RE: changing colors on linux framebuffer consoles

[Rick Engebretson]

>> I'm working with SuSE 8.0 with the kernel vesa framebuffer graphics 
driver
>> on an i686 platform. Ncurses, mc, the gpm mouse work nicely on the 
virtual
>> consoles. But trying to tweak ncurses console colors with "init_color()" 
>> doesn't work, and "can_change_color()" returns false. I've tried a few
>> different "TERM=" settings without much change from the default "linux"
>> TERM value. The ncurses man page for color states that RGB values can't 
be
>> changed on i386, i486 vga platforms. I have the bundled ncurses 5.2-262
>
>But Linux console does have some control sequences for this.
>That's the initc string in the terminfo entry.  Since can_change_color()
>is returning false, you're probably not using a terminfo with that.
>
>For instance, I recall noticing that Redhat replaces the linux entry
>in terminfo with their own (older) one.
>
>--
>Thomas E. Dickey <address@hidden>

I hope this email is properly inserted in the thread. Just need to say 
thanks.

With your reassurance, I went ahead and compiled and installed the ncurses 
5.4 source. (I've been burned more than a few times replacing the bundled 
rpm binaries.) I configured with the overwrite prefix, and with shared 
library and gpm mouse.

The new install returned TRUE to "can_change_color()" using the same test 
program !!! Other little test programs now seem functional, too. Thank you. 
My guess is the new source recompiles a new teminfo library??

One little "whine" is the color change test. The color sample pane doesn't 
change, but black and white (bg and fg) change following the cursor.

Thanks again; excellent software. (I am now curious about your xterm work.)
Rick Engebretson