tput(1)tput(1)NAMEtput - Queries the terminal information database
SYNOPSIStput [-S] [-T term] [capability_name [parameter...]]
The tput command uses the terminfo database to make terminal-dependent
information available to the shell.
STANDARDS
Interfaces documented on this reference page conform to industry stan‐
dards as follows:
tput: XCU5.0
Refer to the standards(5) reference page for more information about
industry standards and associated tags.
OPTIONS
[Tru64 UNIX] Specifies that input be received from standard input.
Specifies the terminal type. By default, the terminal type is taken
from the environment variable TERM.
OPERANDS
The capability_name argument may be one of the following special
strings: Displays the clear-screen sequence. Displays the sequences
that initialize the user's terminal. [Tru64 UNIX] Displays the ter‐
minfo long name for the terminal. Displays the sequences that reset
the user's terminal.
DESCRIPTION
The capability_name argument indicates the attribute type from a ter‐
minfo file. The output of the tput command is a string if the
attribute capability_name is of the type string, or an integer if the
attribute is of the type integer. If the capability_name is of the
type Boolean, the tput command sets the exit value to zero (0) for
TRUE, 1 for FALSE, and produces no other output. For more information,
see the terminfo(4) reference page.
NOTES
If your terminal does not support the requested capability, it is not
an error.
EXIT STATUS
Equals FALSE Boolean value or the requested string was written success‐
fully. [Tru64 UNIX] Equals TRUE Boolean value. Specifies a usage
error. Specifies that information on this terminal is not available.
Specifies that the capability_name is invalid. Specifies that an error
occurred.
EXAMPLES
To echo the clear-screen sequence for the current terminal: # tput
clear To display the number of columns for the current terminal: # tput
cols To set and unset the highlight-mode sequences for the current ter‐
minal: # bold=`tput smso` # unbold=`tput rmso`
If you are using the C shell (csh), the argument to set and
unset sequences must be enclosed in double quotes: # bold="`tput
smso`" # unbold="`tput rmso`"
Both of these examples can be followed by a prompt: echo
"${bold}Please type in your name:${unbold} To set the exit value
to indicate if the current terminal is a hardcopy terminal: tput
hc
If you are using the C shell (csh), the exit value for the pre‐
ceding example is stored in $status; otherwise, the exit value
is stored in $?. To move the cursor to line 2, row 2: tput cup
2 2
ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES
The following environment variables affect the execution of tput: Pro‐
vides a default value for the internationalization variables that are
unset or null. If LANG is unset or null, the corresponding value from
the default locale is used. If any of the internationalization vari‐
ables contain an invalid setting, the utility behaves as if none of the
variables had been defined. If set to a non-empty string value, over‐
rides the values of all the other internationalization variables.
Determines the locale for the interpretation of sequences of bytes of
text data as characters (for example, single-byte as opposed to multi‐
byte characters in arguments). Determines the locale for the format
and contents of diagnostic messages written to standard error. Deter‐
mines the location of message catalogues for the processing of LC_MES‐
SAGES.
FILES
Terminal information database Definition files curses library defini‐
tion file
SEE ALSO
Commands: stty(1), tabs(1)
Routines: curses(3)
Files: terminfo(4)
Standards: standards(5)tput(1)
