captoinfo(1) on Solnix vs Linux and the BSDs
On Solnix, captoinfo is the ncurses tool (a link to tic) that converts termcap entries to terminfo text on standard output. It is the same program as on Linux. On FreeBSD, captoinfo is tic invoked under that name, and it sets -C, which converts in the opposite direction.
The manual pages
- Solnix: captoinfo(1) from
pkgs.solnix.ncurses - Linux: captoinfo(1m) ncurses-6.6
- FreeBSD: captoinfo(1) 15.1-RELEASE
What Solnix runs
The package is pkgs.solnix.ncurses and the page is ncurses 6.5. The header says the command on PATH is the illumos one at /usr/bin/captoinfo, and no other variants are shipped. The bundle does not show how the two differ. The page says captoinfo is a link to tic(1M) with -I implied.
Differences
| Compared with | Topic | What differs |
|---|---|---|
| FreeBSD | conversion direction | Solnix captoinfo implies tic -I and converts termcap to terminfo. FreeBSD documents that tic invoked as captoinfo sets -C, which forces translation to termcap format. The same command name converts in opposite directions.Source: Solnix captoinfo(1) DESCRIPTION (link to tic, -I implied); FreeBSD captoinfo(1) Aliases (invoked as captoinfo, tic sets -C); FreeBSD tic -C, -I |
| FreeBSD | page describes tic, not captoinfo | The FreeBSD captoinfo(1) page is the tic page. Its synopsis is tic with a required file argument, and the page says tic is the same program as infotocap and captoinfo. Solnix has a dedicated captoinfo page with synopsis captoinfo [tic-option] [file ...]. Source: FreeBSD captoinfo(1) NAME, SYNOPSIS, Aliases; Solnix captoinfo(1) SYNOPSIS |
| FreeBSD | no file argument (TERMCAP, /etc/termcap) | Solnix and Linux captoinfo read the file named by TERMCAP when no file is given, extract only the entry for TERM, and fall back to /etc/termcap if TERMCAP is unset. The FreeBSD text in the bundle shows file as a required argument and documents no TERMCAP or /etc/termcap fallback.Source: Solnix captoinfo(1) DESCRIPTION; FreeBSD captoinfo(1) SYNOPSIS (tic ... file) |
| FreeBSD | which tic options are documented | Solnix names -1, -f, -v, -w and -x as usable with captoinfo, plus -V for the ncurses version. FreeBSD documents the full tic option set, including -C, -I, -K, -L, -N, -o, -e and -R, and the bundle gives them no captoinfo-specific meaning.Source: Solnix captoinfo(1) DESCRIPTION; FreeBSD captoinfo(1) SYNOPSIS and OPTIONS |
| FreeBSD | default terminfo database path | The FreeBSD page puts compiled output in /usr/share/misc/terminfo by default. The Solnix captoinfo page writes only text to standard output and names no terminfo database path.Source: FreeBSD captoinfo(1) DESCRIPTION; Solnix captoinfo(1) DESCRIPTION |
| Linux | same program as Linux | Solnix and Linux captoinfo have the same synopsis and the same documented behaviour: TERMCAP/TERM handling, /etc/termcap fallback, link to tic with -I implied, and the same capability translation tables. The Solnix page is ncurses 6.5, the Linux page ncurses 6.6.Source: Solnix captoinfo(1) SYNOPSIS, DESCRIPTION; Linux captoinfo(1m) SYNOPSIS, DESCRIPTION |
| Linux | AIX wording | The pages disagree on which terminfo release AIX's facility descends from. Solnix says SVr1, Linux says SVr2. The translated AIX extensions (ksel, kbtab, font0 to font3, box1) are the same in both. Source: Solnix captoinfo(1) DESCRIPTION (AIX paragraph); Linux captoinfo(1m) DESCRIPTION (AIX paragraph) |
Standards
- POSIX: captoinfo is not a POSIX.1-2024 utility.
- Solnix: The page says captoinfo translates obsolete capabilities into standard (SVr4/XSI Curses) terminfo capabilities. It has no STANDARDS section.
Writing portable scripts
- Do not rely on the name captoinfo for termcap-to-terminfo conversion on FreeBSD, where it runs tic with
-C(to termcap). Call tic with an explicit-I(terminfo output) or-C(termcap output) and a file argument. - Pass an explicit file name rather than relying on TERMCAP or
/etc/termcap, because only the Solnix and Linux pages document that fallback.
Every difference here is taken from the manual pages linked above: Solnix's published page, Linux (man-pages and the GNU and util-linux manuals), FreeBSD, OpenBSD and NetBSD. Each row names its source. Where a manual is silent, this page is too. Compiled 2026-10-26. Found a mistake? Mail hackers@lists.solnix.io.