Changing /etc/termcap in 4.8 - How can I?

[Malcolm Kay]

On Wed, 17 Dec 2003 06:47, Jim Ramsay wrote:
> I have tried to add an extra entry to /etc/termcap:
>
> rxvt-cygwin-native|rxvt terminal emulator (native MS Windows/Cygwin):\
>
>      :pa#64:Co#8:AF=\E[3%dm:AB=\E[4%dm:op=\E[39;49m:\
> :
> :ac=+\257,\256-^0\333`\004a\261f\370g\361h\260j\331k\277l\332m\300n\305o~p\
> :304q\304r\304s_t\303u\264v\301w\302x\263y\363z\362{\343|\330~\376:\
> :
>      :tc=rxvt-mono:
>
> to try to get linedrawing characters working correctly in my connection
> from my work computer (cygwin/ssh) to my freebsd machine at home.
>
> 1) I edited the file as root and put it just after the existing 'rxvt'
> entry.
>

The directory entry /etc/termcap is normally a symbolic link to 
/usr/share/misc/termcap, which I think you already realised.

The tricky bit is what happens when you attempt to edit a file via a 
symbolic link. Either of two things can happen depending on the editor you
are using:
1) You actually edit the file at the end of the link and the link remains 
intact.

2) The editor presents you with the text from the file at the end of the link
but on saving the changes deletes the link and substitutes the changed text as 
a file. The file that was at the end of the link remains unchanged.

So you should make sure /etc/termcap is still a link to 
/usr/share/misc/termcap.

Now go to /usr/share/misc and edit termcap and then execute cap_mkdb.

Malcolm