# phpman > man > SETMETAMODE(1)

[SETMETAMODE(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/SETMETAMODE/1/markdown)                         General Commands Manual                        [SETMETAMODE(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/SETMETAMODE/1/markdown)



## NAME
       setmetamode - define the keyboard meta key handling

## SYNOPSIS
       **setmetamode** [ _options_ ] [ _argument_ ]

## DESCRIPTION
       Without  argument,  **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.

       The Meta key mode is specific for each VT (and the VT corresponding to stdin is  used).   One
       might use **setmetamode** in /etc/rc to define the initial state of the Meta key mode, e.g. by

            INITTY=/dev/tty[1-8]
            for tty in $INITTY; do
                 setmetamode escprefix < $tty
            done

## ARGUMENTS
       **esc**, **prefix**, **escprefix**
              The Meta key sends an Escape prefix.

       **meta**, **bit**, **metabit**
              The Meta key sets the high order bit of the character.

## OPTIONS
### -C --console
              the console device to be used;

### -V --version
              print version number;

### -h --help
              print this usage message.

## SEE ALSO
       [**loadkeys**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/loadkeys/1/markdown), [**kbdinfo**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/kbdinfo/1/markdown)




kbd                                          30 Jan 1994                              [SETMETAMODE(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/SETMETAMODE/1/markdown)