INSTALL

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Date : 2025-11-01 10:12:34
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Message : Update to xterm 403. Tested by kirill@ jsg@ op@

app/xterm/INSTALL

-- $XTermId: INSTALL,v 1.197 2025/09/01 00:22:09 tom Exp $
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-- Copyright 1997-2024,2025 by Thomas E. Dickey
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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Xterm was originally built as part of the X Window System source tree, using
imake to generate a Makefile from Imakefile.

An example Imakefile is provided for legacy use (with xmkmf).

The preferred method uses the configure script to generate a Makefile from
Makefile.in

Options:
-------

Autoconf configure scripts recognize two types of application-defined
options, enable/disable and with/without. The latter, by convention, are
used for denoting inclusion of external packages, while the former denote
enabling/disabling of internal features. The configure --help option lists
the available options. This script uses "enable" and "disable" to indicate
the sense of the default behavior.

The options (in alphabetic order):

--disable-256-color disable 256-color support

Do not compile-in code that interprets SGR 38 and 48 for 256-colors.
If this feature is disabled, the 88-color feature will be used.

--disable-88-color disable 88-color support

Do not compile-in code that interprets SGR 38 and 48 for 88-colors.
The 256-color option overrides this.

--disable-16-color disable 16-color support

Do not compile-in code to recognize aixterm-style control sequences
that support color values 8-15.

Most color applications know only about 8 ANSI colors, but some
(e.g., ones built with ncurses) do.

--disable-active-icon disable X11R6.3 active-icon feature

Do not compile-in code to support the active-icon feature. This is
not configured on systems (e.g., X11R5) which lack the library
support needed.

Xterms with an active icon continue to respond to input and update
their display when iconified. Not all window managers support
active icons. Those that do include fvwm, olvwm and mwm.

--disable-ansi-color disable ANSI color

Do not compile-in code for ANSI colors.

--disable-blink-cursor disable support for blinking cursor

Do not compile-in code that implements a blinking cursor. The blinking
cursor is enabled either by resource setting or by popup menu entry.

--disable-bold-color disable PC-style mapping of bold colors

Do not compile-in code that maps colors 8-15 to bold versions of
colors 0-7.

Some applications have hardcoded logic that assumes this. It does
not interfere with the 16-color support.

--disable-boxchars disable fallback-support for box chars

Do not compile-in code to generate approximations for box/graphic
characters.

Most fonts do not contain the vt100-style graphic characters in
positions 0-31. Many applications use the line-drawing characters,
e.g., to make boxes. When xterm loads a font, it checks if those
characters are present, and draws its own if they are missing.

--disable-broken-st disallow broken string-terminators,

Do not compile-in code that works around a bug in some ISDN routers
(and possibly other applications written by the same people): they
send an unterminated control string in their banner text, making xterm
freeze.

The workaround tells xterm to stop processing the control string when
it receives one of the whitespace control characters such as newline.
That was the behavior before patch #171.

See also --enable-broken-osc

--disable-c1-print disallow -k8 option for printable 128-159,

Use this option to suppress support for nonstandard use of codes
128-159, which normally are considered control characters. Some users
have fonts which use those positions. The default value for the
allowC1Printable resource is false, so this feature does not impact
normal users.

--disable-color-class disable color class resources

Use this option to change most of the color resources to use Foreground
as the color class. This is the older (before patch #157) behavior
which has the drawback that setting the Foreground resource on most
platforms prevents use of color since the class is evaluated before
the instance.

--disable-color-mode disable default colorMode resource

Do not compile-in code that sets the default value of the colorMode
resource to ``true''.

--disable-desktop disable install of xterm desktop files

Do not install the xterm desktop files, used in menus.
These use the icons installed in the --with-icondir option.
Use the environment variable $DESKTOP_FLAGS to supply options
required by desktop-file-install.

Note: If desktop-utils is not found they will not be installed anyway.

--disable-direct-color disable direct color support

Do not compile-in code that interprets SGR 38 and 48 for direct colors.
This feature extends the 256-color feature.

--disable-doublechars disable support for double-size chars

Do not compile-in code that supports font-manipulation needed to
implement vt100-style double-sized characters.

--disable-echo test: display "compiling" commands

Modify the generated Makefile so that most compiler options are
not shown. This makes it simpler to read a build log and see the
actual warning messages.

--disable-exec-selection disable "exec-formatted" and "exec-selection" actions

Do not compile-in code for the "exec-formatted" and "exec-selection"
actions, which allow the user to run programs to process the results
of selecting text.

--disable-fifo-lines enable FIFO-storage for saved-lines

(this option is deprecrated)

--disable-freetype disable freetype library-support

Do not use freetype libraries if they are found. Normally they will
be used automatically.

--disable-full-tgetent disable check for termcap library

Do not look for the tgetent() function specifically in the termcap
library, accept the first library (from termlib, ncurses and curses)
which contains this function rather than continuing to search for
a termcap implementation rather than terminfo. The former would
supply the complete $TERMCAP data needed for some legacy programs.

--disable-highlighting disable support for color highlighting

Do not compile-in code that allows the selected region to be a
different color than the reverse of foreground/background colors.

See the discussion of highlightColor in the manual.

--disable-i18n disable internationalization

Do not compile-in code to handle multi-byte characters. This is
related to, but not identical with the input method logic.

--disable-initial-erase disable setup for stty erase

Do not compile-in code which aligns the stty erase and the backarrow
key. When compiled-in, xterm will optionally use the pty's sense
of stty erase and apply that to the backarrow mode (sending 8 or 127),
or go the other way, setting stty erase to match xterm's configuration.

--disable-input-method disable input-method

Do not compile-in code for "input method". This is an X11R6
feature which deals with translation of composite characters.

Some users report problems with their configuration, e.g., messages
stating that there is no input method defined for the given preedit
type. If you do not need input method (and are troubled by the
warning messages), it is safe to disable this option.

--disable-leaks test: free permanent memory, analyze leaks

Compile-in code which frees memory which might confuse a leak-testing
tool. Normally these chunks of memory are retained as long as xterm
is running.

--disable-luit disable support for luit filter (Unicode translation)

Luit is a filter that can be run between an arbitrary application and a
UTF-8 terminal emulator. It will convert application output from the
locale's encoding into UTF-8, and convert terminal input from UTF-8
into the locale's encoding.

This is normally enabled, relying upon "--enable-wide-chars".

--disable-maximize disable actions for iconify/deiconify/maximize/restore

Do not compile-in code that implements runtime 'actions' for
iconifying, maximizing, etc.

Most users will find that the window manager is more suitable for
this sort of manipulation than putting the capabilities into xterm.

--disable-num-lock disable NumLock keypad support

Do not compile-in code that looks for the actual NumLock key to
support vt100/vt220 keypad translation.

This is used in xterm to simplify logic, and to workaround some
quirks of the keyboard tables. Use the ``numLock'' resource to
disable this feature if you must customize xterm in some other way.

(The same ifdef controls the metaSendsEscape support).

--disable-openpty disable openpty, prefer other interfaces

Do not check for, or use openpty(). Instead, use other interfaces such
as posix_openpt(). Modern (sic) BSD systems should have a workable
openpty() interface. Older systems may not.

--disable-paste64 disable support for bracketed paste mode

Do not compile-in code to support bracketed paste mode, along with
functions for setting/getting the selection data, termed "paste64".

(see ctlseqs.ms description of OSC 52, and DECSET 2004).

--disable-print-graphics disable screen dump to sixel support

Do not compile-in code to support screen-dumps for ReGIS graphics.

--disable-pty-handshake disable support for pty handshakes

This feature is used to ensure that the child process's terminal modes
match the parent's. In particular, it addresses a problem where the
terminal size is not defined in the stty settings.

--disable-rectangles disable VT420 rectangle support

Do not compile-in code to support VT420 rectangle control-sequences.

--disable-regex disable regular-expression selections

Do not compile-in code to support the "regex" option for multiple
mouse clicks.

--disable-rightbar disable right-scrollbar support

Do not compile-in code that supports a scrollbar on the right.

Left/right scrollbars are a matter of taste. Some older libraries
(e.g., X11R5) do not perform the geometry computation correctly,
leaving the right scrollbar incorrectly positioned after changing
the font size.

--disable-readline-mouse enable support for mouse in readline applications

Do not compile-in code to support readline with mouse.

(The "paste64" feature, which fits xterm's protocol better, is
configured by default).

--disable-rpath-hack don't add rpath options for additional libraries

By default, the configure script looks for libraries in unusual places
and adds an rpath linker option to help.

--disable-samename disable check for redundant name-change

Do not compile-in code that suppresses redundant updates to the
titlebar when the text has not changed.

--disable-screen-dumps disable XHTML and SVG screen dumps

Do not compile-in code that provides XHTML and SVG screen dumps.

--disable-selection-ops disable selection operations

Do not compile-in code to support the actions which allow users
to bind keys that use the selection or extract data from the screen.

--disable-session-mgt enable support for session management

Do not compile-in code which adds simple session management hooks
which are used when closing an xterm. Normally the code is
compiled-in, except for systems which do not support it.

--disable-setgid disable setgid

Do not install xterm using setuid/setgid permissions. Drop setgid
permissions on startup.

--disable-setuid disable setuid

Do not install xterm using setuid/setgid permissions. Drop setuid
permissions on startup.

--disable-sixel-graphics disable support for sixel-graphics

Do not compile-in code to support sixel-graphics

--disable-sun-fkeys

Do not compile-in code to support Sun-style function keys.

--disable-tcap-fkeys disable termcap function-keys

Do not compile-in code to support feature which allows xterm to use the
function-key definitions from the termcap/terminfo entry which it used
to set the $TERM variable on startup.

--disable-tcap-query disable termcap query/report

Do not compile-in code to support DCS '+' control sequence, which
allows an application to ask xterm what control sequences it would
transmit for specified function keys, given the termcap or terminfo
names.

--disable-tek4014 disable tek4014 emulation

Do not compile-in code to support Tektronix 4014 emulation.

This reduces the executable size by 17% (checked 1999/3/13).

Some people use the Tektronix emulation (which has been in xterm
for many years) as an example of code bloat, though this is not an
accurate impression.

--disable-vt52 disable VT52 emulation

Do not compile-in code to support vt52 emulation.

A genuine vt100 emulates a vt52.

--disable-wide-attrs disable wide-attribute support

Xterm's base attributes include all of those used in DEC terminals.
ISO 6429 defines a few more which historically have found little use.
Some people find these amusing.

This is normally enabled. The direct-colors feature relies upon it.

--disable-wide-chars disable wide-character support

The wide-character code supports Unicode and UTF-8.

This is normally enabled.

--disable-xcursor disable cursorTheme resource

Do not compile-in code that sets the XCURSOR_THEME environment variable
to enable/disable cursor themes.

--disable-ziconbeep disable -ziconbeep option

Do not compile-in code that modifies the icon's title and sounds a
beep when they receive output.

--enable-16bit-chars enable 16-bit characters support

Enable wide-character support, but store only 16-bits for each wide
character. Unicode values can be larger than 16-bits, up to 21-bits.
This uses less memory, but is less complete. However, most languages
are covered by the 16-bit encoding.

--enable-alt-sends-esc set default altSendsEscape resource (default: no)

This sets the default resource value, which is shown in the manpage.

--enable-backarrow-key set default backarrowKey resource (default: true)

This sets the default resource value, which is shown in the manpage.

--enable-backarrow-is-erase set default backarrowKeyIsErase resource (default: false)

This sets the default resource value, which is shown in the manpage.

--enable-block-select allow block-selections

Compile-in code to support block selections, which are normally bound
to meta-button1.

--enable-broken-osc allow broken Linux OSC-strings

Compile-in code to accommodate scripts that write Linux's malformed
palette control strings without checking. The result makes xterm
appear to freeze. This workaround makes xterm ignore the strings,
and is compiled-in by default for Linux.

--enable-builtin-xpms compile-in icon data

Compile-in X pixmap data for these icons:
filled-xterm
mini.xterm
xterm-color
xterm
at these sizes
16x16
32x32
48x48

--enable-dabbrev enable dynamic-abbreviation support

Compile-in support for "dabbrev-expand()" action and related key
translation.

--enable-dec-locator enable DECterm Locator support
Add support for DEC Locator control sequences for xterm:

DECEFR - Enable Filter Rectangle
DECELR - Enable Locator Reports
DECSLE - Select Locator Events
DECRQLP - Request Locator Position

This allows the xterm mouse to be used with applications that use the
DEC Locator sequences, such as VAX Tpu, or SMG$ based applications.

--enable-delete-is-del set default deleteIsDEL resource (default: maybe)

This sets the default resource value, which is shown in the manpage.

--enable-double-buffer enable double-buffering

Set the initial value of the "buffered" resource, which tells
xterm to use double-buffering for display to reduce flicker.

--enable-env-terminfo setenv $TERMINFO if --with-own-terminfo gives value

Use the custom terminfo directory specified in "--with-own-terminfo"
as the $TERMINFO variable for the shells spawned by xterm. Setting
this variable makes most curses (and termcap) applications look in
that directory for terminal descriptions.

--enable-exec-xterm enable "spawn-new-terminal" action

If your platform supports the process filesystem "cwd" link,
compile-in support for the "spawn-new-terminal" action, which
allows you to define a key translation that runs a new xterm
using the same working directory as the current process within
xterm.

--enable-hp-fkeys enable support for HP-style function keys

Compile-in code to support HP-style function keys.

--enable-imake enable use of imake for definitions

Attempt to use imake to determine compiler options.

The main.c file has many ifdef's which rely on obscure combinations
known only to imake. The configure script implements only a
portion of the tests needed to supplant imake.

--enable-load-vt-fonts enable load-vt-fonts() action

Compile-in code that allows user to define load different VT-font
definitions at runtime.

--enable-logfile-exec enable exec'd logfile filter

Compile-in code that allows logging piped via an external filter.

--enable-logging enable logging

Compile-in code that allows logging.

Logging was disabled in X11R5 xterm because of security problems.
They were addressed in X11R6, but the feature was not reinstated
because of concerns (long past) about xterm running as root-setuid.

--enable-meta-sends-esc set default metaSendsEscape resource (default: no)

This sets the default resource value, which is shown in the manpage.

--enable-mini-luit enable support for poor man's luit filter (Latin-9)

Provide built-in support for Latin-9, relying on having specified
Unicode (ISO10646) fonts and setting the locale resource to "checkfont".

This sets "--enable-luit" as a side-effect.

--enable-narrowproto enable narrow prototypes for X libraries

Originally xterm was built using imake rather than a configure script.
One feature of imake that is not possible to guess within the
configure script is the wide-prototype compile-time definition
NARROWPROTO. When this is not set properly, the Athena widget
scrollbars do not work properly. xterm's configure script has a
fallback case which allows disabling imake. However, this is moot
with the X.org "modular" build, whose compiler options are unrelated to
imake or older versions of any libraries that it may distribute. In
this case, the configure script needs some help. Use this option to
enable or disable NARROW proto (and do not enable imake with the
--enable-imake option) to match the whims of X.org hackers.

For instance

configure --disable-narrowproto

--enable-pty-erase set default ptyInitialErase resource (default: false)

This sets the default resource value, which is shown in the manpage.

--enable-regis-graphics enable support for ReGIS graphics

Compile-in code to support experimental ReGIS graphics

--enable-sco-fkeys enable support for SCO-style function keys

Compile-in code to support SCO-style function keys.

--enable-status-line enable support for status-line

Compile-in code to enable VT220-VT525 support for status-line.

--enable-stdnoreturn enable C11 _Noreturn feature for diagnostics

Use the C11 _Noreturn keyword if the compiler supports it, rather
than the gcc-specific __attribute__((noreturn)).

--enable-toolbar enable pulldown menus on toolbar

Compile-in code that builds a toolbar with pulldown menus. The
normal popup menus are still available.

This is an experimental option. As of patch #206, it is known to
work well with fvwm, but not as well with some other window managers,
e.g., KDE's Kwin and IceWM.

In addition to isolated layout problems, it is reported that some
flavors of the Athena widget library perform badly with ISO-10646
fonts. You can work around those by setting the menu fonts to
an ISO-8859 variant in your X resources.

--enable-trace test: set to enable debugging traces

Compile-in code to trace xterm's internal states.

This is a debugging feature. It causes xterm to produce two files
(Trace-parent.out and Trace-child.out).

--enable-warnings test: turn on GCC compiler warnings

Modify the generate Makefile to turn on gcc compiler warnings.

I use this option regularly, and correct all but a few (difficult)
problems.

--enable-xmc-glitch test: enable xmc magic-cookie emulation

Compile-in code that simulates the terminfo "magic cookie" glitch.

This is for testing ncurses.

--with-Xaw3d link with Xaw 3d library

Look for, compile and link with the Xaw 3d widget library.

--with-Xaw3dxft link with Xaw 3d xft library

Look for, compile and link with the Xaw 3d xft widget library.

--with-XawPlus link with Athena-Plus library

Look for, compile and link with the Xaw Plus widget library.

--with-app-class=XXX X resource class (default: XTerm)

Rename the X resource class, e.g., for packaging a development version
of xterm with different result names.

--with-app-defaults=DIR directory in which to install resource files (default: EPREFIX/lib/X11/app-defaults)

autoconf scripts assume that all of the files should be installed
under the same top-level directory. But X applications defaults
must be installed into a special directory, e.g.,

/usr/X11/lib/app-defaults

However, there is no standard for this pathname. The manual page
for X notes that the environment variable $XUSERFILESEARCHPATH can
specify a list of places where X searches for applications defaults.
Also, it may look in $XAPPLRESDIR, but that usually is not related
to where xterm might be installed. To keep it simple, the configure
script uses

EPREFIX/lib/X11/app-defaults

as the default (EPREFIX is --prefix). That makes it work normally
for most systems if --prefix is /usr. For other installs, e.g., to
/usr/local, you should use this option to customize the location to
match your system configuration.

Use --with-app-defaults=auto to ask the configure script to look in
a list of well-known locations for an existing directory.

Use --without-app-defaults or --with-app-defaults=no to disable the
feature.

--with-dmalloc test: use Gray Watson's dmalloc library

Check for and link with dmalloc.

--with-dbmalloc test: use Conor Cahill's dbmalloc library

Check for and link with dbmalloc.

--with-desktop-category=XXX one or more desktop categories or auto
This is a list of names. The configure script maps blanks and commas
to semicolons (";") which are used by the desktop utilities as a
separator.

The default value "auto" tells the configure script to look
at existing ".desktop" files for xterm and common terminal
emulators, to use those. If none are found, the script uses this
default:
System;TerminalEmulator;

--with-freetype-config configure script to use for FreeType

Use a specific option value to tell the configure script to try
just one of the variations:

"pkg*", e.g., pkg-config or pkgconfig uses whatever pkg-config
script was found.

otherwise, the parameter value is used as the name of the script
to try, using --cflags and --libs options.

Use --without-freetype-config to enable the --with-freetype-cflags
and --with-freetype-libs options.

The default value "auto" tells the configure script to try the
pkg-config script first, then freetype-config and finally xft-config.

--with-freetype-cflags -D/-I options for compiling with FreeType library

Override options provided by xft-config or freetype-config.

--with-freetype-libs -L/-l options for linking with FreeType library

Override options provided by xft-config or freetype-config.

--with-icon-name[=NAME] override icon name (default: xterm-color)

xterm comes with a choice of icons:

xterm-color: depicts a conventional terminal image, and is the default
icon used for icon-themes.

mini.xterm: a more iconic choice which is readily identifiable at
small sizes. This is used for window decoration, e.g., the
icon at the upper left corner in many window managers.

--with-icon-symlink[=NAME] create symbolic links to icon name (default: NONE)

This is a workaround for certain systems which translate icon names
containing "xterm", e.g., "xterm-color" into the single icon "xterm".
The option should also be harmless on a properly configured system.

If the option is used, its default value is "xterm". For each icon,
the makefile will strip the suffix (e.g., ".png"), as well as the part
of the filename which denotes the size (e.g., "_32x32" in an xpm file),
and constructs a link with that name to the icon.

If the option is unused, its default value is "NONE" (no link is made).

--with-icondir=DIR directory in which to install icon files (default: no)

The X libraries may automatically search these locations:

$HOME/.icons
$XDG_DATA_DIRS/icons
/usr/share/pixmaps

Alternatively, the last may be actually
/usr/X11R6/share/pixmaps

Use --with-icondir=auto to tell the configure script to search for
an existing directory from its list of well-known system locations.

See also
http://standards.freedesktop.org/icon-theme-spec/icon-theme-spec-latest.html
http://www.freedesktop.org/software/icon-theme/

By default, the option is disabled; it is useful only for the
--with-icon-theme option.

--with-icon-theme[=XXX] install icons into desktop theme (hicolor)

Install png and svg icons into the given desktop theme and customize
the .desktop files to use that theme. If no theme name is given,
the default is "hicolor". If this option is not given, the desktop
file will use the pixmap files.

--with-man2html[=XXX] use XXX rather than groff

Specify an alternative program to use for converting manpages and
control sequences document to html. The default value for the option
is "man2html". If the "man2html" script is not found, then "groff" is
used with groff's special options.

The "man2html" script reads formatted nroff output from its standard
input, and writes html to its standard output. Other input/output
conventions are not currently supported.

See
http://invisible-island.net/scripts
http://invisible-island.net/scripts/man2html.html

for an up-to-date version of "man2html".

--with-neXtaw link with neXT Athena library

Look for, compile and link with the neXT Athena widget library.

--with-own-terminfo[=P] set default $TERMINFO (default: from environment)

Modify the generated Makefile to set the target for the 'install-ti'
rule to point to the given directory.

If you have the $TERMINFO variable defined in your environment, the
configure script may use that value, if it matches an existing
directory. If no option and no variable are are given, the configure
script uses /usr/lib/terminfo, if it exists.

You do not have to run "make install-ti", if there is already a
workable terminfo description. Be advised, however, that the
common variety of "xterm-color" is not suited for xterm, but is
directed to other variations (such as nxterm) which do not
support the background-color erase capability.

--with-pixmapdir=DIR directory in which to install pixmaps (DATADIR/pixmaps)

Specify directory in which to install ".xpm" files.

--with-pcre use PCRE for regular-expressions

If regular expressions are not disabled (--disable-regex), use PCRE
rather than the POSIX regular expressions.

--with-pcre2 use PCRE2 for regular-expressions

If regular expressions are not disabled (--disable-regex), use PCRE2
rather than the POSIX regular expressions.

--with-pkg-config{=path} enable/disable use of pkg-config

The configure script looks for certain libraries which have well
established pkg-config scripts, and will use those settings if
available. Not all pkg-config scripts work; this option suppresses
the check and relies on normal library search paths.

--with-reference=XXX program to use as permissions-reference

To install xterm with setuid permissions, the scripts usually compare
it with a previous install. That works well for individual
maintainers, but can be a problem for packagers who may be
cross-compiling, etc. This option lets the package builder specify
the file used for permissions reference.

--with-setuid[=XXX] use the given setuid user

Install xterm setuid'd to the given user. If no parameter value
is given, assume it is root.

See also --with-utmp-setgid and --with-utempter, which manipulate
the setgid group.

--with-tty-group[=XXX] use XXX for the tty-group

If xterm is installed setuid'd to root, change the group of the tty
device to the given value on startup. Three cases are possible:

a) If this option is not given, the configure script will attempt to
find a suitable value (usually "tty"), and verify that it exists in
the group database.

b) If the option value is given, it will use the value even if it does
not exist in the group database (allowing packagers to work about
deficient environments).

c) If the option is disabled, e.g., --without-tty-group, the
permissions change will use the group-id of the process.

If xterm is not installed setuid'd to root, this option is not needed,
since it cannot change the tty device's ownership.

--with-utmp-path use XXX rather than auto for utmp path

The pathname for the "utmp" file is documented in the manual page.
Because this is system-dependent, and xterm may be built on a machine
which has no desktop, that file may be absent (and the configure script
may give incorrect information). Use this option to override the value
that the configure script uses.

--with-valgrind test: use valgrind

Activate the --disable-leaks option, and ensure that "-g" is added to
CFLAGS.

--with-wtmp-path use XXX rather than auto for wtmp path

The pathname for the "wtmp" file is documented in the manual page.
Because this is system-dependent, and xterm may be built on a machine
which has no desktop, that file may be absent (and the configure script
may give incorrect information). Use this option to override the value
that the configure script uses.

--without-xinerama do not use Xinerama extension for multiple screens

Xinerama is an X server extension that allows multiple physical
screens to behave as a single screen. If you do not need the feature
(or do not want the extra library dependency), use this option to
suppress it.

--with-xpm[=DIR] use Xpm library for colored icon, may specify path

Use Xpm library to show colored icon in window decoration, e.g.,
title area.

Use --without-xpm to suppress this feature.

--with-xterm-kbs=XXX
Configure xterm's terminfo entries to use either BS (^H, i.e., ASCII
backspace) or DEL (^?, or 127). XXX can be BS (or bs, 8) or DEL
(or del, 127). If XXX is "auto", the configure script chooses BS or
DEL according to platform defaults.

During installation, the makefile and scripts modifies the "xterm+kbs"
terminfo entry to use this setting.

This option also defines the compiled-in default for the erase key.
However that is normally overridden if the ptyInitialErase resource
is set, or by the terminfo entry.

--with-xterm-symlink[=XXX] make symbolic link to installed xterm

If any of the configure options to modify the program name i.e.,
--program-prefix, --program-suffix or --program-transform-name
are given, this option allows the makefile to create a symbolic link,
e.g., to "xterm" on install. The option value gives the name for
the link, which defaults to "xterm".

Use --without-xterm-symlink to disable a link to "xterm" if none
is wanted.

Corresponding links are also made for "resize", "uxterm" and
"koi8rxterm", as well as the xterm manpage.

--with-terminal-id[=V] set default decTerminalID (default: vt100)

Set the default emulation level.

DEC terminals vt52/vt100/vt220/etc form a series where succeeding
models emulate features of the older terminals. While most
features of these terminals are recognized by xterm at all levels,
a few behave differently according to the emulation level.

You can always override this with the command-line option "-ti".

--with-terminal-type=T set default $TERM (default: xterm)

Set the default value for $TERM. Xterm supports legacy termcap
applications by constructing a modified version of the $TERMCAP
variable at initialization, which supplies the resulting screen
size. It also sets $TERM, if not already set, for use by programs
running within xterm.

The default value "xterm", can be overridden to avoid conflict
with older versions of xterm, e.g., those that do not implement
vt220 emulation.

You can always override this with the command-line option "-tn".

--with-utempter use utempter library for access to utmp

The utempter library is a set-uid wrapper for the utmp facility.
On systems with Unix98 pty's, xterm can use this library when
available so it need not be installed set-uid.

--with-utmp-setgid[=XXX] use setgid for access to utmp

The option value specifies a group to use when installing.
xterm will be installed with setgid privilege to this group.
At runtime, xterm will drop the setuid privilege immediately
after opening the pseudo-terminal, and will have only the
group privilege needed to access the utmp file. This relies
on having POSIX setuid behavior.

-- vile:txtmode

IABSD.fr/xenocara/app/xterm/INSTALL

Commit

IABSD.fr/xenocara /app/xterm/INSTALL