Provided by: util-linux_2.20.1-5.1ubuntu20.9_amd64 bug

NAME

       setterm - set terminal attributes

SYNOPSIS

       setterm [options]

DESCRIPTION

       setterm  writes  to  standard  output  a  character  string that will invoke the specified
       terminal capabilities.  Where possible terminfo is consulted to find the  string  to  use.
       Some  options  however  (marked  "virtual  consoles  only"  below)  do not correspond to a
       terminfo(5) capability.  In this case, if the terminal type is "con" or "linux" the string
       that  invokes the specified capabilities on the PC Minix virtual console driver is output.
       Options that are not implemented by the terminal are ignored.

OPTIONS

       For boolean options (on or off), the default is on.

       For conciseness, an 8-color below is black, red, green, yellow, blue,  magenta,  cyan,  or
       white.

       A  16-color  is an 8-color, grey, or bright followed by red, green, yellow, blue, magenta,
       cyan, or white.

       The various color options may be set independently, at least at virtual  consoles,  though
       the  results  of  setting  multiple  modes  (for example, -underline and -half-bright) are
       hardware-dependent.

       -term terminal_name
              Overrides the TERM environment variable.

       -reset Displays the terminal reset string, which typically  resets  the  terminal  to  its
              power on state.

       -initialize
              Displays  the  terminal  initialization string, which typically sets the terminal's
              rendering options, and other attributes to the default values.

       -cursor [on|off]
              Turns the terminal's cursor on or off.

       -repeat [on|off] (virtual consoles only)
              Turns keyboard repeat on or off.

       -appcursorkeys [on|off] (virtual consoles only)
              Sets Cursor Key Application Mode on or off. When on, ESC O A, ESC O B,  etc.   will
              be  sent  for  the  cursor  keys instead of ESC [ A, ESC [ B, etc.  See the "vi and
              Cursor-Keys" section of the Text-Terminal-HOWTO for how this can cause problems for
              vi users.

       -linewrap [on|off] (virtual consoles only)
              Turns automatic line-wrapping on or off.

       -default
              Sets the terminal's rendering options to the default values.

       -foreground 8-color|default (virtual consoles only)
              Sets the foreground text color.

       -background 8-color|default (virtual consoles only)
              Sets the background text color.

       -ulcolor 16-color (virtual consoles only)
              Sets the color for underlined characters.

       -hbcolor 16-color (virtual consoles only)
              Sets the color for half-bright characters.

       -inversescreen [on|off] (virtual consoles only)
              Inverts the screen colors.  Foreground and background are swapped, as are underline
              and half-brightness.

       -bold [on|off]
              Turns bold (extra bright) mode on or off.  Except at a virtual console,  -bold  off
              turns off all attributes (bold, half-brightness, blink, reverse).

       -half-bright [on|off]
              Turns  dim  (half-brightness)  mode  on  or off (see -hbcolor). Except at a virtual
              console, -half-bright off turns off all attributes (bold,  half-brightness,  blink,
              reverse).

       -blink [on|off]
              Turns  blink mode on or off.  Except at a virtual console, -blink off turns off all
              attributes (bold, half-brightness, blink, reverse).

       -reverse [on|off]
              Turns reverse video mode on or off.  Except at  a  virtual  console,  -reverse  off
              turns off all attributes (bold, half-brightness, blink, reverse).

       -underline [on|off]
              Turns underline mode on or off (see -ulcolor).

       -store (virtual consoles only)
              Stores  the terminal's current rendering options (foreground and background colors)
              as the values to be used at reset-to-default.

       -clear [all]
              Clears the screen and "homes" the cursor, as clear(1).

       -clear rest
              Clears from the current cursor position to the end of the screen.

       -tabs [tab1 tab2 tab3 ...] (virtual consoles only)
              Sets tab stops at the given  horizontal  cursor  positions,  in  the  range  1-160.
              Without arguments, shows the current tab stop settings.

       -clrtabs [tab1 tab2 tab3 ...] (virtual consoles only)
              Clears  tab  stops  from the given horizontal cursor positions, in the range 1-160.
              Without arguments, clears all tab stops.

       -regtabs [1-160] (virtual consoles only)
              Clears all tab stops, then sets a regular tab stop  pattern,  with  one  tab  every
              specified number of positions.  Without an argument, defaults to 8.

       -blank [0-60|force|poke] (virtual consoles only)
              Sets  the  interval  of  inactivity,  in  minutes,  after  which the screen will be
              automatically blanked (using APM if available).   Without  an  argument,  gets  the
              blank status (returns which vt was blanked or zero for unblanked vt).

              The force option keeps screen blank even if a key is pressed.

              The poke option unblank the screen.

       -dump [1-NR_CONS]
              Writes  a  snapshot  of  the  given  virtual  console (with attributes) to the file
              specified  in  the  -file  option,  overwriting  its  contents;  the   default   is
              screen.dump.   Without  an  argument, dumps the current virtual console.  Overrides
              -append.

       -append [1-NR_CONS]
              Like -dump, but appends to the snapshot file instead of overwriting it.  Only works
              if no -dump options are given.

       -file dumpfilename
              Sets  the  snapshot  file name for any -dump or -append options on the same command
              line.  If this option is not present, the default is  screen.dump  in  the  current
              directory.  A path name that exceeds system maximum will be truncated, see PATH_MAX
              from linux/limits.h for the value.

       -msg [on|off] (virtual consoles only)
              Enables or disables the sending of kernel printk() messages to the console.

       -msglevel 1-8 (virtual consoles only)
              Sets the console logging level for kernel printk() messages.  All messages strictly
              more  important  than  this  will  be printed, so a logging level of 0 has the same
              effect as -msg on and a  logging  level  of  8  will  print  all  kernel  messages.
              klogd(8) may be a more convenient interface to the logging of kernel messages.

       -powersave on|vsync
              Puts the monitor into VESA vsync suspend mode.

       -powersave hsync
              Puts the monitor into VESA hsync suspend mode.

       -powersave powerdown
              Puts the monitor into VESA powerdown mode.

       -powersave [off]
              Turns off monitor VESA powersaving features.

       -powerdown [0-60]
              Sets  the  VESA  powerdown interval in minutes.  Without an argument, defaults to 0
              (disable powerdown).  If the console is blanked or the monitor is in suspend  mode,
              then  the  monitor  will  go into vsync suspend mode or powerdown mode respectively
              after this period of time has elapsed.

       -blength [0-2000]
              Sets the bell duration in milliseconds.  Without an argument, defaults to 0.

       -bfreq [freqnumber]
              Sets the bell frequency in Hz.  Without an argument, defaults to 0.

       -version
              Output version information and exit.

       -help  Output help screen and exit.

SEE ALSO

       tput(1), stty(1), terminfo(5), tty(4)

BUGS

       Differences between the Minix and Linux versions are not documented.

AVAILABILITY

       The  setterm  command  is  part  of  the  util-linux  package  and   is   available   from
       ftp://ftp.kernel.org/pub/linux/utils/util-linux/.