.\" @(#)setmetamode.1 1.0 940130 aeb
.TH SETMETAMODE 1 "30 Jan 1994" "kbd"
.SH NAME
setmetamode \- define the keyboard meta key handling
.SH SYNOPSIS
.B setmetamode
[
.I options
]
[
.I argument
]
.SH DESCRIPTION
.IX "setmetamode command" "" "\fLsetmetamode\fR command"  
.LP
Without argument,
.B setmetamode
prints the current Meta key mode.
With argument, it sets the Meta key mode as indicated.
The setting before and after the change are reported.
.LP
The Meta key mode is specific for each VT (and the VT
corresponding to stdin is used).
One might use
.B setmetamode
in /etc/rc to define the initial state of the Meta key mode,
e.g. by
.LP
.br
.in +5m
INITTY=/dev/tty[1-8]
.br
for tty in $INITTY; do
.br
.in +5m
setmetamode escprefix < $tty
.br
.in -5m
done
.in -5m
.SH ARGUMENTS
.TP
\fBesc\fR, \fBprefix\fR, \fBescprefix\fR
The Meta key sends an Escape prefix.
.TP
\fBmeta\fR, \fBbit\fR, \fBmetabit\fR
The Meta key sets the high order bit of the character.
.SH OPTIONS
.TP
\fB\-C\fR, \fB\-\-console\fR=\fI\,DEV\/\fR
the console device to be used;
.TP
\fB\-V\fR, \fB\-\-version\fR
print version number;
.TP
\fB\-h\fR, \fB\-\-help\fR
print this usage message.
.SH "SEE ALSO"
.BR loadkeys (1),
.BR kbdinfo (1)