Use the excellent tool of utmp[0] for this task.
-[0] http://hg.suckless.org/utmp/
+[0] http://git.suckless.org/utmp/
+--
+Some _random program_ complains that st is unknown/not
+recognised/unsupported/whatever!
+
+It means that st doesn’t have any terminfo entry on your system. Chances are
+you did not make install. If you just want to test it without installing it,
+you can manualy run tic -s st.info in st dir. It will compile st.info into a
+fully working local terminfo description. You can delete it when you’re done.
+--
+Nothing works, and nothing is said about an unknown terminal!
+
+* Some programs just assume they’re running in xterm i.e. they don’t rely on
+ terminfo. What you see is the current state of the “xterm compliance”.
+* Some programs don’t complain about the lacking st description and default to
+ another terminal. In that case see the question about terminfo.
+--
+I get some weird glitches/visual bug on _random program_!
+
+Try lauching it with a different TERM: $ TERM=xterm myapp. toe(1) will give
+you a list of available terminals, but you’ll most likely switch between
+xterm, st or st-256color. The default value for TERM can be changed in
+config.h (TNAME).
+--
+How do I scroll back up?
+
+Invoke st with a screen multiplexer like GNU screen[0] or tmux[1].
+st -e screen works better for text reflowing. To enter screen’s scroll
+back mode aka “copy mode”, it’s C-a ESC. You probably want defscrollback
+10000 in your ~/.screenrc too.
+
+[0] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GNU_Screen
+[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tmux
+--
+Why doesn't the Del key work in some programs?
+
+Taken from the terminfo manpage:
+
+ If the terminal has a keypad that transmits codes when the keys
+ are pressed, this information can be given. Note that it is not
+ possible to handle terminals where the keypad only works in
+ local (this applies, for example, to the unshifted HP 2621 keys).
+ If the keypad can be set to transmit or not transmit, tive these
+ codes as smkx and rmkx. Otherwise the keypad is assumed to
+ always transmit.
+
+In the st case smkx=\E[?1h\E= and rmkx=\E[?1l\E>, so it is mandatory that
+applications which want to test against keypad keys, have to send these
+sequences.
+
+But buggy applications like bash and irssi for example don't do this. A fast
+solution for them is to use the following command:
+
+ $ printf "\033?1h\033=" >/dev/tty
+
+or
+ $ echo $(tput smkx) >/dev/tty
+
+In the case of bash readline is used. Readline has a different note in its
+manpage about this issue:
+
+ enable-keypad (Off)
+ When set to On, readline will try to enable the
+ application keypad when it is called. Some systems
+ need this to enable arrow keys.
+
+Adding this option to your .inputrc will fix the keypad problem for all
+applications using readline.
+
+If you are using zsh, then read the zsh FAQ
+(http://zsh.sourceforge.net/FAQ/zshfaq03.html#l25):
+
+ It should be noted that the O / [ confusion can occur with other keys
+ such as Home and End. Some systems let you query the key sequences
+ sent by these keys from the system's terminal database, terminfo.
+ Unfortunately, the key sequences given there typically apply to the
+ mode that is not the one zsh uses by default (it's the "application"
+ mode rather than the "raw" mode). Explaining the use of terminfo is
+ outside of the scope of this FAQ, but if you wish to use the key
+ sequences given there you can tell the line editor to turn on
+ "application" mode when it starts and turn it off when it stops:
+
+ function zle-line-init () { echoti smkx }
+ function zle-line-finish () { echoti rmkx }
+ zle -N zle-line-init
+ zle -N zle-line-finish
+
+Putting these lines into your .zshrc will fix the problems.
--
Got questions, comments, patches, etc.? Contact Jason Woofenden