Table of Contents
These
functions extract and use capabilities from a terminal capability data
base, usually the format of which is described in These are low level
routines; see for a higher level package. The function extracts the entry
for terminal into the buffer at The argument should be a character buffer
of size 1024 and must be retained through all subsequent calls to and
The function returns -1 if none of the data base files could be opened,
0 if the terminal name given does not have an entry, and 1 if all goes
well. It will look in the environment for a variable. If found, and the
value does not begin with a slash, and the terminal type is the same as
the environment string the string is used instead of reading a file.
If it does begin with a slash, the string is used as a path name of the
file to search. If does not begin with a slash and is different from
searches the files and in that order, unless the environment variable
exists, in which case it specifies a list of file pathnames (separated
by spaces or colons) to be searched instead. Whenever multiple files are
searched and a field occurs in the requested entry, the entry it names
must be found in the same file or one of the succeeding files. This can
speed up entry into programs that call as well as help debug new terminal
descriptions or make one for your terminal if you can’t write the file
The function gets the numeric value of capability returning -1 if it
is not given for the terminal. The function returns 1 if the specified
capability is present in the terminal’s entry, 0 if it is not. The function
returns the string value of the capability places it in the buffer at
and advances the pointer. It decodes the abbreviations for this field
described in except for cursor addressing and padding information. The
function returns if the capability was not found. The function returns
a cursor addressing string decoded from to go to column in line It uses
the external variables (from the capability) and (if is given rather
than if necessary to avoid placing or in the returned string. (Programs
which call should be sure to turn off the bit(s), since may now output
a tab. Note that programs using termcap should in general turn off anyway
since some terminals use control-I for other functions, such as nondestructive
space.) If a sequence is given which is not understood, then returns
The function decodes the leading padding information of the string
gives the number of lines affected by the operation, or 1 if this is not
applicable, is a routine which is called with each character in turn. The
external variable should contain the output speed of the terminal as encoded
by The external variable should contain a pad character to be used (from
the capability) if a null is inappropriate.
library (also known
as standard terminal capability data base user’s terminal capability
data base
The functions appeared in
Table of Contents