1 ## Why does st not handle utmp entries?
3 Use the excellent tool of [utmp](http://git.suckless.org/utmp/) for this task.
5 ## Some _random program_ complains that st is unknown/not recognised/unsupported/whatever!
7 It means that st doesn’t have any terminfo entry on your system. Chances are
8 you did not `make install`. If you just want to test it without installing it,
9 you can manualy run `tic -s st.info`.
11 ## Nothing works, and nothing is said about an unknown terminal!
13 * Some programs just assume they’re running in xterm i.e. they don’t rely on
14 terminfo. What you see is the current state of the “xterm compliance”.
15 * Some programs don’t complain about the lacking st description and default to
16 another terminal. In that case see the question about terminfo.
18 ## I get some weird glitches/visual bug on _random program_!
20 Try launching it with a different TERM: $ TERM=xterm myapp. toe(1) will give
21 you a list of available terminals, but you’ll most likely switch between xterm,
22 st or st-256color. The default value for TERM can be changed in config.h
25 ## How do I scroll back up?
27 Using a terminal multiplexer.
29 * `st -e tmux` using C-b [
30 * `st -e screen` using C-a ESC
32 ## Why doesn't the Del key work in some programs?
34 Taken from the terminfo manpage:
36 If the terminal has a keypad that transmits codes when the keys
37 are pressed, this information can be given. Note that it is not
38 possible to handle terminals where the keypad only works in
39 local (this applies, for example, to the unshifted HP 2621 keys).
40 If the keypad can be set to transmit or not transmit, give these
41 codes as smkx and rmkx. Otherwise the keypad is assumed to
44 In the st case smkx=E[?1hE= and rmkx=E[?1lE>, so it is mandatory that
45 applications which want to test against keypad keys, have to send these
48 But buggy applications like bash and irssi for example don't do this. A fast
49 solution for them is to use the following command:
51 $ printf '\033[?1h\033=' >/dev/tty
54 $ echo $(tput smkx) >/dev/tty
56 In the case of bash readline is used. Readline has a different note in its
57 manpage about this issue:
60 When set to On, readline will try to enable the
61 application keypad when it is called. Some systems
62 need this to enable arrow keys.
64 Adding this option to your .inputrc will fix the keypad problem for all
65 applications using readline.
67 If you are using zsh, then read the zsh FAQ
68 <http://zsh.sourceforge.net/FAQ/zshfaq03.html#l25>:
70 It should be noted that the O / [ confusion can occur with other keys
71 such as Home and End. Some systems let you query the key sequences
72 sent by these keys from the system's terminal database, terminfo.
73 Unfortunately, the key sequences given there typically apply to the
74 mode that is not the one zsh uses by default (it's the "application"
75 mode rather than the "raw" mode). Explaining the use of terminfo is
76 outside of the scope of this FAQ, but if you wish to use the key
77 sequences given there you can tell the line editor to turn on
78 "application" mode when it starts and turn it off when it stops:
80 function zle-line-init () { echoti smkx }
81 function zle-line-finish () { echoti rmkx }
83 zle -N zle-line-finish
85 Putting these lines into your .zshrc will fix the problems.
87 ## How can use meta in 8bit mode?
89 St support meta in 8bit mode, but the default terminfo entry doesn't
90 use this capability. If you want it, you have to use st-meta value