with a field with of 3
 417 .IP %
 418 Print a \(aq%\(aq
 419 .PP
 420 If you use binary output, then you should avoid the null character (\(aq\e0\(aq)
 421 because it terminates the string.
 422 You should reset tabulator expansion
 423 if a tabulator can be the binary output of a parameter.
 424 .IP Warning:
 425 The above metacharacters for parameters may be wrong: they document Minix
 426 termcap which may not be compatible with Linux termcap.
 427 .PP
 428 The block graphic characters can be specified by three string capabilities:
 429 .IP as
 430 start the alternative charset
 431 .IP ae
 432 end the alternative charset
 433 .IP ac
 434 pairs of characters.
 435 The first character is the name of the block graphic
 436 symbol and the second characters is its definition.
 437 .PP
 438 The following names are available:
 439 .PP
 440 .nf
 441 +       right arrow (>)
 442 ,       left arrow (<)
 443 \&.     down arrow (v)
 444 0       full square (#)
 445 I       lantern (#)
 446 -       upper arrow (^)
 447 \&'     rhombus (+)
 448 a       chess board (:)
 449 f       degree (')
 450 g       plus-minus (#)
 451 h       square (#)
 452 j       right bottom corner (+)
 453 k       right upper corner (+)
 454 l       left upper corner (+)
 455 m       left bottom corner (+)
 456 n       cross (+)
 457 o       upper horizontal line (-)
 458 q       middle horizontal line (-)
 459 s       bottom horizontal line (_)
 460 t       left tee (+)
 461 u       right tee (+)
 462 v       bottom tee (+)
 463 w       normal tee (+)
 464 x       vertical line (|)
 465 ~       paragraph (???)
 466 .fi
 467 .PP
 468 The values in parentheses are suggested defaults which are used by the
 469 .IR curses
 470 library, if the capabilities are missing.
 471 .SH SEE ALSO
 472 .BR ncurses (3),
 473 .BR termcap (3),
 474 .BR terminfo (5)