tgetent(), tgetnum(), tgetflag(), tgetstr(), tgoto(), tputs() - terminal independent operation (termcap) routines
#include <curses.h>
char PC;
char * BC;
char * UP;
short ospeed;
int tgetent (char *bp, char *name)
int tgetnum (char *id)
int tgetflag (char *id)
char * tgetstr (char *id, char **area)
char * tgoto (char *cm, char *destcol, char *destline)
char * tputs (register char *cp, int affcnt, void (*outc)())
These functions extract and use capabilities from a terminal capability data base, usually /usr/share/termcap. (The actual parent of usr/share depends upon where you installed INTERIX.) These are low level routines that access the termcap database; high-level routines are available in the curses package, but they access the terminfo database.
The tgetent(3) function extracts the entry for terminal name into the buffer at bp. The bp argument should be a character buffer of size 1024 and must be retained through all subsequent calls to tgetnum(3), tgetflag(3), and tgetstr(3). The tgetent(3) function returns -1 if none of the termcap database files could be opened, 0 if the terminal name given does not have an entry, and 1 if all goes well.
The function tgetent(3) looks in the environment for a
TERMCAP variable. If found, and the value does not begin
with a slash, and the terminal type name is the same as the
environment string TERM, the TERMCAP string is used
instead of reading a termcap file. If it does begin with a
slash, the string is used as a pathname of the termcap file
to search. If TERMCAP does not begin with a slash and
name is different from TERM, tgetent(3) searches the files
$HOME/.termcap and /usr/share/termcap, in that order
-- unless the environment variable TERMPATH 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 tc 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
tgetent(3), as well as help debug new terminal
descriptions or make one for your terminal if you can't write the
file /usr/share/termcap.
The tgetnum(3) function gets the numeric value of capability id, returning -1 if it is not given for the terminal. The tgetflag(3) function returns 1 if the specified capability is present in the terminal's entry, 0 if it is not.
The tgetstr(3) function returns the string value of the capability id, places it in the buffer at area, and advances the area pointer. It decodes the abbreviations for this field, except for cursor addressing and padding information. The tgetstr(3) function returns NULL if the capability was not found.
The tgoto(3) function returns a cursor addressing
string decoded from cm to go to column destcol in
line destline. It uses the external variables UP
(from the up capability) and BC (if
bc is given rather than bs) if necessary
to avoid placing \n, ^D or
^@ in the returned string. (Programs that call
tgoto(3) should be sure to turn off the XTABS
bit(s), since tgoto(3) might now output a tab. Note that
programs using termcap should in general turn off XTABS anyway
because some terminals use control-I for other functions, such as
nondestructive space.) If a % sequence is given which
is not understood, tgoto(3) returns (OOPS).
The tputs(3) function decodes the leading padding
information of the string cp; affcnt gives the number
of lines affected by the operation, or 1 if this is not applicable,
outc is a routine which is called with each character in
turn. The external variable ospeed should contain the output
speed of the terminal as encoded by stty(). The external
variable PC should contain a pad character to be used (from
the pc capability) if a null (^@) is
inappropriate.
Although the functions are declared in <curses.h>, there are two different sets of them: one in the termcap library and one set in the curses library that refer to the terminfo database.
To include the termcap versions, link against the termcap library (libtermcap.a); (libtermcap.a to include the terminfo versions, link against the curses library
ex(1)
curses(3)
termcap(5)
terminfo(5)