The tic command is used to compile and install terminfo databases for the ncurses library. Terminfo is a database that stores information about terminal capabilities and characteristics, such as the number of columns and rows, cursor movement, color support, and so on. The ncurses library uses terminfo to provide a consistent terminal-independent interface for text-based user interfaces (TUIs) on Unix-like systems.
To use tic, you typically start with a source file that describes the capabilities of a particular terminal type. This source file is usually in the form of a terminfo description file, which contains a set of named entries that define the capabilities of a particular terminal type. These entries include things like the terminal’s name, the control sequences needed to move the cursor, clear the screen, set colors, and so on.
Once you have a terminfo description file for a particular terminal type, you can use the tic command to compile it into a binary format that can be read by ncurses. The resulting binary file is usually installed in the system’s terminfo directory, where it can be accessed by applications that use ncurses.
If you encounter the below error while running the command tic:
tic: command not found
you may try installing the below package as per your choice of distribution:
| Distribution | Command |
|---|---|
| Debian | apt-get install libncurses5-dbg |
| Ubuntu | apt-get install libncurses5-dbg |
| Alpine | apk add ncurses |
| Arch Linux | pacman -S ncurses |
| Kali Linux | apt-get install ncurses-bin |
| CentOS | yum install ncurses |
| Fedora | dnf install ncurses |
| OS X | brew install ncurses |
| Raspbian | apt-get install libncurses5-dbg |
tic Command Examples
1. Compile and install terminfo for a terminal:
# tic -xe terminal path/to/terminal.info
2. Check terminfo file for errors:
# tic -c path/to/terminal.info
3. Print database locations:
# tic -D
Summary
Overall, tic is an important tool for building and maintaining text-based user interfaces on Unix-like systems. It provides a simple and flexible way to create and install terminfo databases for a wide range of terminal types, and is a critical component of the ncurses library.