Keypad Numeric Mode (DECKPNM)

Restores the numeric keypad to numeric mode. While this mode is set, the keypad keys transmit their literal characters: digits 0-9, the operators + - * / ., and a carriage return (\r) for Numpad Enter.

This is the inverse of Keypad Application Mode (DECKPAM) and is also the default state at terminal startup and after a hard reset (RIS) or soft reset (DECSTR).

Programs that enabled application keypad mode (typically full-screen TUIs such as editors and pagers) must restore numeric mode before exiting, otherwise the user's shell will see escape sequences instead of digits when they press the keypad. Well-behaved curses applications send the matching rmkx/smkx terminfo entries automatically.

Note

DECKPNM and the DEC private mode ?66 (CSI ? 66 l) are equivalent. Resetting either one returns the keypad to numeric mode; setting either one switches to application mode.

DEC private mode 1035 (default on) causes Wintty to ignore the application keypad request when the host treats NumLock as off. This means a stale application-mode setting can be masked even without an explicit DECKPNM, but you should not rely on that fallback. Always restore numeric mode explicitly when your program no longer needs the DEC private encoding.

Tip

If you observe a shell prompt where pressing keypad digits emits sequences like Op, Oq, Or..., a previous program almost certainly exited without sending DECKPNM. Sending printf "\033>" interactively restores normal behavior.

printf "\033="  # enable application keypad mode first
printf "\033>"  # restore numeric keypad mode

After the second sequence, pressing Numpad 5 should transmit the literal byte 5 again rather than \033Ou. The internal keypad_keys mode flag is now cleared.

printf "\033="  # enable application keypad mode
printf "\033c"  # RIS - hard reset

After RIS, the keypad is back in numeric mode without any explicit DECKPNM, because numeric mode is the documented power-on default.