echotc built-in command for tcsh: Exercise the terminal capabilities in args

Format

echotc [-sv] arg …

Description

echotc takes advantage of the terminal capabilities in args. For example, echotc cm 3 10 sends it to column 3 and row 10.

If arg is baud, cols, lines, meta or tabs, echotc prints the value of that capability (either yes or no, which indicates that the terminal does or does not have that capability). You might use this to make the output from a shell script less verbose on slow terminals, or limit command output to the number of lines on the screen:

        > set history=ˋechotc linesˋ
        > @ history--

Termcap strings might contain wild cards which will not echo correctly. Use double quotation marks when setting a shell variable to a terminal capability string, as in the following example which places the date in the status line:

       > set standout=ˋechotc sò
       > set end_standout=ˋechotc sè
       > echo -n "$standout"; date; echo -n "$end_standout"
       Mon Oct 25 10:06:48 EDT 1999
       >

Note: The date, as indicated, is printed out in standard output.

The infocmp command can be used to print the current terminal description in termcap format (instead of terminfo format).

Options

-s: Nonexistent capabilities return the empty string instead of causing an error.
-v: Messages are verbose.

Related information

tcsh