TPUT(1) MachTen Reference Manual TPUT(1)

NAME
tput - terminal capability interface

SYNOPSIS
tput [-T term] attribute

DESCRIPTION
Tput makes terminal-dependent information available to users or shell ap-
plications. The options are as follows:

-T The terminal name as specified in the termcap database, for exam-
ple, ‘‘vt100’’ or ‘‘xterm’’. If not specified, tput retrieves
the ‘‘TERM’’ variable from the environment.

Tput outputs a string if the attribute is of type string; a number if it
is of type integer. Otherwise, tput exits 0 if the terminal has the ca-
pability and 1 if it does not, without further action.

If the attribute is of type string, and takes arguments (e.g. cursor
movement, the termcap ‘‘cm’’ sequence) the arguments are taken from the
command line immediately following the attribute.

The following special attributes are available:

clear Clear the screen (the termcap ‘‘cl’’ sequence).

init Initialize the terminal (the termcap ‘‘is’’ sequence).

longname Print the descriptive name of the user’s terminal type.

reset Reset the terminal (the termcap ‘‘rs’’ sequence).

DIAGNOSTICS
The exit value of tput is based on the last attribute specified. If the
attribute is of type string or of type integer, tput exits 0 if the at-
tribute is defined for this terminal type and 1 if it is not. If the at-
tribute is of type boolean, tput exits 0 if the terminal has this at-
tribute, and 1 if it does not. Tput exits 2 if any error occurred.