tic(8) CLIX tic(8)
NAME
tic - Runs a terminfo compiler
SYNOPSIS
tic [-v[n]] [-c] file
DESCRIPTION
The tic command translates a terminfo file from the source format into the
compiled format. The results are placed in the directory
/usr/lib/terminfo. The compiled format is necessary for use with the
library functions described in curses.
-vn Verbosely sends to stderr the trace information showing the
progress of tic. The optional integer n is a number from 1 to 10,
inclusive, indicating the desired level of detail of information.
If n is omitted, the default level is 1. If n is specified and
greater than 1, the level of detail is increased.
-c Checks only file for errors. Errors in use= links are not
detected.
file Contains one or more terminfo terminal descriptions in source
format (see terminfo). Each description in the file describes the
capabilities of a particular terminal. When a use=entry-name field
is discovered in a terminal entry currently being compiled, tic
reads in the binary from /usr/lib/terminfo to complete the entry.
(Entries created from file will be used first. If the environment
variable TERMINFO is set, that directory is searched instead of
/usr/lib/terminfo.) The tic command duplicates the capabilities in
entry-name for the current entry, with the exception of those
capabilities that explicitly are defined in the current entry.
If the environment variable TERMINFO is set, the compiled results are
placed there instead of /usr/lib/terminfo.
EXAMPLES
To verbosely compile the terminfo data in vt100.ti and place the compiled
output in the directory /usr/lib/terminfo/v, enter the following:
tic -v vt100.ti
FILES
/usr/lib/terminfo/?/* Compiled terminal description database
CAUTIONS
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Total compiled entries cannot exceed 4096 bytes. The name field cannot
exceed 128 bytes.
Terminal names exceeding 14 characters will be truncated to 14 characters
and a warning message will be displayed.
When the -c flag is used, duplicate terminal names will not be diagnosed;
however, when -c is not used, they will be.
NOTES
To allow existing executables from the previous release of the UNIX System
to continue to run with the compiled terminfo entries created by the new
terminfo compiler, canceled capabilities will not be marked as canceled
within the terminfo binary unless the entry name has a + within it. (Such
terminal names are only used for inclusion within other entries with a
use= entry. Such names would not be used for real terminal names.)
For example:
4415+nl, kf1@, kf2@, ....
4415+base, kf1=\EOc, kf2=\EOd, ....
4415-nl|4415 terminal without keys,
use=4415+nl, use=4415+base,
The example above works as expected; the definitions for the keys do not
show up in the 4415-nl entry. However, if the entry 4415+nl did not have
a plus sign within its name, the cancellations would not be marked within
the compiled file and the definitions for the function keys would not be
canceled within 4415-nl.
DIAGNOSTICS
Most diagnostic messages produced by tic during the compilation of the
source file are preceded with the approximate line number and the name of
the terminal currently being worked on.
mkdir ... returned bad status
The named directory could not be created.
File does not start with terminal names in column one
The first thing seen in the file, after comments, must be the list
of terminal names.
Token after a seek(2) not NAMES
Somehow the file being compiled changed during the compilation.
Not enough memory for use_list element
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Out of memory
Not enough free memory was available (malloc(3) failed).
Can't open ...
The named file could not be created.
Error in writing ...
Could not write to the named file.
Can't link ... to ...
A link failed.
Error in re-reading compiled file ...
The compiled file could not be read back in.
Premature EOF
The current entry ended prematurely.
Backspaced off beginning of line
This error indicates something wrong happened within tic.
Unknown Capability - ...
A capability that was not valid was found within the file.
Wrong type used for capability ...
For example, a string capability was given a numeric value.
Unknown token type
Tokens must be followed by @ to cancel, , for booleans, # for
numbers, or = for strings.
...: bad term name
Line ...: Illegal terminal name - ...
The given name was not valid. Terminal names must start with a
letter or digit and must not contain white space or slashes.
...: terminal name too long
An extremely long terminal name was found.
...: terminal name too short.
A one-letter name was found.
... filename too long, truncating to ...
The given name was truncated to 14 characters due to UNIX filename
length limitations.
... defined in more than one entry. Entry being used is ...
An entry was found more than once.
Terminal name ... synonym for itself
A name was listed twice in the list of synonyms.
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At least one synonym should begin with a letter.
At least one of the names of the terminal should begin with a
letter.
Illegal character - ...
The given character found in the input file was not valid.
Newline in middle of terminal name
The trailing comma was probably left off the list of names.
Missing comma
A comma was missing.
Missing numeric value
The number was missing after a numeric capability.
NULL string value
The proper way to say that a string capability does not exist is to
cancel it.
Very long string found. Missing comma?
self-explanatory
Unknown option. Usage is:
An option that was not valid was entered.
Too many file names. Usage is:
self-explanatory
... non-existent or permission denied
The given directory could not be written to.
... is not a directory
self-explanatory
...: Permission denied
Access was denied.
...: Not a directory
The tic command wanted to use the given name as a directory, but it
already exists as a file.
SYSTEM ERROR!! Fork failed!!!
A fork failed.
Other error messages can occur when following up use-links. In those
cases, there is either a loop in the links or the links reference
nonexistent terminals. The following entries might be involved:
⊕ A terminfo entry with a use=name capability either referenced a
nonexistent terminal called name or
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⊕ The name argument somehow referred back to the given entry.
EXIT VALUES
The tic command exits with a value of 0 if successful and a value of 1 if
it fails.
RELATED INFORMATION
Functions: curses(3)
Files: term(4), terminfo(4)
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