tput(1) tput(1)
NAME
tput - initialize a terminal or query terminfo database
SYNOPSIS
tput [-Ttype] capname [parms ... ]
tput [-Ttype] init
tput [-Ttype] reset
tput [-Ttype] longname
tput -S <<
DESCRIPTION
tput uses the terminfo 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 the EXIT CODES and DIAGNOSTICS sections.) 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 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.
-S allows more than one capability per invocation of tput. The
capabilities must be passed to tput from the standard input
instead of from the command line (see example). Only one
capname is allowed per line. The -S option changes the
meaning of the 0 and 1 boolean and string exit codes (see the
EXIT CODES section).
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
(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
Page 1
tput(1) tput(1)
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 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 database [see term(5)].
International Functions
capnames for international functionality can also be specified.
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.
Page 2
tput(1) tput(1)
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 database for the
type of terminal specified in the environmental
variable TERM.
tput -S <<! This example shows tput processing several capabilities
> clear in one invocation. This example clears the screen,
> cup 10 10 moves the cursor to position 10, 10 and turns on bold
> bold (extra bright) mode. The list is terminated by an
> ! exclamation mark (!) on a line by itself.
FILES
/usr/share/lib/terminfo/?/*
compiled terminal description database
/usr/include/curses.h
curses(3X) 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(4)
SEE ALSO
clear(1), 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 unless the -S option is used.
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 boolean or string and the -S option is used, a
value of 0 is returned to indicate that all lines were successful. No
indication of which line failed can be given so exit code 1 will never
appear. Exit codes 2, 3, and 4 retain their usual interpretation.
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 the DIAGNOSTICS section.
Page 3
tput(1) tput(1)
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)
1 no error message is printed, see the EXIT CODES section.
2 usage error
3 unknown terminal type or no terminfo database
4 unknown terminfo capability capname
Page 4