1 README file for the ncurses package
3 See the file ANNOUNCE for a summary of ncurses features and ports.
4 See the file INSTALL for instructions on how to build and install ncurses.
5 See the file NEWS for a release history and bug-fix notes.
6 See the file TO-DO for things that still need doing, including known bugs.
8 Browse the file misc/ncurses-intro.html for narrative descriptions of how
9 to use ncurses and the panel, menu, and form libraries.
11 Browse the file misc/hackguide.html for a tour of the package internals.
13 ROADMAP AND PACKAGE OVERVIEW:
15 You should be reading this file in a directory called: ncurses-d.d.d,
16 where d.d.d is the current version number (see the dist.mk file in
17 this directory for that). There should be a number of subdirectories,
18 including `c++', `form', `man', `menu', `misc', `ncurses', `panel',
19 `progs', `test', and `Ada95'.
21 A full build/install of this package typically installs several libraries, a
22 handful of utilities, and a database hierarchy. Here is an inventory of the
28 libncurses.so (shared)
29 libncurses_g.a (debug and trace code enabled)
30 libncurses_p.a (profiling enabled)
33 libpanel_g.a (debug and trace code enabled)
36 libmenu_g.a (debug enabled)
39 libform_g.a (debug enabled)
41 The ncurses libraries implement the curses API. The panel, menu and forms
42 libraries implement clones of the SVr4 panel, menu and forms APIs. The
43 source code for these lives in the `ncurses', `panel', `menu', and
44 `form' directories respectively.
46 In the `c++' directory, you'll find code that defines an interface to the
47 curses and panels library packaged as a C++ class, and a demo program in C++
48 to test it. These class definition modules are not installed anywhere by
49 default; it's up to you what you do with them.
51 In the `Ada95' directory, you'll find code and documentation for an
52 Ada95 binding of the curses API, to be used with the GNAT compiler.
53 This binding is built by a normal top-level `make' if configure detects
54 an usable version of GNAT (3.05 or above). It is not installed automatically.
55 See the Ada95 directory for more build and installation instructions and
56 for documentation of the binding.
58 In order to do its job, the ncurses code needs your terminal type to be set in
59 the environment variable TERM (normally set by your OS; under UNIX, getty(1)
60 typically does this, but you can override it in your .profile); and, it needs a
61 database of terminal descriptions in which to look up your terminal type's
64 In older (V7/BSD) versions of curses, the database was a flat text file,
65 /etc/termcap; in newer (USG/USL) versions, the database is a hierarchy of
66 fast-loading binary description blocks under /usr/lib/terminfo. These binary
67 blocks are compiled from an improved editable text representation called
68 `terminfo' format (documented in man/terminfo.5). The ncurses library can use
69 either /etc/termcap or the compiled binary terminfo blocks, but prefers the
72 In the `misc' directory, there is a text file terminfo.src, in editable
73 terminfo format, which can be used to generate the terminfo binaries (that's
74 what make install.data does). If the package was built with the
75 --with-termcap option enabled, and the ncurses library can't find a terminfo
76 description for your terminal, it will fall back to the termcap file supplied
77 with your system (which the ncurses package installation leaves strictly
80 The utilities are as follows:
82 tic -- terminfo source to binary compiler
83 infocmp -- terminfo binary to source decompiler/comparator
84 clear -- emits clear-screen for current terminal
85 tput -- shell-script access to terminal capabilities.
86 tset -- terminal-initialization utility
87 toe -- table of entries utility
89 The first two are used for manipulating terminfo descriptions; the next two
90 are for use in shell scripts. The last is provided for 4.4BSD compatibility.
91 The source code for all of these lives in the `progs' directory.
93 Detailed documentation for all libraries and utilities can be found in
94 the `man' directory. An HTML introduction to ncurses, panels, and
95 menus programming lives in the `misc' directory.
97 The `test' directory contains programs that can be used to verify the
98 functions of the ncurses libraries. See test/README for descriptions of
99 these programs. Notably, the `ncurses' utility is designed to help you
100 systematically exercise the library functions.
104 This distribution now includes (and uses) a copy of the master terminfo
105 database maintained by Eric Raymond. This database (which is the
106 official descendant of the 4.4BSD termcap file) changes faster than this
109 You can surf to a WWW page that carries the current terminfo master file,
110 and news about ncurses, at
112 http://www.ccil.org/~esr/ncurses.html
117 wrote the original ncurses
120 port of original to Linux and many enhancements.
122 Thomas Dickey (maintainer since 1.9.9e):
123 configuration scripts, porting, mods to adhere to XSI Curses in the
124 areas of background color, terminal modes. Also memory leak testing,
125 the wresize extension and numerous bug fixes (more than half of those
126 enumerated in NEWS since release 1.9.2d)
129 the man pages, infocmp(1), tput(1), clear(1), captoinfo(1), tset(1),
130 toe(1), most of tic(1), src/lib_twait.c, trace levels, the HTML intro,
131 wgetnstr() and many other entry points, the cursor-movement
132 optimization, the scroll-pack optimizer for vertical motions,
133 the mouse interface and xterm mouse support, and the ncurses
137 The menu and form code, and the Ada95 binding. Ongoing support for
143 for first-class bug-chasing and methodical testing.
146 for the code that hacks termcap parameterized strings into terminfo.
148 Warren Tucker and Gerhard Fuernkranz,
149 for writing and sending the panel library.
152 for many patches and testing the optimization code.
154 Eric Newton, Ulrich Drepper, and Anatoly Ivasyuk:
158 for lessons in using sed.
160 Keith Bostic (maintainer of 4.4BSD curses)
161 for help, criticism, comments, bug-finding, and being willing to
162 deep-six BSD curses for this one when it grew up.
164 Countless other people have contributed by reporting bugs, sending fixes,
165 suggesting improvements, and generally whining about ncurses :-)
168 See the INSTALL file for bug and developer-list addresses.
169 The Hacker's Guide in the misc directory includes some guidelines
170 on how to report bugs in ways that will get them fixed most quickly.