---
name: "infotocap"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "ncurses-bin"
version: "6.5+20250216-2"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux", "freebsd"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/infotocap"
---

# infotocap(1)

convert a terminfo description into a termcap description

## NAME

**infotocap** - convert a *terminfo* description into a *termcap* description

## SYNOPSIS

**infotocap** \[*tic-option*\] *file* ...

**infotocap -V**

## DESCRIPTION

**infotocap** translates terminal descriptions. It looks in each given text *file* for *terminfo* entries and, for each one found, it writes an analogous *termcap* description to the standard output stream. *terminfo* “**use**” capabilities translate to *termcap* **tc** capabilities. Because *termcap* is a less expressive format than *terminfo*, some capabilities cannot be translated.

This utility is implemented as a link to [**tic**(1)](/tic/1.md), with the latter's **-C** option implied. You can use other **tic** options such as **-1**, **-f**, **-v**, **-w**, and **-x**. The **-V** option reports the version of *ncurses* associated with this program and exits with a successful status.

## FILES

- */etc/terminfo*

  compiled terminal description database

## PORTABILITY

None of X/Open Curses Issue 7 (2009), SVr4, or NetBSD document this application.

## AUTHORS

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

## SEE ALSO

[**infocmp**(1)](/infocmp/1.md), [**tic**(1)](/tic/1.md), **ncurses**(3NCURSES), [**terminfo**(5)](/terminfo/5.md)