Rxvt Technical Reference

• Definitions
• Values
• Escape Sequences
• CSI (Code Sequence Introducer) Sequences
• DEC Private Modes
• XTerm Escape Sequences
• menuBar
• XPM
• Mouse Reporting
• Special Graphics Mode
• Key Codes

Definitions

c

The literal character c.

C

A single (required) character.

Ps

A single (usually optional) numeric parameter, composed of one or 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.

Values

ENQ

Enquiry (Ctrl-E) = Send Device Attributes (DA)
request attributes from terminal == ESC[c

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), invokes the G1 character set
Switch to Alternate Character Set

SI

Shift In (Ctrl-O), invokes the G0 character set (the default)
Switch to Standard Character Set

SPC

Space Character

Escape Sequences

ESC # 8

DEC Screen Alignment Test (DECALN)

ESC 7
ESC 8

Save Cursor (SC)
Restore Cursor (RC)

ESC =
ESC >

Application Keypad (SMKX) == ESC[?66h
Normal Keypad (RMKX) == ESC[?66l

Note: If the numeric keypad is activated, eg, Num_Lock has been pressed, numbers or control functions are generated by the numeric keypad (see Key Codes)

ESC D

Index (IND)

ESC E

Next Line (NEL)

ESC H

Tab Set (HTS)

ESC M

Reverse Index (RI)

ESC N

Single Shift Select of G2 Character Set (SS2): affects next character only unimplemented

ESC O

Single Shift Select of G3 Character Set (SS3): affects next character only unimplemented

ESC Z

Obsolete form of ESC[c
returns: ESC[?1;2C (rxvt compile-time option)

ESC c

Full Reset (RIS)

ESC n

Invoke the G2 Character Set (LS2)

ESC o

Invoke the G3 Character Set (LS3)

ESC ( C
ESC ) C
ESC * C
ESC + C
ESC $ C

Designate G0 Character Set (ISO 2022)
Designate G1 Character Set (ISO 2022)
Designate G2 Character Set (ISO 2022)
Designate G3 Character Set (ISO 2022)
Designate Kanji Character Set
where C is

C = 0 : DEC Special Character and Line Drawing Set
C = A : United Kingdom (UK)
C = B : United States (USASCII)
C = < : Multinational character set unimplemented
C = 5 : Finnish character set unimplemented
C = C : Finnish character set unimplemented
C = K : German character set unimplemented

CSI (Code Sequence Introducer) Sequences

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 E

Cursor Down Ps Times [default: 1] and to first column

ESC [ Ps F

Cursor Up Ps Times [default: 1] and to first column

ESC [ Ps G

Cursor to Column Ps (HPA)

ESC [ Ps;Ps H

Cursor Position [row;column] [default: 1;1] (CUP)

ESC [ Ps I

Move forward Ps tab stops [default: 1]

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 (EL1)
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. unimplemented
Parameters are [func;startx;starty;firstrow;lastrow].

ESC [ Ps W

Tabulator functions
Ps = 0 : Tab Set (HTS)
Ps = 2 : Tab Clear (TBC), Clear Current Column (default)
Ps = 5 : Tab Clear (TBC), Clear All

ESC [ Ps X

Erase Ps Character(s) [default: 1] (ECH)

ESC [ Ps Z

Move backward Ps [default: 1] tab stops

ESC [ Ps '

== ESC [ Ps G

ESC [ Ps a

== ESC [ Ps C

ESC [ Ps c

Send Device Attributes (DA)
Ps = 0 (or omitted) : request attributes from terminal
returns: ESC[?1;2c (``I am a VT100 with Advanced Video Option'')

ESC [ Ps d

Cursor to Line Ps (VPA)

ESC [ Ps e

== ESC [ Ps A

ESC [ Ps;Ps f

Horizontal and Vertical Position [row;column] (HVP)
[default: 1;1]

ESC [ Ps g

Tab Clear (TBC)
Ps = 0 : Clear Current Column (default)
Ps = 3 : Clear All (TBC)

ESC [ Ps i

Printing
Ps = 4 : disable transparent print mode (MC4)
Ps = 5 : enable transparent print mode (MC5) unimplemented

ESC [ Pm h
ESC [ Pm l

Set Mode (SM)
Reset Mode (RM)

Ps = 4

h : Insert Mode (SMIR)
l : Replace Mode (RMIR)

Ps = 20 unimplemented

h : Automatic Newline (LNM)
l : Normal Linefeed (LNM)

ESC [ Pm m

Character Attributes (SGR)
Ps = 0 : Normal (default)
Ps = 1 / 22 : On / Off Bold (bright fg)
Ps = 4 / 24 : On / Off Underline
Ps = 5 / 25 : On / Off Blink (bright bg)
Ps = 7 / 27 : On / Off Inverse
Ps = 30 / 40 : fg / bg Black
Ps = 31 / 41 : fg / bg Red
Ps = 32 / 42 : fg / bg Green
Ps = 33 / 43 : fg / bg Yellow
Ps = 34 / 44 : fg / bg Blue
Ps = 35 / 45 : fg / bg Magenta
Ps = 36 / 46 : fg / bg Cyan
Ps = 37 / 47 : fg / bg White
Ps = 39 / 49 : fg / bg Default

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
Ps = 7 : Request Display Name
Ps = 8 : Request Version Number (place in window title)

ESC [ Ps;Ps r

Set Scrolling Region [top;bottom]
[default: full size of window] (CSR)

ESC [ Ps x

Request Terminal Parameters (DECREQTPARM)

DEC Private Modes

ESC [ ? Pm h

DEC Private Mode Set (DECSET)

ESC [ ? Pm l

DEC Private Mode Reset (DECRST)

ESC [ ? Pm r

Restore previously saved DEC Private Mode Values.

ESC [ ? Pm s

Save DEC Private Mode Values.

ESC [ ? Pm t

Toggle DEC Private Mode Values (rxvt extension).

where

Ps = 1 (DECCKM)

h : Application Cursor Keys
l : Normal Cursor Keys

Ps = 2 unimplemented

h : Designate USASCII for character sets G0-G3.

Ps = 3

h : 132 Column Mode (DECCOLM)
l : 80 Column Mode (DECCOLM)

Ps = 4 unimplemented

h : Smooth (Slow) Scroll (DECSCLM)
l : Jump (Fast) Scroll (DECSCLM)

Ps = 5

h : Reverse Video (DECSCNM)
l : Normal Video (DECSCNM)

Ps = 6

h : Origin Mode (DECOM)
l : Normal Cursor Mode (DECOM)

Ps = 7

h : Wraparound Mode (DECAWM)
l : No Wraparound Mode (DECAWM)

Ps = 8 unimplemented

h : Auto-repeat Keys (DECARM)
l : No Auto-repeat Keys (DECARM)

Ps = 9 (X10 XTerm mouse reporting)

h : Send Mouse X & Y on button press.
l : No mouse reporting.

Ps = 10 (rxvt)

h : menuBar visisble
l : menuBar invisisble

Ps = 25

h : Visible cursor {cnorm/cvvis}
l : Invisible cursor {civis}

Ps = 30 (rxvt)

h : scrollBar visisble
l : scrollBar invisisble

Ps = 35 (rxvt)

h : Allow XTerm Shift+key sequences
l : Disallow XTerm Shift+key sequences

Ps = 38 : Enter Tektronix Mode (DECTEK) unimplemented

Ps = 40

h : Allow 80/132 Mode
l : Disallow 80/132 Mode

Ps = 44 unimplemented

h : Turn On Margin Bell
l : Turn Off Margin Bell

Ps = 45 unimplemented

h : Reverse-wraparound Mode
l : No Reverse-wraparound Mode

Ps = 46 unimplemented

Ps = 47

h : Use Alternate Screen Buffer
l : Use Normal Screen Buffer

Ps = 66

h : Application Keypad (DECPAM) == ESC =
l : Normal Keypad (DECPNM) == ESC >

Ps = 67

h : Backspace key sends BS (DECBKM)
l : Backspace key sends DEL

Ps = 1000 (X11 XTerm mouse reporting)

h : Send Mouse X & Y on button press and release.
l : No mouse reporting.

Ps = 1001 (X11 XTerm mouse Tracking) unimplemented

h : Use Hilite Mouse Tracking.
l : No mouse reporting.

XTerm Escape Sequences

ESC ] Ps;Pt BEL

Set XTerm 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 = 10

menuBar command Pt (rxvt compile-time option)

Ps = 20

Change default background pixmap to Pt (rxvt compile-time option)

Ps = 39

Change default foreground color to Pt (rxvt compile-time option)

Ps = 46

Change Log File to Pt(normally disabled by a compile-time option) unimplemented

Ps = 49

Change default background color to Pt (rxvt compile-time option)

Ps = 50

Set Font to Pt, with the following special values of Pt (rxvt)
#+n : change up n font(s)
#-n : change down n font(s)

if n is missing or 0, a value of 1 is used

empty : change to font0
#n : change to fontn

menuBar

The exact syntax used is almost solidified.
In the menus, DON'T try to use menuBar commands that add or remove a menuBar.

Note that in all of the commands, the /path/ cannot be omitted: use ./ to specify a menu relative to the current menu.

Overview of menuBar operation

• Commands
• Adding and accessing menus
• Removing menus
• Quick Arrows
• Command Summary

The first step is to use the tag [menu:name] which creates the menuBar called name and allows access. You may now add or remove menus, subMenus, and menuItems. Finally, use the tag [done] to set the menuBar access as readonly to prevent accidental corruption of the menus. To re-access the current menuBar for alterations, use the tag [menu], make the alterations and then use [done]

Commands

[menu:name]

access the named menuBar for creation or alteration. If a new menuBar is created, it is called name (max of 15 chars) and the current menuBar is pushed onto the stack

[menu]

access the current menuBar for alteration

[title:string]

set the current menuBar's title to string, which may contain the following format specifiers:
%% : literal % character
%n : rxvt name (as per the -name command-line option)
%v : rxvt version

[done]

set menuBar access as readonly.
End-of-file tag for [read:file] operations.

[read:file]

read menu commands directly from file (extension ".menu" will be appended if required). Start reading at a line with [menu] or [menu:name] and continuing until [done] is encountered.
Blank and comment lines (starting with #) are ignored. Actually, since any invalid menu commands are also ignored, almost anything could be construed as a comment line, but this may be tightened up in the future ... so don't count on it!.

[read:file;name]

The same as [read:file], but start reading at a line with [menu:name] and continuing until [done:name] or [done] is encountered.

[dump]

dump all menuBars to the file /tmp/rxvt-PID in a format suitable for later rereading.

[rm:name]
[rm] [rm:]
[rm*] [rm:*]

remove the named menuBar
remove the current menuBar
remove all menuBars

[swap]

swap the top two menuBars

[prev]
[next]

access the previous or next menuBar

[show]
[hide]

control display of the menuBar ... just like ESC[?10 h/l

[pixmap:name]
[pixmap:name;scaling]

set the background pixmap globally ... just like ESC]20; Pt BEL
A Future implementation may make this local to the menubar

[:command:]

ignore the menu readonly status and issue a command to Add/Modify or Remove a menu or menuitem or change the Quick Arrows; a useful shortcut for setting the quick arrows from a menuBar.

Adding and accessing menus

/
./
../
../../

access menuBar top level
access current menu level
access parent menu (1 level up)
access parent menu (multiple levels up)

/path/menu

add/access menu

/path/menu/*

add/access menu and clear it if it exists

/path/{-}

add separator

/path/{item}

add item as a label

/path/{item} action

add/alter menuitem with an associated action

/path/{item}{right-text}

add/alter menuitem with right-text as the right-justified text and as the associated action

/path/{item}{rtext} action

add/alter menuitem with an associated action and with rtext as the right-justified text.

Special characters in action must be backslash-escaped:

\a \b \E \e \n \r \t \octal

or in control-character notation:

^@, ^A .. ^Z .. ^_, ^?

As a convenience for the many Emacs-type editors, action may start with M- (eg, M-$ is equivalent to \E$) and a CR will be appended if missed from M-x commands. As a convenience for issuing XTerm ESC] sequences from a menubar (or quick arrow), a BEL (^G) will be appended if needed.

For example,

M-xapropos

is equivalent to

\Exapropos\r

and

\E]10;mona;100

is equivalent to

\E]10;mona;100\a

The option {right-rtext} will be right-justified. In the absence of a specified action, this text will be used as the action as well.

For example,

/File/{Open}{^X^F}

is equivalent to

/File/{Open){^X^F} ^X^F

For example,

/File/{Open}{Open} Open-File-Action

or hiding it

/File/{.anylabel}{Open} Open-File-Action

Removing menus

-/*
-/path/menu
-/path/{item}
-/path/{-}

remove all menus from the menuBar, the same as [clear]
remove menu
remove item
remove separator

-/path/menu/*

remove all items, separators and submenus from menu

Quick Arrows

<r>Right
<l>Left
<u>Up
<d>Down

Define actions for the respective arrow buttons

<b>Begin
<e>End

Define common beginning/end parts for quick arrows when used in conjunction with the above <r> <l> <u> <d> constructs

For example, define arrows individually,

<u>\E[A
<d>\E[B
<r>\E[C
<l>\E[D

or all at once

<u>\E[A<d>\E[B<r>\E[C<l>\E[D

or more compactly (factoring out common parts)

<b>\E[<u>A<d>B<r>C<l>D

Command Summary

[menu:name]

use an existing named menuBar or start a new one

[menu]

use the current menuBar

[title:string]

set menuBar title

[done]

set menu access to readonly and, if reading from a file, signal EOF

[done:name]

if reading from a file using [read:file;name] signal EOF

[rm:name]
[rm] [rm:]
[rm*] [rm:*]

remove named, current, or all menuBar(s)

[swap]

swap top two menuBars

[prev]
[next]

access the previous/next menuBar

[show]
[hide]

map/unmap menuBar

[pixmap;file]
[pixmap;file;scaling]

set a background pixmap

[read:file]
[read:file;name]

read in a menu from a file

[dump]

dump out all menuBars to /tmp/rxvt-PID

/

access menuBar top level

./
../
../../

access current or parent menu level

/path/menu

add/access menu

/path/{-}

add separator

/path/{item}{rtext} action

add/alter menu item
({rtext} and/or action, may be omitted)

-/*

remove all menus from the menuBar

-/path/menu

remove menu items, separators and submenus from menu

-/path/menu

remove menu

-/path/{item}

remove item

-/path/{-}

remove separator

<b>Begin<r>Right<l>Left<u>Up<d>Down<e>End

menu quick arrows

XPM

For the XPM XTerm escape sequence ESC ] 20; Pt BEL then value of Pt can be the name of the background pixmap followed by a sequence of scaling/positioning commands separated by semi-colons. The scaling/positioning commands are as follows:

query scale/position

?

change scale and position

WxH+X+Y
WxH+X (== WxH+X+X)
WxH (same as WxH+50+50)
W+X+Y (same as WxW+X+Y)
W+X (same as WxW+X+X)
W (same as WxW+50+50)

change position (absolute)

=+X+Y
=+X (same as =+X+Y)

change position (relative)

+X+Y
+X (same as +X+Y)

rescale (relative)

Wx0 -> W *= (W/100)
0xH -> H *= (H/100)

For example:

\E]20;funky\a

load funky.xpm as a tiled image

\E]20;mona;100\a

load mona.xpm with a scaling of 100%

\E]20;;200;?\a

rescale the current pixmap to 200% and display the image geometry in the title

Mouse Reporting

ESC [ M <b> <x> <y>

report mouse position

The lower 2 bits of <b> indicate the button:

Button = <b> & 3 - SPACE

0 = Button1 pressed
1 = Button2 pressed
2 = Button3 pressed
3 = button released (X11 mouse report)

State = <b> & 28 - SPACE

4 = Shift
8 = Meta
16 = Control
Col = <x> - SPACE
Row = <y> - SPACE

Special Graphics Mode

ESC G Q

query if graphics are available
returns: ESC G 0 no graphics available
returns: ESC G 1 graphics available (color only)

ESC G W <x>;<y>;<w>;<h>:

create window

ESC G C <id>

clear window

ESC G G <id>:

query window
returns: ESC G <id> <x> <y> <w> <h> <fw> <fh> <nw> <nh>

ESC G L <id>
ESC G P <id>
ESC G F <id>

start point
start line
start fill

;<x>;<y>

extend point/line/fill

ESC G T <id>;<x>;<y>;<mode>;<len>:<text>

place text

Key Codes

Note: Shift + F1-F10 generates F11-F20

For the keypad, use Shift to temporarily override Application-Keypad setting use Num_Lock to toggle Application-Keypad setting if Num_Lock is off, escape sequences toggle Application-Keypad setting. Also note that values of Home, End, Delete may have been compiled differently on your system.

	Normal	Shift	Control	Ctrl+Shift
Tab	^I	ESC [ Z	^I	ESC [ Z
BackSpace	^H	^?	^?	^?
Find	ESC [ 1 ~	ESC [ 1 $	ESC [ 1 ^	ESC [ 1 @
Insert	ESC [ 2 ~	paste	ESC [ 2 ^	ESC [ 2 @
Execute	ESC [ 3 ~	ESC [ 3 $	ESC [ 3 ^	ESC [ 3 @
Select	ESC [ 4 ~	ESC [ 4 $	ESC [ 4 ^	ESC [ 4 @
Prior	ESC [ 5 ~	scroll-up	ESC [ 5 ^	ESC [ 5 @
Next	ESC [ 6 ~	scroll-down	ESC [ 6 ^	ESC [ 6 @
Home	ESC [ 7 ~	ESC [ 7 $	ESC [ 7 ^	ESC [ 7 @
End	ESC [ 8 ~	ESC [ 8 $	ESC [ 8 ^	ESC [ 8 @
Delete	ESC [ 3 ~	ESC [ 3 $	ESC [ 3 ^	ESC [ 3 @
F1	ESC [ 11 ~	ESC [ 23 ~	ESC [ 11 ^	ESC [ 23 ^
F2	ESC [ 12 ~	ESC [ 24 ~	ESC [ 12 ^	ESC [ 24 ^
F3	ESC [ 13 ~	ESC [ 25 ~	ESC [ 13 ^	ESC [ 25 ^
F4	ESC [ 14 ~	ESC [ 26 ~	ESC [ 14 ^	ESC [ 26 ^
F5	ESC [ 15 ~	ESC [ 28 ~	ESC [ 15 ^	ESC [ 28 ^
F6	ESC [ 17 ~	ESC [ 29 ~	ESC [ 17 ^	ESC [ 29 ^
F7	ESC [ 18 ~	ESC [ 31 ~	ESC [ 18 ^	ESC [ 31 ^
F8	ESC [ 19 ~	ESC [ 32 ~	ESC [ 19 ^	ESC [ 32 ^
F9	ESC [ 20 ~	ESC [ 33 ~	ESC [ 20 ^	ESC [ 33 ^
F10	ESC [ 21 ~	ESC [ 34 ~	ESC [ 21 ^	ESC [ 34 ^
F11	ESC [ 23 ~	ESC [ 23 $	ESC [ 23 ^	ESC [ 23 @
F12	ESC [ 24 ~	ESC [ 24 $	ESC [ 24 ^	ESC [ 24 @
F13	ESC [ 25 ~	ESC [ 25 $	ESC [ 25 ^	ESC [ 25 @
F14	ESC [ 26 ~	ESC [ 26 $	ESC [ 26 ^	ESC [ 26 @
F15 (Help)	ESC [ 28 ~	ESC [ 28 $	ESC [ 28 ^	ESC [ 28 @
F16 (Menu)	ESC [ 29 ~	ESC [ 29 $	ESC [ 29 ^	ESC [ 29 @
F17	ESC [ 31 ~	ESC [ 31 $	ESC [ 31 ^	ESC [ 31 @
F18	ESC [ 32 ~	ESC [ 32 $	ESC [ 32 ^	ESC [ 32 @
F19	ESC [ 33 ~	ESC [ 33 $	ESC [ 33 ^	ESC [ 33 @
F20	ESC [ 34 ~	ESC [ 34 $	ESC [ 34 ^	ESC [ 34 @
				Application
Up	ESC [ A	ESC [ a	ESC O a	ESC O A
Down	ESC [ B	ESC [ b	ESC O b	ESC O B
Right	ESC [ C	ESC [ c	ESC O c	ESC O C
Left	ESC [ D	ESC [ d	ESC O d	ESC O D
KP_Enter	^M			ESC O M
KP_F1	ESC O P			ESC O P
KP_F2	ESC O Q			ESC O Q
KP_F3	ESC O R			ESC O R
KP_F4	ESC O S			ESC O S
XK_KP_Multiply	*			ESC O j
XK_KP_Add	+			ESC O k
XK_KP_Separator	,			ESC O l
XK_KP_Subtract	-			ESC O m
XK_KP_Decimal	.			ESC O n
XK_KP_Divide	/			ESC O o
XK_KP_0	0			ESC O p
XK_KP_1	1			ESC O q
XK_KP_2	2			ESC O r
XK_KP_3	3			ESC O s
XK_KP_4	4			ESC O t
XK_KP_5	5			ESC O u
XK_KP_6	6			ESC O v
XK_KP_7	7			ESC O w
XK_KP_8	8			ESC O x
XK_KP_9	9			ESC O y