infocmp(1M) infocmp(1M)
NAME
infocmp - compare or print out terminfo descriptions
SYNOPSIS
width]
directory] directory] [termname]...
DESCRIPTION
can be used to compare a binary entry with other terminfo entries, rewrite a description to take advantage of the terminfo field, or print
out a description from the binary file in a variety of formats. In all cases, the boolean fields will be printed first, followed by the
numeric fields, followed by the string fields.
Default Options
If no options are specified and zero or one termnames are specified, the option will be assumed. If more than one termname is specified,
the option will be assumed.
Comparison Options: -d, -c, -n
compares the description of the first terminal termname with each of the descriptions given by the entries for the other terminal's
termnames. If a capability is defined for only one of the terminals, the value returned will depend on the type of the capability: for
boolean variables, for integer variables, and for string variables.
produces a list of each capability that is different between two entries.
This option is useful to show the difference between two entries, created by different people, for the same or similar terminals.
produces a list of each capability that is common between two
entries. Capabilities that are not set are ignored. This option can be used as a quick check to see if the option is worth using.
produces a list of each capability that is in neither entry.
If no termnames are given, the environment variable will be used for both of the termnames. This can be used as a quick check to see
if anything was left out of a description.
Source Listing Options: -C, -I, -L, -r
The and options will produce a source listing for each terminal named.
use the
names
Use the long C variable name listed in
Use the
names.
When using
put out all capabilities in form.
If no termnames are given, the environment variable is used for the terminal name.
The source produced by the option may be used directly as a entry, but not all of the parameterized strings may be changed to th format.
will attempt to convert most of the parameterized information, but anything not converted will be plainly marked in the output and com-
mented out. These should be edited by hand.
All padding information for strings will be collected together and placed at the beginning of the string where expects it. Mandatory pad-
ding (padding information with a trailing '/') will become optional.
All variables no longer supported by but which are derivable from other variables, will be output. Not all capabilities will be trans-
lated; only those variables which were part of will normally be output. Specifying the option will take off this restriction, allowing all
capabilities to be output in form.
Note that because padding is collected to the beginning of the capability, not all capabilities are output. Mandatory padding is not sup-
ported. Because strings are not as flexible, it is not always possible to convert a string capability into an equivalent format. A subse-
quent conversion of the file back into format will not necessarily reproduce the original source.
Some common parameter sequences, their equivalents, and some terminal types which commonly have such sequences, are:
terminfo termcap Representative Terminals
---------------------------------------------------------------
%p1%c %. adm
%p1%d %d hp, ANSI standard, vt100
%p1%'x'%+%c %+x concept
%i %i ANSI standard, vt100
%p1%?%'x'%>%t%p1%'y'%+%; %>xy concept
%p2 is printed before %p1 %r hp
Use= Option: -u
produces a
source description of the first terminal termname which is relative to the sum of the descriptions given by the entries for the
other terminals termnames. It does this by analyzing the differences between the first termname and the other termnames and pro-
ducing a description with fields for the other terminals. In this manner, it is possible to retrofit generic terminfo entries
into a terminal's description. Or, if two similar terminals exist, but were coded at different times or by different people so
that each description is a full description, using will show what can be done to change one description to be relative to the
other.
A capability will get printed with an at-sign (@) if it no longer exists in the first termname, but one of the other termname entries con-
tains a value for it. A capability's value gets printed if the value in the first termname is not found in any of the other termname
entries, or if the first of the other termname entries that has this capability gives a different value for the capability than that in the
first termname.
The order of the other termname entries is significant. Since the terminfo compiler does a left-to-right scan of the capabilities, speci-
fying two entries that contain differing entries for the same capabilities will produce different results depending on the order that the
entries are given in. will flag any such inconsistencies between the other termname entries as they are found.
Alternatively, specifying a capability after a entry that contains that capability will cause the second specification to be ignored.
Using to recreate a description can be a useful check to make sure that everything was specified correctly in the original source descrip-
tion.
Another error that does not cause incorrect compiled files, but will slow down the compilation time, is specifying extra fields that are
superfluous. will flag any other termname fields that were not needed.
Other Options: -s, -v, -V, -1, -w
sorts the fields within each type according to
the argument below:
leave fields in the order that they are
stored in the database.
sort by
name.
sort by the long C variable name.
sort by the
name.
If the option is not given, the fields printed out will be sorted alphabetically by the name within each type, except in the case of
the or the options, which cause the sorting to be done by the name or the long C variable name, respectively.
prints out tracing information on standard error as the program runs.
prints out the version of the program in use on standard error and exit.
causes the fields to be printed out one to a line.
Otherwise, the fields will be printed several to a line to a maximum width of 60 characters.
changes the output to
width characters.
Changing Databases: -A, -B
The location of the compiled database is taken from the environment variable If the variable is not defined, or the terminal is not found
in that location, the system database, usually in will be used. The options and may be used to override this location. The option will
set for the first termname and the option will set for the other termnames. With this, it is possible to compare descriptions for a termi-
nal with the same name located in two different databases. This is useful for comparing descriptions for the same terminal created by dif-
ferent people.
FILES
Compiled terminal description database.
SEE ALSO
captoinfo(1M), tic(1M), curses_intro(3X), terminfo(4).
infocmp(1M)