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From: arnold@apollo.uucp (Ken Arnold)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.wizards
Subject: termcap/info need new field
Message-ID: <3719cc9c.b0a1@apollo.uucp>
Date: Sat, 5-Sep-87 15:30:00 EDT
Article-I.D.: apollo.3719cc9c.b0a1
Posted: Sat Sep  5 15:30:00 1987
Date-Received: Sun, 6-Sep-87 06:21:15 EDT
Reply-To: arnold@apollo.UUCP (Ken Arnold)
Organization: Apollo Computer, Chelmsford, MA
Lines: 19

Termcap/terminfo desperately need a new field which says that the
te/exit_ca_mode field makes the stuff on the screen disappears.  On
terminals like the multipage terminals, ti/enter_ca_mode often moves to
a different page of memory.  Then, when the program exits and sends the
undo sequence te/exit_ca_mode, it returns to the original page.  This
makes whatever was printed in between disappear.  Other simpler
terminals don't have this problem.  Termcap/terminfo needs to
distinguish so that programs which want people to read the last screen
know whether they have to have the user "hit any key to continue"* or
just exit.

I hereby nominate the field name "tl" "te looses what's on the screen"
for termcap, and "exit_ca_looses_screen" for terminfo.

Before I make this a formal proposal to the Powers That Be, I thought
I'd drop the rock in the water and see how big the splash was.
Comments?

		Ken Arnold