# terminfo

## NAME



           terminfo - terminal capability database
    


## SYNOPSIS



           terminfo/*/*
    


## DESCRIPTION



           _Terminfo_ is a database describing terminals, used by screen-
           oriented programs such as **nvi**(1), **lynx**(1), **mutt**(1), and other
           curses applications, using high-level calls to libraries such as
           **curses**(3X).  It is also used via low-level calls by non-curses
           applications which may be screen-oriented (such as clear(1)) or
           non-screen (such as tabs(1)).
    
           _Terminfo_ describes terminals by giving a set of capabilities which
           they have, by specifying how to perform screen operations, and by
           specifying padding requirements and initialization sequences.
    
           This manual describes **ncurses** version
           @NCURSES_MAJOR@.@NCURSES_MINOR@ (patch @NCURSES_PATCH@).
    
       **Terminfo Entry Syntax**
           Entries in _terminfo_ consist of a sequence of fields:
    
           •   Each field ends with a comma “,” (embedded commas may be
               escaped with a backslash or written as “\054”).
    
           •   White space between fields is ignored.
    
           •   The first field in a _terminfo_ entry begins in the first
               column.
    
           •   Newlines and leading whitespace (spaces or tabs) may be used
               for formatting entries for readability.  These are removed
               from parsed entries.
    
               The **infocmp -f** and **-W** options rely on this to format if-then-
               else expressions, or to enforce maximum line-width.  The
               resulting formatted terminal description can be read by **tic**.
    
           •   The first field for each terminal gives the names which are
               known for the terminal, separated by “|” characters.
    
               The first name given is the most common abbreviation for the
               terminal (its primary name), the last name given should be a
               long name fully identifying the terminal (see **longname**(3X)),
               and all others are treated as synonyms (aliases) for the
               primary terminal name.
    
               X/Open Curses advises that all names but the last should be in
               lower case and contain no blanks; the last name may well
               contain upper case and blanks for readability.
    
               This implementation is not so strict; it allows mixed case in
               the primary name and aliases.  If the last name has no
               embedded blanks, it allows that to be both an alias and a
               verbose name (but will warn about this ambiguity).
    
           •   Lines beginning with a “#” in the first column are treated as
               comments.
    
               While comment lines are legal at any point, the output of
               **captoinfo** and **infotocap**(aliases for **tic**) will move comments
               so they occur only between entries.
    
           Terminal names (except for the last, verbose entry) should be
           chosen using the following conventions.  The particular piece of
           hardware making up the terminal should have a root name, thus
           “hp2621”.  This name should not contain hyphens.  Modes that the
           hardware can be in, or user preferences, should be indicated by
           appending a hyphen and a mode suffix.  Thus, a vt100 in 132-column
           mode would be vt100-w.  The following suffixes should be used
           where possible:
    
              **Suffix                  Meaning                   Example**
              -_nn_      Number of lines on the screen            aaa-60
              -_n_ p      Number of pages of memory                c100-4p
              -am      With automargins (usually the default)   vt100-am
              -m       Mono mode; suppress color                ansi-m
              -mc      Magic cookie; spaces when highlighting   wy30-mc
              -na      No arrow keys (leave them in local)      c100-na
              -nam     Without automatic margins                vt100-nam
              -nl      No status line                           att4415-nl
              -ns      No status line                           hp2626-ns
              -rv      Reverse video                            c100-rv
              -s       Enable status line                       vt100-s
              -vb      Use visible bell instead of beep         wy370-vb
              -w       Wide mode (> 80 columns, usually 132)    vt100-w
    
           For more on terminal naming conventions, see the term(7) manual
           page.
    
       **Terminfo Capabilities Syntax**
           The terminfo entry consists of several _capabilities_ , i.e.,
           features that the terminal has, or methods for exercising the
           terminal's features.
    
           After the first field (giving the name(s) of the terminal entry),
           there should be one or more _capability_ fields.  These are boolean,
           numeric or string names with corresponding values:
    
           •   Boolean capabilities are true when present, false when absent.
               There is no explicit value for boolean capabilities.
    
           •   Numeric capabilities have a “#” following the name, then an
               unsigned decimal integer value.
    
           •   String capabilities have a “=” following the name, then an
               string of characters making up the capability value.
    
               String capabilities can be split into multiple lines, just as
               the fields comprising a terminal entry can be split into
               multiple lines.  While blanks between fields are ignored,
               blanks embedded within a string value are retained, except for
               leading blanks on a line.
    
           Any capability can be _canceled_ , i.e., suppressed from the terminal
           entry, by following its name with “@” rather than a capability
           value.
    
       **Similar Terminals**
           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 **use** can be given with the name of the base terminal:
    
           •   The capabilities given before **use** override those in the base
               type named by **use**.
    
           •   If there are multiple **use** capabilities, they are merged in
               reverse order.  That is, the rightmost **use** reference is
               processed first, then the one to its left, and so forth.
    
           •   Capabilities given explicitly in the entry override those
               brought in by **use** references.
    
           A capability can be canceled by placing **xx@** to the left of the use
           reference that imports it, where _xx_ is the capability.  For
           example, the entry
    
                  2621-nl, smkx@, rmkx@, use=2621,
    
           defines a 2621-nl that does not have the **smkx** or **rmkx**
           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.
    
           An entry included via **use** can contain canceled capabilities, which
           have the same effect as if those cancels were inline in the using
           terminal entry.
    
       **Predefined Capabilities**
           The following is a complete table of the capabilities included in
           a terminfo description block and available to terminfo-using code.
           In each line of the table,
    
           The **variable** is the name by which the programmer (at the terminfo
           level) accesses the capability.
    
           The **capname** is the short name used in the text of the database,
           and is used by a person updating the database.  Whenever possible,
           capnames are chosen to be the same as or similar to the ANSI
           X3.64-1979 standard (now superseded by ECMA-48, which uses
           identical or very similar names).  Semantics are also intended to
           match those of the specification.
    
           The termcap code is the old **termcap** capability name (some
           capabilities are new, and have names which termcap did not
           originate).
    
           Capability names have no hard length limit, but an informal limit
           of 5 characters has been adopted to keep them short and to allow
           the tabs in the source file **Caps** to line up nicely.
    
           Finally, the description field attempts to convey the semantics of
           the capability.  You may find some codes in the description field:
    
           (P)    indicates that padding may be specified
    
           #[1-9] in the description field indicates that the string is
                  passed through **tparm**(3X) with parameters as given (#_i_).
    
                  If no parameters are listed in the description, passing the
                  string through **tparm**(3X) may give unexpected results, e.g.,
                  if it contains percent (%%) signs.
    
           (P*)   indicates that padding may vary in proportion to the number
                  of lines affected
    
           (#_i_)   indicates the _i_ th parameter.
    
           These are the boolean capabilities:
    
                   **Variable            Cap-      TCap       Description**
                   **Booleans            name      Code**
           auto_left_margin            bw        bw     cub1 wraps from
                                                        column 0 to last
                                                        column
           auto_right_margin           am        am     terminal has
                                                        automatic margins
           back_color_erase            bce       ut     screen erased with
                                                        background color
           can_change                  ccc       cc     terminal can re-
                                                        define existing
                                                        colors
           ceol_standout_glitch        xhp       xs     standout not erased
                                                        by overwriting (hp)
           col_addr_glitch             xhpa      YA     only positive motion
                                                        for hpa/mhpa caps
           cpi_changes_res             cpix      YF     changing character
                                                        pitch changes
                                                        resolution
           cr_cancels_micro_mode       crxm      YB     using cr turns off
                                                        micro mode
           dest_tabs_magic_smso        xt        xt     tabs destructive,
                                                        magic so char
                                                        (t1061)
           eat_newline_glitch          xenl      xn     newline ignored
                                                        after 80 cols
                                                        (concept)
           erase_overstrike            eo        eo     can erase
                                                        overstrikes with a
                                                        blank
           generic_type                gn        gn     generic line type
           hard_copy                   hc        hc     hardcopy terminal
           hard_cursor                 chts      HC     cursor is hard to
                                                        see
           has_meta_key                km        km     Has a meta key
                                                        (i.e., sets 8th-bit)
           has_print_wheel             daisy     YC     printer needs
                                                        operator to change
                                                        character set
           has_status_line             hs        hs     has extra status
                                                        line
           hue_lightness_saturation    hls       hl     terminal uses only
                                                        HLS color notation
                                                        (Tektronix)
           insert_null_glitch          in        in     insert mode
                                                        distinguishes nulls
           lpi_changes_res             lpix      YG     changing line pitch
                                                        changes resolution
           memory_above                da        da     display may be
                                                        retained above the
                                                        screen
           memory_below                db        db     display may be
                                                        retained below the
                                                        screen
           move_insert_mode            mir       mi     safe to move while
                                                        in insert mode
           move_standout_mode          msgr      ms     safe to move while
                                                        in standout mode
           needs_xon_xoff              nxon      nx     padding will not
                                                        work, xon/xoff
                                                        required
           no_esc_ctlc                 xsb       xb     beehive (f1=escape,
                                                        f2=ctrl C)
           no_pad_char                 npc       NP     pad character does
                                                        not exist
           non_dest_scroll_region      ndscr     ND     scrolling region is
                                                        non-destructive
           non_rev_rmcup               nrrmc     NR     smcup does not
                                                        reverse rmcup
           over_strike                 os        os     terminal can
                                                        overstrike
           prtr_silent                 mc5i      5i     printer will not
                                                        echo on screen
           row_addr_glitch             xvpa      YD     only positive motion
                                                        for vpa/mvpa caps
           semi_auto_right_margin      sam       YE     printing in last
                                                        column causes cr
           status_line_esc_ok          eslok     es     escape can be used
                                                        on the status line
           tilde_glitch                hz        hz     cannot print ~'s
                                                        (Hazeltine)
           transparent_underline       ul        ul     underline character
                                                        overstrikes
           xon_xoff                    xon       xo     terminal uses
                                                        xon/xoff handshaking
    
           These are the numeric capabilities:
    
                   **Variable            Cap-      TCap       Description**
                    **Numeric            name      Code**
           columns                     cols      co     number of columns in
                                                        a line
           init_tabs                   it        it     tabs initially every
                                                        # spaces
           label_height                lh        lh     rows in each label
           label_width                 lw        lw     columns in each
                                                        label
           lines                       lines     li     number of lines on
                                                        screen or page
           lines_of_memory             lm        lm     lines of memory if >
                                                        line. 0 means varies
           magic_cookie_glitch         xmc       sg     number of blank
                                                        characters left by
                                                        smso or rmso
           max_attributes              ma        ma     maximum combined
                                                        attributes terminal
                                                        can handle
           max_colors                  colors    Co     maximum number of
                                                        colors on screen
           max_pairs                   pairs     pa     maximum number of
                                                        color-pairs on the
                                                        screen
           maximum_windows             wnum      MW     maximum number of
                                                        definable windows
           no_color_video              ncv       NC     video attributes
                                                        that cannot be used
                                                        with colors
           num_labels                  nlab      Nl     number of labels on
                                                        screen
           padding_baud_rate           pb        pb     lowest baud rate
                                                        where padding needed
           virtual_terminal            vt        vt     virtual terminal
                                                        number (CB/unix)
           width_status_line           wsl       ws     number of columns in
                                                        status line
    
           The  following numeric capabilities are present in the SVr4.0 term
           structure, but are not yet documented in the man page.  They  came
           in with SVr4's printer support.
    
                   **Variable            Cap-      TCap       Description**
                    **Numeric            name      Code**
           bit_image_entwining         bitwin    Yo     number of passes for
                                                        each bit-image row
           bit_image_type              bitype    Yp     type of bit-image
                                                        device
           buffer_capacity             bufsz     Ya     numbers of bytes
                                                        buffered before
                                                        printing
           buttons                     btns      BT     number of buttons on
                                                        mouse
           dot_horz_spacing            spinh     Yc     spacing of dots
                                                        horizontally in dots
                                                        per inch
           dot_vert_spacing            spinv     Yb     spacing of pins
                                                        vertically in pins
                                                        per inch
           max_micro_address           maddr     Yd     maximum value in
                                                        micro_..._address
           max_micro_jump              mjump     Ye     maximum value in
                                                        parm_..._micro
           micro_col_size              mcs       Yf     character step size
                                                        when in micro mode
           micro_line_size             mls       Yg     line step size when
                                                        in micro mode
           number_of_pins              npins     Yh     numbers of pins in
                                                        print-head
           output_res_char             orc       Yi     horizontal
                                                        resolution in units
                                                        per line
           output_res_horz_inch        orhi      Yk     horizontal
                                                        resolution in units
                                                        per inch
           output_res_line             orl       Yj     vertical resolution
                                                        in units per line
           output_res_vert_inch        orvi      Yl     vertical resolution
                                                        in units per inch
           print_rate                  cps       Ym     print rate in
                                                        characters per
                                                        second
           wide_char_size              widcs     Yn     character step size
                                                        when in double wide
                                                        mode
    
           These are the string capabilities:
    
                   **Variable            Cap-      TCap       Description**
                    **String             name      Code**
           acs_chars                   acsc      ac     graphics charset
                                                        pairs, based on
                                                        vt100
           back_tab                    cbt       bt     back tab (P)
           bell                        bel       bl     audible signal
                                                        (bell) (P)
           carriage_return             cr        cr     carriage return (P*)
                                                        (P*)
           change_char_pitch           cpi       ZA     Change number of
                                                        characters per inch
                                                        to #1
           change_line_pitch           lpi       ZB     Change number of
                                                        lines per inch to #1
           change_res_horz             chr       ZC     Change horizontal
                                                        resolution to #1
           change_res_vert             cvr       ZD     Change vertical
                                                        resolution to #1
           change_scroll_region        csr       cs     change region to
                                                        line #1 to line #2
                                                        (P)
           char_padding                rmp       rP     like ip but when in
                                                        insert mode
           clear_all_tabs              tbc       ct     clear all tab stops
                                                        (P)
           clear_margins               mgc       MC     clear right and left
                                                        soft margins
           clear_screen                clear     cl     clear screen and
                                                        home cursor (P*)
           clr_bol                     el1       cb     Clear to beginning
                                                        of line
           clr_eol                     el        ce     clear to end of line
                                                        (P)
           clr_eos                     ed        cd     clear to end of
                                                        screen (P*)
           column_address              hpa       ch     horizontal position
                                                        #1, absolute (P)
           command_character           cmdch     CC     terminal settable
                                                        cmd character in
                                                        prototype !?
           create_window               cwin      CW     define a window #1
                                                        from #2,#3 to #4,#5
           cursor_address              cup       cm     move to row #1
                                                        columns #2
           cursor_down                 cud1      do     down one line
           cursor_home                 home      ho     home cursor (if no
                                                        cup)
           cursor_invisible            civis     vi     make cursor
                                                        invisible
           cursor_left                 cub1      le     move left one space
           cursor_mem_address          mrcup     CM     memory relative
                                                        cursor addressing,
                                                        move to row #1
                                                        columns #2
           cursor_normal               cnorm     ve     make cursor appear
                                                        normal (undo
                                                        civis/cvvis)
           cursor_right                cuf1      nd     non-destructive
                                                        space (move right
                                                        one space)
           cursor_to_ll                ll        ll     last line, first
                                                        column (if no cup)
           cursor_up                   cuu1      up     up one line
           cursor_visible              cvvis     vs     make cursor very
                                                        visible
           define_char                 defc      ZE     Define a character
                                                        #1, #2 dots wide,
                                                        descender #3
           delete_character            dch1      dc     delete character
                                                        (P*)
           delete_line                 dl1       dl     delete line (P*)
           dial_phone                  dial      DI     dial number #1
           dis_status_line             dsl       ds     disable status line
           display_clock               dclk      DK     display clock
           down_half_line              hd        hd     half a line down
           ena_acs                     enacs     eA     enable alternate
                                                        char set
           enter_alt_charset_mode      smacs     as     start alternate
                                                        character set (P)
           enter_am_mode               smam      SA     turn on automatic
                                                        margins
           enter_blink_mode            blink     mb     turn on blinking
           enter_bold_mode             bold      md     turn on bold (extra
                                                        bright) mode
           enter_ca_mode               smcup     ti     string to start
                                                        programs using cup
           enter_delete_mode           smdc      dm     enter delete mode
           enter_dim_mode              dim       mh     turn on half-bright
                                                        mode
           enter_doublewide_mode       swidm     ZF     Enter double-wide
                                                        mode
           enter_draft_quality         sdrfq     ZG     Enter draft-quality
                                                        mode
           enter_insert_mode           smir      im     enter insert mode
           enter_italics_mode          sitm      ZH     Enter italic mode
           enter_leftward_mode         slm       ZI     Start leftward
                                                        carriage motion
           enter_micro_mode            smicm     ZJ     Start micro-motion
                                                        mode
           enter_near_letter_quality   snlq      ZK     Enter NLQ mode
           enter_normal_quality        snrmq     ZL     Enter normal-quality
                                                        mode
           enter_protected_mode        prot      mp     turn on protected
                                                        mode
           enter_reverse_mode          rev       mr     turn on reverse
                                                        video mode
           enter_secure_mode           invis     mk     turn on blank mode
                                                        (characters
                                                        invisible)
           enter_shadow_mode           sshm      ZM     Enter shadow-print
                                                        mode
           enter_standout_mode         smso      so     begin standout mode
           enter_subscript_mode        ssubm     ZN     Enter subscript mode
           enter_superscript_mode      ssupm     ZO     Enter superscript
                                                        mode
           enter_underline_mode        smul      us     begin underline mode
           enter_upward_mode           sum       ZP     Start upward
                                                        carriage motion
           enter_xon_mode              smxon     SX     turn on xon/xoff
                                                        handshaking
           erase_chars                 ech       ec     erase #1 characters
                                                        (P)
           exit_alt_charset_mode       rmacs     ae     end alternate
                                                        character set (P)
           exit_am_mode                rmam      RA     turn off automatic
                                                        margins
           exit_attribute_mode         sgr0      me     turn off all
                                                        attributes
           exit_ca_mode                rmcup     te     strings to end
                                                        programs using cup
           exit_delete_mode            rmdc      ed     end delete mode
           exit_doublewide_mode        rwidm     ZQ     End double-wide mode
           exit_insert_mode            rmir      ei     exit insert mode
           exit_italics_mode           ritm      ZR     End italic mode
           exit_leftward_mode          rlm       ZS     End left-motion mode
           exit_micro_mode             rmicm     ZT     End micro-motion
                                                        mode
           exit_shadow_mode            rshm      ZU     End shadow-print
                                                        mode
           exit_standout_mode          rmso      se     exit standout mode
           exit_subscript_mode         rsubm     ZV     End subscript mode
           exit_superscript_mode       rsupm     ZW     End superscript mode
           exit_underline_mode         rmul      ue     exit underline mode
           exit_upward_mode            rum       ZX     End reverse
                                                        character motion
           exit_xon_mode               rmxon     RX     turn off xon/xoff
                                                        handshaking
           fixed_pause                 pause     PA     pause for 2-3
                                                        seconds
           flash_hook                  hook      fh     flash switch hook
           flash_screen                flash     vb     visible bell (may
                                                        not move cursor)
           form_feed                   ff        ff     hardcopy terminal
                                                        page eject (P*)
           from_status_line            fsl       fs     return from status
                                                        line
           goto_window                 wingo     WG     go to window #1
           hangup                      hup       HU     hang-up phone
           init_1string                is1       i1     initialization
                                                        string
           init_2string                is2       is     initialization
                                                        string
           init_3string                is3       i3     initialization
                                                        string
           init_file                   if        if     name of
                                                        initialization file
           init_prog                   iprog     iP     path name of program
                                                        for initialization
           initialize_color            initc     Ic     initialize color #1
                                                        to (#2,#3,#4)
           initialize_pair             initp     Ip     Initialize color
                                                        pair #1 to
                                                        fg=(#2,#3,#4),
                                                        bg=(#5,#6,#7)
           insert_character            ich1      ic     insert character (P)
           insert_line                 il1       al     insert line (P*)
           insert_padding              ip        ip     insert padding after
                                                        inserted character
           key_a1                      ka1       K1     upper left of keypad
           key_a3                      ka3       K3     upper right of
                                                        keypad
           key_b2                      kb2       K2     center of keypad
           key_backspace               kbs       kb     backspace key
           key_beg                     kbeg      @1     begin key
           key_btab                    kcbt      kB     back-tab key
           key_c1                      kc1       K4     lower left of keypad
           key_c3                      kc3       K5     lower right of
                                                        keypad
           key_cancel                  kcan      @2     cancel key
           key_catab                   ktbc      ka     clear-all-tabs key
           key_clear                   kclr      kC     clear-screen or
                                                        erase key
           key_close                   kclo      @3     close key
           key_command                 kcmd      @4     command key
           key_copy                    kcpy      @5     copy key
           key_create                  kcrt      @6     create key
           key_ctab                    kctab     kt     clear-tab key
           key_dc                      kdch1     kD     delete-character key
           key_dl                      kdl1      kL     delete-line key
           key_down                    kcud1     kd     down-arrow key
           key_eic                     krmir     kM     sent by rmir or smir
                                                        in insert mode
           key_end                     kend      @7     end key
           key_enter                   kent      @8     enter/send key
           key_eol                     kel       kE     clear-to-end-of-line
                                                        key
           key_eos                     ked       kS     clear-to-end-of-
                                                        screen key
           key_exit                    kext      @9     exit key
           key_f0                      kf0       k0     F0 function key
           key_f1                      kf1       k1     F1 function key
           key_f10                     kf10      k;     F10 function key
           key_f11                     kf11      F1     F11 function key
           key_f12                     kf12      F2     F12 function key
           key_f13                     kf13      F3     F13 function key
           key_f14                     kf14      F4     F14 function key
           key_f15                     kf15      F5     F15 function key
           key_f16                     kf16      F6     F16 function key
           key_f17                     kf17      F7     F17 function key
           key_f18                     kf18      F8     F18 function key
           key_f19                     kf19      F9     F19 function key
           key_f2                      kf2       k2     F2 function key
           key_f20                     kf20      FA     F20 function key
           key_f21                     kf21      FB     F21 function key
           key_f22                     kf22      FC     F22 function key
           key_f23                     kf23      FD     F23 function key
           key_f24                     kf24      FE     F24 function key
           key_f25                     kf25      FF     F25 function key
           key_f26                     kf26      FG     F26 function key
           key_f27                     kf27      FH     F27 function key
           key_f28                     kf28      FI     F28 function key
           key_f29                     kf29      FJ     F29 function key
           key_f3                      kf3       k3     F3 function key
           key_f30                     kf30      FK     F30 function key
           key_f31                     kf31      FL     F31 function key
           key_f32                     kf32      FM     F32 function key
           key_f33                     kf33      FN     F33 function key
           key_f34                     kf34      FO     F34 function key
           key_f35                     kf35      FP     F35 function key
           key_f36                     kf36      FQ     F36 function key
           key_f37                     kf37      FR     F37 function key
           key_f38                     kf38      FS     F38 function key
           key_f39                     kf39      FT     F39 function key
           key_f4                      kf4       k4     F4 function key
           key_f40                     kf40      FU     F40 function key
           key_f41                     kf41      FV     F41 function key
           key_f42                     kf42      FW     F42 function key
           key_f43                     kf43      FX     F43 function key
           key_f44                     kf44      FY     F44 function key
           key_f45                     kf45      FZ     F45 function key
           key_f46                     kf46      Fa     F46 function key
           key_f47                     kf47      Fb     F47 function key
           key_f48                     kf48      Fc     F48 function key
           key_f49                     kf49      Fd     F49 function key
           key_f5                      kf5       k5     F5 function key
           key_f50                     kf50      Fe     F50 function key
           key_f51                     kf51      Ff     F51 function key
           key_f52                     kf52      Fg     F52 function key
           key_f53                     kf53      Fh     F53 function key
           key_f54                     kf54      Fi     F54 function key
           key_f55                     kf55      Fj     F55 function key
           key_f56                     kf56      Fk     F56 function key
           key_f57                     kf57      Fl     F57 function key
           key_f58                     kf58      Fm     F58 function key
           key_f59                     kf59      Fn     F59 function key
           key_f6                      kf6       k6     F6 function key
           key_f60                     kf60      Fo     F60 function key
           key_f61                     kf61      Fp     F61 function key
           key_f62                     kf62      Fq     F62 function key
           key_f63                     kf63      Fr     F63 function key
           key_f7                      kf7       k7     F7 function key
           key_f8                      kf8       k8     F8 function key
           key_f9                      kf9       k9     F9 function key
           key_find                    kfnd      @0     find key
           key_help                    khlp      %1     help key
           key_home                    khome     kh     home key
           key_ic                      kich1     kI     insert-character key
           key_il                      kil1      kA     insert-line key
           key_left                    kcub1     kl     left-arrow key
           key_ll                      kll       kH     lower-left key (home
                                                        down)
           key_mark                    kmrk      %2     mark key
           key_message                 kmsg      %3     message key
           key_move                    kmov      %4     move key
           key_next                    knxt      %5     next key
           key_npage                   knp       kN     next-page key
           key_open                    kopn      %6     open key
           key_options                 kopt      %7     options key
           key_ppage                   kpp       kP     previous-page key
           key_previous                kprv      %8     previous key
           key_print                   kprt      %9     print key
           key_redo                    krdo      %0     redo key
           key_reference               kref      &1     reference key
           key_refresh                 krfr      &2     refresh key
           key_replace                 krpl      &3     replace key
           key_restart                 krst      &4     restart key
           key_resume                  kres      &5     resume key
           key_right                   kcuf1     kr     right-arrow key
           key_save                    ksav      &6     save key
           key_sbeg                    kBEG      &9     shifted begin key
           key_scancel                 kCAN      &0     shifted cancel key
           key_scommand                kCMD      *1     shifted command key
           key_scopy                   kCPY      *2     shifted copy key
           key_screate                 kCRT      *3     shifted create key
           key_sdc                     kDC       *4     shifted delete-
                                                        character key
           key_sdl                     kDL       *5     shifted delete-line
                                                        key
           key_select                  kslt      *6     select key
           key_send                    kEND      *7     shifted end key
           key_seol                    kEOL      *8     shifted clear-to-
                                                        end-of-line key
           key_sexit                   kEXT      *9     shifted exit key
           key_sf                      kind      kF     scroll-forward key
           key_sfind                   kFND      *0     shifted find key
           key_shelp                   kHLP      #1     shifted help key
           key_shome                   kHOM      #2     shifted home key
           key_sic                     kIC       #3     shifted insert-
                                                        character key
           key_sleft                   kLFT      #4     shifted left-arrow
                                                        key
           key_smessage                kMSG      %a     shifted message key
           key_smove                   kMOV      %b     shifted move key
           key_snext                   kNXT      %c     shifted next key
           key_soptions                kOPT      %d     shifted options key
           key_sprevious               kPRV      %e     shifted previous key
           key_sprint                  kPRT      %f     shifted print key
           key_sr                      kri       kR     scroll-backward key
           key_sredo                   kRDO      %g     shifted redo key
           key_sreplace                kRPL      %h     shifted replace key
           key_sright                  kRIT      %i     shifted right-arrow
                                                        key
           key_srsume                  kRES      %j     shifted resume key
           key_ssave                   kSAV      !1     shifted save key
           key_ssuspend                kSPD      !2     shifted suspend key
           key_stab                    khts      kT     set-tab key
           key_sundo                   kUND      !3     shifted undo key
           key_suspend                 kspd      &7     suspend key
           key_undo                    kund      &8     undo key
           key_up                      kcuu1     ku     up-arrow key
           keypad_local                rmkx      ke     leave
                                                        'keyboard_transmit'
                                                        mode
           keypad_xmit                 smkx      ks     enter
                                                        'keyboard_transmit'
                                                        mode
           lab_f0                      lf0       l0     label on function
                                                        key f0 if not f0
           lab_f1                      lf1       l1     label on function
                                                        key f1 if not f1
           lab_f10                     lf10      la     label on function
                                                        key f10 if not f10
           lab_f2                      lf2       l2     label on function
                                                        key f2 if not f2
           lab_f3                      lf3       l3     label on function
                                                        key f3 if not f3
           lab_f4                      lf4       l4     label on function
                                                        key f4 if not f4
           lab_f5                      lf5       l5     label on function
                                                        key f5 if not f5
           lab_f6                      lf6       l6     label on function
                                                        key f6 if not f6
           lab_f7                      lf7       l7     label on function
                                                        key f7 if not f7
           lab_f8                      lf8       l8     label on function
                                                        key f8 if not f8
           lab_f9                      lf9       l9     label on function
                                                        key f9 if not f9
           label_format                fln       Lf     label format
           label_off                   rmln      LF     turn off soft labels
           label_on                    smln      LO     turn on soft labels
           meta_off                    rmm       mo     turn off meta mode
           meta_on                     smm       mm     turn on meta mode
                                                        (8th-bit on)
           micro_column_address        mhpa      ZY     Like column_address
                                                        in micro mode
           micro_down                  mcud1     ZZ     Like cursor_down in
                                                        micro mode
           micro_left                  mcub1     Za     Like cursor_left in
                                                        micro mode
           micro_right                 mcuf1     Zb     Like cursor_right in
                                                        micro mode
           micro_row_address           mvpa      Zc     Like row_address #1
                                                        in micro mode
           micro_up                    mcuu1     Zd     Like cursor_up in
                                                        micro mode
           newline                     nel       nw     newline (behave like
                                                        cr followed by lf)
           order_of_pins               porder    Ze     Match software bits
                                                        to print-head pins
           orig_colors                 oc        oc     Set all color pairs
                                                        to the original ones
           orig_pair                   op        op     Set default pair to
                                                        its original value
           pad_char                    pad       pc     padding char
                                                        (instead of null)
           parm_dch                    dch       DC     delete #1 characters
                                                        (P*)
           parm_delete_line            dl        DL     delete #1 lines (P*)
           parm_down_cursor            cud       DO     down #1 lines (P*)
           parm_down_micro             mcud      Zf     Like
                                                        parm_down_cursor in
                                                        micro mode
           parm_ich                    ich       IC     insert #1 characters
                                                        (P*)
           parm_index                  indn      SF     scroll forward #1
                                                        lines (P)
           parm_insert_line            il        AL     insert #1 lines (P*)
           parm_left_cursor            cub       LE     move #1 characters
                                                        to the left (P)
           parm_left_micro             mcub      Zg     Like
                                                        parm_left_cursor in
                                                        micro mode
           parm_right_cursor           cuf       RI     move #1 characters
                                                        to the right (P*)
           parm_right_micro            mcuf      Zh     Like
                                                        parm_right_cursor in
                                                        micro mode
           parm_rindex                 rin       SR     scroll back #1 lines
                                                        (P)
           parm_up_cursor              cuu       UP     up #1 lines (P*)
           parm_up_micro               mcuu      Zi     Like parm_up_cursor
                                                        in micro mode
           pkey_key                    pfkey     pk     program function key
                                                        #1 to type string #2
           pkey_local                  pfloc     pl     program function key
                                                        #1 to execute string
                                                        #2
           pkey_xmit                   pfx       px     program function key
                                                        #1 to transmit
                                                        string #2
           plab_norm                   pln       pn     program label #1 to
                                                        show string #2
           print_screen                mc0       ps     print contents of
                                                        screen
           prtr_non                    mc5p      pO     turn on printer for
                                                        #1 bytes
           prtr_off                    mc4       pf     turn off printer
           prtr_on                     mc5       po     turn on printer
           pulse                       pulse     PU     select pulse dialing
           quick_dial                  qdial     QD     dial number #1
                                                        without checking
           remove_clock                rmclk     RC     remove clock
           repeat_char                 rep       rp     repeat char #1 #2
                                                        times (P*)
           req_for_input               rfi       RF     send next input char
                                                        (for ptys)
           reset_1string               rs1       r1     reset string
           reset_2string               rs2       r2     reset string
           reset_3string               rs3       r3     reset string
           reset_file                  rf        rf     name of reset file
           restore_cursor              rc        rc     restore cursor to
                                                        position of last
                                                        save_cursor
           row_address                 vpa       cv     vertical position #1
                                                        absolute (P)
           save_cursor                 sc        sc     save current cursor
                                                        position (P)
           scroll_forward              ind       sf     scroll text up (P)
           scroll_reverse              ri        sr     scroll text down (P)
           select_char_set             scs       Zj     Select character
                                                        set, #1
           set_attributes              sgr       sa     define video
                                                        attributes #1-#9
                                                        (PG9)
           set_background              setb      Sb     Set background color
                                                        #1
           set_bottom_margin           smgb      Zk     Set bottom margin at
                                                        current line
           set_bottom_margin_parm      smgbp     Zl     Set bottom margin at
                                                        line #1 or (if smgtp
                                                        is not given) #2
                                                        lines from bottom
           set_clock                   sclk      SC     set clock, #1 hrs #2
                                                        mins #3 secs
           set_color_pair              scp       sp     Set current color
                                                        pair to #1
           set_foreground              setf      Sf     Set foreground color
                                                        #1
           set_left_margin             smgl      ML     set left soft margin
                                                        at current column.
                                                        (ML is not in BSD
                                                        termcap).
           set_left_margin_parm        smglp     Zm     Set left (right)
                                                        margin at column #1
           set_right_margin            smgr      MR     set right soft
                                                        margin at current
                                                        column
           set_right_margin_parm       smgrp     Zn     Set right margin at
                                                        column #1
           set_tab                     hts       st     set a tab in every
                                                        row, current columns
           set_top_margin              smgt      Zo     Set top margin at
                                                        current line
           set_top_margin_parm         smgtp     Zp     Set top (bottom)
                                                        margin at row #1
           set_window                  wind      wi     current window is
                                                        lines #1-#2 cols
                                                        #3-#4
           start_bit_image             sbim      Zq     Start printing bit
                                                        image graphics
           start_char_set_def          scsd      Zr     Start character set
                                                        definition #1, with
                                                        #2 characters in the
                                                        set
           stop_bit_image              rbim      Zs     Stop printing bit
                                                        image graphics
           stop_char_set_def           rcsd      Zt     End definition of
                                                        character set #1
           subscript_characters        subcs     Zu     List of
                                                        subscriptable
                                                        characters
           superscript_characters      supcs     Zv     List of
                                                        superscriptable
                                                        characters
           tab                         ht        ta     tab to next 8-space
                                                        hardware tab stop
           these_cause_cr              docr      Zw     Printing any of
                                                        these characters
                                                        causes CR
           to_status_line              tsl       ts     move to status line,
                                                        column #1
           tone                        tone      TO     select touch tone
                                                        dialing
           underline_char              uc        uc     underline char and
                                                        move past it
           up_half_line                hu        hu     half a line up
           user0                       u0        u0     User string #0
           user1                       u1        u1     User string #1
           user2                       u2        u2     User string #2
           user3                       u3        u3     User string #3
           user4                       u4        u4     User string #4
           user5                       u5        u5     User string #5
           user6                       u6        u6     User string #6
           user7                       u7        u7     User string #7
           user8                       u8        u8     User string #8
           user9                       u9        u9     User string #9
           wait_tone                   wait      WA     wait for dial-tone
           xoff_character              xoffc     XF     XOFF character
           xon_character               xonc      XN     XON character
           zero_motion                 zerom     Zx     No motion for
                                                        subsequent character
    
           The  following  string capabilities are present in the SVr4.0 term
           structure, but were originally not documented in the man page.
    
                    **Variable            Cap-       TCap      Description**
                     **String             name       Code**
            alt_scancode_esc            scesa      S8     Alternate escape
                                                          for scancode
                                                          emulation
            bit_image_carriage_return   bicr       Yv     Move to beginning
                                                          of same row
            bit_image_newline           binel      Zz     Move to next row
                                                          of the bit image
            bit_image_repeat            birep      Xy     Repeat bit image
                                                          cell #1 #2 times
            char_set_names              csnm       Zy     Produce #1'th item
                                                          from list of
                                                          character set
                                                          names
            code_set_init               csin       ci     Init sequence for
                                                          multiple codesets
            color_names                 colornm    Yw     Give name for
                                                          color #1
            define_bit_image_region     defbi      Yx     Define rectangular
                                                          bit image region
            device_type                 devt       dv     Indicate
                                                          language/codeset
                                                          support
            display_pc_char             dispc      S1     Display PC
                                                          character #1
            end_bit_image_region        endbi      Yy     End a bit-image
                                                          region
            enter_pc_charset_mode       smpch      S2     Enter PC character
                                                          display mode
            enter_scancode_mode         smsc       S4     Enter PC scancode
                                                          mode
            exit_pc_charset_mode        rmpch      S3     Exit PC character
                                                          display mode
            exit_scancode_mode          rmsc       S5     Exit PC scancode
                                                          mode
            get_mouse                   getm       Gm     Curses should get
                                                          button events,
                                                          parameter #1 not
                                                          documented.
            key_mouse                   kmous      Km     Mouse event has
                                                          occurred
            mouse_info                  minfo      Mi     Mouse status
                                                          information
            pc_term_options             pctrm      S6     PC terminal
                                                          options
            pkey_plab                   pfxl       xl     Program function
                                                          key #1 to type
                                                          string #2 and show
                                                          string #3
            req_mouse_pos               reqmp      RQ     Request mouse
                                                          position
            scancode_escape             scesc      S7     Escape for
                                                          scancode emulation
            set0_des_seq                s0ds       s0     Shift to codeset 0
                                                          (EUC set 0, ASCII)
            set1_des_seq                s1ds       s1     Shift to codeset 1
            set2_des_seq                s2ds       s2     Shift to codeset 2
            set3_des_seq                s3ds       s3     Shift to codeset 3
            set_a_background            setab      AB     Set background
                                                          color to #1, using
                                                          ANSI escape
            set_a_foreground            setaf      AF     Set foreground
                                                          color to #1, using
                                                          ANSI escape
            set_color_band              setcolor   Yz     Change to ribbon
                                                          color #1
            set_lr_margin               smglr      ML     Set both left and
                                                          right margins to
                                                          #1, #2.  (ML is
                                                          not in BSD
                                                          termcap).
            set_page_length             slines     YZ     Set page length to
                                                          #1 lines
            set_tb_margin               smgtb      MT     Sets both top and
                                                          bottom margins to
                                                          #1, #2
    
            The XSI Curses standard added these hardcopy capabilities.   They
            were  used  in  some  post-4.1 versions of System V curses, e.g.,
            Solaris 2.5 and IRIX 6.x.  Except for  **YI** ,  the  **ncurses** termcap
            names  for  them  are  invented.   According  to  the  XSI Curses
            standard, they have no termcap names.  If your compiled  terminfo
            entries  use these, they may not be binary-compatible with System
            V terminfo entries after SVr4.1; beware!
    
                    **Variable            Cap-      TCap       Description**
                     **String             name      Code**
            enter_horizontal_hl_mode    ehhlm     Xh     Enter horizontal
                                                         highlight mode
            enter_left_hl_mode          elhlm     Xl     Enter left highlight
                                                         mode
            enter_low_hl_mode           elohlm    Xo     Enter low highlight
                                                         mode
            enter_right_hl_mode         erhlm     Xr     Enter right
                                                         highlight mode
            enter_top_hl_mode           ethlm     Xt     Enter top highlight
                                                         mode
            enter_vertical_hl_mode      evhlm     Xv     Enter vertical
                                                         highlight mode
            set_a_attributes            sgr1      sA     Define second set of
                                                         video attributes
                                                         #1-#6
            set_pglen_inch              slength   YI     Set page length to
                                                         #1 hundredth of an
                                                         inch (some
                                                         implementations use
                                                         sL for termcap).
    
       **User-Defined Capabilities**
           The preceding section listed the  _predefined_  capabilities.   They
           deal  with  some  special  features  for  terminals  no longer (or
           possibly never) produced.  Occasionally there are special features
           of newer terminals which are awkward or impossible to represent by
           reusing the predefined capabilities.
    
           **ncurses** addresses  this  limitation  by   allowing   user-defined
           capabilities.   The **tic** and **infocmp** programs provide the **-x** option
           for this purpose.  When **-x** is set, **tic** treats unknown capabilities
           as user-defined.  That is, if **tic** encounters  a  capability  name
           which  it  does not recognize, it infers its type (boolean, number
           or string) from the syntax and makes an extended table  entry  for
           that  capability.   The **use_extended_names**(3X) function makes this
           information conditionally available to applications.  The  ncurses
           library  provides  the  data  leaving  most  of  the  behavior  to
           applications:
    
           •   User-defined capability strings whose name begins with “k” are
               treated as function keys.
    
           •   The types (boolean, number, string) determined by **tic** can be
               inferred by successful calls on **tigetflag** , etc.
    
           •   If the capability name happens to be two characters, the
               capability is also available through the termcap interface.
    
           While termcap is said to be extensible because it does not use a
           predefined set of capabilities, in practice it has been limited to
           the capabilities defined by terminfo implementations.  As a rule,
           user-defined capabilities intended for use by termcap applications
           should be limited to booleans and numbers to avoid running past
           the 1023 byte limit assumed by termcap implementations and their
           applications.  In particular, providing extended sets of function
           keys (past the 60 numbered keys and the handful of special named
           keys) is best done using the longer names available using
           terminfo.
    
       **A Sample Entry**
           The following entry, describing an ANSI-standard terminal, is
           representative of what a **terminfo** entry for a modern terminal
           typically looks like.
    
           ansi|ansi/pc-term compatible with color,
                   am, mc5i, mir, msgr,
                   colors#8, cols#80, it#8, lines#24, ncv#3, pairs#64,
                   acsc=+\020\,\021-\030.^Y0\333`\004a\261f\370g\361h\260
                        j\331k\277l\332m\300n\305o~p\304q\304r\304s_t\303
                        u\264v\301w\302x\263y\363z\362{\343|\330}\234~\376,
                   bel=^G, blink=\E[5m, bold=\E[1m, cbt=\E[Z, clear=\E[H\E[J,
                   cr=^M, cub=\E[%p1%dD, cub1=\E[D, cud=\E[%p1%dB, cud1=\E[B,
                   cuf=\E[%p1%dC, cuf1=\E[C, cup=\E[%i%p1%d;%p2%dH,
                   cuu=\E[%p1%dA, cuu1=\E[A, dch=\E[%p1%dP, dch1=\E[P,
                   dl=\E[%p1%dM, dl1=\E[M, ech=\E[%p1%dX, ed=\E[J, el=\E[K,
                   el1=\E[1K, home=\E[H, hpa=\E[%i%p1%dG, ht=\E[I, hts=\EH,
                   ich=\E[%p1%d@, il=\E[%p1%dL, il1=\E[L, ind=^J,
                   indn=\E[%p1%dS, invis=\E[8m, kbs=^H, kcbt=\E[Z, kcub1=\E[D,
                   kcud1=\E[B, kcuf1=\E[C, kcuu1=\E[A, khome=\E[H, kich1=\E[L,
                   mc4=\E[4i, mc5=\E[5i, nel=\r\E[S, op=\E[39;49m,
                   rep=%p1%c\E[%p2%{1}%-%db, rev=\E[7m, rin=\E[%p1%dT,
                   rmacs=\E[10m, rmpch=\E[10m, rmso=\E[m, rmul=\E[m,
                   s0ds=\E(B, s1ds=\E)B, s2ds=\E*B, s3ds=\E+B,
                   setab=\E[4%p1%dm, setaf=\E[3%p1%dm,
                   sgr=\E[0;10%?%p1%t;7%;
                              %?%p2%t;4%;
                              %?%p3%t;7%;
                              %?%p4%t;5%;
                              %?%p6%t;1%;
                              %?%p7%t;8%;
                              %?%p9%t;11%;m,
                   sgr0=\E[0;10m, smacs=\E[11m, smpch=\E[11m, smso=\E[7m,
                   smul=\E[4m, tbc=\E[3g, u6=\E[%i%d;%dR, u7=\E[6n,
                   u8=\E[?%[;0123456789]c, u9=\E[c, vpa=\E[%i%p1%dd,
    
           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 _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.
    
       **Types of Capabilities**
           All capabilities have names.  For instance, the fact that ANSI-
           standard terminals have _automatic margins_ (i.e., an automatic
           return and line-feed when the end of a line is reached) is
           indicated by the capability **am**.  Hence the description of ansi
           includes **am**.  Numeric capabilities are followed by the character
           “#” and then a positive value.  Thus **cols** , 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).
    
           Finally, string valued capabilities, such as **el**(clear to end of
           line sequence) are given by the two-character code, an “=”, and
           then a string ending at the next following “,”.
    
           A number of escape sequences are provided in the string valued
           capabilities for easy encoding of characters there:
    
           •   Both **\E** and **\e** map to an ESCAPE character,
    
           •   **^x** maps to a control-x for any appropriate _x_ , and
    
           •   the sequences
    
                 **\n** , **\l** , **\r** , **\t** , **\b** , **\f** , and **\s**
    
               produce
    
                 _newline_ , _line-feed_ , _return_ , _tab_ , _backspace_ , _form-feed_ , and
                 _space_ ,
    
               respectively.
    
           X/Open Curses does not say what “appropriate _x_ ” might be.  In
           practice, that is a printable ASCII graphic character.  The
           special case “^?” is interpreted as DEL (127).  In all other
           cases, the character value is AND'd with 0x1f, mapping to ASCII
           control codes in the range 0 through 31.
    
           Other escapes include
    
           •   **\^** for **^** ,
    
           •   **\\** for **\** ,
    
           •   **\** , for comma,
    
           •   **\:** for **:** ,
    
           •   and **\0** for null.
    
               **\0** will produce \200, which does not terminate a string but
               behaves as a null character on most terminals, providing CS7
               is specified.  See stty(1).
    
               The reason for this quirk is to maintain binary compatibility
               of the compiled terminfo files with other implementations,
               e.g., the SVr4 systems, which document this.  Compiled
               terminfo files use null-terminated strings, with no lengths.
               Modifying this would require a new binary format, which would
               not work with other implementations.
    
           Finally, characters may be given as three octal digits after a **\**.
    
           A delay in milliseconds may appear anywhere in a string
           capability, enclosed in $<..> brackets, as in **el** =\EK$<5>, and
           padding characters are supplied by **tputs**(3X) 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 _lines_
               affected.)
    
               Normally, padding is advisory if the device has the **xon**
               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 **xon** is present to indicate flow control.
    
           Sometimes individual capabilities must be commented out.  To do
           this, put a period before the capability name.  For example, see
           the second **ind** in the example above.
    
       **Fetching Compiled Descriptions**
           The **ncurses** library searches for terminal descriptions in several
           places.  It uses only the first description found.  The library
           has a compiled-in list of places to search which can be overridden
           by environment variables.  Before starting to search, **ncurses**
           eliminates duplicates in its search list.
    
           •   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.
    
           •   If TERMINFO is not set, **ncurses** will instead look in the
               directory **$HOME/.terminfo** for a compiled description.
    
           •   Next, if the environment variable TERMINFO_DIRS is set,
               **ncurses** will interpret the contents of that variable as a list
               of colon-separated directories (or database files) to be
               searched.
    
               An empty directory name (i.e., if the variable begins or ends
               with a colon, or contains adjacent colons) is interpreted as
               the system location _terminfo_.
    
           •   Finally, **ncurses** searches these compiled-in locations:
    
               •   a list of directories (@TERMINFO_DIRS@), and
    
               •   the system terminfo directory, _terminfo_ (the compiled-in
                   default).
    
       **Preparing Descriptions**
           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 _terminfo_ and to build up
           a description gradually, using partial descriptions with _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 _terminfo_ file to describe it or bugs in the
           screen-handling code of the test program.
    
           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.
    
       **Basic Capabilities**
           The number of columns on each line for the terminal is given by
           the **cols** numeric capability.  If the terminal is a CRT, then the
           number of lines on the screen is given by the **lines** capability.
           If the terminal wraps around to the beginning of the next line
           when it reaches the right margin, then it should have the **am**
           capability.  If the terminal can clear its screen, leaving the
           cursor in the home position, then this is given by the **clear**
           string capability.  If the terminal overstrikes (rather than
           clearing a position when a character is struck over) then it
           should have the **os** capability.  If the terminal is a printing
           terminal, with no soft copy unit, give it both **hc** and **os**.  (**os**
           applies to storage scope terminals, such as TEKTRONIX 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
           **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 **bel**.
    
           If there is a code to move the cursor one position to the left
           (such as backspace) that capability should be given as **cub1**.
           Similarly, codes to move to the right, up, and down should be
           given as **cuf1** , **cuu1** , and **cud1**.  These local cursor motions should
           not alter the text they pass over, for example, you would not
           normally use “**cuf1** = ” because the space would erase the character
           moved over.
    
           A very important point here is that the local cursor motions
           encoded in _terminfo_ are undefined at the left and top edges of a
           CRT terminal.  Programs should never attempt to backspace around
           the left edge, unless **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 **ind**
           (index) string.
    
           To scroll text down, a program goes to the top left corner of the
           screen and sends the **ri**(reverse index) string.  The strings **ind**
           and **ri** are undefined when not on their respective corners of the
           screen.
    
           Parameterized versions of the scrolling sequences are **indn** and **rin**
           which have the same semantics as **ind** and **ri** except that they take
           one parameter, and scroll that many lines.  They are also
           undefined except at the appropriate edge of the screen.
    
           The **am** 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 **cuf1** from the last column.  The only local
           motion which is defined from the left edge is if **bw** is given, then
           a **cub1** from the left edge will move to the right edge of the
           previous row.  If **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 _terminfo_ file usually assumes that this is on; i.e., **am**.  If
           the terminal has a command which moves to the first column of the
           next line, that command can be given as **nel**(newline).  It does
           not matter if the command clears the remainder of the current
           line, so if the terminal has no **cr** and **lf** it may still be possible
           to craft a working **nel** out of one or both of them.
    
           These capabilities suffice to describe hard-copy and “glass-tty”
           terminals.  Thus the model 33 teletype is described as
    
           33|tty33|tty|model 33 teletype,
                   bel=^G, cols#72, cr=^M, cud1=^J, hc, ind=^J, os,
    
           while the Lear Siegler ADM-3 is described as
    
           adm3|3|lsi adm3,
                   am, bel=^G, clear=^Z, cols#80, cr=^M, cub1=^H, cud1=^J,
                   ind=^J, lines#24,
    
       **Parameterized Strings**
           Cursor addressing and other strings requiring parameters in the
           terminal are described by a parameterized string capability, with
           _printf_ -like escapes such as _%x_ in it.  For example, to address the
           cursor, the **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 **mrcup**.
    
           The parameter mechanism uses a stack and special **%** codes to
           manipulate it.  Typically a sequence will push one of the
           parameters onto the stack and then print it in some format.  Print
           (e.g., “%d”) is a special case.  Other operations, including “%t”
           pop their operand from the stack.  It is noted that more complex
           operations are often necessary, e.g., in the **sgr** string.
    
           The **%** encodings have the following meanings:
    
           **%%** outputs “%”
    
           **%**_[[_ :_]flags][width[.precision]][_**doxXs** _]_
                as in printf(3), flags are _[-+#]_ and _space_.  Use a “:” to
                allow the next character to be a “-” flag, avoiding
                interpreting “%-” as an operator.
    
           %c   print _pop()_ like %c in **printf**
    
           **%s** print _pop()_ like %s in **printf**
    
           **%p** _[1-9]_
                push _i_ 'th parameter
    
           **%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
    
                The terms “static” and “dynamic” are misleading.
                Historically, these are simply two different sets of
                variables, whose values are not reset between calls to
                **tparm**(3X).  However, that fact is not documented in other
                implementations.  Relying on it will adversely impact
                portability to other implementations:
    
                •   SVr2 curses supported _dynamic_ variables.  Those are set
                    only by a **%P** operator.  A **%g** for a given variable without
                    first setting it with **%P** will give unpredictable results,
                    because dynamic variables are an uninitialized local
                    array on the stack in the **tparm** function.
    
                •   SVr3.2 curses supported _static_ variables.  Those are an
                    array in the **TERMINAL** structure (declared in **term.h**), and
                    are zeroed automatically when the **setupterm** function
                    allocates the data.
    
                •   SVr4 curses made no further improvements to the
                    _dynamic/static_ variable feature.
    
                •   Solaris XPG4 curses does not distinguish between _dynamic_
                    and _static_ variables.  They are the same.  Like SVr4
                    curses, XPG4 curses does not initialize these explicitly.
    
                •   Before version 6.3, ncurses stores both _dynamic_ and
                    _static_ variables in persistent storage, initialized to
                    zeros.
    
                •   Beginning with version 6.3, ncurses stores _static_ and
                    _dynamic_ variables in the same manner as SVr4.
    
                    •   Unlike other implementations, ncurses zeros dynamic
                        variables before the first **%g** or **%P** operator.
    
                    •   Like SVr2, the scope of dynamic variables in ncurses
                        is within the current call to **tparm**.  Use static
                        variables if persistent storage is needed.
    
           **%'**_c_**'** char constant _c_
    
           **%{**_nn_**}**
                integer constant _nn_
    
           **%l** push strlen(pop)
    
           **%+** , **%-** , **%*** , **%/** , **%m**
                arithmetic (%m is _mod_): _push(pop() op pop())_
    
           **% &**, **%|** , **%^**
                bit operations (AND, OR and exclusive-OR): _push(pop() op_
                _pop())_
    
           **%=** , **% >**, **% <**
                logical operations: _push(pop() op pop())_
    
           **%A** , **%O**
                logical AND and OR operations (for conditionals)
    
           **%!** , **%~**
                unary operations (logical and bit complement): _push(op pop())_
    
           **%i** add 1 to first two parameters (for ANSI terminals)
    
           **%?**_expr_ **%t** _thenpart_ **%e** _elsepart_ **%;**
                This forms an if-then-else.  The **%e** _elsepart_ is optional.
                Usually the **%?**_expr_ part pushes a value onto the stack, and
                **%t** pops it from the stack, testing if it is nonzero (true).
                If it is zero (false), control passes to the **%e**(else) part.
    
                It is possible to form else-if's a la Algol 68:
                **%?** c1 **%t** b1 **%e** c2 **%t** b2 **%e** c3 **%t** b3 **%e** c4 **%t** b4 **%e %;**
    
                where ci are conditions, bi are bodies.
    
                Use the **-f** option of **tic** or **infocmp** to see the structure of
                if-then-else's.  Some strings, e.g., **sgr** can be very
                complicated when written on one line.  The **-f** option splits
                the string into lines with the parts indented.
    
           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.
    
           Consider the HP2645, which, to get to row 3 and column 12, needs
           to be sent \E&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 **cup** capability is
           “cup=6\E&%p2%2dc%p1%2dY”.
    
           The Microterm ACT-IV needs the current row and column sent
           preceded by a **^T** , with the row and column simply encoded in
           binary, “cup=^T%p1%c%p2%c”.  Terminals which use “%c” need to be
           able to backspace the cursor (**cub1**), and to move the cursor up one
           line on the screen (**cuu1**).  This is necessary because it is not
           always safe to transmit **\n ^D** and **\r** , as the system may change or
           discard them.  (The library routines dealing with terminfo set tty
           modes so that tabs are never expanded, so \t is safe to send.
           This turns out to be essential for the Ann Arbor 4080.)
    
           A final example is the LSI ADM-3a, which uses row and column
           offset by a blank character, thus “cup=\E=%p1%' '%+%c%p2%' '%+%c”.
           After sending “\E=”, 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.
    
       **Cursor Motions**
           If the terminal has a fast way to home the cursor (to very upper
           left corner of screen) then this can be given as **home** ; similarly a
           fast way of getting to the lower left-hand corner can be given as
           **ll** ; this may involve going up with **cuu1** from the home position,
           but a program should never do this itself (unless **ll** 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 \EH sequence on HP terminals cannot be used
           for **home**.)
    
           If the terminal has row or column absolute cursor addressing,
           these can be given as single parameter capabilities **hpa**
           (horizontal position absolute) and **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 **cup**.  If there are parameterized local motions
           (e.g., move _n_ spaces to the right) these can be given as **cud** , **cub** ,
           **cuf** , and **cuu** with a single parameter indicating how many spaces to
           move.  These are primarily useful if the terminal does not have
           **cup** , such as the TEKTRONIX 4025.
    
           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 **smcup** and **rmcup**.  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 TEKTRONIX
           4025, where **smcup** sets the command character to be the one used by
           terminfo.  If the **smcup** sequence will not restore the screen after
           an **rmcup** sequence is output (to the state prior to outputting
           **rmcup**), specify **nrrmc**.
    
       **Margins**
           SVr4 (and X/Open Curses) list several string capabilities for
           setting margins.  Two were intended for use with terminals, and
           another six were intended for use with printers.
    
           •   The two terminal capabilities assume that the terminal may
               have the capability of setting the left and/or right margin at
               the current cursor column position.
    
           •   The printer capabilities assume that the printer may have two
               types of capability:
    
               •   the ability to set a top and/or bottom margin using the
                   current line position, and
    
               •   parameterized capabilities for setting the top, bottom,
                   left, right margins given the number of rows or columns.
    
           In practice, the categorization into “terminal” and “printer” is
           not suitable:
    
           •   The AT&T SVr4 terminal database uses **smgl** four times, for AT&T
               hardware.
    
               Three of the four are printers.  They lack the ability to set
               left/right margins by specifying the column.
    
           •   Other (non-AT&T) terminals may support margins but using
               different assumptions from AT&T.
    
               For instance, the DEC VT420 supports left/right margins, but
               only using a column parameter.  As an added complication, the
               VT420 uses two settings to fully enable left/right margins
               (left/right margin mode, and origin mode).  The former enables
               the margins, which causes printed text to wrap within margins,
               but the latter is needed to prevent cursor-addressing outside
               those margins.
    
           •   Both DEC VT420 left/right margins are set with a single
               control sequence.  If either is omitted, the corresponding
               margin is set to the left or right edge of the display (rather
               than leaving the margin unmodified).
    
           These are the margin-related capabilities:
                 **Name       Description**
                 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────
                 smgl       Set left margin at current column
                 smgr       Set right margin at current column
                 smgb       Set bottom margin at current line
                 smgt       Set top margin at current line
                 smgbp      Set bottom margin at line _N_
                 smglp      Set left margin at column _N_
                 smgrp      Set right margin at column _N_
                 smgtp      Set top margin at line _N_
                 smglr      Set both left and right margins to _L_ and _R_
                 smgtb      Set both top and bottom margins to _T_ and _B_
    
           When writing an application that uses these string capabilities,
           the pairs should be first checked to see if each capability in the
           pair is set or only one is set:
    
           •   If both **smglp** and **smgrp** are set, each is used with a single
               argument, _N_ , that gives the column number of the left and
               right margin, respectively.
    
           •   If both **smgtp** and **smgbp** are set, each is used to set the top
               and bottom margin, respectively:
    
               •   **smgtp** is used with a single argument, _N_ , the line number
                   of the top margin.
    
               •   **smgbp** is used with two arguments, _N_ and _M_ , that give the
                   line number of the bottom margin, the first counting from
                   the top of the page and the second counting from the
                   bottom.  This accommodates the two styles of specifying
                   the bottom margin in different manufacturers' printers.
    
               When designing a terminfo entry for a printer that has a
               settable bottom margin, only the first or second argument
               should be used, depending on the printer.  When developing an
               application that uses **smgbp** to set the bottom margin, both
               arguments must be given.
    
           Conversely, when only one capability in the pair is set:
    
           •   If only one of **smglp** and **smgrp** is set, then it is used with
               two arguments, the column number of the left and right
               margins, in that order.
    
           •   Likewise, if only one of **smgtp** and **smgbp** is set, then it is
               used with two arguments that give the top and bottom margins,
               in that order, counting from the top of the page.
    
               When designing a terminfo entry for a printer that requires
               setting both left and right or top and bottom margins
               simultaneously, only one capability in the pairs **smglp** and
               **smgrp** or **smgtp** and **smgbp** should be defined, leaving the other
               unset.
    
           Except for very old terminal descriptions, e.g., those developed
           for SVr4, the scheme just described should be considered obsolete.
           An improved set of capabilities was added late in the SVr4
           releases (**smglr** and **smgtb**), which explicitly use two parameters
           for setting the left/right or top/bottom margins.
    
           When setting margins, the line- and column-values are zero-based.
    
           The **mgc** string capability should be defined.  Applications such as
           tabs(1) rely upon this to reset all margins.
    
       **Area Clears**
           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
           **el**.  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 **el1**.  If the terminal can clear from the
           current position to the end of the display, then this should be
           given as **ed**.  **Ed** 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 **ed** is not available.)
    
       **Insert/delete line and vertical motions**
           If the terminal can open a new blank line before the line where
           the cursor is, this should be given as **il1** ; 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 **dl1** ; this is done only
           from the first position on the line to be deleted.  Versions of
           **il1** and **dl1** which take a single parameter and insert or delete
           that many lines can be given as **il** and **dl**.
    
           If the terminal has a settable scrolling region (like the vt100)
           the command to set this can be described with the **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.
    
           It is possible to get the effect of insert or delete line using
           **csr** on a properly chosen region; the **sc** and **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
           **ncurses**(3X) library does this synthesis automatically, so you need
           not compose insert/delete strings for an entry with **csr**).
    
           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).
    
           Inserting lines at the top or bottom of the screen can also be
           done using **ri** or **ind** on many terminals without a true
           insert/delete line, and is often faster even on terminals with
           those features.
    
           The boolean **non_dest_scroll_region** 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 **ri** followed by **dl1** or **ind**.  If
           the data scrolled off the bottom of the region by the **ri** re-
           appears, then scrolling is non-destructive.  System V and XSI
           Curses expect that **ind** , **ri** , **indn** , and **rin** will simulate
           destructive scrolling; their documentation cautions you not to
           define **csr** unless this is true.  This **curses** implementation is
           more liberal and will do explicit erases after scrolling if **ndsrc**
           is defined.
    
           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 **wind**.  The four parameters are the starting
           and ending lines in memory and the starting and ending columns in
           memory, in that order.
    
           If the terminal can retain display memory above, then the **da**
           capability should be given; if display memory can be retained
           below, then **db** should be given.  These indicate that deleting a
           line or scrolling may bring non-blank lines up from below or that
           scrolling back with **ri** may bring down non-blank lines.
    
       **Insert/Delete Character**
           There are two basic kinds of intelligent terminals with respect to
           insert/delete character which can be described using _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
           “abc    def” using local cursor motions (not spaces) between the
           “abc” and the “def”.  Then position the cursor before the “abc”
           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 “abc” shifts over to the “def”
           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 **in** , which stands for “insert null”.
    
           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.
    
           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 **smir** the sequence to get
           into insert mode.  Give as **rmir** the sequence to leave insert mode.
           Now give as **ich1** any sequence needed to be sent just before
           sending the character to be inserted.  Most terminals with a true
           insert mode will not give **ich1** ; terminals which send a sequence to
           open a screen position should give it here.
    
           If your terminal has both, insert mode is usually preferable to
           **ich1**.  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 **ich** sequences do not require
           previous smir, and most smir insert modes do not require **ich1**
           before each character.  Therefore, the new **curses** actually assumes
           this is the case and uses either **rmir** /**smir** or **ich** /**ich1** 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 **rmir** /**smir** sequences in **ich1**.
    
           If post insert padding is needed, give this as a number of
           milliseconds in **ip**(a string option).  Any other sequence which
           may need to be sent after an insert of a single character may also
           be given in **ip**.  If your terminal needs both to be placed into an
           “insert mode” and a special code to precede each inserted
           character, then both **smir** /**rmir** and **ich1** can be given, and both
           will be used.  The **ich** capability, with one parameter, _n_ , will
           repeat the effects of **ich1** _n_ times.
    
           If padding is necessary between characters typed while not in
           insert mode, give this as a number of milliseconds padding in **rmp**.
    
           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 **mir** to speed up
           inserting in this case.  Omitting **mir** will affect only speed.
           Some terminals (notably Datamedia's) must not have **mir** because of
           the way their insert mode works.
    
           Finally, you can specify **dch1** to delete a single character, **dch**
           with one parameter, _n_ , to delete _n characters,_ and delete mode by
           giving **smdc** and **rmdc** to enter and exit delete mode (any mode the
           terminal needs to be placed in for **dch1** to work).
    
           A command to erase _n_ characters (equivalent to outputting _n_ blanks
           without moving the cursor) can be given as **ech** with one parameter.
    
       **Highlighting, Underlining, and Visible Bells**
           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 _standout mode_ , 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 **smso** and **rmso** , 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 **xmc** should be
           given to tell how many spaces are left.
    
           Codes to begin underlining and end underlining can be given as
           **smul** and **rmul** 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 **uc**.
    
           Other capabilities to enter various highlighting modes include
           **blink**(blinking) **bold**(bold or extra bright) **dim**(dim or half-
           bright) **invis**(blanking or invisible text) **prot**(protected) **rev**
           (reverse video) **sgr0**(turn off _all_ attribute modes) **smacs**(enter
           alternate character set mode) and **rmacs**(exit alternate character
           set mode).  Turning on any of these modes singly may or may not
           turn off other modes.
    
           If there is a sequence to set arbitrary combinations of modes,
           this should be given as **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 **sgr** , only those
           for which corresponding separate attribute commands exist.
    
           For example, the DEC vt220 supports most of the modes:
    
                 **tparm parameter      attribute        escape sequence**
    
                 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)
    
           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.
    
           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.
    
           Writing out the above sequences, along with their dependencies
           yields
    
             **sequence             when to output      terminfo translation**
    
             \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%;
    
           Putting this all together into the sgr sequence gives:
    
               sgr=\E[0%?%p1%p6%|%t;1%;%?%p2%t;4%;%?%p4%t;5%;
                   %?%p1%p3%|%t;7%;%?%p7%t;8%;m%?%p9%t\016%e\017%;,
    
           Remember that if you specify sgr, you must also specify sgr0.
           Also, some implementations rely on sgr being given if sgr0 is, Not
           all terminfo entries necessarily have an sgr string, however.
           Many terminfo entries are derived from termcap entries which have
           no sgr string.  The only drawback to adding an sgr string is that
           termcap also assumes that sgr0 does not exit alternate character
           set mode.
    
           Terminals with the “magic cookie” glitch (**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 **msgr**
           capability, asserting that it is safe to move in standout mode, is
           present.
    
           If the terminal has a way of flashing the screen to indicate an
           error quietly (a bell replacement) then this can be given as
           **flash** ; it must not move the cursor.
    
           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 **cvvis**.  If there is a way to make the cursor
           completely invisible, give that as **civis**.  The capability **cnorm**
           should be given which undoes the effects of both of these modes.
    
           If your terminal correctly generates underlined characters (with
           no special codes needed) even though it does not overstrike, then
           you should give the capability **ul**.  If a character overstriking
           another leaves both characters on the screen, specify the
           capability **os**.  If overstrikes are erasable with a blank, then
           this should be indicated by giving **eo**.
    
       **Keypad and Function Keys**
           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 **smkx** and **rmkx**.  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 **kcub1, kcuf1, kcuu1, kcud1,**
           and **khome** respectively.  If there are function keys such as f0,
           f1, ..., f10, the codes they send can be given as **kf0, kf1, ...,**
           **kf10**.  If these keys have labels other than the default f0 through
           f10, the labels can be given as **lf0, lf1, ..., lf10**.
    
           The codes transmitted by certain other special keys can be given:
    
           •   **kll**(home down),
    
           •   **kbs**(backspace),
    
           •   **ktbc**(clear all tabs),
    
           •   **kctab**(clear the tab stop in this column),
    
           •   **kclr**(clear screen or erase key),
    
           •   **kdch1**(delete character),
    
           •   **kdl1**(delete line),
    
           •   **krmir**(exit insert mode),
    
           •   **kel**(clear to end of line),
    
           •   **ked**(clear to end of screen),
    
           •   **kich1**(insert character or enter insert mode),
    
           •   **kil1**(insert line),
    
           •   **knp**(next page),
    
           •   **kpp**(previous page),
    
           •   **kind**(scroll forward/down),
    
           •   **kri**(scroll backward/up),
    
           •   **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 **ka1** , **ka3** ,
           **kb2** , **kc1** , and **kc3**.  These keys are useful when the effects of a 3
           by 3 directional pad are needed.
    
           Strings to program function keys can be given as **pfkey** , **pfloc** , and
           **pfx**.  A string to program screen labels should be specified as
           **pln**.  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 **pfkey** causes pressing the given
           key to be the same as the user typing the given string; **pfloc**
           causes the string to be executed by the terminal in local; and **pfx**
           causes the string to be transmitted to the computer.
    
           The capabilities **nlab** , **lw** and **lh** 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 **smln** and **rmln**.  **smln**
           is normally output after one or more pln sequences to make sure
           that the change becomes visible.
    
       **Tabs and Initialization**
           A few capabilities are used only for tabs:
    
           •   If the terminal has hardware tabs, the command to advance to
               the next tab stop can be given as **ht**(usually control/I).
    
           •   A “back-tab” command which moves leftward to the preceding tab
               stop can be given as **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 **ht** or **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 _n_ spaces when the terminal is powered up, the numeric
               parameter **it** is given, showing the number of spaces the tabs
               are set to.
    
               The **it** capability is normally used by the **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.
    
           Other capabilities include
    
           •   **is1** , **is2** , and **is3** , initialization strings for the terminal,
    
           •   **iprog** , the path name of a program to be run to initialize the
               terminal,
    
           •   and **if** , 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 _init_ option of the **tput**
           program, each time the user logs in.  They will be printed in the
           following order:
    
                  run the program
                         **iprog**
    
                  output
                         **is1** and
                         **is2**
    
                  set the margins using
                         **mgc** or
                         **smglp** and **smgrp** or
                         **smgl** and **smgr**
    
                  set tabs using
                         **tbc** and **hts**
    
                  print the file
                         **if**
    
                  and finally output
                         **is3**.
    
           Most initialization is done with **is2**.  Special terminal modes can
           be set up without duplicating strings by putting the common
           sequences in **is2** and special cases in **is1** and **is3**.
    
           A set of sequences that does a harder reset from a totally unknown
           state can be given as **rs1** , **rs2** , **rf** and **rs3** , analogous to **is1 , is2**
           **, if** and **is3** respectively.  These strings are output by _reset_
           option of **tput** , or by the **reset** program (an alias of **tset**), which
           is used when the terminal gets into a wedged state.  Commands are
           normally placed in **rs1** , **rs2 rs3** and **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 **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.
    
           The **reset** program writes strings including **iprog** , etc., in the
           same order as the _init_ program, using **rs1** , etc., instead of **is1** ,
           etc.  If any of **rs1** , **rs2** , **rs3** , or **rf** reset capability strings are
           missing, the **reset** program falls back upon the corresponding
           initialization capability string.
    
           If there are commands to set and clear tab stops, they can be
           given as **tbc**(clear all tab stops) and **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 **is2** or **if**.
    
           The **tput reset** command uses the same capability strings as the
           **reset** command, although the two programs (**tput** and **reset**) provide
           different command-line options.
    
           In practice, these terminfo capabilities are not often used in
           initialization of tabs (though they are required for the **tabs**
           program):
    
           •   Almost all hardware terminals (at least those which supported
               tabs) initialized those to every _eight_ columns:
    
               The only exception was the AT&T 2300 series, which set tabs to
               every _five_ columns.
    
           •   In particular, developers of the hardware terminals which are
               commonly used as models for modern terminal emulators provided
               documentation demonstrating that _eight_ columns were the
               standard.
    
           •   Because of this, the terminal initialization programs **tput** and
               **tset** use the **tbc**(**clear_all_tabs**) and **hts**(**set_tab**)
               capabilities directly only when the **it**(**init_tabs**) capability
               is set to a value other than _eight_.
    
       **Delays and Padding**
           Many older and slower terminals do not 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.
    
           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 **xon**.  This capability suppresses
           the emission of padding.  You can also set it for memory-mapped
           console devices effectively that do not 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.
    
           If **pb**(padding baud rate) is given, padding is suppressed at baud
           rates below the value of **pb**.  If the entry has no padding baud
           rate, then whether padding is emitted or not is completely
           controlled by **xon**.
    
           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.
    
       **Status Lines**
           Some terminals have an extra “status line” which is not normally
           used by software (and thus not counted in the terminal's **lines**
           capability).
    
           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 **hs** capability.
    
           Some terminals with status lines need special sequences to access
           the status line.  These may be expressed as a string with single
           parameter **tsl** which takes the cursor to a given zero-origin column
           on the status line.  The capability **fsl** must return to the main-
           screen cursor positions before the last **tsl**.  You may need to
           embed the string values of **sc**(save cursor) and **rc**(restore
           cursor) in **tsl** and **fsl** to accomplish this.
    
           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 **wsl**.
    
           A command to erase or blank the status line may be specified as
           **dsl**.
    
           The boolean capability **eslok** specifies that escape sequences,
           tabs, etc., work ordinarily in the status line.
    
           The **ncurses** implementation does not yet use any of these
           capabilities.  They are documented here in case they ever become
           important.
    
       **Line Graphics**
           Many terminals have alternate character sets useful for forms-
           drawing.  Terminfo and **curses** have built-in support for most of
           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 **acsc** capability.
    
           **Glyph                       ACS            Ascii     acsc     acsc**
           **Name                        Name           Default   Char     Value**
           ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
           arrow pointing right        ACS_RARROW     >         +        0x2b
           arrow pointing left         ACS_LARROW     <         ,        0x2c
           arrow pointing up           ACS_UARROW     ^         -        0x2d
           arrow pointing down         ACS_DARROW     v         .        0x2e
           solid square block          ACS_BLOCK      #         0        0x30
           diamond                     ACS_DIAMOND    +         `        0x60
           checker board (stipple)     ACS_CKBOARD    :         a        0x61
           degree symbol               ACS_DEGREE     \         f        0x66
           plus/minus                  ACS_PLMINUS    #         g        0x67
           board of squares            ACS_BOARD      #         h        0x68
           lantern symbol              ACS_LANTERN    #         i        0x69
           lower right corner          ACS_LRCORNER   +         j        0x6a
           upper right corner          ACS_URCORNER   +         k        0x6b
           upper left corner           ACS_ULCORNER   +         l        0x6c
           lower left corner           ACS_LLCORNER   +         m        0x6d
           large plus or crossover     ACS_PLUS       +         n        0x6e
           scan line 1                 ACS_S1         ~         o        0x6f
           scan line 3                 ACS_S3         -         p        0x70
           horizontal line             ACS_HLINE      -         q        0x71
           scan line 7                 ACS_S7         -         r        0x72
           scan line 9                 ACS_S9         _         s        0x73
           tee pointing right          ACS_LTEE       +         t        0x74
           tee pointing left           ACS_RTEE       +         u        0x75
           tee pointing up             ACS_BTEE       +         v        0x76
           tee pointing down           ACS_TTEE       +         w        0x77
           vertical line               ACS_VLINE      |         x        0x78
           less-than-or-equal-to       ACS_LEQUAL     <         y        0x79
           greater-than-or-equal-to    ACS_GEQUAL     >         z        0x7a
           greek pi                    ACS_PI         *         {        0x7b
           not-equal                   ACS_NEQUAL     !         |        0x7c
           UK pound sign               ACS_STERLING   f         }        0x7d
           bullet                      ACS_BULLET     o         ~        0x7e
    
           A few notes apply to the table itself:
    
           •   X/Open Curses incorrectly states that the mapping for _lantern_
               is uppercase “I” although Unix implementations use the
               lowercase “i” mapping.
    
           •   The DEC VT100 implemented graphics using the alternate
               character set feature, temporarily switching _modes_ and sending
               characters in the range 0x60 (96) to 0x7e (126) (the **acsc**
               **Value** column in the table).
    
           •   The AT&T terminal added graphics characters outside that
               range.
    
               Some of the characters within the range do not match the
               VT100; presumably they were used in the AT&T terminal: _board_
               _of squares_ replaces the VT100 _newline_ symbol, while _lantern_
               _symbol_ replaces the VT100 _vertical tab_ symbol.  The other
               VT100 symbols for control characters (_horizontal tab_ , _carriage_
               _return_ and _line-feed_) are not (re)used in curses.
    
           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 **smacs** /**rmacs** 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.
    
       **Color Handling**
           The curses library functions **init_pair** and **init_color** manipulate
           the _color pairs_ and _color values_ discussed in this section (see
           **curs_color**(3X) for details on these and related functions).
    
           Most color terminals are either “Tektronix-like” or “HP-like”:
    
           •   Tektronix-like terminals have a predefined set of _N_ colors
               (where _N_ is usually 8), and can set character-cell foreground
               and background characters independently, mixing them into
               _N_ * _N_ color-pairs.
    
           •   On HP-like terminals, the user 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.
    
           Some basic color capabilities are independent of the color method.
           The numeric capabilities **colors** and **pairs** specify the maximum
           numbers of colors and color-pairs that can be displayed
           simultaneously.  The **op**(original pair) string resets foreground
           and background colors to their default values for the terminal.
           The **oc** 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 **bce**.
    
           While the curses library works with _color pairs_ (reflecting the
           inability of some devices to set foreground and background colors
           independently), there are separate capabilities for setting these
           features:
    
           •   To change the current foreground or background color on a
               Tektronix-type terminal, use **setaf**(set ANSI foreground) and
               **setab**(set ANSI background) or **setf**(set foreground) and **setb**
               (set background).  These take one parameter, the color number.
               The SVr4 documentation describes only **setaf** /**setab** ; the XPG4
               draft says that "If the terminal supports ANSI escape
               sequences to set background and foreground, they should be
               coded as **setaf** and **setab** , respectively.
    
           •   If the terminal supports other escape sequences to set
               background and foreground, they should be coded as **setf** and
               **setb** , respectively.  The **vidputs** and the **refresh**(3X) functions
               use the **setaf** and **setab** capabilities if they are defined.
    
           The **setaf** /**setab** and **setf** /**setb** capabilities take a single numeric
           argument each.  Argument values 0-7 of **setaf** /**setab** are portably
           defined as follows (the middle column is the symbolic #define
           available in the header for the **curses** or **ncurses** libraries).  The
           terminal hardware is free to map these as it likes, but the RGB
           values indicate normal locations in color space.
    
                     **Color       #define       Value       RGB**
                     black     **COLOR_BLACK** 0     0, 0, 0
                     red       **COLOR_RED** 1     max,0,0
                     green     **COLOR_GREEN** 2     0,max,0
                     yellow    **COLOR_YELLOW** 3     max,max,0
                     blue      **COLOR_BLUE** 4     0,0,max
                     magenta   **COLOR_MAGENTA** 5     max,0,max
                     cyan      **COLOR_CYAN** 6     0,max,max
                     white     **COLOR_WHITE** 7     max,max,max
    
           The argument values of **setf** /**setb** historically correspond to a
           different mapping, i.e.,
                     **Color       #define       Value       RGB**
                     black     **COLOR_BLACK** 0     0, 0, 0
                     blue      **COLOR_BLUE** 1     0,0,max
                     green     **COLOR_GREEN** 2     0,max,0
                     cyan      **COLOR_CYAN** 3     0,max,max
                     red       **COLOR_RED** 4     max,0,0
                     magenta   **COLOR_MAGENTA** 5     max,0,max
                     yellow    **COLOR_YELLOW** 6     max,max,0
                     white     **COLOR_WHITE** 7     max,max,max
    
           It is important to not confuse the two sets of color capabilities;
           otherwise red/blue will be interchanged on the display.
    
           On an HP-like terminal, use **scp** with a color-pair number parameter
           to set which color pair is current.
    
           Some terminals allow the _color values_ to be modified:
    
           •   On a Tektronix-like terminal, the capability **ccc** may be
               present to indicate that colors can be modified.  If so, the
               **initc** capability will take a color number (0 to **colors** - 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 **hls** is present, they
               are instead as HLS (Hue, Lightness, Saturation) indices.  The
               ranges are terminal-dependent.
    
           •   On an HP-like terminal, **initp** may give a capability for
               changing a color-pair value.  It will take seven parameters; a
               color-pair number (0 to **max_pairs** - 1), and two triples
               describing first background and then foreground colors.  These
               parameters must be (Red, Green, Blue) or (Hue, Lightness,
               Saturation) depending on **hls**.
    
           On some color terminals, colors collide with highlights.  You can
           register these collisions with the **ncv** capability.  This is a bit-
           mask of attributes not to be used when colors are enabled.  The
           correspondence with the attributes understood by **curses** is as
           follows:
    
                    **Attribute              Bit   Decimal      Set by**
                    A_STANDOUT             0     1            sgr
                    A_UNDERLINE            1     2            sgr
                    A_REVERSE              2     4            sgr
                    A_BLINK                3     8            sgr
                    A_DIM                  4     16           sgr
                    A_BOLD                 5     32           sgr
                    A_INVIS                6     64           sgr
                    A_PROTECT              7     128          sgr
                    A_ALTCHARSET           8     256          sgr
                    A_HORIZONTAL           9     512          sgr1
                    A_LEFT                 10    1024         sgr1
                    A_LOW                  11    2048         sgr1
                    A_RIGHT                12    4096         sgr1
                    A_TOP                  13    8192         sgr1
                    A_VERTICAL             14    16384        sgr1
                    A_ITALIC               15    32768        sitm
    
           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 **ncv** capability of 2.
    
           SVr4 curses does nothing with **ncv** , ncurses recognizes it and
           optimizes the output in favor of colors.
    
       **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 **PC** variable; though the application may set this value
           to something other than a null, ncurses will test **npc** first and
           use napms if the terminal has no pad character.
    
           If the terminal can move up or down half a line, this can be
           indicated with **hu**(half-line up) and **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 **ff**(usually control/L).
    
           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
           **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”.
    
           If the terminal has a settable command character, such as the
           TEKTRONIX 4025, this can be indicated with **cmdch**.  A prototype
           command character is chosen which is used in all capabilities.
           This character is given in the **cmdch** capability to identify it.
           The following convention is supported on some UNIX systems: The
           environment is to be searched for a **CC** variable, and if found, all
           occurrences of the prototype character are replaced with the
           character in the environment variable.
    
           Terminal descriptions that do not represent a specific kind of
           known terminal, such as _switch_ , _dialup_ , _patch_ , and _network_ , should
           include the **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 _virtual_ terminal descriptions for
           which the escape sequences are known.)
    
           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 **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 **smm** and
           **rmm**.
    
           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 **lm**.  A value of **lm** #0 indicates that the number of lines is
           not fixed, but that there is still more memory than fits on the
           screen.
    
           If the terminal is one of those supported by the UNIX virtual
           terminal protocol, the terminal number can be given as **vt**.
    
           Media copy strings which control an auxiliary printer connected to
           the terminal can be given as **mc0** : print the contents of the
           screen, **mc4** : turn off the printer, and **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 **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 **mc4** , is transparently passed to the printer while an
           **mc5p** is in effect.
    
       **Glitches and Braindamage**
           Hazeltine terminals, which do not allow “~” characters to be
           displayed should indicate **hz**.
    
           Terminals which ignore a line-feed immediately after an **am** wrap,
           such as the Concept and vt100, should indicate **xenl**.
    
           If **el** is required to get rid of standout (instead of merely
           writing normal text on top of it), **xhp** should be given.
    
           Teleray terminals, where tabs turn all characters moved over to
           blanks, should indicate **xt**(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.
    
           The Beehive Superbee, which is unable to correctly transmit the
           escape or control/C characters, has **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”.
    
           Other specific terminal problems may be corrected by adding more
           capabilities of the form **x** _x_.
    
       **Pitfalls of Long Entries**
           Long terminfo entries are unlikely to be a problem; to date, no
           entry has even approached terminfo's 4096-byte string-table
           maximum.  Unfortunately, the termcap translations are much more
           strictly limited (to 1023 bytes), thus termcap translations of
           long terminfo entries can cause problems.
    
           The man pages for 4.3BSD and older versions of **tgetent** instruct
           the user to allocate a 1024-byte 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.
    
           Some termcap libraries print a warning message or exit if they
           find an entry that's longer than 1023 bytes; others do not; others
           truncate the entries to 1023 bytes.  Some application programs
           allocate more than the recommended 1K for the termcap entry;
           others do not.
    
           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 does
           not use the “tc” capability, then of course the two lengths are
           the same.
    
           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:
    
           •   a termcap entry before expansion is more than 1023 bytes long,
    
           •   and the application has only allocated a 1k buffer,
    
           •   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 is the entry it wants,
    
           •   and **tgetent** is searching for a terminal type that either is
               the long entry, appears in the termcap file after the long
               entry, or does not appear in the file at all (so that **tgetent**
               has to search the whole termcap file).
    
           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.
    
           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 is found the
           terminal type it was looking for, not while searching.
    
           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 is 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.
    
           When in -C (translate to termcap) mode, the **ncurses** implementation
           of **tic**(1M) 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.
    
       **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.
    


## EXTENSIONS



           Searching for terminal descriptions in **$HOME/.terminfo** and
           TERMINFO_DIRS is not supported by older implementations.
    
           Some SVr4 **curses** implementations, and all previous to SVr4, do not
           interpret the %A and %O operators in parameter strings.
    
           SVr4/XPG4 do not specify whether **msgr** licenses movement while in
           an alternate-character-set mode (such modes may, among other
           things, map CR and NL to characters that do not trigger local
           motions).  The **ncurses** implementation ignores **msgr** in **ALTCHARSET**
           mode.  This raises the possibility that an XPG4 implementation
           making the opposite interpretation may need terminfo entries made
           for **ncurses** to have **msgr** turned off.
    
           The **ncurses** library handles insert-character and insert-character
           modes in a slightly non-standard way to get better update
           efficiency.  See the **Insert/Delete Character** subsection above.
    
           The parameter substitutions for **set_clock** and **display_clock** are
           not documented in SVr4 or the XSI Curses standard.  They are
           deduced from the documentation for the AT&T 505 terminal.
    
           Be careful assigning the **kmous** capability.  The **ncurses** library
           wants to interpret it as **KEY_MOUSE** , for use by terminals and
           emulators like xterm that can return mouse-tracking information in
           the keyboard-input stream.
    
           X/Open Curses does not mention italics.  Portable applications
           must assume that numeric capabilities are signed 16-bit values.
           This includes the _no_color_video_ (ncv) capability.  The 32768 mask
           value used for italics with ncv can be confused with an absent or
           cancelled ncv.  If italics should work with colors, then the ncv
           value must be specified, even if it is zero.
    
           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:
    
           •   **SVR4, Solaris, ncurses** -- These support all SVr4 capabilities.
    
           •   **SGI** -- Supports the SVr4 set, adds one undocumented extended
               string capability (**set_pglen**).
    
           •   **SVr1, Ultrix** -- These support a restricted subset of terminfo
               capabilities.  The booleans end with **xon_xoff** ; the numerics
               with **width_status_line** ; and the strings with **prtr_non**.
    
           •   **HP/UX** -- Supports the SVr1 subset, plus the SVr[234] numerics
               **num_labels** , **label_height** , **label_width** , plus function keys 11
               through 63, plus **plab_norm** , **label_on** , and **label_off** , plus some
               incompatible extensions in the string table.
    
           •   **AIX** -- Supports the SVr1 subset, plus function keys 11 through
               63, plus a number of incompatible string table extensions.
    
           •   **OSF** -- Supports both the SVr4 set and the AIX extensions.
    


## FILES



           terminfo/?/*
                  files containing terminal descriptions
    


* * *