tic

Compile and install terminfo for a terminal

$ tic -xe [terminal] [path/to/terminal.info]

$ tic -c [path/to/terminal.info]

$ tic -D

tic [-options] file ...

-v[n]
    Specify verbosity level (n = 0-10, higher is more verbose)

-f
    Force compilation, overwriting existing entries

-c
    Only check for errors, don't compile

-x
    Reconstruct extended entries

-w[n]
    Specify wide output width (default 60)

-a
    Treat description as a single alias

-e names
    Treat specified names as valid aliases

-I
    Take source from standard input

-o dir
    Place compiled entries in specified directory

-S
    Show summary statistics

-V
    Display version information

-q
    Be more quiet

The tic command is a utility used to compile terminfo descriptions. Terminfo is a database that describes the capabilities of different terminal devices. It reads terminal descriptions from source files and compiles them into a binary format suitable for use by other terminal-dependent applications, such as vi, emacs, and less. Conversely, tic can also decompile compiled terminfo entries back into a human-readable source format.

The terminfo database allows applications to adapt their output to various terminal types, ensuring correct display and interaction. tic plays a crucial role in managing this database, enabling the addition of new terminal types and the modification of existing ones. It also handles setting the terminal type in the environment.

Incorrect terminfo descriptions can cause terminal applications to malfunction, display garbage characters, or even crash. It is crucial to ensure that the descriptions are accurate and consistent.

The TERMINFO environment variable specifies the location of the terminfo database. If not set, tic will use the default location. Setting this variable can be useful for overriding the default database location or for using a custom database.

If you encounter errors while compiling terminfo descriptions, carefully review the syntax of the source file. Use the -c option to check for errors without actually compiling the entries. Also, ensure that the TERMINFO environment variable is set correctly if you are using a custom database location.

The tic command is part of the ncurses library, which is a widely used terminal handling library for Unix-like systems. It evolved from the earlier curses library and provides a more comprehensive and portable way to manage terminal interactions. The terminfo database replaced the older termcap database, offering several advantages, including larger storage capacity and a more structured format. tic's development has been closely tied to the evolution of ncurses, ensuring compatibility with a wide range of terminal types and platforms. tic is a critical tool for developers who need to ensure that their applications work correctly on different terminal environments.

infocmp(1), terminfo(5)