---
name: "captoinfo"
section: "1m"
platform: "macos"
package: "ncurses"
version: "79"
release: "macOS 26.5"
platforms: ["linux", "macos"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/captoinfo/1m"
---

# captoinfo(1m)

convert a termcap description into a terminfo description

## NAME

**@CAPTOINFO@** - convert a *termcap* description into a *terminfo* description

## SYNOPSIS

**@CAPTOINFO@** \[**-v***n* *width*\]  \[**-V**\] \[**-1**\] \[**-w** *width*\] *file* . . .

## DESCRIPTION

**@CAPTOINFO@** looks in each given text *file* for **termcap** descriptions. For each one found, an equivalent **terminfo** description is written to standard output. Termcap **tc** capabilities are translated directly to terminfo **use** capabilities.

If no *file* is given, then the environment variable **TERMCAP** is used for the filename or entry. If **TERMCAP** is a full pathname to a file, only the terminal whose name is specified in the environment variable **TERM** is extracted from that file. If the environment variable **TERMCAP** is not set, then the file **@TERMINFO@** is read.

- **-v**

  print out tracing information on standard error as the program runs.

- **-V**

  print out the version of the program in use on standard error and exit.

- **-1**

  cause the fields to print out one to a line. Otherwise, the fields will be printed several to a line to a maximum width of 60 characters.

- **-w**

  change the output to *width* characters.

## FILES

- @TERMINFO@

  Compiled terminal description database.

## TRANSLATIONS FROM NONSTANDARD CAPABILITIES

Some obsolete nonstandard capabilities will automatically be translated into standard (SVr4/XSI Curses) terminfo capabilities by **@CAPTOINFO@**. Whenever one of these automatic translations is done, the program will issue an notification to stderr, inviting the user to check that it has not mistakenly translated a completely unknown and random capability and/or syntax error.

| | | | |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nonstd | Std | From | Terminfo |
| name | name |  | capability |
| BO | mr | AT&T | enter\_reverse\_mode |
| CI | vi | AT&T | cursor\_invisible |
| CV | ve | AT&T | cursor\_normal |
| DS | mh | AT&T | enter\_dim\_mode |
| EE | me | AT&T | exit\_attribute\_mode |
| FE | LF | AT&T | label\_on |
| FL | LO | AT&T | label\_off |
| XS | mk | AT&T | enter\_secure\_mode |
| EN | @7 | XENIX | key\_end |
| GE | ae | XENIX | exit\_alt\_charset\_mode |
| GS | as | XENIX | enter\_alt\_charset\_mode |
| HM | kh | XENIX | key\_home |
| LD | kL | XENIX | key\_dl |
| PD | kN | XENIX | key\_npage |
| PN | po | XENIX | prtr\_off |
| PS | pf | XENIX | prtr\_on |
| PU | kP | XENIX | key\_ppage |
| RT | @8 | XENIX | kent |
| UP | ku | XENIX | kcuu1 |
| KA | k; | Tek | key\_f10 |
| KB | F1 | Tek | key\_f11 |
| KC | F2 | Tek | key\_f12 |
| KD | F3 | Tek | key\_f13 |
| KE | F4 | Tek | key\_f14 |
| KF | F5 | Tek | key\_f15 |
| BC | Sb | Tek | set\_background |
| FC | Sf | Tek | set\_foreground |
| HS | mh | Iris | enter\_dim\_mode |

XENIX termcap also used to have a set of extension capabilities for forms drawing, designed to take advantage of the IBM PC high-half graphics. They were as follows:

| | |
| --- | --- |
| Cap | Graphic |
| G2 | upper left |
| G3 | lower left |
| G1 | upper right |
| G4 | lower right |
| GR | pointing right |
| GL | pointing left |
| GU | pointing up |
| GD | pointing down |
| GH | horizontal line |
| GV | vertical line |
| GC | intersection |
| G6 | upper left |
| G7 | lower left |
| G5 | upper right |
| G8 | lower right |
| Gr | tee pointing right |
| Gr | tee pointing left |
| Gu | tee pointing up |
| Gd | tee pointing down |
| Gh | horizontal line |
| Gv | vertical line |
| Gc | intersection |
| GG | acs magic cookie count |

If the single-line capabilities occur in an entry, they will automatically be composed into an *acsc* string. The double-line capabilities and **GG** are discarded with a warning message.

IBM's AIX has a terminfo facility descended from SVr1 terminfo but incompatible with the SVr4 format. The following AIX extensions are automatically translated:

| | |
| --- | --- |
| IBM | XSI |
| ksel | kslt |
| kbtab | kcbt |
| font0 | s0ds |
| font1 | s1ds |
| font2 | s2ds |
| font3 | s3ds |

Additionally, the AIX *box1* capability will be automatically translated to an *acsc* string.

Hewlett-Packard's terminfo library supports two nonstandard terminfo capabilities *meml* (memory lock) and *memu* (memory unlock). These will be discarded with a warning message.

## NOTES

This utility is actually a link to **@TIC@**(1M), running in *-I* mode. You can use other **@TIC@** options such as **-f** and  **-x**.

The trace option is not identical to SVr4's. Under SVr4, instead of following the **-v** with a trace level n, you repeat it n times.

## SEE ALSO

**@INFOCMP@**(1M), **curses**(3X), [**terminfo**(5)](/terminfo/5.md)

This describes **ncurses** version @NCURSES\_MAJOR@.@NCURSES\_MINOR@ (patch @NCURSES\_PATCH@).

## AUTHOR

Eric S. Raymond \<esr@snark.thyrsus.com\> and\
 Thomas E. Dickey \<dickey@invisible-island.net\>