+-- $Id: README,v 1.19 1999/10/23 20:39:24 tom Exp $
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
README file for the ncurses package
See the file ANNOUNCE for a summary of ncurses features and ports.
ROADMAP AND PACKAGE OVERVIEW:
-You should be reading this file in a directory called: ncurses-d.d.d,
-where d.d.d is the current version number (see the dist.mk file in
-this directory for that). There should be a number of subdirectories,
-including `c++', `form', `man', `menu', `misc', `ncurses', `panel',
-`progs', `test', and `Ada95'.
+You should be reading this file in a directory called: ncurses-d.d, where d.d
+is the current version number (see the dist.mk file in this directory for
+that). There should be a number of subdirectories, including `c++', `form',
+`man', `menu', `misc', `ncurses', `panel', `progs', `test', 'tack' and `Ada95'.
+(The 'tack' program may be distributed separately).
A full build/install of this package typically installs several libraries, a
handful of utilities, and a database hierarchy. Here is an inventory of the
libncurses_p.a (profiling enabled)
libpanel.a (normal)
+ libpanel.so (shared)
libpanel_g.a (debug and trace code enabled)
libmenu.a (normal)
+ libmenu.so (shared)
libmenu_g.a (debug enabled)
libform.a (normal)
+ libform.so (shared)
libform_g.a (debug enabled)
The ncurses libraries implement the curses API. The panel, menu and forms
-libraries implement clones of the SVr4 panel, menu and forms APIs. The
-source code for these lives in the `ncurses', `panel', `menu', and
-`form' directories respectively.
+libraries implement clones of the SVr4 panel, menu and forms APIs. The source
+code for these lives in the `ncurses', `panel', `menu', and `form' directories
+respectively.
In the `c++' directory, you'll find code that defines an interface to the
-curses and panels library packaged as a C++ class, and a demo program in C++
-to test it. These class definition modules are not installed anywhere by
-default; it's up to you what you do with them.
+curses, forms, menus and panels library packaged as C++ classes, and a demo program in C++
+to test it. These class definition modules are not installed by the 'make
+install.libs' rule as libncurses++.
In the `Ada95' directory, you'll find code and documentation for an
Ada95 binding of the curses API, to be used with the GNAT compiler.
This binding is built by a normal top-level `make' if configure detects
-an usable version of GNAT (3.05 or above). It is not installed automatically.
+an usable version of GNAT (3.10 or above). It is not installed automatically.
See the Ada95 directory for more build and installation instructions and
for documentation of the binding.
-In order to do its job, the ncurses code needs your terminal type to be set in
-the environment variable TERM (normally set by your OS; under UNIX, getty(1)
+To do its job, the ncurses code needs your terminal type to be set in the
+environment variable TERM (normally set by your OS; under UNIX, getty(1)
typically does this, but you can override it in your .profile); and, it needs a
database of terminal descriptions in which to look up your terminal type's
capabilities.
In the `misc' directory, there is a text file terminfo.src, in editable
terminfo format, which can be used to generate the terminfo binaries (that's
what make install.data does). If the package was built with the
---with-termcap option enabled, and the ncurses library can't find a terminfo
+--enable-termcap option enabled, and the ncurses library cannot find a terminfo
description for your terminal, it will fall back to the termcap file supplied
with your system (which the ncurses package installation leaves strictly
alone).
infocmp -- terminfo binary to source decompiler/comparator
clear -- emits clear-screen for current terminal
tput -- shell-script access to terminal capabilities.
- tset -- terminal-initialization utility
toe -- table of entries utility
+ tset -- terminal-initialization utility
-The first two are used for manipulating terminfo descriptions; the next two
-are for use in shell scripts. The last is provided for 4.4BSD compatibility.
-The source code for all of these lives in the `progs' directory.
+The first two (tic and infocmp) are used for manipulating terminfo
+descriptions; the next two (clear and tput) are for use in shell scripts. The
+last (tset) is provided for 4.4BSD compatibility. The source code for all of
+these lives in the `progs' directory.
Detailed documentation for all libraries and utilities can be found in
the `man' directory. An HTML introduction to ncurses, panels, and
-menus programming lives in the `misc' directory.
-
-The `test' directory contains programs that can be used to verify the
-functions of the ncurses libraries. See test/README for descriptions of
-these programs. Notably, the `ncurses' utility is designed to help you
-systematically exercise the library functions.
-
-RELATED RESOURCES:
-
-This distribution now includes (and uses) a copy of the master terminfo
-database maintained by Eric Raymond. This database (which is the
-official descendant of the 4.4BSD termcap file) changes faster than this
-code does.
+menus programming lives in the `misc' directory. Manpages in HTML format
+are under `Ada95/html'.
-You can surf to a WWW page that carries the current terminfo master file,
-and news about ncurses, at
-
- http://www.ccil.org/~esr/ncurses.html
+The `test' directory contains programs that can be used to verify or
+demonstrate the functions of the ncurses libraries. See test/README for
+descriptions of these programs. Notably, the `ncurses' utility is designed to
+help you systematically exercise the library functions.
AUTHORS:
Zeyd M. Ben-Halim:
port of original to Linux and many enhancements.
-Thomas Dickey (maintainer since 1.9.9e):
+Thomas Dickey (maintainer for 1.9.9g through 4.1, resuming with FSF's 5.0):
configuration scripts, porting, mods to adhere to XSI Curses in the
areas of background color, terminal modes. Also memory leak testing,
- the wresize extension and numerous bug fixes (more than half of those
- enumerated in NEWS since release 1.9.2d)
+ the wresize, default colors and key definition extensions and numerous
+ bug fixes (more than half of those enumerated in NEWS beginning with
+ the internal release 1.8.9).
+
+Florian La Roche (official maintainer for FSF's ncurses 4.2)
+ Beginning with release 4.2, ncurses is distributed under an MIT-style
+ license.
Eric S. Raymond:
the man pages, infocmp(1), tput(1), clear(1), captoinfo(1), tset(1),
- toe(1), most of tic(1), src/lib_twait.c, trace levels, the HTML intro,
- wgetnstr() and many other entry points, the cursor-movement
- optimization, the scroll-pack optimizer for vertical motions,
- the mouse interface and xterm mouse support, and the ncurses
- test program.
+ toe(1), most of tic(1), trace levels, the HTML intro, wgetnstr() and
+ many other entry points, the cursor-movement optimization, the
+ scroll-pack optimizer for vertical motions, the mouse interface and
+ xterm mouse support, and the ncurses test program.
Juergen Pfeifer
- The menu and form code, and the Ada95 binding. Ongoing support for
- panel.
+ The menu and form libraries, C++ bindings for ncurses, menus, forms and
+ panels, as well as the Ada95 binding. Ongoing support for panel.
CONTRIBUTORS:
+Alexander V. Lukyanov
+ for numerous fixes and improvements to the optimization logic.
+
David MacKenzie
for first-class bug-chasing and methodical testing.
for help, criticism, comments, bug-finding, and being willing to
deep-six BSD curses for this one when it grew up.
+Richard Stallman,
+ for his commitment to making ncurses free software.
+
Countless other people have contributed by reporting bugs, sending fixes,
suggesting improvements, and generally whining about ncurses :-)
projects / ncurses.git / blobdiff