Xterm Control Sequences
Edward Moy
University of California, Berkeley
Revised by
Stephen Gildea
X Consortium
Definitions
c The literal character c.
C A single (required) character.
Ps A single (usually optional) numeric parameter, composed of one of more
digits.
Pm A multiple numeric parameter composed of any number of single numeric
parameters, separated by ; character(s).
Pt A text parameter composed of printable characters.
VT100 Mode
Most of these control sequences are standard VT102 control sequences, but
there are some sequences here from later DEC VT terminals, too. VT102
features not supported are smooth scrolling, double size characters, blink-
ing characters, and VT52 mode. There are additional control sequences to
provide xterm-dependent functions, like the scrollbar or window size. Where
the function is specified by DEC or ISO 6429, the code assigned to it is
given in parentheses. The escape codes to designate and invoke character
sets are specified by ISO 2022; see that document for a discussion of char-
acter sets.
BEL Bell (Ctrl-G)
BS Backspace (Ctrl-H)
TAB Horizontal Tab (HT) (Ctrl-I)
LF Line Feed or New Line (NL) (Ctrl-J)
VT Vertical Tab (Ctrl-K) same as LF
FF Form Feed or New Page (NP) (Ctrl-L) same as LF
CR Carriage Return (Ctrl-M)
SO Shift Out (Ctrl-N) -> Switch to Alternate Character Set:
invokes the G1 character set.
SI Shift In (Ctrl-O) -> Switch to Standard Character Set:
invokes the G0 character set (the default).
ESC # 8 DEC Screen Alignment Test (DECALN)
ESC ( C Designate G0 Character Set (ISO 2022)
C = 0 -> DEC Special Character and Line Drawing Set
C = A -> United Kingdom (UK)
C = B -> United States (USASCII)
ESC ) C Designate G1 Character Set (ISO 2022)
C = 0 -> DEC Special Character and Line Drawing Set
C = A -> United Kingdom (UK)
C = B -> United States (USASCII)
ESC * C Designate G2 Character Set (ISO 2022)
C = 0 -> DEC Special Character and Line Drawing Set
C = A -> United Kingdom (UK)
C = B -> United States (USASCII)
ESC + C Designate G3 Character Set (ISO 2022)
C = 0 -> DEC Special Character and Line Drawing Set
C = A -> United Kingdom (UK)
C = B -> United States (USASCII)
ESC 7 Save Cursor (DECSC)
ESC 8 Restore Cursor (DECRC)
ESC = Application Keypad (DECPAM)
ESC > Normal Keypad (DECPNM)
ESC D Index (IND)
ESC E Next Line (NEL)
ESC F Cursor to lower left corner of screen (if enabled by the
hpLowerleftBugCompat resource).
ESC H Tab Set (HTS)
ESC M Reverse Index (RI)
ESC N Single Shift Select of G2 Character Set (SS2): affects next
character only
ESC O Single Shift Select of G3 Character Set (SS3): affects next
character only
ESC P Pt ESC \ Device Control String (DCS)
xterm implements no DCS functions; Pt is ignored. Pt need
not be printable characters.
ESC Z Return Terminal ID (DECID). Obsolete form of ESC [ c (DA).
ESC [ Ps @ Insert Ps (Blank) Character(s) (default = 1) (ICH)
ESC [ Ps A Cursor Up Ps Times (default = 1) (CUU)
ESC [ Ps B Cursor Down Ps Times (default = 1) (CUD)
ESC [ Ps C Cursor Forward Ps Times (default = 1) (CUF)
ESC [ Ps D Cursor Backward Ps Times (default = 1) (CUB)
ESC [ Ps ; Ps H Cursor Position [row;column] (default = [1,1]) (CUP)
ESC [ Ps J Erase in Display (ED)
Ps = 0 -> Clear Below (default)
Ps = 1 -> Clear Above
Ps = 2 -> Clear All
ESC [ Ps K Erase in Line (EL)
Ps = 0 -> Clear to Right (default)
Ps = 1 -> Clear to Left
Ps = 2 -> Clear All
ESC [ Ps L Insert Ps Line(s) (default = 1) (IL)
ESC [ Ps M Delete Ps Line(s) (default = 1) (DL)
ESC [ Ps P Delete Ps Character(s) (default = 1) (DCH)
ESC [ Ps ; Ps ; Ps ; Ps ; Ps T
Initiate hilite mouse tracking. Parameters are
[func;startx;starty;firstrow;lastrow]. See the section Mouse
Tracking.
ESC [ Ps c Send Device Attributes (DA)
Ps = 0 or omitted -> request attributes from terminal
-> ESC [ ? 1 ; 2 c (``I am a VT100 with Advanced Video
Option.'')
ESC [ Ps ; Ps f Horizontal and Vertical Position [row;column] (default =
[1,1]) (HVP)
ESC [ Ps g Tab Clear (TBC)
Ps = 0 -> Clear Current Column (default)
Ps = 3 -> Clear All
ESC [ Pm h Set Mode (SM)
Ps = 4 -> Insert Mode (IRM)
Ps = 2 0 -> Automatic Newline (LNM)
ESC [ Pm l Reset Mode (RM)
Ps = 4 -> Replace Mode (IRM)
Ps = 2 0 -> Normal Linefeed (LNM)
ESC [ Pm m Character Attributes (SGR)
Ps = 0 -> Normal (default)
Ps = 1 -> Bold
Ps = 4 -> Underscore
Ps = 5 -> Blink (appears as Bold)
Ps = 7 -> Inverse
ESC [ Ps n Device Status Report (DSR)
Ps = 5 -> Status Report ESC [ 0 n (``OK'')
Ps = 6 -> Report Cursor Position (CPR) [row;column] as ESC
[ r ; c R
ESC [ Ps ; Ps r Set Scrolling Region [top;bottom] (default = full size of
window) (DECSTBM)
ESC [ Ps x Request Terminal Parameters (DECREQTPARM)
ESC [ ? Pm h DEC Private Mode Set (DECSET)
Ps = 1 -> Application Cursor Keys (DECCKM)
Ps = 2 -> Designate USASCII for character sets G0-G3. (In
the VT102, this selects VT52 mode (DECANM), which xterm
doesn't support.)
Ps = 3 -> 132 Column Mode (DECCOLM)
Ps = 4 -> Smooth (Slow) Scroll (DECSCLM)
Ps = 5 -> Reverse Video (DECSCNM)
Ps = 6 -> Origin Mode (DECOM)
Ps = 7 -> Wraparound Mode (DECAWM)
Ps = 8 -> Auto-repeat Keys (DECARM)
Ps = 9 -> Send Mouse X & Y on button press. See the sec-
tion Mouse Tracking.
Ps = 3 8 -> Enter Tektronix Mode (DECTEK)
Ps = 4 0 -> Allow 80 <--> 132 Mode
Ps = 4 1 -> more(1) fix (see curses resource)
Ps = 4 4 -> Turn On Margin Bell
Ps = 4 5 -> Reverse-wraparound Mode
Ps = 4 6 -> Start Logging (normally disabled by a
compile-time option)
Ps = 4 7 -> Use Alternate Screen Buffer (unless disabled
by the titeInhibit resource)
Ps = 1 0 0 0 -> Send Mouse X & Y on button press and
release. See the section Mouse Tracking.
Ps = 1 0 0 1 -> Use Hilite Mouse Tracking. See the sec-
tion Mouse Tracking.
ESC [ ? Pm l DEC Private Mode Reset (DECRST)
Ps = 1 -> Normal Cursor Keys (DECCKM)
Ps = 3 -> 80 Column Mode (DECCOLM)
Ps = 4 -> Jump (Fast) Scroll (DECSCLM)
Ps = 5 -> Normal Video (DECSCNM)
Ps = 6 -> Normal Cursor Mode (DECOM)
Ps = 7 -> No Wraparound Mode (DECAWM)
Ps = 8 -> No Auto-repeat Keys (DECARM)
Ps = 9 -> Don't Send Mouse X & Y on button press
Ps = 4 0 -> Disallow 80 <--> 132 Mode
Ps = 4 1 -> No more(1) fix (see curses resource)
Ps = 4 4 -> Turn Off Margin Bell
Ps = 4 5 -> No Reverse-wraparound Mode
Ps = 4 6 -> Stop Logging (normally disabled by a compile-
time option)
Ps = 4 7 -> Use Normal Screen Buffer
Ps = 1 0 0 0 -> Don't Send Mouse X & Y on button press and
release
Ps = 1 0 0 1 -> Don't Use Hilite Mouse Tracking
ESC [ ? Pm r Restore DEC Private Mode Values. The value of Ps previously
saved is restored. Ps values are the same as for DECSET.
ESC [ ? Pm s Save DEC Private Mode Values. Ps values are the same as for
DECSET.
ESC ] Ps ; Pt BEL
Set Text Parameters
Ps = 0 -> Change Icon Name and Window Title to Pt
Ps = 1 -> Change Icon Name to Pt
Ps = 2 -> Change Window Title to Pt
Ps = 4 6 -> Change Log File to Pt (normally disabled by a
compile-time option)
Ps = 5 0 -> Set Font to Pt
ESC ^ Pt ESC \ Privacy Message (PM)
xterm implements no PM functions; Pt is ignored. Pt need
not be printable characters.
ESC _ Pt ESC \ Application Program Command (APC)
xterm implements no APC functions; Pt is ignored. Pt need
not be printable characters.
ESC c Full Reset (RIS)
ESC l Memory Lock (per HP terminals). Locks memory above the cur-
sor.
ESC m Memory Unlock (per HP terminals)
ESC n Invoke the G2 Character Set (LS2)
ESC o Invoke the G3 Character Set (LS3)
ESC | Invoke the G3 Character Set as GR (LS3R). Has no visible
effect in xterm.
ESC } Invoke the G2 Character Set as GR (LS2R). Has no visible
effect in xterm.
ESC ~ Invoke the G1 Character Set as GR (LS1R). Has no visible
effect in xterm.
Mouse Tracking
The VT widget can be set to send the mouse position and other information on
button presses. These modes are typically used by editors and other full-
screen applications that want to make use of the mouse.
There are three mutually exclusive modes, each enabled (or disabled) by a
different parameter in the DECSET (or DECRST) escape sequence. Parameters
for all mouse tracking escape sequences generated by xterm encode numeric
parameters in a single character as value+040. For example, ! is 1. The
screen coodinate system is 1-based.
X10 compatibility mode sends an escape sequence on button press encoding the
location and the mouse button pressed. It is enabled by specifying parame-
ter 9 to DECSET. On button press, xterm sends ESC [ M CbCxCy (6 charac-
ters). Cb is button-1. Cx and Cy are the x and y coordinates of the mouse
when the button was pressed.
Normal tracking mode sends an escape sequence on both button press and
release. Modifier information is also sent. It is enabled by specifying
parameter 1000 to DECSET. On button press or release, xterm sends ESC [ M
CbCxCy. The low two bits of Cb encode button information: 0=MB1 pressed,
1=MB2 pressed, 2=MB3 pressed, 3=release. The upper bits encode what modif-
iers were down when the button was pressed and are added together. 4=Shift,
8=Meta, 16=Control. Cx and Cy are the x and y coordinates of the mouse
event. The upper left corner is (1,1).
Mouse hilite tracking notifies a program of a button press, receives a range
of lines from the program, highlights the region covered by the mouse within
that range until button release, and then sends the program the release
coordinates. It is enabled by specifying parameter 1001 to DECSET. Warn-
ing: use of this mode requires a cooperating program or it will hang xterm.
On button press, the same information as for normal tracking is generated;
xterm then waits for the program to send mouse tracking information. All X
events are ignored until the proper escape sequence is received from the
pty: ESC [ Ps ; Ps ; Ps ; Ps ; Ps T . The parameters are func, startx,
starty, firstrow, and lastrow. func is non-zero to initiate hilite tracking
and zero to abort. startx and starty give the starting x and y location for
the highlighted region. The ending location tracks the mouse, but will
never be above row firstrow and will always be above row lastrow. (The top
of the screen is row 1.) When the button is released, xterm reports the
ending position one of two ways: if the start and end coordinates are valid
text locations: ESC [ t CxCy. If either coordinate is past the end of the
line: ESC [ T CxCyCxCyCxCy. The parameters are startx, starty, endx, endy,
mousex, and mousey. startx, starty, endx, and endy give the starting and
ending character positions of the region. mousex and mousey give the loca-
tion of the mouse at button up, which may not be over a character.
Tektronix 4014 Mode
Most of these sequences are standard Tektronix 4014 control sequences.
Graph mode supports the 12-bit addressing of the Tektronix 4014. The major
features missing are the write-thru and defocused modes. This document does
not describe the commands used in the various Tektronix plotting modes but
does describe the commands to switch modes.
BEL Bell (Ctrl-G)
BS Backspace (Ctrl-H)
TAB Horizontal Tab (Ctrl-I)
LF Line Feed or New Line (Ctrl-J)
VT Cursor up (Ctrl-K)
FF Form Feed or New Page (Ctrl-L)
CR Carriage Return (Ctrl-M)
ESC ETX Switch to VT100 Mode (ESC Ctrl-C)
ESC ENQ Return Terminal Status (ESC Ctrl-E)
ESC FF PAGE (Clear Screen) (ESC Ctrl-L)
ESC SO Begin 4015 APL mode (ignored by xterm) (ESC Ctrl-N)
ESC SI End 4015 APL mode (ignored by xterm) (ESC Ctrl-O)
ESC ETB COPY (Save Tektronix Codes to file COPYyy-mm-dd.hh:mm:ss)
(ESC Ctrl-W)
ESC CAN Bypass Condition (ESC Ctrl-X)
ESC SUB GIN mode (ESC Ctrl-Z)
ESC FS Special Point Plot Mode (ESC Ctrl-\)
ESC 8 Select Large Character Set
ESC 9 Select #2 Character Set
ESC : Select #3 Character Set
ESC ; Select Small Character Set
ESC ] Ps ; Pt BEL
Set Text Parameters of VT window
Ps = 0 -> Change Icon Name and Window Title to Pt
Ps = 1 -> Change Icon Name to Pt
Ps = 2 -> Change Window Title to Pt
Ps = 4 6 -> Change Log File to Pt (normally disabled by a
compile-time option)
ESC ` Normal Z Axis and Normal (solid) Vectors
ESC a Normal Z Axis and Dotted Line Vectors
ESC b Normal Z Axis and Dot-Dashed Vectors
ESC c Normal Z Axis and Short-Dashed Vectors
ESC d Normal Z Axis and Long-Dashed Vectors
ESC h Defocused Z Axis and Normal (solid) Vectors
ESC i Defocused Z Axis and Dotted Line Vectors
ESC j Defocused Z Axis and Dot-Dashed Vectors
ESC k Defocused Z Axis and Short-Dashed Vectors
ESC l Defocused Z Axis and Long-Dashed Vectors
ESC p Write-Thru Mode and Normal (solid) Vectors
ESC q Write-Thru Mode and Dotted Line Vectors
ESC r Write-Thru Mode and Dot-Dashed Vectors
ESC s Write-Thru Mode and Short-Dashed Vectors
ESC t Write-Thru Mode and Long-Dashed Vectors
FS Point Plot Mode (Ctrl-\)
GS Graph Mode (Ctrl-])
RS Incremental Plot Mode (Ctrl-^)
US Alpha Mode (Ctrl-_)
