tput(1) CLIX tput(1)
NAME
tput - Initializes a terminal or queries terminfo database
SYNOPSIS
tput [-Ttype] capname [parms ... ]
tput [-Ttype] init
tput [-Ttype] reset
tput [-Ttype] longname
FLAGS
-Ttype Indicates the type of terminal. Normally this flag 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) will not be
referenced.
capname Indicates the attribute from the terminfo 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 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 (for example, 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.
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. 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. If the terminfo
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
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tput(1) CLIX tput(1)
long name is the last name in the first line of the terminal's description
in the terminfo database (see term).
DESCRIPTION
The tput command initializes and resets a terminal. The command uses the
terminfo database to make the values of terminal-dependent capabilities
and information available to the shell (see sh), to initialize or reset
the terminal, or return the long name of the requested terminal type. The
tput command outputs a string if the attribute (capabilityname) is of type
string, or an integer if the attribute is of type integer. If the
attribute is of type boolean, the tput command 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 stdout,
the user should test the exit code ($?, see sh) to be sure it is 0. (See
EXIT VALUES and DIAGNOSTICS.) For a complete list of capabilities and the
capname associated with each, see terminfo.
EXAMPLES
1. 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 manual page.
tput init
2. Reset an AT&T 5620 terminal, overriding the type of terminal in the
environmental variable $TERM.
tput -T5620 reset
3. Send the sequence to move the cursor to row 0, column 0 (the upper
left corner of the screen, usually known as the ``home'' cursor
position).
tput cup 0 0
4. Echo the clear-screen sequence for the current terminal.
tput clear
5. Display the number of columns for the current terminal.
tput cols
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tput(1) CLIX tput(1)
6. Display the number of columns for the 450 terminal.
tput -T450 cols
7. Set the shell variables bold, to begin stand-out mode sequence, and
offbold, to end standout mode sequence, for the current terminal.
This might be followed by a prompt:
bold=`tput smso`
"offbold=`tput rmso`"
echo "${bold}Please type in your name: ${offbold}\c"
8. Set exit code to indicate if the current terminal is a hardcopy
terminal.
tput hc
9. Send the sequence to move the cursor to row 23, column 4.
tput cup 23 4
10. Display the long name from the terminfo database for the type of
terminal specified in the environmental variable $TERM.
tput longname
FILES
/usr/lib/terminfo/?/* Compiled terminal description database.
/usr/include/curses.h curses header file.
/usr/include/term.h terminfo 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.
DIAGNOSTICS
The tput command displays the following error messages and sets the
corresponding exit codes.
Exit Code Error Message
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tput(1) CLIX tput(1)
-1 capname is a numeric variable that is not specified in the
terminfo database for this terminal type, for example, tput
-T450 lines and tput -T2621 xmc
1 No error message is displayed, see EXIT VALUES.
2 Usage error
3 Unknown terminal type or no terminfo database
4 Unknown terminfo capability capname
EXIT VALUES
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
stdout); a value of 1 is set if capname is not defined for this terminal
type (a null value is returned on stdout).
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 stdout. A
value of -1 means that capname is not defined for this terminal type.
Any other exit code indicates an error; see DIAGNOSTICS.
The tput command exits with a nonzero value if it fails.
RELATED INFORMATION
Commands: stty(1), tabs(1)
Files: profile(4), terminfo(4)
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