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GETTYTAB(5) File Formats Manual GETTYTAB(5)

gettytab — terminal descriptions for getty

The file /etc/gettytab describes how getty(8) sets up a terminal line. It is a getcap(3) database: each record is a list of names separated by ‘|’, followed by capabilities separated by ‘:’. A string capability is written cap=value, a number cap#value, and a flag is its bare name. tc=name continues the record with another. A capability missing from a record takes its value from the “default” record, and a type with no record uses “default” itself.

The capabilities are:

al str log this user in automatically
ap bool false any parity (7 bits, no parity check)
ce bool false a CRT: erase wipes the character
ck bool false a CRT: kill wipes the line
cl str clear-screen sequence, sent before the banner
ep bool false even parity
er str erase character
et str end-of-file character
hc bool false do not hang up the line when it is last closed
ht bool false the terminal has hardware tabs
if str file whose contents are the banner
im str see below the banner
in str interrupt character
kl str kill character
lm str login: Ta the login prompt
ln str literal-next character
lo str /usr/bin/login the program to run
nx str the record to switch to on a break
op bool false odd parity
qu str quit character
rp str reprint character
sa str start character
sp num line speed
st str stop character
su str suspend character
to num 0 seconds to wait for a name
tt str the terminal type, passed on as TERM
we str word-erase character

The default banner shows the system, the machine, the host name and the terminal. The escapes that if, im and lm may use are described in getty(8). Characters left unset keep the 4.4BSD defaults.

/etc/gettytab
 

getcap(3), termios(4), ttys(5), getty(8)

The gettytab file appeared in 4.1BSD.

September 26, 2026 OxideBSD