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- * @Id: curs_terminfo.3x,v 1.130 2024/02/24 20:04:09 tom Exp @
+ * @Id: curs_terminfo.3x,v 1.136 2024/04/14 00:14:40 tom Exp @
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-<H1 class="no-header">curs_terminfo 3x 2024-02-24 ncurses 6.4 Library calls</H1>
+<H1 class="no-header">curs_terminfo 3x 2024-04-13 ncurses 6.4 Library calls</H1>
<PRE>
<STRONG><A HREF="curs_terminfo.3x.html">curs_terminfo(3x)</A></STRONG> Library calls <STRONG><A HREF="curs_terminfo.3x.html">curs_terminfo(3x)</A></STRONG>
<STRONG>setupterm</STRONG> reads in the <EM>terminfo</EM> database, initializing the <EM>terminfo</EM>
structures, but does not set up the output virtualization structures
- used by <EM>curses.</EM> Its parameters follow.
+ used by <EM>curses</EM>. Its parameters follow.
<EM>term</EM> is the terminal type, a character string. If <EM>term</EM> is null, the
environment variable <EM>TERM</EM> is read.
I/O modes.
Higher-level applications use <STRONG><A HREF="curs_initscr.3x.html">newterm(3x)</A></STRONG> to initialize the
- terminal, passing an output <EM>stream</EM> rather than a <EM>descriptor.</EM>
- In <EM>curses,</EM> the two are the same because <STRONG>newterm</STRONG> calls
+ terminal, passing an output <EM>stream</EM> rather than a <EM>descriptor</EM>.
+ In <EM>curses</EM>, the two are the same because <STRONG>newterm</STRONG> calls
<STRONG>setupterm</STRONG>, passing the file descriptor derived from its output
stream parameter.
points to an optional location where an error status can be
returned to the caller. If <EM>errret</EM> is not null, then <STRONG>setupterm</STRONG>
returns <STRONG>OK</STRONG> or <STRONG>ERR</STRONG> and stores a status value in the integer
- pointed to by <EM>errret.</EM> A return value of <STRONG>OK</STRONG> combined with
+ pointed to by <EM>errret</EM>. A return value of <STRONG>OK</STRONG> combined with
status of <STRONG>1</STRONG> in <EM>errret</EM> is normal.
If <STRONG>ERR</STRONG> is returned, examine <EM>errret:</EM>
terminal types, <STRONG>setupterm</STRONG> allocates new storage for each set of
terminal capabilities.
- <STRONG>set_curterm</STRONG> sets <STRONG>cur_term</STRONG> to <EM>nterm,</EM> and makes all of the <EM>terminfo</EM>
- Boolean, numeric, and string variables use the values from <EM>nterm.</EM> It
+ <STRONG>set_curterm</STRONG> sets <STRONG>cur_term</STRONG> to <EM>nterm</EM>, and makes all of the <EM>terminfo</EM>
+ Boolean, numeric, and string variables use the values from <EM>nterm</EM>. It
returns the old value of <STRONG>cur_term</STRONG>.
<STRONG>del_curterm</STRONG> frees the space pointed to by <EM>oterm</EM> and makes it available
</PRE><H3><a name="h3-Formatting-Output">Formatting Output</a></H3><PRE>
- <STRONG>tparm</STRONG> instantiates the string <EM>str</EM> with parameters <EM>pi.</EM> A pointer is
+ <STRONG>tparm</STRONG> instantiates the string <EM>str</EM> with parameters <EM>pi</EM>. A pointer is
returned to the result of <EM>str</EM> with the parameters applied. Application
developers should keep in mind these quirks of the interface:
<STRONG>stdout</STRONG>, rather than the <EM>filedes</EM> specified in <STRONG>setupterm</STRONG>.
<STRONG>vidputs</STRONG> displays the string on the terminal in the video attribute mode
- <EM>attrs
,</EM> which is any combination of the attributes listed in <STRONG><A HREF="ncurses.3x.html">curses(3x)</A></STRONG>.
- The characters are passed to the <EM>putchar</EM>-like function <EM>putc.</EM>
+ <EM>attrs
</EM>, which is any combination of the attributes listed in <STRONG><A HREF="ncurses.3x.html">curses(3x)</A></STRONG>.
+ The characters are passed to the <EM>putchar</EM>-like function <EM>putc</EM>.
<STRONG>vidattr</STRONG> is like <STRONG>vidputs</STRONG>, except that it outputs through <STRONG>putchar(3)</STRONG>.
They use multiple parameters to represent the character attributes and
color; namely,
- <STRONG>o</STRONG> <EM>attrs,</EM> of type <EM>attr</EM><STRONG>_</STRONG><EM>t,</EM> for the attributes and
+ <STRONG>o</STRONG> <EM>attrs</EM>, of type <EM>attr</EM><STRONG>_</STRONG><EM>t</EM>, for the attributes and
- <STRONG>o</STRONG> <EM>pair,</EM> of type <EM>short,</EM> for the color pair number.
+ <STRONG>o</STRONG> <EM>pair</EM>, of type <EM>short</EM>, for the color pair number.
Use the attribute constants prefixed with "<STRONG>WA_</STRONG>" with <STRONG>vid_attr</STRONG> and
<STRONG>vid_puts</STRONG>.
</PRE><H3><a name="h3-Terminal-Capability-Functions">Terminal Capability Functions</a></H3><PRE>
<STRONG>tigetflag</STRONG>, <STRONG>tigetnum</STRONG>, and <STRONG>tigetstr</STRONG> return the value of the capability
- corresponding to the <EM>terminfo</EM> <EM>cap-code,</EM> such as <STRONG>xenl</STRONG>, passed to them.
+ corresponding to the <EM>terminfo</EM> <EM>cap-code</EM>, such as <STRONG>xenl</STRONG>, passed to them.
The <EM>cap-code</EM> for each capability is given in the table column entitled
<EM>cap-code</EM> code in the capabilities section of <STRONG><A HREF="terminfo.5.html">terminfo(5)</A></STRONG>.
</PRE><H2><a name="h2-RETURN-VALUE">RETURN VALUE</a></H2><PRE>
- X/Open Curses defines no failure conditions. In <EM>ncurses,</EM>
+ X/Open Curses defines no failure conditions. In <EM>ncurses</EM>,
<STRONG>del_curtem</STRONG>
fails if its terminal parameter is null.
</PRE><H2><a name="h2-EXTENSIONS">EXTENSIONS</a></H2><PRE>
- The functions marked as extensions were designed for <EM>ncurses,</EM> and are
+ The functions marked as extensions were designed for <EM>ncurses</EM>, and are
not found in SVr4 <EM>curses</EM>, 4.4BSD <EM>curses</EM>, or any other previous <EM>curses</EM>
implementation.
- <EM>ncurses</EM> allows <EM>opts</EM> to be a pointer to <EM>int,</EM> which overrides the <EM>pair</EM>
+ <EM>ncurses</EM> allows <EM>opts</EM> to be a pointer to <EM>int</EM>, which overrides the <EM>pair</EM>
(<EM>short</EM>) argument.
part of X/Open Curses, but is assumed by some applications.
Other implementions may not declare the capability name arrays. Some
- provide them without declaring them. X/Open does not specify them.
+ provide them without declaring them. X/Open Curses does not specify
+ them.
- Extended terminal capability names, as defined by "<STRONG>tic</STRONG> <STRONG>-x</STRONG>", are not
+ Extended terminal capability names, as defined by "<STRONG>tic</STRONG> <STRONG>-x</STRONG>", are not
stored in the arrays described here.
</PRE><H3><a name="h3-Output-Buffering">Output Buffering</a></H3><PRE>
- Older versions of <EM>ncurses</EM> assumed that the file descriptor passed to
+ Older versions of <EM>ncurses</EM> assumed that the file descriptor passed to
<STRONG>setupterm</STRONG> from <STRONG>initscr</STRONG> or <STRONG>newterm</STRONG> uses buffered I/O, and would write to
- the corresponding stream. In addition to the limitation that the
- terminal was left in block-buffered mode on exit (like System V
- <EM>curses</EM>), it was problematic because <EM>ncurses</EM> did not allow a reliable
+ the corresponding stream. In addition to the limitation that the
+ terminal was left in block-buffered mode on exit (like System V
+ <EM>curses</EM>), it was problematic because <EM>ncurses</EM> did not allow a reliable
way to clean up on receiving <STRONG>SIGTSTP</STRONG>.
- The current version (ncurses6) uses output buffers managed directly by
- <EM>ncurses.</EM> Some of the low-level functions described in this manual page
- write to the standard output. They are not signal-safe. The high-
+ The current version (ncurses6) uses output buffers managed directly by
+ <EM>ncurses</EM>. Some of the low-level functions described in this manual page
+ write to the standard output. They are not signal-safe. The high-
level functions in <EM>ncurses</EM> employ alternate versions of these functions
using the more reliable buffering scheme.
</PRE><H3><a name="h3-Function-Prototypes">Function Prototypes</a></H3><PRE>
- The X/Open Curses prototypes are based on the SVr4 <EM>curses</EM> header
- declarations, which were defined at the same time the C language was
+ The X/Open Curses prototypes are based on the SVr4 <EM>curses</EM> header
+ declarations, which were defined at the same time the C language was
first standardized in the late 1980s.
- <STRONG>o</STRONG> X/Open Curses uses <EM>const</EM> less effectively than a later design
- might, in some cases applying it needlessly to values are already
- constant, and in most cases overlooking parameters which normally
- would use <EM>const.</EM> Using constant parameters for functions which do
- not use <EM>const</EM> may prevent the program from compiling. On the other
- hand, "writable strings" are an obsolescent feature.
+ <STRONG>o</STRONG> X/Open Curses uses <EM>const</EM> less effectively than a later design
+ might, sometimes applying it needlessly to values that are already
+ constant, and in most cases overlooking parameters that normally
+ would use <EM>const</EM>. Passing <EM>const</EM>-qualified parameters to functions
+ that do not declare them <EM>const</EM> may prevent the program from
+ compiling. On the other hand, "writable strings" are an
+ obsolescent feature.
As an extension, this implementation can be configured to change
the function prototypes to use the <EM>const</EM> keyword. The <EM>ncurses</EM> ABI
</PRE><H3><a name="h3-Other-Portability-Issues">Other Portability Issues</a></H3><PRE>
- In SVr4, <STRONG>set_curterm</STRONG> returns an <EM>int,</EM> <STRONG>OK</STRONG> or <STRONG>ERR</STRONG>. We have chosen to
+ In SVr4, <STRONG>set_curterm</STRONG> returns an <EM>int</EM>, <STRONG>OK</STRONG> or <STRONG>ERR</STRONG>. We have chosen to
implement the X/Open Curses semantics.
In SVr4, the third argument of <STRONG>tputs</STRONG> has the type "<STRONG>int</STRONG> <STRONG>(*putc)(char)</STRONG>".
in either <STRONG>initscr</STRONG> or <STRONG>newterm</STRONG>. So though it is documented as a <EM>terminfo</EM>
function, <STRONG>mvcur</STRONG> is really a <EM>curses</EM> function that is not well specified.
- X/Open notes that after calling <STRONG>mvcur</STRONG>, the <EM>curses</EM> state may not match
- the actual terminal state, and that an application should touch and
- refresh the window before resuming normal <EM>curses</EM> calls. Both <EM>ncurses</EM>
- and SVr4 <EM>curses</EM> implement <STRONG>mvcur</STRONG> using the <EM>SCREEN</EM> data allocated in
- either <STRONG>initscr</STRONG> or <STRONG>newterm</STRONG>. So though it is documented as a <EM>terminfo</EM>
- function, <STRONG>mvcur</STRONG> is really a <EM>curses</EM> function that is not well specified.
-
- X/Open Curses states that the old location must be given for <STRONG>mvcur</STRONG> to
- accommodate terminals that lack absolute cursor positioning. <EM>ncurses</EM>
+ X/Open Curses states that the old location must be given for <STRONG>mvcur</STRONG> to
+ accommodate terminals that lack absolute cursor positioning. <EM>ncurses</EM>
allows the caller to use -1 for either or both old coordinates. The -1
- tells <EM>ncurses</EM> that the old location is unknown, and that it must use
- only absolute motion, as with the <STRONG>cursor_address</STRONG> (<STRONG>cup</STRONG>) capability,
- rather than the least costly combination of absolute and relative
+ tells <EM>ncurses</EM> that the old location is unknown, and that it must use
+ only absolute motion, as with the <STRONG>cursor_address</STRONG> (<STRONG>cup</STRONG>) capability,
+ rather than the least costly combination of absolute and relative
motion.
</PRE><H2><a name="h2-HISTORY">HISTORY</a></H2><PRE>
- SVr2 (1984) introduced the <EM>terminfo</EM> feature. Its programming manual
+ SVr2 (1984) introduced the <EM>terminfo</EM> feature. Its programming manual
mentioned the following low-level functions.
<STRONG>Function</STRONG> <STRONG>Description</STRONG>
------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
<STRONG>fixterm</STRONG> restore terminal to "in <EM>curses</EM>" state
<STRONG>gettmode</STRONG> establish current terminal modes
<STRONG>mvcur</STRONG> low level cursor motion
<STRONG>putp</STRONG> use <STRONG>tputs</STRONG> to send characters via <EM>putchar</EM>
<STRONG>resetterm</STRONG> set terminal modes to "out of <EM>curses</EM>" state
+
<STRONG>resetty</STRONG> reset terminal flags to stored value
<STRONG>saveterm</STRONG> save current modes as "in <EM>curses</EM>" state
<STRONG>savetty</STRONG> store current terminal flags
<STRONG>vidattr</STRONG> like <STRONG>vidputs</STRONG>, but output through <EM>putchar</EM>
<STRONG>vidputs</STRONG> write string to terminal, applying specified attributes
- The programming manual also mentioned functions provided for <EM>termcap</EM>
+ The programming manual also mentioned functions provided for <EM>termcap</EM>
compatibility (commenting that they "may go away at a later date").
<STRONG>Function</STRONG> <STRONG>Description</STRONG>
<STRONG>tgoto</STRONG> apply parameters to given capability
<STRONG>tputs</STRONG> write characters via a function parameter, applying padding
- Early <EM>terminfo</EM> programs obtained capability values from the <EM>TERMINAL</EM>
+ Early <EM>terminfo</EM> programs obtained capability values from the <EM>TERMINAL</EM>
structure initialized by <STRONG>setupterm</STRONG>.
- SVr3 (1987) extended <EM>terminfo</EM> by adding functions to retrieve
- capability values (like the <EM>termcap</EM> interface), and reusing <STRONG>tgoto</STRONG> and
+ SVr3 (1987) extended <EM>terminfo</EM> by adding functions to retrieve
+ capability values (like the <EM>termcap</EM> interface), and reusing <STRONG>tgoto</STRONG> and
<STRONG>tputs</STRONG>.
<STRONG>Function</STRONG> <STRONG>Description</STRONG>
<STRONG>tigetnum</STRONG> get numeric entry for given <EM>id</EM>
<STRONG>tigetstr</STRONG> get string entry for given <EM>id</EM>
- SVr3 also replaced several of the SVr2 <EM>terminfo</EM> functions that had no
+ SVr3 also replaced several of the SVr2 <EM>terminfo</EM> functions that had no
counterpart in the <EM>termcap</EM> interface, documenting them as obsolete.
<STRONG>Function</STRONG> <STRONG>Replaced</STRONG> <STRONG>by</STRONG>
saveterm def_prog_mode
setterm setupterm
- SVr3 kept the <STRONG>mvcur</STRONG>, <STRONG>vidattr</STRONG>, and <STRONG>vidputs</STRONG> functions, along with <STRONG>putp</STRONG>,
- <STRONG>tparm</STRONG>, and <STRONG>tputs</STRONG>. The latter were needed to support padding, and to
- handle capabilities accessed by functions such as <STRONG>vidattr</STRONG> (which used
+ SVr3 kept the <STRONG>mvcur</STRONG>, <STRONG>vidattr</STRONG>, and <STRONG>vidputs</STRONG> functions, along with <STRONG>putp</STRONG>,
+ <STRONG>tparm</STRONG>, and <STRONG>tputs</STRONG>. The latter were needed to support padding, and to
+ handle capabilities accessed by functions such as <STRONG>vidattr</STRONG> (which used
more than the two parameters supported by <STRONG>tgoto</STRONG>).
- SVr3 introduced the functions for switching between terminal
- descriptions; for example, <STRONG>set_curterm</STRONG>. Some changes reflected
+ SVr3 introduced the functions for switching between terminal
+ descriptions; for example, <STRONG>set_curterm</STRONG>. Some changes reflected
incremental improvements to the SVr2 library.
- <STRONG>o</STRONG> The <EM>TERMINAL</EM> type definition was introduced in SVr3.01, for the
+ <STRONG>o</STRONG> The <EM>TERMINAL</EM> type definition was introduced in SVr3.01, for the
<EM>term</EM> structure provided in SVr2.
- <STRONG>o</STRONG> Various global variables such as <STRONG>boolnames</STRONG> were mentioned in the
- programming manual at this point, though the variables had been
+ <STRONG>o</STRONG> Various global variables such as <STRONG>boolnames</STRONG> were mentioned in the
+ programming manual at this point, though the variables had been
provided in SVr2.
SVr4 (1989) added the <STRONG>vid_attr</STRONG> and <STRONG>vid_puts</STRONG> functions.
- Other low-level functions are declared in the <EM>curses</EM> header files of
- Unix systems, but none are documented. Those noted as "obsolete" by
+ Other low-level functions are declared in the <EM>curses</EM> header files of
+ Unix systems, but none are documented. Those noted as "obsolete" by
SVr3 remained in use by System V's <STRONG>vi(1)</STRONG> editor.
</PRE><H2><a name="h2-SEE-ALSO">SEE ALSO</a></H2><PRE>
<STRONG><A HREF="ncurses.3x.html">curses(3x)</A></STRONG>, <STRONG><A HREF="curs_initscr.3x.html">curs_initscr(3x)</A></STRONG>, <STRONG><A HREF="curs_kernel.3x.html">curs_kernel(3x)</A></STRONG>, <STRONG><A HREF="curs_memleaks.3x.html">curs_memleaks(3x)</A></STRONG>,
- <STRONG><A HREF="curs_termcap.3x.html">curs_termcap(3x)</A></STRONG>,
<STRONG><A HREF="curs_variables.3x.html">curs_variables(3x)</A></STRONG>, <STRONG>putc(3)</STRONG>, <STRONG><A HREF="term_variables.3x.html">term_variables(3x)</A></STRONG>,
+ <STRONG><A HREF="curs_termcap.3x.html">curs_termcap(3x)</A></STRONG>,
<STRONG><A HREF="curs_variables.3x.html">curs_variables(3x)</A></STRONG>, <STRONG>putc(3)</STRONG>, <STRONG><A HREF="term_variables.3x.html">term_variables(3x)</A></STRONG>,
<STRONG><A HREF="terminfo.5.html">terminfo(5)</A></STRONG>
-ncurses 6.4 2024-0
2-24 <STRONG><A HREF="curs_terminfo.3x.html">curs_terminfo(3x)</A></STRONG>
+ncurses 6.4 2024-0
4-13 <STRONG><A HREF="curs_terminfo.3x.html">curs_terminfo(3x)</A></STRONG>
</PRE>
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