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User Commands  - esc (1)

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esc(1) - [NCURSES] set xterm(1) attributes using a screen or line mode (LICENSE:PD)

CONTENTS

Synopsis
Description
Options
Variables
Example
Author
License

esc	[keywords] -rows NN -cols NN -right NN -down NN -fn fontname -fsize fontsize -bg background_color -fg foreground_color -cr cursor_color -cn [0 COLOR_VALUE 1 COLOR_VALUE 2 COLOR_VALUE ...|] -o windowname -title TITLE window title -name TITLE icon name -nt TITLE icon name and title -xrdb [NAME] -iconstate -alias --help --version

If no values are specified on the command line a screen interface is displayed that allows setting the background, foreground, cursor color, font size, and window size of an xterm(1) terminal emulator window using ncurses(3f)/fixedform(3f).

If options are specified on the command line the values are set and the screen mode is not launched.

If the positioning and resize options do not work, run the following before starting a new xterm:

      esc -xrdb |xrdb -merge

If you use something that filters stdout such as tmux(1), screen(1) assign esc(1) output to the initial stdout before starting the program, such as

      export OTHERTTY=‘tty‘
      tmux

VALUES	The allowed keywords are: o 80........ set terminal width to eighty characters o 132....... set terminal width to 132 characters o raise..... raise to top of window stack o lower..... lower to back of window stack o iconify... iconify window o uniconify. uniconify window o toggle.... toggle icon state o maximize.. make xterm(1) window size of display o restore... restore window size to before the last "maximize" o vt102..... switch to VT102 terminal emulator mode o tek....... switch to Tektronix 4010 terminal emulator mode
-rows NN
	change number of rows of window to specified value
-cols NN
	change number of columns of window to specified value
-right NN
	distance in rasters from left display edge to place upper left corner
-down NN
	distance in rasters from upper display edge to place upper left corner
-fn FONTNAME
	change to specified font name. You can list several available fixed-space font names by using:
(xlsfonts -fn ’*-c-*’ ; xlsfonts -fn ’*-m-*’) Example names: (font names may vary from server to server):
fixed 8x13 9x15 ’*24*-c-*’
-fsize NN
	guess at a fixed font of specified size
-bg CNAME
	specify background color by name or hex value "#RRGGBB"
-fg CNAME
	specify foreground color by name or hex value "#RRGGBB"
-cr CNAME
	specify cursor color by name or hex value "#RRGGBB"
-cn NN CNAME...
	define terminal pen colors by number "NN $RRGGBB" or name. Typically, at least 0 thru 15 are supported.
-title TITLE
	window title
-name TITLE
	icon name
-nt TITLE
	icon name and title
--alias
	list some common bash shell aliases that use esc(1). These are typically added to the ~/.bashrc file or sourced:
esc -alias >./junk;source ./junk;rm ./junk;alias
-o WINDOWNAME
	If your window manager supports multiple virtual displays by defining the property WM_OCCUPANCY (use xprop -id $WINDOWID to see) then you can move your windows to specific virtual displays; usually by number or by name. The name "all" is typically special and makes the window visible in all the virtual displays. This works for the ctwm(1) window manager. If your window manager has assigned the property WS_OCCUPATION as seen by entering xprop -id $WINDOWID : WM_OCCUPATION(STRING) = "2" WM_OCCUPATION(STRING) = "Two" : you can specify which virtual display to display on.

                       "xterm -name NAME"

                       esc -xrdb EDIT|xrdb -merge
                       xterm -name EDIT

By default esc(1) writes output to the current stdout file. The environment variable OTHERTTY can be used to change the default file. This is commonly required before starting programs that filter stdout, such as tmux(1) and screen(1).

      export OTHERTTY=/dev/pts/1

Sample usage:

   # if do not have xterm settings set might need to enter
   esc -xrdb|xrdb -merge
   # and then try the commands in xterm(1) windows launched after this

   esc # bring up screen interface
   esc -fn ’*--14*-c-*’  # find a font of specified size
   esc -fn 5  # set to fifth font in font menu (ctrl-Mouse2)
   esc -fsize 20 # set to first 20-point font found (if any)
   esc -rows 40 -cols 132 # set terminal size
   esc -bg brown -fg white -cr red
   esc -bg ’#ff00ff’
   esc -cn 0 red 1 green 2 cyan
   esc -alias >x;source x;rm x # set up a lot of bash shell aliases

   # set up X11 resources so name BROWN sets some favorite defaults
   esc -bg brown -fg black -fn 5 -xrdb BROWN >>$HOME/.Xdefaults
   xrdb -merge $HOME/.Xdefaults
   xterm -name BROWN

   C-shell

      alias cd ’cd \!*; esc -nt’

John S. Urban

Public Domain