Maintain the PROTERMCAP file

The terminal definition file for most character interfaces is called the PROTERMCAP file. This file is a flat file database that contains the terminal description for your monitor's terminal type to inform OpenEdge on how to interact with your terminal, console, or terminal emulator. It specifies which characters to use to draw boxes, how to write in various video modes (such as inverse or blinking), how many lines are on the screen, and what actions to perform for each key on the keyboard.

Each terminal entry contains the commands and terminal descriptions that OpenEdge uses to communicate with and control the terminal. Each entry is divided into these logical sections:

• Terminal name
• Terminal capabilities
• OpenEdge terminal-specific key functions
• OpenEdge color table
• Vermont Views key functions
• Pointer to key functions

The PROTERMCAP environment variable (install-dir/protermcap): points to the PROTERMCAP file.

The PROTERMCAP file contains a lengthy entry for each terminal type supported by OpenEdge. Each entry has six parts. The following shows a partial example of each part of a PROTERMCAP entry.

Parts of a PROTERMCAP entry

wy370|wyse370|wyse 370 running in native mode:\        Terminal name
  :  :\
  :ct:\
  :cm=\E[%i%d;%dH:\              Terminal capabilities
  :co#80:\
  :li#24:\
  :G1=k:
  :  :\
  :GO(F1)=\EOP:\                OpenEdge terminal-specific
  :HELP(F2)=\EOQ:\              key functions
  :  :\
  :COLOR 5 RED/BLACK=\E[31;40m:\E[m:\            OpenEdge
  :COLOR 6 GREEN/BLACK=\E[32;40m:\E[m:           color table
  :  :\
  :ku=\E[A:  :L_ku=<Up>:\
  :kd=\E[B:  :L_kd=<Down>:\         Vermont Views
  :kr=\E[C:  :L_kr=<Right>:\        key functions
  :kl=\E[D:  :L_kl=<Left>:\
  :kh=\E[E:  L_kh=<Home>:\
  :tc=v7kf:                     Pointer to Version 7 key functions

The following sections describe PROTERMCAP syntax and each part of a PROTERMCAP entry.