ncurses 6.0 - patch 20150725

[ncurses.git] / man / curs_util.3x

diff --git a/man/curs_util.3x b/man/curs_util.3x
index a0c05fe427e2da0895c7c0b3ffedf294c0a04acb..4d027dbade11aa8337dce634df4ab57bd684c285 100644 (file)
--- a/man/curs_util.3x
+++ b/man/curs_util.3x
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
 .\" authorization.                                                           *
 .\"***************************************************************************
 .\"
 .\" authorization.                                                           *
 .\"***************************************************************************
 .\"

-.\" $Id: curs_util.3x,v 1.38 2015/03/07 23:33:38 tom Exp $
+.\" $Id: curs_util.3x,v 1.43 2015/06/06 23:36:27 tom Exp $

 .TH curs_util 3X ""
 .ie \n(.g .ds `` \(lq
 .el       .ds `` ``
 .TH curs_util 3X ""
 .ie \n(.g .ds `` \(lq
 .el       .ds `` ``


@@ -81,16 +81,18 @@
 \fBint flushinp(void);\fR
 .br
 .SH DESCRIPTION
 \fBint flushinp(void);\fR
 .br
 .SH DESCRIPTION

+.SS unctrl
+.PP

 The \fBunctrl\fR routine returns a character string which is a printable
 representation of the character \fIc\fR, ignoring attributes.
 Control characters are displayed in the \fB^\fR\fIX\fR notation.
 Printing characters are displayed as is.
 The corresponding \fBwunctrl\fR returns a printable representation of
 a wide character.
 The \fBunctrl\fR routine returns a character string which is a printable
 representation of the character \fIc\fR, ignoring attributes.
 Control characters are displayed in the \fB^\fR\fIX\fR notation.
 Printing characters are displayed as is.
 The corresponding \fBwunctrl\fR returns a printable representation of
 a wide character.

+.SS keyname/key_name

 .PP
 The \fBkeyname\fR routine returns a character string
 corresponding to the key \fIc\fR:
 .PP
 The \fBkeyname\fR routine returns a character string
 corresponding to the key \fIc\fR:

-.RS 3

 .bP
 Printable characters are displayed as themselves,
 e.g., a one-character string containing the key.
 .bP
 Printable characters are displayed as themselves,
 e.g., a one-character string containing the key.


@@ -101,7 +103,7 @@ DEL (character 127) is displayed as \fB^?\fP.
 .bP
 Values above 128 are either meta characters
 (if the screen has not been initialized,
 .bP
 Values above 128 are either meta characters
 (if the screen has not been initialized,

-or if \fBmeta\fP has been called with a TRUE parameter),
+or if \fBmeta\fP has been called with a \fBTRUE\fP parameter),

 shown in the \fBM\-\fR\fIX\fR notation,
 or are displayed as themselves.
 In the latter case, the values may not be printable;
 shown in the \fBM\-\fR\fIX\fR notation,
 or are displayed as themselves.
 In the latter case, the values may not be printable;


@@ -113,12 +115,12 @@ Otherwise (if there is no corresponding name) the function returns null,
 to denote an error.
 X/Open also lists an "UNKNOWN KEY" return value, which some implementations
 return rather than null.
 to denote an error.
 X/Open also lists an "UNKNOWN KEY" return value, which some implementations
 return rather than null.

-.RE

 .LP
 The corresponding \fBkey_name\fR returns a character string corresponding
 to the wide-character value \fIw\fR.
 The two functions do not return the same set of strings;
 the latter returns null where the former would display a meta character.
 .LP
 The corresponding \fBkey_name\fR returns a character string corresponding
 to the wide-character value \fIw\fR.
 The two functions do not return the same set of strings;
 the latter returns null where the former would display a meta character.

+.SS filter/nofilter

 .PP
 The \fBfilter\fR routine, if used, must be called before \fBinitscr\fR or
 \fBnewterm\fR are called.
 .PP
 The \fBfilter\fR routine, if used, must be called before \fBinitscr\fR or
 \fBnewterm\fR are called.


@@ -133,6 +135,7 @@ That allows the caller to initialize a screen on a different device,
 using a different value of \fB$TERM\fP.
 The limitation arises because the \fBfilter\fP routine modifies the
 in-memory copy of the terminal information.
 using a different value of \fB$TERM\fP.
 The limitation arises because the \fBfilter\fP routine modifies the
 in-memory copy of the terminal information.

+.SS use_env

 .PP
 The \fBuse_env\fR routine, if used,
 should be called before \fBinitscr\fR or
 .PP
 The \fBuse_env\fR routine, if used,
 should be called before \fBinitscr\fR or


@@ -158,6 +161,7 @@ from the operating system or terminal database.
 .IP
 Ncurses also updates the screen size in response to SIGWINCH,
 unless overridden by the \fBLINES\fR or \fBCOLUMNS\fR environment variables,
 .IP
 Ncurses also updates the screen size in response to SIGWINCH,
 unless overridden by the \fBLINES\fR or \fBCOLUMNS\fR environment variables,

+.SS use_tioctl

 .PP
 The \fBuse_tioctl\fR routine, if used,
 should be called before \fBinitscr\fR or \fBnewterm\fR are called
 .PP
 The \fBuse_tioctl\fR routine, if used,
 should be called before \fBinitscr\fR or \fBnewterm\fR are called


@@ -198,6 +202,7 @@ FALSE/FALSE/T{
 ncurses relies on the terminal database to determine size.
 T}
 .TE
 ncurses relies on the terminal database to determine size.
 T}
 .TE

+.SS putwin/getwin

 .PP
 The \fBputwin\fR routine writes all data associated
 with window (or pad) \fIwin\fR into
 .PP
 The \fBputwin\fR routine writes all data associated
 with window (or pad) \fIwin\fR into


@@ -216,6 +221,7 @@ the data written is a copy of the \fBWINDOW\fP structure,
 and its associated character cells.
 The format differs between the wide-character (ncursesw) and
 non-wide (ncurses) libraries.
 and its associated character cells.
 The format differs between the wide-character (ncursesw) and
 non-wide (ncurses) libraries.

+You can transfer data between the two, however.

 .bP
 the retrieved window is always created as a top-level window (or pad),
 rather than a subwindow.
 .bP
 the retrieved window is always created as a top-level window (or pad),
 rather than a subwindow.


@@ -225,6 +231,7 @@ but not the actual color \fInumbers\fP.
 If cells in the retrieved window use color pairs which have not been
 created in the application using \fBinit_pair\fP,
 they will not be colored when the window is refreshed.
 If cells in the retrieved window use color pairs which have not been
 created in the application using \fBinit_pair\fP,
 they will not be colored when the window is refreshed.

+.SS delay_output

 .PP
 The \fBdelay_output\fR routine inserts an \fIms\fR millisecond pause
 in output.
 .PP
 The \fBdelay_output\fR routine inserts an \fIms\fR millisecond pause
 in output.


@@ -232,6 +239,7 @@ This routine should not be used extensively because
 padding characters are used rather than a CPU pause.
 If no padding character is specified,
 this uses \fBnapms\fR to perform the delay.
 padding characters are used rather than a CPU pause.
 If no padding character is specified,
 this uses \fBnapms\fR to perform the delay.

+.SS flushinp

 .PP
 The \fBflushinp\fR routine throws away any typeahead that has been typed by the
 user and has not yet been read by the program.
 .PP
 The \fBflushinp\fR routine throws away any typeahead that has been typed by the
 user and has not yet been read by the program.


@@ -256,11 +264,65 @@ returns an error if the terminal was not initialized.
 returns an error if the associated \fBfwrite\fP calls return an error.
 .RE
 .SH PORTABILITY
 returns an error if the associated \fBfwrite\fP calls return an error.
 .RE
 .SH PORTABILITY

+.SS filter
+.PP
+The SVr4 documentation describes the action of \fBfilter\fR only in the vaguest
+terms.
+The description here is adapted from the XSI Curses standard (which
+erroneously fails to describe the disabling of \fBcuu\fR).
+.SS keyname
+.PP
+The \fBkeyname\fP function may return the names of user-defined
+string capabilities which are defined in the terminfo entry via the \fB\-x\fP
+option of \fB@TIC@\fP.
+This implementation automatically assigns at run-time keycodes to
+user-defined strings which begin with "k".
+The keycodes start at KEY_MAX, but are not guaranteed to be
+the same value for different runs because user-defined codes are
+merged from all terminal descriptions which have been loaded.
+The \fBuse_extended_names\fP function controls whether this data is
+loaded when the terminal description is read by the library.
+.SS nofilter/use_tioctl
+.PP
+The \fBnofilter\fP and \fBuse_tioctl\fP routines are specific to ncurses.
+They were not supported on Version 7, BSD or System V implementations.
+It is recommended that any code depending on ncurses extensions
+be conditioned using NCURSES_VERSION.
+.SS putwin/getwin
+.PP
+The \fBputwin\fP and \fBgetwin\fP functions have several issues with
+portability:
+.bP
+The files written and read by these functions
+use an implementation-specific format.
+Although the format is an obvious target for standardization,
+it has been overlooked.
+.IP
+Interestingly enough, according to the copyright dates in Solaris source,
+the functions (along with \fBscr_init\fP, etc.) originated with
+the University of California, Berkeley (in 1982)
+and were later (in 1988) incorporated into SVr4.
+Oddly, there are no such functions in the 4.3BSD curses sources.
+.bP
+Most implementations simply dump the binary \fBWINDOW\fP structure to the file.
+These include SVr4 curses, NetBSD and PDCurses, as well as older ncurses versions.
+This implementation (as well as the X/Open variant of Solaris curses, dated 1995)
+uses textual dumps.
+.IP
+The implementations which use binary dumps use block-I/O
+(the \fBfwrite\fP and \fBfread\fP functions).
+Those that use textual dumps use buffered-I/O.
+A few applications may happen to write extra data in the file using
+these functions.
+Doing that can run into problems mixing block- and buffered-I/O.
+This implementation reduces the problem on writes by flushing the output.
+However, reading from a file written using mixed schemes may not be successful.
+.SS unctrl/wunctrl
+.PP

 The XSI Curses standard, Issue 4 describes these functions.
 It states that \fBunctrl\fR and \fBwunctrl\fR will return a null pointer if
 unsuccessful, but does not define any error conditions.
 This implementation checks for three cases:
 The XSI Curses standard, Issue 4 describes these functions.
 It states that \fBunctrl\fR and \fBwunctrl\fR will return a null pointer if
 unsuccessful, but does not define any error conditions.
 This implementation checks for three cases:

-.RS 3

 .bP
 the parameter is a 7-bit US\-ASCII code.
 This is the case that X/Open Curses documented.
 .bP
 the parameter is a 7-bit US\-ASCII code.
 This is the case that X/Open Curses documented.


@@ -279,12 +341,6 @@ and returns the \*(``~@\*('', etc., values in that case.
 .bP
 parameter values outside the 0 to 255 range.
 \fBunctrl\fP returns a null pointer.
 .bP
 parameter values outside the 0 to 255 range.
 \fBunctrl\fP returns a null pointer.

-.RE
-.PP
-The SVr4 documentation describes the action of \fBfilter\fR only in the vaguest
-terms.
-The description here is adapted from the XSI Curses standard (which
-erroneously fails to describe the disabling of \fBcuu\fR).

 .PP
 The strings returned by \fBunctrl\fR in this implementation are determined
 at compile time,
 .PP
 The strings returned by \fBunctrl\fR in this implementation are determined
 at compile time,


@@ -309,22 +365,6 @@ X/Open Curses does not document the treatment of codes 128 to 159.
 When treating them as \*(``meta\*('' keys
 (or if \fBkeyname\fP is called before initializing curses),
 this implementation returns strings \*(``M\-^@\*('', \*(``M\-^A\*('', etc.
 When treating them as \*(``meta\*('' keys
 (or if \fBkeyname\fP is called before initializing curses),
 this implementation returns strings \*(``M\-^@\*('', \*(``M\-^A\*('', etc.

-.PP
-The \fBkeyname\fP function may return the names of user-defined
-string capabilities which are defined in the terminfo entry via the \fB\-x\fP
-option of \fB@TIC@\fP.
-This implementation automatically assigns at run-time keycodes to
-user-defined strings which begin with "k".
-The keycodes start at KEY_MAX, but are not guaranteed to be
-the same value for different runs because user-defined codes are
-merged from all terminal descriptions which have been loaded.
-The \fBuse_extended_names\fP function controls whether this data is
-loaded when the terminal description is read by the library.
-.PP
-The \fBnofilter\fP and \fBuse_tioctl\fP routines are specific to ncurses.
-They were not supported on Version 7, BSD or System V implementations.
-It is recommended that any code depending on ncurses extensions
-be conditioned using NCURSES_VERSION.

 .SH SEE ALSO
 \fBlegacy_coding\fR(3X),
 \fBcurses\fR(3X),
 .SH SEE ALSO
 \fBlegacy_coding\fR(3X),
 \fBcurses\fR(3X),