Got some feedback from upstream, compare with https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/bug-ncurses/2017-09/msg00013.html that is that the rep (repeate_character) works only for ascii line drawings and only if the ASCII code of the line drawing character is used tput -S <<! smacs rep 45 20 rmacs ! works where as `-' for ASCII character 45 does not tput -S <<! smacs rep - 20 rmacs !