infotocap(1M) User commands infotocap(1M)

# [NAME](#NAME)

**infotocap** - convert a *terminfo* description into a *termcap* description

# [SYNOPSIS](#SYNOPSIS)

**infotocap** \[*tic-option*] *file* ...

**infotocap -V**

# [DESCRIPTION](#DESCRIPTION)

**infotocap** translates terminal descriptions. It looks in each given text *file* for *terminfo* entries and, for each one found, writes an analogous *termcap* description to the standard output stream. *terminfo* “**use**” capabilities translate to *termcap* **tc** capabilities. Because *termcap* is a less expressive format than *terminfo*, some capabilities cannot be translated.

This utility is implemented as a link to [**tic**(1M)](/man/os/ncurses/tic.1M), with the latter's **-C** option implied. You can use other **tic** options such as **-1**, **-f**, **-v**, **-w**, and **-x**. The **-V** option reports the version of *ncurses* associated with this program and exits with a successful status.

# [FILES](#FILES)

*/usr/share/terminfo*

compiled terminal description database

# [EXTENSIONS](#EXTENSIONS)

This command is an *ncurses* extension.

# [PORTABILITY](#PORTABILITY)

X/Open Curses Issue 7 (2009) does not specify this command. SVr4 and NetBSD *curses* do not implement it.

# [AUTHORS](#AUTHORS)

Eric S. Raymond <esr@snark.thyrsus.com> and  
Thomas E. Dickey <dickey@invisible-island.net>

# [SEE ALSO](#SEE_ALSO)

[**infocmp**(1M)](/man/os/ncurses/infocmp.1M), [**tic**(1M)](/man/os/ncurses/tic.1M), [**curses**(3X)](/man/os/ncurses/curses.3X), [**terminfo**(5)](/man/os/ncurses/terminfo.5)

2025-10-04 ncurses 6.6

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Document: infotocap(1m) from ncurses 6.6.20261010-r0 (Chainguard OS)
Source: https://github.com/ThomasDickey/ncurses-snapshots