SETTERM linux command manual

SETTERM(1)                Linux Programmer's Manual                SETTERM(1)



NAME
       setterm - set terminal attributes

SYNOPSIS
       setterm [options]

DESCRIPTION
       setterm  writes to standard output a character string that will invoke
       the specified terminal capabilities.  Where possible terminfo is  con-
       sulted  to find the string to use.  Some options however (marked "vir-
       tual consoles only" below) do not correspond to a terminfo(5) capabil-
       ity.   In  this  case,  if  the  terminal type is "con" or "linux" the
       string that invokes the specified capabilities on the PC Minix virtual
       console  driver  is  output.   Options that are not implemented by the
       terminal are ignored.

OPTIONS
       For boolean options (on or off), the default is on.

       For conciseness, an 8-color below is black, red, green, yellow,  blue,
       magenta, cyan, or white.

       A 16-color is an 8-color, grey, or bright followed by red, green, yel-
       low, blue, magenta, cyan, or white.

       The various color options may be set independently, at least  at  vir-
       tual consoles, though the results of setting multiple modes (for exam-
       ple, -underline and -half-bright) are hardware-dependent.

       -term terminal_name
              Overrides the TERM environment variable.

       -reset Displays the terminal reset string, which typically resets  the
              terminal to its power on state.

       -initialize
              Displays  the  terminal  initialization string, which typically
              sets the terminal's rendering options, and other attributes  to
              the default values.

       -cursor [on|off]
              Turns the terminal's cursor on or off.

       -repeat [on|off] (virtual consoles only)
              Turns keyboard repeat on or off.

       -appcursorkeys [on|off] (virtual consoles only)
              Sets  Cursor  Key Application Mode on or off. When on, ESC O A,
              ESC O B, etc.  will be sent for the cursor keys instead of  ESC
              [ A, ESC [ B, etc.  See the "vi and Cursor-Keys" section of the
              Text-Terminal-HOWTO for how this  can  cause  problems  for  vi
              users.

       -linewrap [on|off] (virtual consoles only)
              Turns automatic line-wrapping on or off.

       -default
              Sets the terminal's rendering options to the default values.

       -foreground 8-color|default (virtual consoles only)
              Sets the foreground text color.

       -background 8-color|default (virtual consoles only)
              Sets the background text color.

       -ulcolor 16-color (virtual consoles only)
              Sets the color for underlined characters.

       -hbcolor 16-color (virtual consoles only)
              Sets the color for half-bright characters.

       -inversescreen [on|off] (virtual consoles only)
              Inverts  the  screen  colors.   Foreground  and  background are
              swapped, as are underline and half-brightness.

       -bold [on|off]
              Turns bold (extra bright) mode on or off.  Except at a  virtual
              console, -bold off turns off all attributes (bold, half-bright-
              ness, blink, reverse).

       -half-bright [on|off]
              Turns dim (half-brightness) mode  on  or  off  (see  -hbcolor).
              Except  at  a  virtual  console, -half-bright off turns off all
              attributes (bold, half-brightness, blink, reverse).

       -blink [on|off]
              Turns blink mode on or  off.   Except  at  a  virtual  console,
              -blink  off  turns  off  all attributes (bold, half-brightness,
              blink, reverse).

       -reverse [on|off]
              Turns reverse video mode on or off.  Except at a  virtual  con-
              sole, -reverse off turns off all attributes (bold, half-bright-
              ness, blink, reverse).

       -underline [on|off]
              Turns underline mode on or off (see -ulcolor).

       -store (virtual consoles only)
              Stores the terminal's current rendering options as the  default
              values.

       -clear [all]
              Clears the screen and "homes" the cursor, as clear(1).

       -clear rest
              Clears  from  the  current  cursor  position  to the end of the
              screen.

       -tabs [tab1 tab2 tab3 ...] (virtual consoles only)
              Sets tab stops at the given horizontal cursor positions, in the
              range  1-160.   Without  arguments,  shows the current tab stop
              settings.

       -clrtabs [tab1 tab2 tab3 ...] (virtual consoles only)
              Clears tab stops from the given horizontal cursor positions, in
              the range 1-160.  Without arguments, clears all tab stops.

       -regtabs [1-160] (virtual consoles only)
              Clears  all  tab  stops,  then sets a regular tab stop pattern,
              with one tab every specified number of positions.   Without  an
              argument, defaults to 8.

       -blank [0-60] (virtual consoles only)
              Sets  the  interval  of inactivity, in minutes, after which the
              screen will be automatically blanked (using APM if  available).
              Without  an argument, defaults to 0 (disable console blanking).

       -dump [1-NR_CONS]
              Writes  a  snapshot  of  the  given   virtual   console   (with
              attributes)  to  the  file specified in the -file option, over-
              writing its contents; the default is screen.dump.   Without  an
              argument,   dumps   the  current  virtual  console.   Overrides
              -append.

       -append [1-NR_CONS]
              Like -dump, but appends to the snapshot file instead  of  over-
              writing it.  Only works if no -dump options are given.

       -file dumpfilename
              Sets the snapshot file name for any -dump or -append options on
              the same command line.  If this  option  is  not  present,  the
              default is screen.dump in the current directory.

       -msg [on|off] (virtual consoles only)
              Enables  or disables the sending of kernel printk() messages to
              the console.

       -msglevel 1-8 (virtual consoles only)
              Sets the console logging level for  kernel  printk()  messages.
              All messages strictly more important than this will be printed,
              so a logging level of 0 has the same effect as -msg  on  and  a
              logging  level  of  8 will print all kernel messages.  klogd(8)
              may be a more convenient interface to  the  logging  of  kernel
              messages.

       -powersave on|vsync
              Puts the monitor into VESA vsync suspend mode.

       -powersave hsync
              Puts the monitor into VESA hsync suspend mode.

       -powersave powerdown
              Puts the monitor into VESA powerdown mode.

       -powersave [off]
              Turns off monitor VESA powersaving features.

       -powerdown [0-60]
              Sets  the VESA powerdown interval in minutes.  Without an argu-
              ment, defaults to 0 (disable powerdown).   If  the  console  is
              blanked  or  the  monitor  is in suspend mode, then the monitor
              will go into vsync suspend mode or powerdown mode  respectively
              after this period of time has elapsed.

       -blength [0-2000]
              Sets  the  bell duration in milliseconds.  Without an argument,
              defaults to 0.

       -bfreq [freqnumber]
              Sets the bell frequency in Hz.  Without an  argument,  defaults
              to 0.

SEE ALSO
       tput(1), stty(1), terminfo(5), tty(4)

BUGS
       Differences between the Minix and Linux versions are not documented.



Util-Linux 2.10                 7 January 2000                     SETTERM(1)