infobox does not show

[Schplurtz le déboulonné]

A command as simple as
   whiptail --infobox Hello 0 0
prints nothing in xterm-like terminal emulators while it shoud draw a box with Hello written inside.

I was able to understand what whiptail is doing with this strace command :
     strace -e t=write -s 5000 -o trace whiptail --infobox Hello 0 0

When whiptail processes the --infobox option, it does this :
switch terminal to alternate screen
draw information box
switch back to normal screen
exit

The effect is that it is not possible to see the information message. Infobox messages are supposed to be displayed for a long time...

whiptail should not switch screen in this case.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 10.04
Package: whiptail 0.52.10-5ubuntu1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.32-23.37-generic 2.6.32.15+drm33.5
Uname: Linux 2.6.32-23-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia wl
Architecture: amd64
Date: Sun Jul 11 09:09:04 2010
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 10.04 LTS "Lucid Lynx" - Release amd64 (20100429)
ProcEnviron:
 PATH=(custom, user)
 LANG=fr_FR.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: newt

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

[Shane Synan (digitalcircuit)]

This bug still affects me on Ubuntu 11.04 64bit, fully updated as of today. I'll test it soon on my 11.10 laptop. To work around it, I've been using "dialog" instead of whiptail, e.g.
dialog --title "Testing Info Box" --infobox "This content will remain on-screen even after the sleep ends." 9 60 ; sleep 2
But when using whiptail, the same issue as described above happens:
whiptail --title "Testing Info Box" --infobox "You will never see this text." 9 60 ; sleep 2

[ktecho (ktecho)]

This is happening to me in Kubuntu 18.04. Anyone has any clue on what's happening?

I cannot install virtualbox because it seems to be asking me about Secure Boot password in a whiptail dialog which I cannot see.

[Lee Bigelow (ligelowbee)]

Still happens here with xubuntu 22.04.1
Can get it to work by setting env variable TERM to something other than an xterm.
Eg, this works:

TERM=ansi whiptail --infobox "hello" 10 10; sleep 2