NAME

tput − initialize a terminal or query terminfo database

SYNOPSIS

tput [−Ttype] capname [parms ...] tput [−Ttype] init tput [−Ttype] reset tput [−Ttype] longname

DESCRIPTION

tput uses the terminfo(4) database to make the values of terminal-dependent capabilities and information available to the shell (see sh(1)), to initialize or reset the terminal, or return the long name of the requested terminal type.  tput outputs a string if the attribute (capability name) is of type string, or an integer if the attribute is of type integer. If the attribute is of type boolean, tput simply sets the exit code (0 for TRUE if the terminal has the capability, 1 for FALSE if it does not), and produces no output.  Before using a value returned on standard output, the user should test the exit code ($?, see sh(1)) to be sure it is 0.  (See EXIT CODES and DIAGNOSTICS below.)  For a complete list of capabilities and the capname associated with each, see terminfo(4). 

−Ttype indicates the type of terminal.  Normally this option is unnecessary, because the default is taken from the environment variable TERM.  If −T is specified, then the shell variables LINES and COLUMNS and the layer size (see layers(1)) will not be referenced. 

capname indicates the attribute from the terminfo(4) database.

parms If the attribute is a string that takes parameters, the arguments parms will be instantiated into the string.  An all numeric argument will be passed to the attribute as a number. 

init If the terminfo(4) database is present and an entry for the user’s terminal exists (see −Ttype, above), the following will occur: (1) if present, the terminal’s initialization strings will be output (is1, is2, is3, if, iprog), (2) any delays (e.g., newline) specified in the entry will be set in the tty driver, (3) tabs expansion will be turned on or off according to the specification in the entry, and (4) if tabs are not expanded, standard tabs will be set (every 8 spaces).  If an entry does not contain the information needed for any of the four above activities, that activity will silently be skipped. 

reset Instead of putting out initialization strings, the terminal’s reset strings will be output if present (rs1, rs2, rs3, rf).  If the reset strings are not present, but initialization strings are, the initialization strings will be output.  Otherwise, reset acts identically to init. 

longname If the terminfo(4) database is present and an entry for the user’s terminal exists (see −Ttype above), then the long name of the terminal will be put out.  The long name is the last name in the first line of the terminal’s description in the terminfo(4) database (see term(5)).

EXAMPLES

tput init Initialize the terminal according to the type of terminal in the environmental variable TERM.  This command should be included in everyone’s .profile after the environmental variable TERM has been exported, as illustrated on the profile(4) manual page. 

tput −T5620 reset
Reset an AT&T 5620 terminal, overriding the type of terminal in the environmental variable TERM. 

tput cup 0 0 Send the sequence to move the cursor to row 0, column 0 (the upper left corner of the screen, usually known as the "home" cursor position). 

tput clear Echo the clear-screen sequence for the current terminal. 

tput cols Print the number of columns for the current terminal. 

tput -T450 cols Print the number of columns for the 450 terminal. 

bold=‘tput smso‘

offbold=‘tput rmso‘
Set the shell variables bold, to begin stand-out mode sequence, and offbold, to end standout mode sequence, for the current terminal.  This might be followed by a prompt:
echo "${bold}Please type in your name: ${offbold}\c"

tput hc Set exit code to indicate if the current terminal is a hardcopy terminal. 

tput cup 23 4 Send the sequence to move the cursor to row 23, column 4. 

tput longname Print the long name from the terminfo(4) database for the type of terminal specified in the environmental variable TERM. 

FILES

/usr/lib/terminfo/?/∗ compiled terminal description database

/usr/include/curses.h curses(3X) header file

/usr/include/term.h terminfo(4) header file

/usr/lib/tabset/∗ tab settings for some terminals, in a format appropriate to be output to the terminal (escape sequences that set margins and tabs); for more information, see the "Tabs and Initialization" section of terminfo(4)

SEE ALSO

stty (1), tabs (1), profile(4), terminfo(4). 

EXIT CODES

If capname is of type boolean, a value of 0 is set for TRUE and 1 for FALSE. 

If capname is of type string, a value of 0 is set if the capname is defined for this terminal type (the value of capname is returned on standard output); a value of 1 is set if capname is not defined for this terminal type (a null value is returned on standard output). 

If capname is of type integer, a value of 0 is always set, whether or not capname is defined for this terminal type. To determine if capname is defined for this terminal type, the user must test the value of standard output. A value of −1 means that capname is not defined for this terminal type.

Any other exit code indicates an error; see DIAGNOSTICS, below. 

DIAGNOSTICS

tput prints the following error messages and sets the corresponding exit codes. 

exit
code            error message
 0−1  (capname is a numeric variable that is not specified in the
terminfo(4) database for this terminal type, e.g.
tput −T450 lines and tput −T2621 xmc)
 1no error message is printed, see EXIT CODES, above.
 2usage error
 3unknown terminal type or no terminfo(4) database
 4unknown terminfo(4) capability capname

September 02, 1992