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diff --git a/ncurses-5.3/man/terminfo.tail b/ncurses-5.3/man/terminfo.tail new file mode 100644 index 0000000..52ae7a4 --- /dev/null +++ b/ncurses-5.3/man/terminfo.tail @@ -0,0 +1,1585 @@ +.\" $Id$ +.\" Beginning of terminfo.tail file +.ps +1 +.PP +.SS A Sample Entry +.PP +The following entry, describing an ANSI-standard terminal, is representative +of what a \fBterminfo\fR entry for a modern terminal typically looks like. +.PP +.nf +.in -2 +.ta .3i +.ft CW +\s-2ansi|ansi/pc-term compatible with color, + mc5i, + colors#8, ncv#3, pairs#64, + cub=\\E[%p1%dD, cud=\\E[%p1%dB, cuf=\\E[%p1%dC, + cuu=\\E[%p1%dA, dch=\\E[%p1%dP, dl=\\E[%p1%dM, + ech=\\E[%p1%dX, el1=\\E[1K, hpa=\\E[%p1%dG, ht=\\E[I, + ich=\\E[%p1%d@, il=\\E[%p1%dL, indn=\\E[%p1%dS, .indn=\\E[%p1%dT, + kbs=^H, kcbt=\\E[Z, kcub1=\\E[D, kcud1=\\E[B, + kcuf1=\\E[C, kcuu1=\\E[A, kf1=\\E[M, kf10=\\E[V, + kf11=\\E[W, kf12=\\E[X, kf2=\\E[N, kf3=\\E[O, kf4=\\E[P, + kf5=\\E[Q, kf6=\\E[R, kf7=\\E[S, kf8=\\E[T, kf9=\\E[U, + kich1=\\E[L, mc4=\\E[4i, mc5=\\E[5i, nel=\\r\\E[S, + op=\\E[37;40m, rep=%p1%c\\E[%p2%{1}%-%db, + rin=\\E[%p1%dT, s0ds=\\E(B, s1ds=\\E)B, s2ds=\\E*B, + s3ds=\\E+B, setab=\\E[4%p1%dm, setaf=\\E[3%p1%dm, + setb=\\E[4%?%p1%{1}%=%t4%e%p1%{3}%=%t6%e%p1%{4}%=%t1%e%p1%{6}%=%t3%e%p1%d%;m, + setf=\\E[3%?%p1%{1}%=%t4%e%p1%{3}%=%t6%e%p1%{4}%=%t1%e%p1%{6}%=%t3%e%p1%d%;m, + sgr=\\E[0;10%?%p1%t;7%;%?%p2%t;4%;%?%p3%t;7%;%?%p4%t;5%;%?%p6%t;1%;%?%p7%t;8%;%?%p8%t;11%;%?%p9%t;12%;m, + sgr0=\\E[0;10m, tbc=\\E[2g, u6=\\E[%d;%dR, u7=\\E[6n, + u8=\\E[?%[;0123456789]c, u9=\\E[c, vpa=\\E[%p1%dd,\s+2 +.in +2 +.fi +.ft R +.PP +Entries may continue onto multiple lines by placing white space at +the beginning of each line except the first. +Comments may be included on lines beginning with ``#''. +Capabilities in +.I terminfo +are of three types: +Boolean capabilities which indicate that the terminal has +some particular feature, numeric capabilities giving the size of the terminal +or the size of particular delays, and string +capabilities, which give a sequence which can be used to perform particular +terminal operations. +.PP +.SS Types of Capabilities +.PP +All capabilities have names. +For instance, the fact that +ANSI-standard terminals have +.I "automatic margins" +(i.e., an automatic return and line-feed +when the end of a line is reached) is indicated by the capability \fBam\fR. +Hence the description of ansi includes \fBam\fR. +Numeric capabilities are followed by the character `#' and then a positive value. +Thus \fBcols\fR, which indicates the number of columns the terminal has, +gives the value `80' for ansi. +Values for numeric capabilities may be specified in decimal, octal or hexadecimal, +using the C programming language conventions (e.g., 255, 0377 and 0xff or 0xFF). +.PP +Finally, string valued capabilities, such as \fBel\fR (clear to end of line +sequence) are given by the two-character code, an `=', and then a string +ending at the next following `,'. +.PP +A number of escape sequences are provided in the string valued capabilities +for easy encoding of characters there. +Both \fB\eE\fR and \fB\ee\fR +map to an \s-1ESCAPE\s0 character, +\fB^x\fR maps to a control-x for any appropriate x, and the sequences +\fB\en \el \er \et \eb \ef \es\fR give +a newline, line-feed, return, tab, backspace, form-feed, and space. +Other escapes include \fB\e^\fR for \fB^\fR, +\fB\e\e\fR for \fB\e\fR, +\fB\e\fR, for comma, +\fB\e:\fR for \fB:\fR, +and \fB\e0\fR for null. +(\fB\e0\fR will produce \e200, which does not terminate a string but behaves +as a null character on most terminals, providing CS7 is specified. +See stty(1).) +Finally, characters may be given as three octal digits after a \fB\e\fR. +.PP +A delay in milliseconds may appear anywhere in a string capability, enclosed in +$<..> brackets, as in \fBel\fP=\eEK$<5>, and padding characters are supplied by +.I tputs +to provide this delay. +The delay must be a number with at most one decimal +place of precision; it may be followed by suffixes `*' or '/' or both. +A `*' +indicates that the padding required is proportional to the number of lines +affected by the operation, and the amount given is the per-affected-unit +padding required. +(In the case of insert character, the factor is still the +number of +.IR lines +affected.) Normally, padding is advisory if the device has the \fBxon\fR +capability; it is used for cost computation but does not trigger delays. +A `/' +suffix indicates that the padding is mandatory and forces a delay of the given +number of milliseconds even on devices for which \fBxon\fR is present to +indicate flow control. +.PP +Sometimes individual capabilities must be commented out. +To do this, put a period before the capability name. +For example, see the second +.B ind +in the example above. +.br +.ne 5 +.PP +.SS Fetching Compiled Descriptions +.PP +If the environment variable TERMINFO is set, it is interpreted as the pathname +of a directory containing the compiled description you are working on. +Only +that directory is searched. +.PP +If TERMINFO is not set, the \fBncurses\fR version of the terminfo reader code +will instead look in the directory \fB$HOME/.terminfo\fR +for a compiled description. +If it fails to find one there, and the environment variable TERMINFO_DIRS is +set, it will interpret the contents of that variable as a list of colon- +separated directories to be searched (an empty entry is interpreted as a +command to search \fI\*d\fR). +If no description is found in any of the +TERMINFO_DIRS directories, the fetch fails. +.PP +If neither TERMINFO nor TERMINFO_DIRS is set, the last place tried will be the +system terminfo directory, \fI\*d\fR. +.PP +(Neither the \fB$HOME/.terminfo\fR lookups nor TERMINFO_DIRS extensions are +supported under stock System V terminfo/curses.) +.PP +.SS Preparing Descriptions +.PP +We now outline how to prepare descriptions of terminals. +The most effective way to prepare a terminal description is by imitating +the description of a similar terminal in +.I terminfo +and to build up a description gradually, using partial descriptions +with +.I vi +or some other screen-oriented program to check that they are correct. +Be aware that a very unusual terminal may expose deficiencies in +the ability of the +.I terminfo +file to describe it +or bugs in the screen-handling code of the test program. +.PP +To get the padding for insert line right (if the terminal manufacturer +did not document it) a severe test is to edit a large file at 9600 baud, +delete 16 or so lines from the middle of the screen, then hit the `u' +key several times quickly. +If the terminal messes up, more padding is usually needed. +A similar test can be used for insert character. +.PP +.SS Basic Capabilities +.PP +The number of columns on each line for the terminal is given by the +\fBcols\fR numeric capability. +If the terminal is a \s-1CRT\s0, then the +number of lines on the screen is given by the \fBlines\fR capability. +If the terminal wraps around to the beginning of the next line when +it reaches the right margin, then it should have the \fBam\fR capability. +If the terminal can clear its screen, leaving the cursor in the home +position, then this is given by the \fBclear\fR string capability. +If the terminal overstrikes +(rather than clearing a position when a character is struck over) +then it should have the \fBos\fR capability. +If the terminal is a printing terminal, with no soft copy unit, +give it both +.B hc +and +.BR os . +.RB ( os +applies to storage scope terminals, such as \s-1TEKTRONIX\s+1 4010 +series, as well as hard copy and APL terminals.) +If there is a code to move the cursor to the left edge of the current +row, give this as +.BR cr . +(Normally this will be carriage return, control M.) +If there is a code to produce an audible signal (bell, beep, etc) +give this as +.BR bel . +.PP +If there is a code to move the cursor one position to the left +(such as backspace) that capability should be given as +.BR cub1 . +Similarly, codes to move to the right, up, and down should be +given as +.BR cuf1 , +.BR cuu1 , +and +.BR cud1 . +These local cursor motions should not alter the text they pass over, +for example, you would not normally use `\fBcuf1\fP=\ ' because the +space would erase the character moved over. +.PP +A very important point here is that the local cursor motions encoded +in +.I terminfo +are undefined at the left and top edges of a \s-1CRT\s0 terminal. +Programs should never attempt to backspace around the left edge, +unless +.B bw +is given, +and never attempt to go up locally off the top. +In order to scroll text up, a program will go to the bottom left corner +of the screen and send the +.B ind +(index) string. +.PP +To scroll text down, a program goes to the top left corner +of the screen and sends the +.B ri +(reverse index) string. +The strings +.B ind +and +.B ri +are undefined when not on their respective corners of the screen. +.PP +Parameterized versions of the scrolling sequences are +.B indn +and +.B rin +which have the same semantics as +.B ind +and +.B ri +except that they take one parameter, and scroll that many lines. +They are also undefined except at the appropriate edge of the screen. +.PP +The \fBam\fR capability tells whether the cursor sticks at the right +edge of the screen when text is output, but this does not necessarily +apply to a +.B cuf1 +from the last column. +The only local motion which is defined from the left edge is if +.B bw +is given, then a +.B cub1 +from the left edge will move to the right edge of the previous row. +If +.B bw +is not given, the effect is undefined. +This is useful for drawing a box around the edge of the screen, for example. +If the terminal has switch selectable automatic margins, +the +.I terminfo +file usually assumes that this is on; i.e., \fBam\fR. +If the terminal has a command which moves to the first column of the next +line, that command can be given as +.B nel +(newline). +It does not matter if the command clears the remainder of the current line, +so if the terminal has no +.B cr +and +.B lf +it may still be possible to craft a working +.B nel +out of one or both of them. +.PP +These capabilities suffice to describe hard-copy and \*(lqglass-tty\*(rq terminals. +Thus the model 33 teletype is described as +.PP +.DT +.nf +.ft CW +.in -7 + \s-133\||\|tty33\||\|tty\||\|model 33 teletype, + bel=^G, cols#72, cr=^M, cud1=^J, hc, ind=^J, os,\s+1 +.in +7 +.ft R +.PP +while the Lear Siegler \s-1ADM\-3\s0 is described as +.PP +.DT +.nf +.ft CW +.in -7 + \s-1adm3\||\|3\||\|lsi adm3, + am, bel=^G, clear=^Z, cols#80, cr=^M, cub1=^H, cud1=^J, + ind=^J, lines#24,\s+1 +.in +7 +.ft R +.fi +.PP +.SS Parameterized Strings +.PP +Cursor addressing and other strings requiring parameters +in the terminal are described by a +parameterized string capability, with +.IR printf (3S) +like escapes \fB%x\fR in it. +For example, to address the cursor, the +.B cup +capability is given, using two parameters: +the row and column to address to. +(Rows and columns are numbered from zero and refer to the +physical screen visible to the user, not to any unseen memory.) +If the terminal has memory relative cursor addressing, +that can be indicated by +.BR mrcup . +.PP +The parameter mechanism uses a stack and special \fB%\fP codes +to manipulate it. +Typically a sequence will push one of the +parameters onto the stack and then print it in some format. +Often more complex operations are necessary. +.PP +The \fB%\fR encodings have the following meanings: +.PP +.DT +.nf +.ta .5i 1.5i + \s-1%% outputs `%' + %\fI[[\fP:\fI]flags][width[.precision]][\fPdoxXs\fI]\fP + as in \fBprintf\fP, flags are [-+#] and space + %c print pop() like %c in printf() + %s print pop() like %s in printf() + + %p[1-9] push \fIi\fP'th parm + %P[a-z] set dynamic variable [a-z] to pop() + %g[a-z] get dynamic variable [a-z] and push it + %P[A-Z] set static variable [a-z] to pop() + %g[A-Z] get static variable [a-z] and push it + %'\fIc\fP' char constant \fIc\fP + %{\fInn\fP} integer constant \fInn\fP + %l push strlen(pop) + + %+ %- %* %/ %m + arithmetic (%m is mod): push(pop() op pop()) + %& %| %^ bit operations: push(pop() op pop()) + %= %> %< logical operations: push(pop() op pop()) + %A, %O logical and & or operations (for conditionals) + %! %~ unary operations push(op pop()) + %i add 1 to first two parameters (for ANSI terminals) + + %? expr %t thenpart %e elsepart %; + if-then-else, %e elsepart is optional. + else-if's are possible a la Algol 68: + %? c\d1\u %t b\d1\u %e c\d2\u %t b\d2\u %e c\d3\u %t b\d3\u %e c\d4\u %t b\d4\u %e %; +\s+1 c\di\u are conditions, b\di\u are bodies. +.fi +.PP +Binary operations are in postfix form with the operands in the usual order. +That is, to get x-5 one would use "%gx%{5}%-". +%P and %g variables are +persistent across escape-string evaluations. +.PP +Consider the HP2645, which, to get to row 3 and column 12, needs +to be sent \eE&a12c03Y padded for 6 milliseconds. +Note that the order +of the rows and columns is inverted here, and that the row and column +are printed as two digits. +Thus its \fBcup\fR capability is \*(lqcup=6\eE&%p2%2dc%p1%2dY\*(rq. +.PP +The Microterm \s-1ACT-IV\s0 needs the current row and column sent +preceded by a \fB^T\fR, with the row and column simply encoded in binary, +\*(lqcup=^T%p1%c%p2%c\*(rq. +Terminals which use \*(lq%c\*(rq need to be able to +backspace the cursor (\fBcub1\fR), +and to move the cursor up one line on the screen (\fBcuu1\fR). +This is necessary because it is not always safe to transmit \fB\en\fR +\fB^D\fR and \fB\er\fR, as the system may change or discard them. +(The library routines dealing with terminfo set tty modes so that +tabs are never expanded, so \et is safe to send. +This turns out to be essential for the Ann Arbor 4080.) +.PP +A final example is the \s-1LSI ADM\s0-3a, which uses row and column +offset by a blank character, thus \*(lqcup=\eE=%p1%' '%+%c%p2%' '%+%c\*(rq. +After sending `\eE=', this pushes the first parameter, pushes the +ASCII value for a space (32), adds them (pushing the sum on the stack +in place of the two previous values) and outputs that value as a character. +Then the same is done for the second parameter. +More complex arithmetic is possible using the stack. +.PP +.SS Cursor Motions +.PP +If the terminal has a fast way to home the cursor +(to very upper left corner of screen) then this can be given as +\fBhome\fR; similarly a fast way of getting to the lower left-hand corner +can be given as \fBll\fR; this may involve going up with \fBcuu1\fR +from the home position, +but a program should never do this itself (unless \fBll\fR does) because it +can make no assumption about the effect of moving up from the home position. +Note that the home position is the same as addressing to (0,0): +to the top left corner of the screen, not of memory. +(Thus, the \eEH sequence on HP terminals cannot be used for +.BR home .) +.PP +If the terminal has row or column absolute cursor addressing, +these can be given as single parameter capabilities +.B hpa +(horizontal position absolute) +and +.B vpa +(vertical position absolute). +Sometimes these are shorter than the more general two parameter +sequence (as with the hp2645) and can be used in preference to +.BR cup . +If there are parameterized local motions (e.g., move +.I n +spaces to the right) these can be given as +.BR cud , +.BR cub , +.BR cuf , +and +.BR cuu +with a single parameter indicating how many spaces to move. +These are primarily useful if the terminal does not have +.BR cup , +such as the \s-1TEKTRONIX\s+1 4025. +.PP +If the terminal needs to be in a special mode when running +a program that uses these capabilities, +the codes to enter and exit this mode can be given as \fBsmcup\fR and \fBrmcup\fR. +This arises, for example, from terminals like the Concept with more than +one page of memory. +If the terminal has only memory relative cursor addressing and not screen +relative cursor addressing, a one screen-sized window must be fixed into +the terminal for cursor addressing to work properly. +This is also used for the \s-1TEKTRONIX\s+1 4025, +where +.B smcup +sets the command character to be the one used by terminfo. +If the \fBsmcup\fP sequence will not restore the screen after an +\fBrmcup\fP sequence is output (to the state prior to outputting +\fBrmcup\fP), specify \fBnrrmc\fP. +.PP +.SS Area Clears +.PP +If the terminal can clear from the current position to the end of the +line, leaving the cursor where it is, this should be given as \fBel\fR. +If the terminal can clear from the beginning of the line to the current +position inclusive, leaving +the cursor where it is, this should be given as \fBel1\fP. +If the terminal can clear from the current position to the end of the +display, then this should be given as \fBed\fR. +\fBEd\fR is only defined from the first column of a line. +(Thus, it can be simulated by a request to delete a large number of lines, +if a true +.B ed +is not available.) +.PP +.SS Insert/delete line and vertical motions +.PP +If the terminal can open a new blank line before the line where the cursor +is, this should be given as \fBil1\fR; this is done only from the first +position of a line. +The cursor must then appear on the newly blank line. +If the terminal can delete the line which the cursor is on, then this +should be given as \fBdl1\fR; this is done only from the first position on +the line to be deleted. +Versions of +.B il1 +and +.B dl1 +which take a single parameter and insert or delete that many lines can +be given as +.B il +and +.BR dl . +.PP +If the terminal has a settable scrolling region (like the vt100) +the command to set this can be described with the +.B csr +capability, which takes two parameters: +the top and bottom lines of the scrolling region. +The cursor position is, alas, undefined after using this command. +.PP +It is possible to get the effect of insert or delete line using +.B csr +on a properly chosen region; the +.B sc +and +.B rc +(save and restore cursor) commands may be useful for ensuring that +your synthesized insert/delete string does not move the cursor. +(Note that the \fBncurses\fR(3X) library does this synthesis +automatically, so you need not compose insert/delete strings for +an entry with \fBcsr\fR). +.PP +Yet another way to construct insert and delete might be to use a combination of +index with the memory-lock feature found on some terminals (like the HP-700/90 +series, which however also has insert/delete). +.PP +Inserting lines at the top or bottom of the screen can also be +done using +.B ri +or +.B ind +on many terminals without a true insert/delete line, +and is often faster even on terminals with those features. +.PP +The boolean \fBnon_dest_scroll_region\fR should be set if each scrolling +window is effectively a view port on a screen-sized canvas. +To test for +this capability, create a scrolling region in the middle of the screen, +write something to the bottom line, move the cursor to the top of the region, +and do \fBri\fR followed by \fBdl1\fR or \fBind\fR. +If the data scrolled +off the bottom of the region by the \fBri\fR re-appears, then scrolling +is non-destructive. +System V and XSI Curses expect that \fBind\fR, \fBri\fR, +\fBindn\fR, and \fBrin\fR will simulate destructive scrolling; their +documentation cautions you not to define \fBcsr\fR unless this is true. +This \fBcurses\fR implementation is more liberal and will do explicit erases +after scrolling if \fBndstr\fR is defined. +.PP +If the terminal has the ability to define a window as part of +memory, which all commands affect, +it should be given as the parameterized string +.BR wind . +The four parameters are the starting and ending lines in memory +and the starting and ending columns in memory, in that order. +.PP +If the terminal can retain display memory above, then the +\fBda\fR capability should be given; if display memory can be retained +below, then \fBdb\fR should be given. +These indicate +that deleting a line or scrolling may bring non-blank lines up from below +or that scrolling back with \fBri\fR may bring down non-blank lines. +.PP +.SS Insert/Delete Character +.PP +There are two basic kinds of intelligent terminals with respect to +insert/delete character which can be described using +.I terminfo. +The most common insert/delete character operations affect only the characters +on the current line and shift characters off the end of the line rigidly. +Other terminals, such as the Concept 100 and the Perkin Elmer Owl, make +a distinction between typed and untyped blanks on the screen, shifting +upon an insert or delete only to an untyped blank on the screen which is +either eliminated, or expanded to two untyped blanks. +You can determine the +kind of terminal you have by clearing the screen and then typing +text separated by cursor motions. +Type \*(lqabc\ \ \ \ def\*(rq using local +cursor motions (not spaces) between the \*(lqabc\*(rq and the \*(lqdef\*(rq. +Then position the cursor before the \*(lqabc\*(rq and put the terminal in insert +mode. +If typing characters causes the rest of the line to shift +rigidly and characters to fall off the end, then your terminal does +not distinguish between blanks and untyped positions. +If the \*(lqabc\*(rq +shifts over to the \*(lqdef\*(rq which then move together around the end of the +current line and onto the next as you insert, you have the second type of +terminal, and should give the capability \fBin\fR, which stands for +\*(lqinsert null\*(rq. +While these are two logically separate attributes (one line versus multi-line +insert mode, and special treatment of untyped spaces) we have seen no +terminals whose insert mode cannot be described with the single attribute. +.PP +Terminfo can describe both terminals which have an insert mode, and terminals +which send a simple sequence to open a blank position on the current line. +Give as \fBsmir\fR the sequence to get into insert mode. +Give as \fBrmir\fR the sequence to leave insert mode. +Now give as \fBich1\fR any sequence needed to be sent just before sending +the character to be inserted. +Most terminals with a true insert mode +will not give \fBich1\fR; terminals which send a sequence to open a screen +position should give it here. +.PP +If your terminal has both, insert mode is usually preferable to \fBich1\fR. +Technically, you should not give both unless the terminal actually requires +both to be used in combination. +Accordingly, some non-curses applications get +confused if both are present; the symptom is doubled characters in an update +using insert. +This requirement is now rare; most \fBich\fR sequences do not +require previous smir, and most smir insert modes do not require \fBich1\fR +before each character. +Therefore, the new \fBcurses\fR actually assumes this +is the case and uses either \fBrmir\fR/\fBsmir\fR or \fBich\fR/\fBich1\fR as +appropriate (but not both). +If you have to write an entry to be used under +new curses for a terminal old enough to need both, include the +\fBrmir\fR/\fBsmir\fR sequences in \fBich1\fR. +.PP +If post insert padding is needed, give this as a number of milliseconds +in \fBip\fR (a string option). +Any other sequence which may need to be +sent after an insert of a single character may also be given in \fBip\fR. +If your terminal needs both to be placed into an `insert mode' and +a special code to precede each inserted character, then both +.BR smir / rmir +and +.B ich1 +can be given, and both will be used. +The +.B ich +capability, with one parameter, +.IR n , +will repeat the effects of +.B ich1 +.I n +times. +.PP +If padding is necessary between characters typed while not +in insert mode, give this as a number of milliseconds padding in \fBrmp\fP. +.PP +It is occasionally necessary to move around while in insert mode +to delete characters on the same line (e.g., if there is a tab after +the insertion position). +If your terminal allows motion while in +insert mode you can give the capability \fBmir\fR to speed up inserting +in this case. +Omitting \fBmir\fR will affect only speed. +Some terminals +(notably Datamedia's) must not have \fBmir\fR because of the way their +insert mode works. +.PP +Finally, you can specify +.B dch1 +to delete a single character, +.B dch +with one parameter, +.IR n , +to delete +.I n characters, +and delete mode by giving \fBsmdc\fR and \fBrmdc\fR +to enter and exit delete mode (any mode the terminal needs to be placed +in for +.B dch1 +to work). +.PP +A command to erase +.I n +characters (equivalent to outputting +.I n +blanks without moving the cursor) +can be given as +.B ech +with one parameter. +.PP +.SS "Highlighting, Underlining, and Visible Bells" +.PP +If your terminal has one or more kinds of display attributes, +these can be represented in a number of different ways. +You should choose one display form as +\f2standout mode\fR, +representing a good, high contrast, easy-on-the-eyes, +format for highlighting error messages and other attention getters. +(If you have a choice, reverse video plus half-bright is good, +or reverse video alone.) +The sequences to enter and exit standout mode +are given as \fBsmso\fR and \fBrmso\fR, respectively. +If the code to change into or out of standout +mode leaves one or even two blank spaces on the screen, +as the TVI 912 and Teleray 1061 do, +then \fBxmc\fR should be given to tell how many spaces are left. +.PP +Codes to begin underlining and end underlining can be given as \fBsmul\fR +and \fBrmul\fR respectively. +If the terminal has a code to underline the current character and move +the cursor one space to the right, +such as the Microterm Mime, +this can be given as \fBuc\fR. +.PP +Other capabilities to enter various highlighting modes include +.B blink +(blinking) +.B bold +(bold or extra bright) +.B dim +(dim or half-bright) +.B invis +(blanking or invisible text) +.B prot +(protected) +.B rev +(reverse video) +.B sgr0 +(turn off +.I all +attribute modes) +.B smacs +(enter alternate character set mode) +and +.B rmacs +(exit alternate character set mode). +Turning on any of these modes singly may or may not turn off other modes. +.PP +If there is a sequence to set arbitrary combinations of modes, +this should be given as +.B sgr +(set attributes), +taking 9 parameters. +Each parameter is either 0 or nonzero, as the corresponding attribute is on or off. +The 9 parameters are, in order: +standout, underline, reverse, blink, dim, bold, blank, protect, alternate +character set. +Not all modes need be supported by +.BR sgr , +only those for which corresponding separate attribute commands exist. +.PP +For example, the DEC vt220 supports most of the modes: +.PP +.TS +center; +l c c +l c c +lw28 lw6 lw2 lw20. +\fBtparm parameter attribute escape sequence\fP + +none none \\E[0m +p1 standout \\E[0;1;7m +p2 underline \\E[0;4m +p3 reverse \\E[0;7m +p4 blink \\E[0;5m +p5 dim not available +p6 bold \\E[0;1m +p7 invis \\E[0;8m +p8 protect not used +p9 altcharset ^O (off) ^N (on) +.TE +.PP +We begin each escape sequence by turning off any existing modes, since +there is no quick way to determine whether they are active. +Standout is set up to be the combination of reverse and bold. +The vt220 terminal has a protect mode, +though it is not commonly used in sgr +because it protects characters on the screen from the host's erasures. +The altcharset mode also is different in that it is either ^O or ^N, +depending on whether it is off or on. +If all modes are turned on, the resulting sequence is \\E[0;1;4;5;7;8m^N. +.PP +Some sequences are common to different modes. +For example, ;7 is output when either p1 or p3 is true, that is, if +either standout or reverse modes are turned on. +.PP +Writing out the above sequences, along with their dependencies yields +.PP +.TS +center; +l c c +l c c +lw28 lw6 lw2 lw20. +\fBsequence when to output terminfo translation\fP + +\\E[0 always \\E[0 +;1 if p1 or p6 %?%p1%p6%|%t;1%; +;4 if p2 %?%p2%|%t;4%; +;5 if p4 %?%p4%|%t;5%; +;7 if p1 or p3 %?%p1%p3%|%t;7%; +;8 if p7 %?%p7%|%t;8%; +m always m +^N or ^O if p9 ^N, else ^O %?%p9%t^N%e^O%; +.TE +.PP +Putting this all together into the sgr sequence gives: +.PP +.nf + sgr=\\E[0%?%p1%p6%|%t;1%;%?%p2%t;4%;%?%p1%p3%|%t;7%; + %?%p4%t;5%;%?%p7%t;8%;m%?%p9%t\\016%e\\017%;, +.fi +.PP +Remember that if you specify sgr, you must also specify sgr0. +.PP +Terminals with the ``magic cookie'' glitch +.RB ( xmc ) +deposit special ``cookies'' when they receive mode-setting sequences, +which affect the display algorithm rather than having extra bits for +each character. +Some terminals, such as the HP 2621, automatically leave standout +mode when they move to a new line or the cursor is addressed. +Programs using standout mode should exit standout mode before +moving the cursor or sending a newline, +unless the +.B msgr +capability, asserting that it is safe to move in standout mode, is present. +.PP +If the terminal has +a way of flashing the screen to indicate an error quietly (a bell replacement) +then this can be given as \fBflash\fR; it must not move the cursor. +.PP +If the cursor needs to be made more visible than normal when it is +not on the bottom line (to make, for example, a non-blinking underline into an +easier to find block or blinking underline) +give this sequence as +.BR cvvis . +If there is a way to make the cursor completely invisible, give that as +.BR civis . +The capability +.BR cnorm +should be given which undoes the effects of both of these modes. +.PP +If your terminal correctly generates underlined characters +(with no special codes needed) +even though it does not overstrike, +then you should give the capability \fBul\fR. +If a character overstriking another leaves both characters on the screen, +specify the capability \fBos\fP. +If overstrikes are erasable with a blank, +then this should be indicated by giving \fBeo\fR. +.PP +.SS Keypad and Function Keys +.PP +If the terminal has a keypad that transmits codes when the keys are pressed, +this information can be given. +Note that it is not possible to handle +terminals where the keypad only works in local (this applies, for example, +to the unshifted HP 2621 keys). +If the keypad can be set to transmit or not transmit, +give these codes as \fBsmkx\fR and \fBrmkx\fR. +Otherwise the keypad is assumed to always transmit. +The codes sent by the left arrow, right arrow, up arrow, down arrow, +and home keys can be given as +\fBkcub1, kcuf1, kcuu1, kcud1, \fRand\fB khome\fR respectively. +If there are function keys such as f0, f1, ..., f10, the codes they send +can be given as \fBkf0, kf1, ..., kf10\fR. +If these keys have labels other than the default f0 through f10, the labels +can be given as \fBlf0, lf1, ..., lf10\fR. +The codes transmitted by certain other special keys can be given: +.B kll +(home down), +.B kbs +(backspace), +.B ktbc +(clear all tabs), +.B kctab +(clear the tab stop in this column), +.B kclr +(clear screen or erase key), +.B kdch1 +(delete character), +.B kdl1 +(delete line), +.B krmir +(exit insert mode), +.B kel +(clear to end of line), +.B ked +(clear to end of screen), +.B kich1 +(insert character or enter insert mode), +.B kil1 +(insert line), +.B knp +(next page), +.B kpp +(previous page), +.B kind +(scroll forward/down), +.B kri +(scroll backward/up), +.B khts +(set a tab stop in this column). +In addition, if the keypad has a 3 by 3 array of keys including the four +arrow keys, the other five keys can be given as +.BR ka1 , +.BR ka3 , +.BR kb2 , +.BR kc1 , +and +.BR kc3 . +These keys are useful when the effects of a 3 by 3 directional pad are needed. +.PP +Strings to program function keys can be given as +.BR pfkey , +.BR pfloc , +and +.BR pfx . +A string to program screen labels should be specified as \fBpln\fP. +Each of these strings takes two parameters: the function key number to +program (from 0 to 10) and the string to program it with. +Function key numbers out of this range may program undefined keys in +a terminal dependent manner. +The difference between the capabilities is that +.B pfkey +causes pressing the given key to be the same as the user typing the +given string; +.B pfloc +causes the string to be executed by the terminal in local; and +.B pfx +causes the string to be transmitted to the computer. +.PP +The capabilities \fBnlab\fP, \fBlw\fP and \fBlh\fP +define the number of programmable +screen labels and their width and height. +If there are commands to turn the labels on and off, +give them in \fBsmln\fP and \fBrmln\fP. +\fBsmln\fP is normally output after one or more pln +sequences to make sure that the change becomes visible. +.PP +.SS Tabs and Initialization +.PP +If the terminal has hardware tabs, the command to advance to the next +tab stop can be given as +.B ht +(usually control I). +A ``back-tab'' command which moves leftward to the preceding tab stop can +be given as +.BR cbt . +By convention, if the teletype modes indicate that tabs are being +expanded by the computer rather than being sent to the terminal, +programs should not use +.B ht +or +.B cbt +even if they are present, since the user may not have the tab stops +properly set. +If the terminal has hardware tabs which are initially set every +.I n +spaces when the terminal is powered up, +the numeric parameter +.B it +is given, showing the number of spaces the tabs are set to. +This is normally used by the +.IR tset +command to determine whether to set the mode for hardware tab expansion, +and whether to set the tab stops. +If the terminal has tab stops that can be saved in non-volatile memory, +the terminfo description can assume that they are properly set. +.PP +Other capabilities +include +.BR is1 , +.BR is2 , +and +.BR is3 , +initialization strings for the terminal, +.BR iprog , +the path name of a program to be run to initialize the terminal, +and \fBif\fR, the name of a file containing long initialization strings. +These strings are expected to set the terminal into modes consistent +with the rest of the terminfo description. +They are normally sent to the terminal, by the +.I init +option of the +.IR tput +program, each time the user logs in. +They will be printed in the following order: +run the program +.BR iprog ; +output +.BR is1 ; +.BR is2 ; +set the margins using +.BR mgc , +.BR smgl +and +.BR smgr ; +set tabs using +.B tbc +and +.BR hts ; +print the file +.BR if ; +and finally +output +.BR is3 . +.PP +Most initialization is done with +.BR is2 . +Special terminal modes can be set up without duplicating strings +by putting the common sequences in +.B is2 +and special cases in +.B is1 +and +.BR is3 . +A pair of sequences that does a harder reset from a totally unknown state +can be analogously given as +.BR rs1 , +.BR rs2 , +.BR rf , +and +.BR rs3 , +analogous to +.B is2 +and +.BR if . +These strings are output by the +.IR reset +program, which is used when the terminal gets into a wedged state. +Commands are normally placed in +.BR rs1 , +.BR rs2 +.B rs3 +and +.B rf +only if they produce annoying effects on the screen and are not +necessary when logging in. +For example, the command to set the vt100 into 80-column mode would +normally be part of +.BR is2 , +but it causes an annoying glitch of the screen and is not normally +needed since the terminal is usually already in 80 column mode. +.PP +If there are commands to set and clear tab stops, they can be given as +.B tbc +(clear all tab stops) +and +.B hts +(set a tab stop in the current column of every row). +If a more complex sequence is needed to set the tabs than can be +described by this, the sequence can be placed in +.B is2 +or +.BR if . +.SS Delays and Padding +.PP +Many older and slower terminals don't support either XON/XOFF or DTR +handshaking, including hard copy terminals and some very archaic CRTs +(including, for example, DEC VT100s). +These may require padding characters +after certain cursor motions and screen changes. +.PP +If the terminal uses xon/xoff handshaking for flow control (that is, +it automatically emits ^S back to the host when its input buffers are +close to full), set +.BR xon . +This capability suppresses the emission of padding. +You can also set it +for memory-mapped console devices effectively that don't have a speed limit. +Padding information should still be included so that routines can +make better decisions about relative costs, but actual pad characters will +not be transmitted. +.PP +If \fBpb\fR (padding baud rate) is given, padding is suppressed at baud rates +below the value of \fBpb\fR. +If the entry has no padding baud rate, then +whether padding is emitted or not is completely controlled by \fBxon\fR. +.PP +If the terminal requires other than a null (zero) character as a pad, +then this can be given as \fBpad\fR. +Only the first character of the +.B pad +string is used. +.PP +.SS Status Lines +Some terminals have an extra `status line' which is not normally used by +software (and thus not counted in the terminal's \fBlines\fR capability). +.PP +The simplest case is a status line which is cursor-addressable but not +part of the main scrolling region on the screen; the Heathkit H19 has +a status line of this kind, as would a 24-line VT100 with a 23-line +scrolling region set up on initialization. +This situation is indicated +by the \fBhs\fR capability. +.PP +Some terminals with status lines need special sequences to access the +status line. +These may be expressed as a string with single parameter +\fBtsl\fR which takes the cursor to a given zero-origin column on the +status line. +The capability \fBfsl\fR must return to the main-screen +cursor positions before the last \fBtsl\fR. +You may need to embed the +string values of \fBsc\fR (save cursor) and \fBrc\fR (restore cursor) +in \fBtsl\fR and \fBfsl\fR to accomplish this. +.PP +The status line is normally assumed to be the same width as the width +of the terminal. +If this is untrue, you can specify it with the numeric +capability \fBwsl\fR. +.PP +A command to erase or blank the status line may be specified as \fBdsl\fR. +.PP +The boolean capability \fBeslok\fR specifies that escape sequences, tabs, +etc., work ordinarily in the status line. +.PP +The \fBncurses\fR implementation does not yet use any of these capabilities. +They are documented here in case they ever become important. +.PP +.SS Line Graphics +.PP +Many terminals have alternate character sets useful for forms-drawing. +Terminfo and \fBcurses\fR build in support for the drawing characters +supported by the VT100, with some characters from the AT&T 4410v1 added. +This alternate character set may be specified by the \fBacsc\fR capability. +.PP +.TS H +center expand; +c l l c +c l l c +lw28 lw6 lw2 lw20. +.\".TH +\fBGlyph ACS Ascii VT100\fR +\fBName Name Default Name\fR +UK pound sign ACS_STERLING f } +arrow pointing down ACS_DARROW v . +arrow pointing left ACS_LARROW < , +arrow pointing right ACS_RARROW > + +arrow pointing up ACS_UARROW ^ - +board of squares ACS_BOARD # h +bullet ACS_BULLET o ~ +checker board (stipple) ACS_CKBOARD : a +degree symbol ACS_DEGREE \e f +diamond ACS_DIAMOND + ` +greater-than-or-equal-to ACS_GEQUAL > z +greek pi ACS_PI * { +horizontal line ACS_HLINE - q +lantern symbol ACS_LANTERN # i +large plus or crossover ACS_PLUS + n +less-than-or-equal-to ACS_LEQUAL < y +lower left corner ACS_LLCORNER + m +lower right corner ACS_LRCORNER + j +not-equal ACS_NEQUAL ! | +plus/minus ACS_PLMINUS # g +scan line 1 ACS_S1 ~ o +scan line 3 ACS_S3 - p +scan line 7 ACS_S7 - r +scan line 9 ACS_S9 \&_ s +solid square block ACS_BLOCK # 0 +tee pointing down ACS_TTEE + w +tee pointing left ACS_RTEE + u +tee pointing right ACS_LTEE + t +tee pointing up ACS_BTEE + v +upper left corner ACS_ULCORNER + l +upper right corner ACS_URCORNER + k +vertical line ACS_VLINE | x +.TE +.PP +The best way to define a new device's graphics set is to add a column +to a copy of this table for your terminal, giving the character which +(when emitted between \fBsmacs\fR/\fBrmacs\fR switches) will be rendered +as the corresponding graphic. +Then read off the VT100/your terminal +character pairs right to left in sequence; these become the ACSC string. +.PP +.SS Color Handling +.PP +Most color terminals are either `Tektronix-like' or `HP-like'. +Tektronix-like +terminals have a predefined set of N colors (where N usually 8), and can set +character-cell foreground and background characters independently, mixing them +into N * N color-pairs. +On HP-like terminals, the use must set each color +pair up separately (foreground and background are not independently settable). +Up to M color-pairs may be set up from 2*M different colors. +ANSI-compatible +terminals are Tektronix-like. +.PP +Some basic color capabilities are independent of the color method. +The numeric +capabilities \fBcolors\fR and \fBpairs\fR specify the maximum numbers of colors +and color-pairs that can be displayed simultaneously. +The \fBop\fR (original +pair) string resets foreground and background colors to their default values +for the terminal. +The \fBoc\fR string resets all colors or color-pairs to +their default values for the terminal. +Some terminals (including many PC +terminal emulators) erase screen areas with the current background color rather +than the power-up default background; these should have the boolean capability +\fBbce\fR. +.PP +To change the current foreground or background color on a Tektronix-type +terminal, use \fBsetaf\fR (set ANSI foreground) and \fBsetab\fR (set ANSI +background) or \fBsetf\fR (set foreground) and \fBsetb\fR (set background). +These take one parameter, the color number. +The SVr4 documentation describes +only \fBsetaf\fR/\fBsetab\fR; the XPG4 draft says that "If the terminal +supports ANSI escape sequences to set background and foreground, they should +be coded as \fBsetaf\fR and \fBsetab\fR, respectively. +If the terminal +supports other escape sequences to set background and foreground, they should +be coded as \fBsetf\fR and \fBsetb\fR, respectively. +The \fIvidputs()\fR +function and the refresh functions use \fBsetaf\fR and \fBsetab\fR if they are +defined." +.PP +The \fBsetaf\fR/\fBsetab\fR and \fBsetf\fR/\fBsetb\fR capabilities take a +single numeric argument each. +Argument values 0-7 are portably defined as +follows (the middle column is the symbolic #define available in the header for +the \fBcurses\fR or \fBncurses\fR libraries). +The terminal hardware is free to +map these as it likes, but the RGB values indicate normal locations in color +space. +.PP +.TS H +center; +l c c c +l l n l. +\fBColor #define Value RGB\fR +black \fBCOLOR_BLACK\fR 0 0, 0, 0 +red \fBCOLOR_RED\ \fR 1 max,0,0 +green \fBCOLOR_GREEN\fR 2 0,max,0 +yellow \fBCOLOR_YELLOW\fR 3 max,max,0 +blue \fBCOLOR_BLUE\fR 4 0,0,max +magenta \fBCOLOR_MAGENTA\fR 5 max,0,max +cyan \fBCOLOR_CYAN\fR 6 0,max,max +white \fBCOLOR_WHITE\fR 7 max,max,max +.TE +.PP +On an HP-like terminal, use \fBscp\fR with a color-pair number parameter to set +which color pair is current. +.PP +On a Tektronix-like terminal, the capability \fBccc\fR may be present to +indicate that colors can be modified. +If so, the \fBinitc\fR capability will +take a color number (0 to \fBcolors\fR - 1)and three more parameters which +describe the color. +These three parameters default to being interpreted as RGB +(Red, Green, Blue) values. +If the boolean capability \fBhls\fR is present, +they are instead as HLS (Hue, Lightness, Saturation) indices. +The ranges are +terminal-dependent. +.PP +On an HP-like terminal, \fBinitp\fR may give a capability for changing a +color-pair value. +It will take seven parameters; a color-pair number (0 to +\fBmax_pairs\fR - 1), and two triples describing first background and then +foreground colors. +These parameters must be (Red, Green, Blue) or +(Hue, Lightness, Saturation) depending on \fBhls\fR. +.PP +On some color terminals, colors collide with highlights. +You can register +these collisions with the \fBncv\fR capability. +This is a bit-mask of +attributes not to be used when colors are enabled. +The correspondence with the +attributes understood by \fBcurses\fR is as follows: +.PP +.TS +center; +l c c +lw25 lw2 lw10. +\fBAttribute Bit Decimal\fR +A_STANDOUT 0 1 +A_UNDERLINE 1 2 +A_REVERSE 2 4 +A_BLINK 3 8 +A_DIM 4 16 +A_BOLD 5 32 +A_INVIS 6 64 +A_PROTECT 7 128 +A_ALTCHARSET 8 256 +.TE +.PP +For example, on many IBM PC consoles, the underline attribute collides with the +foreground color blue and is not available in color mode. +These should have +an \fBncv\fR capability of 2. +.PP +SVr4 curses does nothing with \fBncv\fR, ncurses recognizes it and optimizes +the output in favor of colors. +.PP +.SS Miscellaneous +If the terminal requires other than a null (zero) character as a pad, then this +can be given as pad. +Only the first character of the pad string is used. +If the terminal does not have a pad character, specify npc. +Note that ncurses implements the termcap-compatible \fBPC\fR variable; +though the application may set this value to something other than +a null, ncurses will test \fBnpc\fR first and use napms if the terminal +has no pad character. +.PP +If the terminal can move up or down half a line, +this can be indicated with +.B hu +(half-line up) +and +.B hd +(half-line down). +This is primarily useful for superscripts and subscripts on hard-copy terminals. +If a hard-copy terminal can eject to the next page (form feed), give this as +.B ff +(usually control L). +.PP +If there is a command to repeat a given character a given number of +times (to save time transmitting a large number of identical characters) +this can be indicated with the parameterized string +.BR rep . +The first parameter is the character to be repeated and the second +is the number of times to repeat it. +Thus, tparm(repeat_char, 'x', 10) is the same as `xxxxxxxxxx'. +.PP +If the terminal has a settable command character, such as the \s-1TEKTRONIX\s+1 4025, +this can be indicated with +.BR cmdch . +A prototype command character is chosen which is used in all capabilities. +This character is given in the +.B cmdch +capability to identify it. +The following convention is supported on some UNIX systems: +The environment is to be searched for a +.B CC +variable, and if found, all +occurrences of the prototype character are replaced with the character +in the environment variable. +.PP +Terminal descriptions that do not represent a specific kind of known +terminal, such as +.IR switch , +.IR dialup , +.IR patch , +and +.IR network , +should include the +.B gn +(generic) capability so that programs can complain that they do not know +how to talk to the terminal. +(This capability does not apply to +.I virtual +terminal descriptions for which the escape sequences are known.) +.PP +If the terminal has a ``meta key'' which acts as a shift key, +setting the 8th bit of any character transmitted, this fact can +be indicated with +.BR km . +Otherwise, software will assume that the 8th bit is parity and it +will usually be cleared. +If strings exist to turn this ``meta mode'' on and off, they +can be given as +.B smm +and +.BR rmm . +.PP +If the terminal has more lines of memory than will fit on the screen +at once, the number of lines of memory can be indicated with +.BR lm . +A value of +.BR lm #0 +indicates that the number of lines is not fixed, +but that there is still more memory than fits on the screen. +.PP +If the terminal is one of those supported by the \s-1UNIX\s+1 virtual +terminal protocol, the terminal number can be given as +.BR vt . +.PP +Media copy +strings which control an auxiliary printer connected to the terminal +can be given as +.BR mc0 : +print the contents of the screen, +.BR mc4 : +turn off the printer, and +.BR mc5 : +turn on the printer. +When the printer is on, all text sent to the terminal will be sent +to the printer. +It is undefined whether the text is also displayed on the terminal screen +when the printer is on. +A variation +.B mc5p +takes one parameter, and leaves the printer on for as many characters +as the value of the parameter, then turns the printer off. +The parameter should not exceed 255. +All text, including +.BR mc4 , +is transparently passed to the printer while an +.B mc5p +is in effect. +.PP +.SS Glitches and Braindamage +.PP +Hazeltine terminals, which do not allow `~' characters to be displayed should +indicate \fBhz\fR. +.PP +Terminals which ignore a line-feed immediately after an \fBam\fR wrap, +such as the Concept and vt100, +should indicate \fBxenl\fR. +.PP +If +.B el +is required to get rid of standout +(instead of merely writing normal text on top of it), +\fBxhp\fP should be given. +.PP +Teleray terminals, where tabs turn all characters moved over to blanks, +should indicate \fBxt\fR (destructive tabs). +Note: the variable indicating this is now `dest_tabs_magic_smso'; in +older versions, it was teleray_glitch. +This glitch is also taken to mean that it is not possible to position +the cursor on top of a ``magic cookie'', +that to erase standout mode it is instead necessary to use +delete and insert line. +The ncurses implementation ignores this glitch. +.PP +The Beehive Superbee, which is unable to correctly transmit the escape +or control C characters, has +.BR xsb , +indicating that the f1 key is used for escape and f2 for control C. +(Only certain Superbees have this problem, depending on the ROM.) +Note that in older terminfo versions, this capability was called +`beehive_glitch'; it is now `no_esc_ctl_c'. +.PP +Other specific terminal problems may be corrected by adding more +capabilities of the form \fBx\fR\fIx\fR. +.PP +.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. +The capabilities given before +.B use +override those in the base type named by +.BR use . +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. +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 +.PP + 2621-nl, smkx@, rmkx@, use=2621, +.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 +.SS Pitfalls of Long Entries +.PP +Long terminfo entries are unlikely to be a problem; to date, no entry has even +approached terminfo's 4K string-table maximum. +Unfortunately, the termcap +translations are much more strictly limited (to 1K), thus termcap translations +of long terminfo entries can cause problems. +.PP +The man pages for 4.3BSD and older versions of tgetent() instruct the user to +allocate a 1K buffer for the termcap entry. +The entry gets null-terminated by +the termcap library, so that makes the maximum safe length for a termcap entry +1k-1 (1023) bytes. +Depending on what the application and the termcap library +being used does, and where in the termcap file the terminal type that tgetent() +is searching for is, several bad things can happen. +.PP +Some termcap libraries print a warning message or exit if they find an +entry that's longer than 1023 bytes; others don't; others truncate the +entries to 1023 bytes. +Some application programs allocate more than +the recommended 1K for the termcap entry; others don't. +.PP +Each termcap entry has two important sizes associated with it: before +"tc" expansion, and after "tc" expansion. +"tc" is the capability that +tacks on another termcap entry to the end of the current one, to add +on its capabilities. +If a termcap entry doesn't use the "tc" +capability, then of course the two lengths are the same. +.PP +The "before tc expansion" length is the most important one, because it +affects more than just users of that particular terminal. +This is the +length of the entry as it exists in /etc/termcap, minus the +backslash-newline pairs, which tgetent() strips out while reading it. +Some termcap libraries strip off the final newline, too (GNU termcap does not). +Now suppose: +.TP 5 +* +a termcap entry before expansion is more than 1023 bytes long, +.TP 5 +* +and the application has only allocated a 1k buffer, +.TP 5 +* +and the termcap library (like the one in BSD/OS 1.1 and GNU) reads +the whole entry into the buffer, no matter what its length, to see +if it's the entry it wants, +.TP 5 +* +and tgetent() is searching for a terminal type that either is the +long entry, appears in the termcap file after the long entry, or +doesn't appear in the file at all (so that tgetent() has to search +the whole termcap file). +.PP +Then tgetent() will overwrite memory, perhaps its stack, and probably core dump +the program. +Programs like telnet are particularly vulnerable; modern telnets +pass along values like the terminal type automatically. +The results are almost +as undesirable with a termcap library, like SunOS 4.1.3 and Ultrix 4.4, that +prints warning messages when it reads an overly long termcap entry. +If a +termcap library truncates long entries, like OSF/1 3.0, it is immune to dying +here but will return incorrect data for the terminal. +.PP +The "after tc expansion" length will have a similar effect to the +above, but only for people who actually set TERM to that terminal +type, since tgetent() only does "tc" expansion once it's found the +terminal type it was looking for, not while searching. +.PP +In summary, a termcap entry that is longer than 1023 bytes can cause, +on various combinations of termcap libraries and applications, a core +dump, warnings, or incorrect operation. +If it's too long even before +"tc" expansion, it will have this effect even for users of some other +terminal types and users whose TERM variable does not have a termcap +entry. +.PP +When in -C (translate to termcap) mode, the \fBncurses\fR implementation of +\fBtic\fR(1) issues warning messages when the pre-tc length of a termcap +translation is too long. +The -c (check) option also checks resolved (after tc +expansion) lengths. +.SS Binary Compatibility +It is not wise to count on portability of binary terminfo entries between +commercial UNIX versions. +The problem is that there are at least two versions +of terminfo (under HP-UX and AIX) which 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. +.SH EXTENSIONS +Some SVr4 \fBcurses\fR implementations, and all previous to SVr4, don't +interpret the %A and %O operators in parameter strings. +.PP +SVr4/XPG4 do not specify whether \fBmsgr\fR licenses movement while in +an alternate-character-set mode (such modes may, among other things, map +CR and NL to characters that don't trigger local motions). +The \fBncurses\fR implementation ignores \fBmsgr\fR in \fBALTCHARSET\fR +mode. +This raises the possibility that an XPG4 +implementation making the opposite interpretation may need terminfo +entries made for \fBncurses\fR to have \fBmsgr\fR turned off. +.PP +The \fBncurses\fR library handles insert-character and insert-character modes +in a slightly non-standard way to get better update efficiency. +See +the \fBInsert/Delete Character\fR subsection above. +.PP +The parameter substitutions for \fBset_clock\fR and \fBdisplay_clock\fR are +not documented in SVr4 or the XSI Curses standard. +They are deduced from the +documentation for the AT&T 505 terminal. +.PP +Be careful assigning the \fBkmous\fR capability. +The \fBncurses\fR wants to +interpret it as \fBKEY_MOUSE\fR, for use by terminals and emulators like xterm +that can return mouse-tracking information in the keyboard-input stream. +.PP +Different commercial ports of terminfo and curses support different subsets of +the XSI Curses standard and (in some cases) different extension sets. +Here +is a summary, accurate as of October 1995: +.PP +\fBSVR4, Solaris, ncurses\fR -- +These support all SVr4 capabilities. +.PP +\fBSGI\fR -- +Supports the SVr4 set, adds one undocumented extended string +capability (\fBset_pglen\fR). +.PP +\fBSVr1, Ultrix\fR -- +These support a restricted subset of terminfo capabilities. +The booleans +end with \fBxon_xoff\fR; the numerics with \fBwidth_status_line\fR; and the +strings with \fBprtr_non\fR. +.PP +\fBHP/UX\fR -- +Supports the SVr1 subset, plus the SVr[234] numerics \fBnum_labels\fR, +\fBlabel_height\fR, \fBlabel_width\fR, plus function keys 11 through 63, plus +\fBplab_norm\fR, \fBlabel_on\fR, and \fBlabel_off\fR, plus some incompatible +extensions in the string table. +.PP +\fBAIX\fR -- +Supports the SVr1 subset, plus function keys 11 through 63, plus a number +of incompatible string table extensions. +.PP +\fBOSF\fR -- +Supports both the SVr4 set and the AIX extensions. +.SH FILES +.TP 25 +\*d/?/* +files containing terminal descriptions +.SH SEE ALSO +\fBtic\fR(1M), \fBcurses\fR(3X), \fBprintf\fR(3S), \fBterm\fR(\*n). +.SH AUTHORS +Zeyd M. Ben-Halim, Eric S. Raymond, Thomas E. Dickey. +Based on pcurses by Pavel Curtis. +.\"# +.\"# The following sets edit modes for GNU EMACS +.\"# Local Variables: +.\"# mode:nroff +.\"# fill-column:79 +.\"# End: |