The terminfo compiler, mftic, translates a terminfo source file from the source format to the compiled format, that is placed in a terminfo database. See Search Sequence for details of how this database is located.
mftic is compatible with tic. By default, mftic produces terminfo binaries in a Micro Focus generic format. It can also produce terminfo binaries in the same format as the system format.
mftic supports the concept of use= links, as tic does. When it encounters a use=name entry in a source file, mftic tries to augment the current terminal description with the description of the terminal name. mftic first searches for name in the current source file and if not found it searches the compiled terminfo database. If name is still not found then mftic reports an error and stops. mftic recursively follows use= links if necessary.
The command line to invoke mftic is:
mftic [-vn] [-c] [-m] [-S] filename
| -vn | Specifies whether or not the compiler gives verbose messages. The value of n is one of: 0 - suppress all messages 1 - give verbose messages |
| -c | Prevents the creation of terminfo binaries. When this option is used, mftic only checks the input source file for errors (it does not check use= links for errors). |
| -m | Produces terminfo binaries in Micro Focus format rather than in the UNIX vendor-specific format. These formats are described in the section The Portable Terminfo Utilities mftic and mfinfocmp. This is the default. |
| -S | Treats the input binary as UNIX vendor-specific format rather than in the Micro Focus format. |
| filename | The name of the terminfo source file to be compiled. |