Xterm Control Sequences
Edward Moy
University of California, Berkeley
Revised by
Stephen Gildea
X Consortium (1994)
Thomas Dickey
XFree86 Project (1996-2002)
Definitions
c The literal character c.
C A single (required) character.
Ps A single (usually optional) numeric parameter, composed of one of
more digits.
Pm A multiple numeric parameter composed of any number of single
numeric parameters, separated by ; character(s).Individual val□ ues for the parameters are listed with Ps .
Pt A text parameter composed of printable characters.
C1 (8-Bit) Control Characters
The xterm program recognizes both 8-bit and 7-bit control characters.
It generates 7-bit controls (by default) or 8-bit if S8C1T is enabled.
The following pairs of 7-bit and 8-bit control characters are equiva□lent:
ESC D
Index (IND: 0x84)
ESC E
Next Line (NEL: 0x85)
ESC H
Tab Set (HTS: 0x88)
ESC M
Reverse Index (RI: 0x8d)
ESC N
Single Shift Select of G2 Character Set (SS2: 0x8e): affects next
character only
ESC O
Single Shift Select of G3 Character Set (SS3: 0x8f): affects next
character only
ESC P
Device Control String (DCS: 0x90)
ESC V
Start of Guarded Area (SPA: 0x96)
ESC W
End of Guarded Area (EPA: 0x97)
ESC X
Start of String (SOS: 0x98)
ESC Z
Return Terminal ID (DECID: 0x9a).Obsolete form of CSI c(DA).
ESC [
Control Sequence Introducer (CSI: 0x9b)
ESC \
String Terminator (ST: 0x9c)
ESC ]
Operating System Command (OSC: 0x9d)
ESC ^
Privacy Message (PM: 0x9e)
ESC _
Application Program Command (APC: 0x9f)
These control characters are used in the vtXXX emulation.
VT100 Mode
Most of these control sequences are standard VT102 control sequences,
but there is support for later DEC VT terminals (i.e., VT220 and VT320),
as well as ISO 6429 and aixterm color controls. VT102 features not sup□ported are auto-repeat and blinking characters. There are additional
control sequences to provide xterm-dependent functions, such as the
scrollbar or window size. Where the function is specified by DEC or ISO
6429, the code assigned to it is given in parentheses.The escape codes
to designate and invoke character sets are specified by ISO 2022; see
that document for a discussion of character sets.
Single-character functions
BEL Bell (Ctrl-G)
BS Backspace (Ctrl-H)
CR Carriage Return (Ctrl-M)
ENQ Return Terminal Status (Ctrl-E). Default response is the
terminal name, e.g., "xterm", but may be overridden by a
resource answerbackString.
FF Form Feed or New Page (NP) (Ctrl-L) same as LF
LF Line Feed or New Line (NL) (Ctrl-J)
SO Shift Out (Ctrl-N) -> Switch to Alternate Character Set:
invokes the G1 character set.
SP Space.
TAB Horizontal Tab (HT) (Ctrl-I)
VT Vertical Tab (Ctrl-K) same as LF
SI Shift In (Ctrl-O) -> Switch to Standard Character Set:
invokes the G0 character set (the default).
Controls beginning with ESC (other than those where ESC is part of a
7-bit equivalent to 8-bit C1 controls), ordered by the final charac□ter(s).
ESC SP F 7-bit controls (S7C1T).
ESC SP G 8-bit controls (S8C1T).
ESC SP L Set ANSI conformance level 1 (vt100, 7-bit controls).
ESC SP M Set ANSI conformance level 2 (vt200).
ESC SP N Set ANSI conformance level 3 (vt300).
ESC # 3 DEC double-height line, top half (DECDHL)
ESC # 4 DEC double-height line, bottom half (DECDHL)
ESC # 5 DEC single-width line (DECSWL)
ESC # 6 DEC double-width line (DECDWL)
ESC # 8 DEC Screen Alignment Test (DECALN)
ESC % @ Select default character set, ISO 8859-1 (ISO 2022)
ESC % G Select UTF-8 character set (ISO 2022)
ESC ( C Designate G0 Character Set (ISO 2022)
ESC ) C Designate G1 Character Set (ISO 2022)
ESC * C Designate G2 Character Set (ISO 2022)
ESC + C Designate G3 Character Set (ISO 2022)
Final character C for designating character sets (0 , A
and B apply to VT100 and up, the remainder to VT220 and
up):
C = 0-> DEC Special Character and Line Drawing Set
C = A-> United Kingdom (UK)
C = B-> United States (USASCII)
C = 4-> Dutch
C = Cor 5 -> Finnish
C = R-> French
C = Q-> French Canadian
C = K-> German
C = Y-> Italian
C = Eor 6 -> Norwegian/Danish
C = Z-> Spanish
C = Hor 7 -> Swedish
C = =-> Swiss
ESC 7 Save Cursor (DECSC)
ESC 8 Restore Cursor (DECRC)
ESC = Application Keypad (DECPAM)
ESC > Normal Keypad (DECPNM)
ESC F Cursor to lower left corner of screen (if enabled by the
hpLowerleftBugCompat resource).
ESC c Full Reset (RIS)
ESC l Memory Lock (per HP terminals).Locks memory above the
cursor.
ESC m Memory Unlock (per HP terminals)
ESC n Invoke the G2 Character Set (LS2)
ESC o Invoke the G3 Character Set (LS3)
ESC | Invoke the G3 Character Set as GR (LS3R). Has no visible
effect in xterm.
ESC } Invoke the G2 Character Set as GR (LS2R). Has no visible
effect in xterm.
ESC ~ Invoke the G1 Character Set as GR (LS1R). Has no visible
effect in xterm.
Application Program-Control functions
APC Pt ST xterm implements no APC functions; Pt is ignored. Pt
need not be printable characters.
Device-Control functions
DCS Ps; Ps| Pt ST
User-Defined Keys (DECUDK). The first parameter:
Ps = 0 -> Clear all UDK definitions before starting
(default)
Ps = 1 -> Erase Below (default)
The second parameter:
Ps = 0 -> Lock the keys (default)
Ps = 1 -> Do not lock.
The third parameter is a ';'-separated list of strings
denoting the key-code separated by a '/' from the hex-
encoded key value. The key codes correspond to the DEC
function-key codes (e.g., F6=17).
DCS $ q Pt ST Request Status String (DECRQSS). The string following
the "q" is one of the following:
" q -> DECSCA
" p -> DECSCL
r -> DECSTBM
m -> SGR
xterm responds with DCS 1 $ r Pt ST for valid requests,
replacing the Pt with the corresponding CSI string, or
DCS 0 $ r Pt ST for invalid requests.
DCS + q Pt ST Request Termcap/Terminfo String (xterm, experimental).
The string following the "q" is a list of names encoded
in hexadecimal (2 digits per character) separated by ;
which correspond to termcap or terminfo key names.
xterm responds with DCS 1 + r Pt ST for valid requests,
adding to Pt an = , and the value of the corresponding
string that xterm would send, or DCS 0 + r Pt ST for
invalid requests. The strings are encoded in hexadecimal
(2 digits per character).
Functions using CSI, ordered by the final character(s)
CSI Ps @ Insert Ps (Blank) Character(s) (default = 1) (ICH)
CSI Ps A Cursor Up Ps Times (default = 1) (CUU)
CSI Ps B Cursor Down Ps Times (default = 1) (CUD)
CSI Ps C Cursor Forward Ps Times (default = 1) (CUF)
CSI Ps D Cursor Backward Ps Times (default = 1) (CUB)
CSI Ps E Cursor Next Line Ps Times (default = 1) (CNL)
CSI Ps F Cursor Preceding Line Ps Times (default = 1) (CPL)
CSI Ps G Cursor Character Absolute [column] (default = [row,1])
(CHA)
CSI Ps ; Ps H Cursor Position [row;column] (default = [1,1]) (CUP)
CSI Ps I Cursor Forward Tabulation Ps tab stops (default = 1)
(CHT)
CSI Ps J Erase in Display (ED)
Ps = 0 -> Erase Below (default)
Ps = 1 -> Erase Above
Ps = 2 -> Erase All
Ps = 3 -> Erase Saved Lines (xterm)
CSI ? Ps J Erase in Display (DECSED)
Ps = 0 -> Selective Erase Below (default)
Ps = 1 -> Selective Erase Above
Ps = 2 -> Selective Erase All
CSI Ps K Erase in Line (EL)
Ps = 0 -> Erase to Right (default)
Ps = 1 -> Erase to Left
Ps = 2 -> Erase All
CSI ? Ps K Erase in Line (DECSEL)
Ps = 0 -> Selective Erase to Right (default)
Ps = 1 -> Selective Erase to Left
Ps = 2 -> Selective Erase All
CSI Ps L Insert Ps Line(s) (default = 1) (IL)
CSI Ps M Delete Ps Line(s) (default = 1) (DL)
CSI Ps P Delete Ps Character(s) (default = 1) (DCH)
CSI Ps S Scroll up Ps lines (default = 1) (SU)
CSI Ps T Scroll down Ps lines (default = 1) (SD)
CSI Ps ; Ps ; Ps ; Ps ; Ps T
Initiate hilite mouse tracking.Parameters are
[func;startx;starty;firstrow;lastrow]. See the section
Mouse Tracking.
CSI Ps X Erase Ps Character(s) (default = 1) (ECH)
CSI Ps Z Cursor Backward Tabulation Ps tab stops (default = 1)
(CBT)
CSI Pm ` Character Position Absolute [column] (default = [row,1])
(HPA)
CSI Ps b Repeat the preceding graphic character Ps times (REP)
CSI Ps c Send Device Attributes (Primary DA)
Ps = 0 , 1 or omitted -> request attributes from termi□ nal. The response depends on the decTerminalId resource
setting.
-> CSI ? 1 ; 2 c (``VT100 with Advanced Video
Option'')
-> CSI ? 1 ; 0 c (``VT101 with No Options'')
-> CSI ? 6 c (``VT102'')
-> CSI ? 6 0 ; 1 ; 2 ; 6 ; 8 ; 9 ; 1 5 ; c (``VT220'')
The VT100-style response parameters do not mean anything
by themselves. VT220 parameters do, telling the host
what features the terminal supports:
-> 1 132-columns
-> 2 Printer
-> 6 Selective erase
-> 8 User-defined keys
-> 9 National replacement character sets
-> 1 5 Technical characters
CSI > Ps c Send Device Attributes (Secondary DA)
Ps = 0 , 1 or omitted -> request the terminal's identi□ fication code. The response depends on the decTerminalId
resource setting. It should apply only to VT220 and up,
but xterm extends this to VT100.
-> CSI Pp ; Pv ; Pc c
where Pp denotes the terminal type
-> 0 (``VT100'')
-> 1 (``VT220'')
and Pv is the firmware version (for xterm, this is the
XFree86 patch number, starting with 95). In a DEC termi□ nal, Pc indicates the ROM cartridge registration number
and is always zero.
CSI Pm d Line Position Absolute [row] (default = [1,column])
(VPA)
CSI Ps ; Ps f Horizontal and Vertical Position [row;column] (default =
[1,1]) (HVP)
CSI Ps g Tab Clear (TBC)
Ps = 0 -> Clear Current Column (default)
Ps = 3 -> Clear All
CSI Pm h Set Mode (SM)
Ps = 2 -> Keyboard Action Mode (AM)
Ps = 4 -> Insert Mode (IRM)
Ps = 1 2 -> Send/receive (SRM)
Ps = 2 0 -> Automatic Newline (LNM)
CSI ? Pm h DEC Private Mode Set (DECSET)
Ps = 1 -> Application Cursor Keys (DECCKM)
Ps = 2 -> Designate USASCII for character sets G0-G3
(DECANM), and set VT100 mode.
Ps = 3 -> 132 Column Mode (DECCOLM)
Ps = 4 -> Smooth (Slow) Scroll (DECSCLM)
Ps = 5 -> Reverse Video (DECSCNM)
Ps = 6 -> Origin Mode (DECOM)
Ps = 7 -> Wraparound Mode (DECAWM)
Ps = 8 -> Auto-repeat Keys (DECARM)
Ps = 9 -> Send Mouse X & Y on button press. See the
section Mouse Tracking.
Ps = 1 8 -> Print form feed (DECPFF)
Ps = 1 9 -> Set print extent to full screen (DECPEX)
Ps = 2 5 -> Show Cursor (DECTCEM)
Ps = 3 0 -> Show scrollbar (rxvt).
Ps = 3 5 -> Enable font-shifting functions (rxvt).
Ps = 3 8 -> Enter Tektronix Mode (DECTEK)
Ps = 4 0 -> Allow 80 -> 132 Mode
Ps = 4 1 -> more(1) fix (see curses resource)
Ps = 4 2 -> Enable Nation Replacement Character sets
(DECNRCM)
Ps = 4 4 -> Turn On Margin Bell
Ps = 4 5 -> Reverse-wraparound Mode
Ps = 4 6 -> Start Logging (normally disabled by a com□ pile-time option)
Ps = 4 7 -> Use Alternate Screen Buffer (unless dis□ abled by the titeInhibit resource)
Ps = 6 6 -> Application keypad (DECNKM)
Ps = 6 7 -> Backarrow key sends delete (DECBKM)
Ps = 1 0 0 0 -> Send Mouse X & Y on button press and
release. See the section Mouse Tracking.
Ps = 1 0 0 1 -> Use Hilite Mouse Tracking.
Ps = 1 0 0 2 -> Use Cell Motion Mouse Tracking.
Ps = 1 0 0 3 -> Use All Motion Mouse Tracking.
Ps = 1 0 1 0 -> Scroll to bottom on tty output (rxvt).
Ps = 1 0 1 1 -> Scroll to bottom on key press (rxvt).
Ps = 1 0 3 5 -> Enable special modifiers for Alt and
NumLock keys.
Ps = 1 0 3 6 -> Send ESC when Meta modifies a key
(enables the metaSendsEscape resource).
Ps = 1 0 3 7 -> Send DEL from the editing-keypad
Delete key
Ps = 1 0 4 7 -> Use Alternate Screen Buffer (unless
disabled by the titeInhibit resource)
Ps = 1 0 4 8 -> Save cursor as in DECSC (unless dis□ abled by the titeInhibit resource)
Ps = 1 0 4 9 -> Save cursor as in DECSC and use Alter□ nate Screen Buffer, clearing it first (unless disabled by
the titeInhibit resource)
Ps = 1 0 5 1 -> Set Sun function-key mode.
Ps = 1 0 5 2 -> Set HP function-key mode.
Ps = 1 0 6 0 -> Set legacy keyboard emulation (X11R6).
Ps = 1 0 6 1 -> Set Sun/PC keyboard emulation of VT220
keyboard.
CSI Pm i Media Copy (MC)
Ps = 0 -> Print screen (default)
Ps = 4 -> Turn off printer controller mode
Ps = 5 -> Turn on printer controller mode
CSI ? Pm i Media Copy (MC, DEC-specific)
Ps = 1 -> Print line containing cursor
Ps = 4 -> Turn off autoprint mode
Ps = 5 -> Turn on autoprint mode
Ps = 1 0 -> Print composed display, ignores DECPEX
Ps = 1 1 -> Print all pages
CSI Pm l Reset Mode (RM)
Ps = 2 -> Keyboard Action Mode (AM)
Ps = 4 -> Replace Mode (IRM)
Ps = 1 2 -> Send/receive (SRM)
Ps = 2 0 -> Normal Linefeed (LNM)
CSI ? Pm l DEC Private Mode Reset (DECRST)
Ps = 1 -> Normal Cursor Keys (DECCKM)
Ps = 2 -> Designate VT52 mode (DECANM).
Ps = 3 -> 80 Column Mode (DECCOLM)
Ps = 4 -> Jump (Fast) Scroll (DECSCLM)
Ps = 5 -> Normal Video (DECSCNM)
Ps = 6 -> Normal Cursor Mode (DECOM)
Ps = 7 -> No Wraparound Mode (DECAWM)
Ps = 8 -> No Auto-repeat Keys (DECARM)
Ps = 9 -> Don't Send Mouse X & Y on button press
Ps = 1 8 -> Don't print form feed (DECPFF)
Ps = 1 9 -> Limit print to scrolling region (DECPEX)
Ps = 2 5 -> Hide Cursor (DECTCEM)
Ps = 3 0 -> Don't show scrollbar (rxvt).
Ps = 3 5 -> Disable font-shifting functions (rxvt).
Ps = 4 0 -> Disallow 80 -> 132 Mode
Ps = 4 1 -> No more(1) fix (see curses resource)
Ps = 4 2 -> Disable Nation Replacement Character sets
(DECNRCM)
Ps = 4 4 -> Turn Off Margin Bell
Ps = 4 5 -> No Reverse-wraparound Mode
Ps = 4 6 -> Stop Logging (normally disabled by a com□ pile-time option)
Ps = 4 7 -> Use Normal Screen Buffer
Ps = 6 6 -> Numeric keypad (DECNKM)
Ps = 6 7 -> Backarrow key sends backspace (DECBKM)
Ps = 1 0 0 0 -> Don't Send Mouse X & Y on button press
and release. See the section Mouse Tracking.
Ps = 1 0 0 1 -> Don't Use Hilite Mouse Tracking
Ps = 1 0 0 2 -> Don't Use Cell Motion Mouse Tracking
Ps = 1 0 0 3 -> Don't Use All Motion Mouse Tracking
Ps = 1 0 1 0 -> Don't scroll to bottom on tty output
(rxvt).
Ps = 1 0 1 1 -> Don't scroll to bottom on key press
(rxvt).
Ps = 1 0 3 5 -> Disable special modifiers for Alt and
NumLock keys.
Ps = 1 0 3 6 -> Don't send ESC when Meta modifies a
key (disables the metaSendsEscape resource).
Ps = 1 0 3 7 -> Send VT220 Remove from the editing-
keypad Delete key
Ps = 1 0 4 7 -> Use Normal Screen Buffer, clearing
screen first if in the Alternate Screen (unless disabled
by the titeInhibit resource)
Ps = 1 0 4 8 -> Restore cursor as in DECRC (unless
disabled by the titeInhibit resource)
Ps = 1 0 4 9 -> Use Normal Screen Buffer and restore
cursor as in DECRC (unless disabled by the titeInhibit
resource)
Ps = 1 0 5 1 -> Reset Sun function-key mode.
Ps = 1 0 5 2 -> Reset HP function-key mode.
Ps = 1 0 6 0 -> Reset legacy keyboard emulation
(X11R6).
Ps = 1 0 6 1 -> Reset Sun/PC keyboard emulation of
VT220 keyboard.
CSI Pm m Character Attributes (SGR)
Ps = 0 -> Normal (default)
Ps = 1 -> Bold
Ps = 4 -> Underlined
Ps = 5 -> Blink (appears as Bold)
Ps = 7 -> Inverse
Ps = 8 -> Invisible (hidden)
Ps = 2 2 -> Normal (neither bold nor faint)
Ps = 2 4 -> Not underlined
Ps = 2 5 -> Steady (not blinking)
Ps = 2 7 -> Positive (not inverse)
Ps = 2 8 -> Visible (not hidden)
Ps = 3 0 -> Set foreground color to Black
Ps = 3 1 -> Set foreground color to Red
Ps = 3 2 -> Set foreground color to Green
Ps = 3 3 -> Set foreground color to Yellow
Ps = 3 4 -> Set foreground color to Blue
Ps = 3 5 -> Set foreground color to Magenta
Ps = 3 6 -> Set foreground color to Cyan
Ps = 3 7 -> Set foreground color to White
Ps = 3 9 -> Set foreground color to default (original)
Ps = 4 0 -> Set background color to Black
Ps = 4 1 -> Set background color to Red
Ps = 4 2 -> Set background color to Green
Ps = 4 3 -> Set background color to Yellow
Ps = 4 4 -> Set background color to Blue
Ps = 4 5 -> Set background color to Magenta
Ps = 4 6 -> Set background color to Cyan
Ps = 4 7 -> Set background color to White
Ps = 4 9 -> Set background color to default (origi□ nal).
If 16-color support is compiled, the following apply.
Assume that xterm's resources are set so that the ISO
color codes are the first 8 of a set of 16. Then the
aixterm colors are the bright versions of the ISO colors:
Ps = 9 0 -> Set foreground color to Black
Ps = 9 1 -> Set foreground color to Red
Ps = 9 2 -> Set foreground color to Green
Ps = 9 3 -> Set foreground color to Yellow
Ps = 9 4 -> Set foreground color to Blue
Ps = 9 5 -> Set foreground color to Magenta
Ps = 9 6 -> Set foreground color to Cyan
Ps = 9 7 -> Set foreground color to White
Ps = 1 0 0 -> Set background color to Black
Ps = 1 0 1 -> Set background color to Red
Ps = 1 0 2 -> Set background color to Green
Ps = 1 0 3 -> Set background color to Yellow
Ps = 1 0 4 -> Set background color to Blue
Ps = 1 0 5 -> Set background color to Magenta
Ps = 1 0 6 -> Set background color to Cyan
Ps = 1 0 7 -> Set background color to White
If xterm is compiled with the 16-color support disabled,
it supports the following, from rxvt:
Ps = 1 0 0 -> Set foreground and background color to
default
If 88- or 256-color support is compiled, the following
apply.
Ps = 3 8 ; 5; Ps -> Set foreground color to the sec□ ond Ps
Ps = 4 8 ; 5; Ps -> Set background color to the sec□ ond Ps
CSI Ps n Device Status Report (DSR)
Ps = 5 -> Status Report CSI 0 n (``OK'')
Ps = 6 -> Report Cursor Position (CPR) [row;column] as
CSI r ; c R
CSI ? Ps n Device Status Report (DSR, DEC-specific)
Ps = 6 -> Report Cursor Position (CPR) [row;column] as
CSI ? r ; c R (assumes page is zero).
Ps = 1 5 -> Report Printer status as CSI ? 1 0 n
(ready) or CSI ? 1 1 n(not ready)
Ps = 2 5 -> Report UDK status as CSI ? 2 0 n
(unlocked) or CSI ? 2 1n (locked)
Ps = 2 6 -> Report Keyboard status as
CSI ? 2 7 ; 1; 0 ; 0 n (North American)
CSI ? 5 3 n Locator available, if compiled-in, or
CSI ? 5 0 n No Locator, if not.
CSI ! p Soft terminal reset (DECSTR)
CSI Ps ; Ps " p
Set conformance level (DECSCL) Valid values for the first
parameter:
Ps = 6 1 -> VT100
Ps = 6 2 -> VT200
Ps = 6 3 -> VT300
Valid values for the second parameter:
Ps = 0 -> 8-bit controls
Ps = 1 -> 7-bit controls (always set for VT100)
Ps = 2 -> 8-bit controls
CSI Ps " q Select character protection attribute (DECSCA).Valid
values for the parameter:
Ps = 0 -> DECSED and DECSEL can erase (default)
Ps = 1 -> DECSED and DECSEL cannot erase
Ps = 2 -> DECSED and DECSEL can erase
CSI Ps ; Ps r Set Scrolling Region [top;bottom] (default = full size of
window) (DECSTBM)
CSI ? Pm r Restore DEC Private Mode Values. The value of Ps previ□ ously saved is restored. Ps values are the same as for
DECSET.
CSI s Save cursor (ANSI.SYS)
CSI ? Pm s Save DEC Private Mode Values. Ps values are the same as
for DECSET.
CSI Ps ; Ps ; Ps t
Window manipulation (from dtterm, as well as extensions).
Valid values for the first (and any additional parame□ ters) are:
Ps = 1 -> De-iconify window.
Ps = 2 -> Iconify window.
Ps = 3 ; x ; y -> Move window to [x, y].
Ps = 4 ; height ; width -> Resize the xterm window to
height and width in pixels.
Ps = 5 -> Raise the xterm window to the front of the
stacking order.
Ps = 6 -> Lower the xterm window to the bottom of the
stacking order.
Ps = 7 -> Refresh the xterm window.
Ps = 8 ; height ; width -> Resize the text area to
[height;width] in characters.
Ps = 9 ; 0 -> Restore maximized window.
Ps = 9 ; 1 -> Maximize window (i.e., resize to screen
size).
Ps = 1 1 -> Report xterm window state. If the xterm
window is open (non-iconified), it returns CSI 1 t . If
the xterm window is iconified, it returns CSI 2 t .
Ps = 1 3 -> Report xterm window position as CSI 3 ; x;
yt
Ps = 1 4 -> Report xterm window in pixels as CSI 4 ;
height ; width t
Ps = 1 8 -> Report the size of the text area in char□ acters as CSI 8 ; height ; width t
Ps = 1 9 -> Report the size of the screen in charac□ ters as CSI 9 ; height ; width t
Ps = 2 0 -> Report xterm window's icon label as OSC L
label ST
Ps = 2 1 -> Report xterm window's title as OSC l
title ST
Ps >= 2 4 -> Resize to Ps lines (DECSLPP)
CSI u Save cursor (ANSI.SYS)
CSI Pt ; Pl ; Pb ; Pr □w
Enable Filter Rectangle (DECEFR)
Parameters are [top;left;bottom;right].
Defines the coordinates of a filter rectangle and acti□ vates it. Anytime the locator is detected outside of the
filter rectangle, an outside rectangle event is generated
and the rectangle is disabled. Filter rectangles are
always treated as "one-shot" events. Any parameters that
are omitted default to the current locator position. If
all parameters are omitted, any locator motion will be
reported. DECELR always cancels any prevous rectangle
definition.
CSI Ps x Request Terminal Parameters (DECREQTPARM)
CSI Ps ; Pu □z
Enable Locator Reporting (DECELR)
Valid values for the first parameter:
Ps = 0 -> Locator disabled (default)
Ps = 1 -> Locator enabled
Ps = 2 -> Locator enabled for one report, then dis□ abled
The second parameter specifies the coordinate unit for
locator reports.
Valid values for the second parameter:
Pu = 0 or omitted -> default to character cells
Pu = 1 -> device physical pixels
Pu = 2 -> character cells
CSI Pm □{ Select Locator Events (DECSLE)
Valid values for the first (and any additional parame□ ters) are:
Ps = 0 -> only respond to explicit host requests
(DECRQLP)
(default) also cancels any filter rectangle
Ps = 1 -> report button down transitions
Ps = 2 -> do not report button down transitions
Ps = 3 -> report button up transitions
Ps = 4 -> do not report button up transitions
CSI Ps □| Request Locator Position (DECRQLP)
Valid values for the parameter are:
Ps = 0 , 1 or omitted -> transmit a single DECLRP loca□ tor report
If Locator Reporting has been enabled by a DECELR, xterm
will respond with a DECLRP Locator Report. This report
is also generated on button up and down events if they
have been enabled with a DECSLE, or when the locator is
detected outside of a filter rectangle, if filter rectan□ gles have been enabled with a DECEFR.
-> CSI Pe ; Pb ; Pr ; Pc ; Pp & w
Parameters are [event;button;row;column;page].
Valid values for the event:
Pe = 0 -> locator unavailable - no other parameters
sent
Pe = 1 -> request - xterm received a DECRQLP
Pe = 2 -> left button down
Pe = 3 -> left button up
Pe = 4 -> middle button down
Pe = 5 -> middle button up
Pe = 6 -> right button down
Pe = 7 -> right button up
Pe = 8 -> M4 button down
Pe = 9 -> M4 button up
Pe = 1 0 -> locator outside filter rectangle
``button'' parameter is a bitmask indicating which but□ tons are pressed:
Pb = 0 -> no buttons down
Pb & 1 -> right button down
Pb & 2 -> middle button down
Pb & 4 -> left button down
Pb & 8 -> M4 button down
``row'' and ``column'' parameters are the coordinates of
the locator position in the xterm window, encoded as
ASCII decimal.
The ``page'' parameter is not used by xterm, and will be
omitted.
Operating System Controls
OSC Ps ; Pt ST
OSC Ps ; Pt BEL
Set Text Parameters. For colors and font, if Pt is a
"?", the control sequence elicits a response which con□ sists of the control sequence which would set the corre□ sponding value.The dtterm control sequences allow you
to determine the icon name and window title.
Ps = 0 -> Change Icon Name and Window Title to Pt
Ps = 1 -> Change Icon Name to Pt
Ps = 2 -> Change Window Title to Pt
Ps = 3 -> Set X property on top-level window. Pt
should be in the form "prop=value", or just "prop" to
delete the property
Ps = 4 ; c ; name -> Change Color #c to cname. Any
number of c name pairs may be given.
Ps = 1 0 -> Change color names starting with text
foreground to Pt (a list of one or more color names or
RGB specifications, separated by semicolon, up to eight,
as per XParseColor).
Ps = 1 1 -> Change colors starting with text back□ ground to Pt
Ps = 1 2 -> Change colors starting with text cursor to
Pt
Ps = 1 3 -> Change colors starting with mouse fore□ ground to Pt
Ps = 1 4 -> Change colors starting with mouse back□ ground to Pt
Ps = 1 5 -> Change colors starting with Tek foreground
to Pt
Ps = 1 6 -> Change colors starting with Tek background
to Pt
Ps = 1 7 -> Change colors starting with highlight to
Pt
Ps = 4 6 -> Change Log File to Pt (normally disabled
by a compile-time option)
Ps = 5 0 -> Set Font to Pt If Pt begins with a "#",
index in the font menu, relative (if the next character
is a plus or minus sign) or absolute. A number is
expected but not required after the sign (the default is
the current entry for relative, zero for absolute index□ ing).
Privacy Message
PM Pt ST xterm implements no PM functions; Pt is ignored. Pt need
not be printable characters.
PC-Style Function Keys
If xterm does minimal translation of the function keys, it usually does
this with a PC-style keyboard, so PC-style function keys result. Sun
keyboards are similar to PC keyboards.Both have cursor and scrolling
operations printed on the keypad, which duplicate the smaller cursor and
scrolling keypads.
X does not predefine NumLock (used for VT220 keyboards) or Alt (used as
an extension for the Sun/PC keyboards) as modifiers. These keys are
recognized as modifiers when enabled by the numLock resource, or by the
DECSET 1 0 3 5control sequence.
The cursor keys transmit the following escape sequences depending on the
mode specified via the DECCKM escape sequence.
Key Normal Application
--------------------------------------
Cursor Up CSI A SS3 A
Cursor Down CSI B SS3 B
Cursor Right CSI C SS3 C
Cursor Left CSI D SS3 D
The application keypad transmits the following escape sequences depend□ing on the mode specified via the DECPNM and DECPAM escape sequences.
Use the NumLock key to override the application mode.
Not all keys are present on the Sun/PC keypad (e.g., PF1, Tab), but are
supported by the program.
Key Numeric ApplicationTerminfo Termcap
--------------------------------------------------------------
Space SP SS3 SP- -
Tab TAB SS3 I - -
Enter CR SS3 M kent @8
PF1 SS3 P SS3 P kf1 k1
PF2 SS3 Q SS3 Q kf2 k2
PF3 SS3 R SS3 R kf3 k3
PF4 SS3 S SS3 S kf4 k4
* (multiply) * SS3 j - -
+ (add) + SS3 k - -
, (comma) , SS3 l - -
- (minus) - SS3 m - -
. (Delete) . SS3 3 ~- -
/ (divide) / SS3 o - -
0 (Insert) 0 CSI 2 ~- -
1 (End) 1 CSI 4 ~kc1 K4
2 (DownArrow) 2 CSI B - -
3 (PageDown) 3 CSI 5 ~kc3 K5
4 (LeftArrow) 4 CSI D - -
5 (Begin) 5 CSI E kb2 K2
6 (RightArrow) 6 CSI C - -
7 (Home) 7 CSI 1 ~ka1 K1
8 (UpArrow) 8 CSI A - -
9 (PageUp) 9 CSI 5 ~ka3 K3
= (equal) = SS3 X - -
They also provide 12 function keys, as well as a few other special-pur□pose keys.
Key Escape Sequence
---------------------------
F1 SS3 P
F2 SS3 Q
F3 SS3 R
F4 SS3 S
F5 CSI 1 5 ~
F6 CSI 1 7 ~
F7 CSI 1 8 ~
F8 CSI 1 9 ~
F9 CSI 2 0 ~
F10 CSI 2 1 ~
F11 CSI 2 3 ~
F12 CSI 2 4 ~
Older versions of xterm implement different escape sequences for F1
through F4. These can be activated by setting the oldXtermFKeys
resource. However, since they do not correspond to any hardware termi□nal, they have been deprecated. (The DEC VT220 reserves F1 through F5
for local functions such as Setup).
Key Escape Sequence
---------------------------
F1 CSI 1 1 ~
F2 CSI 1 2 ~
F3 CSI 1 3 ~
F4 CSI 1 4 ~
In normal mode, i.e., a Sun/PC keyboard when the sunKeyboard resource is
false, xterm recognizes function key modifiers which are parameters
appended before the final character of the control sequence.
Code Modifiers
---------------------------------
2 Shift
3 Alt
4 Shift + Alt
5 Control
6 Shift + Control
7 Alt + Control
8 Shift + Alt + Control
For example, shift-F5 would be sent as CSI 1 5 ; 2 ~
If the alwaysUseMods resource is set, the Meta modifier also is recog□nized, making parameters 9 through 16.
VT220-Style Function Keys
However, xterm is most useful as a DEC VT102 or VT220 emulator. Set the
sunKeyboard resource to true to force a Sun/PC keyboard to act like a
VT220 keyboard.
The VT102/VT220 application keypad transmits unique escape sequences in
application mode, which are distinct from the cursor and scrolling key□pad:
Key Numeric Application
--------------------------------------
Space Space SS3 SP
Tab Tab SS3 I
Enter CR SS3 M
PF1 SS3 P SS3 P
PF2 SS3 Q SS3 Q
PF3 SS3 R SS3 R
PF4 SS3 S SS3 S
* (multiply) * SS3 j
+ (add) + SS3 k
, (comma) , SS3 l
- (minus) - SS3 m
. (period) . SS3 n
/ (divide) / SS3 o
0 0 SS3 p
1 1 SS3 q
2 2 SS3 r
3 3 SS3 s
4 4 SS3 t
5 5 SS3 u
6 6 SS3 v
7 7 SS3 w
8 8 SS3 x
9 9 SS3 y
= (equal) = SS3 X
The VT220 provides 8 additional function keys.With a Sun/PC keyboard,
access these keys by Control/F1 for F13, etc.
Key Escape Sequence
---------------------------
F13 CSI 2 5 ~
F14 CSI 2 6 ~
F15 CSI 2 8 ~
F16 CSI 2 9 ~
F17 CSI 3 1 ~
F18 CSI 3 2 ~
F19 CSI 3 3 ~
F20 CSI 3 4 ~
VT52-Style Function Keys
A VT52 does not have function keys, but it does have a numeric keypad
and cursor keys. They differ from the other emulations by the prefix.
Also, the cursor keys do not change:
Key Normal/Application
----------------------------------
Cursor Up ESC A
Cursor Down ESC B
Cursor Right ESC C
Cursor Left ESC D
The keypad is similar:
Key Numeric Application
--------------------------------------
Space Space ESC ? SP
Tab Tab ESC ? I
Enter CR ESC ? M
PF1 ESC P ESC P
PF2 ESC Q ESC Q
PF3 ESC R ESC R
PF4 ESC S ESC S
* (multiply) * ESC ? j
+ (add) + ESC ? k
, (comma) , ESC ? l
- (minus) - ESC ? m
. (period) . ESC ? n
/ (divide) / ESC ? o
0 0 ESC ? p
1 1 ESC ? q
2 2 ESC ? r
3 3 ESC ? s
4 4 ESC ? t
5 5 ESC ? u
6 6 ESC ? v
7 7 ESC ? w
8 8 ESC ? x
9 9 ESC ? y
= (equal) = ESC ? X
Sun-Style Function Keys
The xterm program provides support for Sun keyboards more directly, by a
menu toggle that causes it to send Sun-style function key codes rather
than VT220. Note, however, that the sun and vt100 emulations are not
really compatible. For example, their wrap-margin behavior differs.
Only function keys are altered; keypad and cursor keys are the same.
The emulation responds identically. See the xterm-sun terminfo entry
for details.
HP-Style Function Keys
Similarly, xterm can be compiled to support HP keyboards. See the
xterm-hp terminfo entry for details.
Mouse Tracking
The VT widget can be set to send the mouse position and other informa□tion on button presses. These modes are typically used by editors and
other full-screen applications that want to make use of the mouse.
There are six mutually exclusive modes. One is DEC Locator mode,
enabled by the DECELR CSI Ps ; Ps 揀 control sequence, and is not
described here. The remaining five modes are each enabled (or disabled)
by a different parameter in DECSET CSI ? Pm h or DECRST CSI ? Pm l con□trol sequence.
Manifest constants for the parameter values are defined in xcharmouse.h
as follows:
#define SET_X10_MOUSE 9
#define SET_VT200_MOUSE 1000
#define SET_VT200_HIGHLIGHT_MOUSE 1001
#define SET_BTN_EVENT_MOUSE 1002
#define SET_ANY_EVENT_MOUSE 1003
The motion reporting modes are strictly xterm extensions, and are not
part of any standard, though they are analogous to the DEC VT200 DECELR
locator reports.
Parameters (such as pointer position and button number) for all mouse
tracking escape sequences generated by xterm encode numeric parameters
in a single character as value+32. For example, ! specifies the value
1. The upper left character position on the terminal is denoted as 1,1.
X10 compatibility mode sends an escape sequence only on button press,
encoding the location and the mouse button pressed. It is enabled by
specifying parameter 9 to DECSET. On button press, xterm sends CSI M
CbCxCy (6 characters).Cb is button-1. Cx and Cy are the x and y coor□dinates of the mouse when the button was pressed.
Normal tracking mode sends an escape sequence on both button press and
release. Modifier key (shift, ctrl, meta) information is also sent. It
is enabled by specifying parameter 1000 to DECSET. On button press or
release, xterm sends CSI M CbCxCy. The low two bits of Cb encode button
information: 0=MB1 pressed, 1=MB2 pressed, 2=MB3 pressed, 3=release.
The next three bits encode the modifiers which were down when the button
was pressed and are added together: 4=Shift, 8=Meta, 16=Control. Note
however that the shift and control bits are normally unavailable because
xterm uses the control modifier with mouse for popup menus, and the
shift modifier is used in the default translations for button events.
The Meta modifier recognized by xterm is the mod1 mask, and is not nec□essarily the "Meta" key (see xmodmap).Cx and Cy are the x and y coor□dinates of the mouse event, encoded as in X10 mode.
Wheel mice may return buttons 4 and 5.Those buttons are represented by
adding 64 to the event code.
Mouse hilite tracking notifies a program of a button press, receives a
range of lines from the program, highlights the region covered by the
mouse within that range until button release, and then sends the program
the release coordinates. It is enabled by specifying parameter 1001 to
DECSET. Highlighting is performed only for button 1, though other but□ton events can be received. Warning: use of this mode requires a coop□erating program or it will hang xterm.On button press, the same infor□mation as for normal tracking is generated; xterm then waits for the
program to send mouse tracking information. All X events are ignored
until the proper escape sequence is received from the pty: CSI Ps ; Ps ;
Ps ; Ps ; Ps T . The parameters are func, startx, starty, firstrow, and
lastrow. func is non-zero to initiate hilite tracking and zero to
abort.startx and starty give the starting x and y location for the
highlighted region. The ending location tracks the mouse, but will
never be above row firstrow and will always be above row lastrow. (The
top of the screen is row 1.) When the button is released, xterm reports
the ending position one of two ways: if the start and end coordinates
are valid text locations: CSI t CxCy. If either coordinate is past the
end of the line: CSI T CxCyCxCyCxCy. The parameters are startx, starty,
endx, endy, mousex, and mousey. startx, starty, endx, and endy give the
starting and ending character positions of the region.mousex and
mousey give the location of the mouse at button up, which may not be
over a character.
Button-event tracking is essentially the same as normal tracking, but
xterm also reports button-motion events. Motion events are reported
only if the mouse pointer has moved to a different character cell. It
is enabled by specifying parameter 1002 to DECSET. On button press or
release, xterm sends the same codes used by normal tracking mode. On
button-motion events, xterm adds 32 to the event code (the third charac□ter, Cb). The other bits of the event code specify button and modifier
keys as in normal mode. For example, motion into cell x,y with button 1
down is reported as CSI M @ CxCy. ( @= 32 + 0 (button 1) + 32 (motion
indicator) ). Similarly, motion with button 3 down is reported as CSI M
B CxCy. ( B = 32 + 2 (button 3) + 32 (motion indicator) ).
Any-event mode is the same as button-event mode, except that all motion
events are reported instead of just those that enter a new character
cell. It is enabled by specifying 1003 to DECSET.
Tektronix 4014 Mode
Most of these sequences are standard Tektronix 4014 control sequences.
Graph mode supports the 12-bit addressing of the Tektronix 4014. The
major features missing are the write-through and defocused modes. This
document does not describe the commands used in the various Tektronix
plotting modes but does describe the commands to switch modes.
BEL Bell (Ctrl-G)
BS Backspace (Ctrl-H)
TAB Horizontal Tab (Ctrl-I)
LF Line Feed or New Line (Ctrl-J)
VT Cursor up (Ctrl-K)
FF Form Feed or New Page (Ctrl-L)
CR Carriage Return (Ctrl-M)
ESC ETX Switch to VT100 Mode (ESC Ctrl-C)
ESC ENQ Return Terminal Status (ESC Ctrl-E)
ESC FF PAGE (Clear Screen) (ESC Ctrl-L)
ESC SO Begin 4015 APL mode (ignored by xterm) (ESC Ctrl-N)
ESC SI End 4015 APL mode (ignored by xterm) (ESC Ctrl-O)
ESC ETB COPY (Save Tektronix Codes to file COPYyyyy-mm-
dd.hh:mm:ss) (ESC Ctrl-W)
ESC CAN Bypass Condition (ESC Ctrl-X)
ESC SUB GIN mode (ESC Ctrl-Z)
ESC FS Special Point Plot Mode (ESC Ctrl-\)
ESC 8 Select Large Character Set
ESC 9 Select #2 Character Set
ESC : Select #3 Character Set
ESC ; Select Small Character Set
OSC Ps ; Pt BEL
Set Text Parameters of VT window
Ps = 0 -> Change Icon Name and Window Title to Pt
Ps = 1 -> Change Icon Name to Pt
Ps = 2 -> Change Window Title to Pt
Ps = 4 6 -> Change Log File to Pt (normally disabled
by a compile-time option)
ESC ` Normal Z Axis and Normal (solid) Vectors
ESC a Normal Z Axis and Dotted Line Vectors
ESC b Normal Z Axis and Dot-Dashed Vectors
ESC c Normal Z Axis and Short-Dashed Vectors
ESC d Normal Z Axis and Long-Dashed Vectors
ESC h Defocused Z Axis and Normal (solid) Vectors
ESC i Defocused Z Axis and Dotted Line Vectors
ESC j Defocused Z Axis and Dot-Dashed Vectors
ESC k Defocused Z Axis and Short-Dashed Vectors
ESC l Defocused Z Axis and Long-Dashed Vectors
ESC p Write-Thru Mode and Normal (solid) Vectors
ESC q Write-Thru Mode and Dotted Line Vectors
ESC r Write-Thru Mode and Dot-Dashed Vectors
ESC s Write-Thru Mode and Short-Dashed Vectors
ESC t Write-Thru Mode and Long-Dashed Vectors
FS Point Plot Mode (Ctrl-\)
GS Graph Mode (Ctrl-])
RS Incremental Plot Mode (Ctrl-^)
US Alpha Mode (Ctrl-_)
VT52 Mode
Parameters for cursor movement are at the end of the ESC Y escape
sequence. Each ordinate is encoded in a single character as value+32.
For example, !is 1. The screen coodinate system is 0-based.
ESC A Cursor up.
ESC B Cursor down.
ESC C Cursor right.
ESC D Cursor left.
ESC F Enter graphics mode.
ESC G Exit graphics mode.
ESC H Move the cursor to the home position.
ESC I Reverse line feed.
ESC J Erase from the cursor to the end of the screen.
ESC K Erase from the cursor to the end of the line.
ESC Y Ps Ps Move the cursor to given row and column.
ESC Z Identify
-> ESC / Z (``I am a VT52.'')
ESC = Enter alternate keypad mode.
ESC > Exit alternate keypad mode.
ESC < Exit VT52 mode (Enter VT100 mode).