X-Git-Url: http://ncurses.scripts.mit.edu/?p=ncurses.git;a=blobdiff_plain;f=ANNOUNCE;h=11933c5f6d55f4f21e79e0829da3c801365977ce;hp=95ae5be25603f8da267c560fe068c19ceeb7df22;hb=26001c55f3e698f2467ee6e4a6c376bed9be6439;hpb=3a9b6a3bf0269231bef7de74757a910dedd04e0c diff --git a/ANNOUNCE b/ANNOUNCE index 95ae5be2..11933c5f 100644 --- a/ANNOUNCE +++ b/ANNOUNCE @@ -1,231 +1,288 @@ + Announcing ncurses 5.9 + + The ncurses (new curses) library is a free software emulation of + curses in System V Release 4.0, and more. It uses terminfo format, + supports pads and color and multiple highlights and forms characters + and function-key mapping, and has all the other SYSV-curses + enhancements over BSD curses. + + In mid-June 1995, the maintainer of 4.4BSD curses declared that he + considered 4.4BSD curses obsolete, and encouraged the keepers of Unix + releases such as BSD/OS, FreeBSD and NetBSD to switch over to ncurses. + + The ncurses code was developed under GNU/Linux. It has been in use for + some time with OpenBSD as the system curses library, and on FreeBSD + and NetBSD as an external package. It should port easily to any + ANSI/POSIX-conforming UNIX. It has even been ported to OS/2 Warp! - Announcing ncurses 4.1 - - The ncurses (new curses) library is a freeware emulation of System V - Release 4.0 curses. It uses terminfo format, supports pads and color - and multiple highlights and forms characters and function-key mapping, - and has all the other SYSV-curses enhancements over BSD curses. - - In mid-June 1995, the maintainer of 4.4BSD curses declared that he - considered 4.4BSD curses obsolete, and is encouraging the keepers of - Unix releases such as BSD/OS, freeBSD and netBSD to switch over to - ncurses. - - The ncurses code was developed under Linux. It should port easily to - any ANSI/POSIX-conforming UNIX. It has even been ported to OS/2 Warp! - The distribution includes the library and support utilities, including - a terminfo compiler tic(1), a decompiler infocmp(1), clear(1), - tput(1), tset(1), and a termcap conversion tool captoinfo(1). Full + a terminfo compiler tic(1), a decompiler infocmp(1), clear(1), + tput(1), tset(1), and a termcap conversion tool captoinfo(1). Full manual pages are provided for the library and tools. - - The ncurses distribution is available via anonymous FTP at: - [1]ftp://ftp.clark.net/pub/dickey/ncurses. and - [2]ftp://ftp.netcom.com/pub/zm/zmbenhal/ncurses. It is also carried on - the GNU distribution site at [3]ftp://prep.ai.mit.edu/pub/gnu. - - Features of ncurses - - The ncurses package is fully compatible with SVr4 curses: - - * All 257 of the SVr4 calls have been implemented (and are + + The ncurses distribution is available via anonymous FTP at the GNU + distribution site [1]ftp://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/ncurses/ . + It is also available at [2]ftp://invisible-island.net/ncurses/ . + + Release Notes + + This release is designed to be upward compatible from ncurses 5.0 + through 5.8; very few applications will require recompilation, + depending on the platform. These are the highlights from the + change-log since ncurses 5.8 release. + + This is a bug-fix release, correcting a small number of urgent + problems in the ncurses library from the 5.8 release. + + It also improves the Ada95 binding: + * fixes a longstanding portability problem with its use of the + [3]set_field_type function. Because that function uses + variable-length argument lists, its interface with gnat does not + work with certain platforms. + * improves configurability and portability, particularly when built + separately from the main ncurses tree. The 5.8 release introduced + scripts which can be used to construct separate tarballs for the + Ada95 and ncurses examples. + Those were a proof of concept. For the 5.9 release, those scripts + are augmented with rpm- and dpkg-scripts used in test builds + against a variety of gnat- and system ncurses versions as old as + gnat 3.15 and ncurses 5.4 (see snapshots and systems tested + [4]here. + * additional improvements were made for portability of the ncurses + examples, adding rpm- and dpkg-scripts for test-builds. See + [5]this page for snapshots and other information. + + Features of Ncurses + + The ncurses package is fully compatible with SVr4 (System V Release 4) + curses: + * All 257 of the SVr4 calls have been implemented (and are documented). - * Full support for SVr4 curses features including keyboard mapping, - color, forms-drawing with ACS characters, and automatic + * Full support for SVr4 curses features including keyboard mapping, + color, forms-drawing with ACS characters, and automatic recognition of keypad and function keys. - * An emulation of the System V Release 4 panels library, supporting - a stack of windows with backing store, is included. - * An emulation of the System V Release 4 menus library, supporting a - uniform but flexible interface for menu programming, is included. - * An emulation of the System V Release 4 form library, supporting - data collection through on-screen forms, is included. - * Binary terminfo entries generated by the ncurses tic(1) - implementation are bit-for-bit-compatible with the entry format + * An emulation of the SVr4 panels library, supporting a stack of + windows with backing store, is included. + * An emulation of the SVr4 menus library, supporting a uniform but + flexible interface for menu programming, is included. + * An emulation of the SVr4 form library, supporting data collection + through on-screen forms, is included. + * Binary terminfo entries generated by the ncurses tic(1) + implementation are bit-for-bit-compatible with the entry format SVr4 curses uses. * The utilities have options to allow you to filter terminfo entries - for use with less capable curses/terminfo versions such as the + for use with less capable curses/terminfo versions such as the HP/UX and AIX ports. - + The ncurses package also has many useful extensions over SVr4: - - * The API is 8-bit clean and base-level conformant with the X/OPEN - curses specification, XSI Curses (that is, it implements all BASE - level features, but not all EXTENDED features). Most - EXTENDED-level features not directly concerned with wide-character - support are implemented, including many function calls not - supported under SVr4 curses (but portability of all calls is - documented so you can use the SVr4 subset only). - * Unlike SVr4 curses, ncurses can write to the rightmost-bottommost - corner of the screen if your terminal has an insert-character + * The API is 8-bit clean and base-level conformant with the X/OPEN + curses specification, XSI curses (that is, it implements all BASE + level features, and most EXTENDED features). It includes many + function calls not supported under SVr4 curses (but portability of + all calls is documented so you can use the SVr4 subset only). + * Unlike SVr3 curses, ncurses can write to the rightmost-bottommost + corner of the screen if your terminal has an insert-character capability. - * (PC-clone boxes only) Support for access to the IBM PC ROM - characters 0-32 through the highlight A_ALTCHARSET. - * Support for mouse event reporting under xterm. - * The function wresize() allows you to resize windows, preserving + * Ada95 and C++ bindings. + * Support for mouse event reporting with X Window xterm and FreeBSD + and OS/2 console windows. + * Extended mouse support via Alessandro Rubini's gpm package. + * The function wresize allows you to resize windows, preserving their data. - * Better cursor-movement optimization. The package now features a + * The function use_default_colors allows you to use the terminal's + default colors for the default color pair, achieving the effect of + transparent colors. + * The functions keyok and define_key allow you to better control the + use of function keys, e.g., disabling the ncurses KEY_MOUSE, or by + defining more than one control sequence to map to a given key + code. + * Support for 256-color terminals, such as modern xterm, when + configured using the --enable-ext-colors option. + * Support for 16-color terminals, such as aixterm and modern xterm. + * Better cursor-movement optimization. The package now features a cursor-local-movement computation more efficient than either BSD's or System V's. - * Super hardware scrolling support. The screen-update code - incorporates a novel, simple, and cheap algorithm that enables it - to make optimal use of hardware scrolling, line-insertion, and - line-deletion for screen-line movements. This algorithm is more - powerful than the 4.4BSD curses quickch() routine. - * Real support for terminals with the magic-cookie glitch. The - screen-update code will refrain from drawing a highlight if the - magic- cookie unattributed spaces required just before the - beginning and after the end would step on a non-space character. - It will automatically shift highlight boundaries when doing so - would make it possible to draw the highlight without changing the + * Super hardware scrolling support. The screen-update code + incorporates a novel, simple, and cheap algorithm that enables it + to make optimal use of hardware scrolling, line-insertion, and + line-deletion for screen-line movements. This algorithm is more + powerful than the 4.4BSD curses quickch routine. + * Real support for terminals with the magic-cookie glitch. The + screen-update code will refrain from drawing a highlight if the + magic- cookie unattributed spaces required just before the + beginning and after the end would step on a non-space character. + It will automatically shift highlight boundaries when doing so + would make it possible to draw the highlight without changing the visual appearance of the screen. - * It is possible to generate the library with a list of pre-loaded - fallback entries linked to it so that it can serve those terminal - types even when no terminfo tree or termcap file is accessible - (this may be useful for support of screen-oriented programs that + * It is possible to generate the library with a list of pre-loaded + fallback entries linked to it so that it can serve those terminal + types even when no terminfo tree or termcap file is accessible + (this may be useful for support of screen-oriented programs that must run in single-user mode). * The tic(1)/captoinfo utility provided with ncurses has the ability - to translate many termcaps from the XENIX, IBM and AT&T extension + to translate many termcaps from the XENIX, IBM and AT&T extension sets. * A BSD-like tset(1) utility is provided. * The ncurses library and utilities will automatically read terminfo - entries from $HOME/.terminfo if it exists, and compile to that - directory if it exists and the user has no write access to the - system directory. This feature makes it easier for users to have - personal terminfo entries without giving up access to the system + entries from $HOME/.terminfo if it exists, and compile to that + directory if it exists and the user has no write access to the + system directory. This feature makes it easier for users to have + personal terminfo entries without giving up access to the system terminfo directory. - * You may specify a path of directories to search for compiled - descriptions with the environment variable TERMINFO_DIRS (this - generalizes the feature provided by TERMINFO under stock System + * You may specify a path of directories to search for compiled + descriptions with the environment variable TERMINFO_DIRS (this + generalizes the feature provided by TERMINFO under stock System V.) - * In terminfo source files, use capabilities may refer not just to + * In terminfo source files, use capabilities may refer not just to other entries in the same source file (as in System V) but also to - compiled entries in either the system terminfo directory or the + compiled entries in either the system terminfo directory or the user's $HOME/.terminfo directory. - * A script (capconvert) is provided to help BSD users transition - from termcap to terminfo. It gathers the information in a TERMCAP - environment variable and/or a ~/.termcap local entries file and - converts it to an equivalent local terminfo tree under + * A script (capconvert) is provided to help BSD users transition + from termcap to terminfo. It gathers the information in a TERMCAP + environment variable and/or a ~/.termcap local entries file and + converts it to an equivalent local terminfo tree under $HOME/.terminfo. - * Automatic fallback to the /etc/termcap file can be compiled in - when it is not possible to build a terminfo tree. This feature is - neither fast nor cheap, you don't want to use it unless you have + * Automatic fallback to the /etc/termcap file can be compiled in + when it is not possible to build a terminfo tree. This feature is + neither fast nor cheap, you don't want to use it unless you have to, but it's there. - * The table-of-entries utility toe makes it easy for users to see + * The table-of-entries utility toe makes it easy for users to see exactly what terminal types are available on the system. * The library meets the XSI requirement that every macro entry point - have a corresponding function which may be linked (and will be - prototype-checked) if the macro definition is disabled with + have a corresponding function which may be linked (and will be + prototype-checked) if the macro definition is disabled with #undef. - * An HTML "Introduction to Programming with NCURSES" document - provides a narrative introduction to the curses programming + * An HTML "Introduction to Programming with NCURSES" document + provides a narrative introduction to the curses programming interface. - + State of the Package - + Numerous bugs present in earlier versions have been fixed; the library - is far more reliable than it used to be. Bounds checking in many - `dangerous' entry points has been improved. The code is now type-safe - according to gcc -Wall. The library has been checked for malloc leaks + is far more reliable than it used to be. Bounds checking in many + `dangerous' entry points has been improved. The code is now type-safe + according to gcc -Wall. The library has been checked for malloc leaks and arena corruption by the Purify memory-allocation tester. - - The ncurses code has been tested with a wide variety of applications - including: - + + The ncurses code has been tested with a wide variety of applications + including (versions starting with those noted): + + cdk + Curses Development Kit + [6]http://invisible-island.net/cdk/ + [7]http://www.vexus.ca/products/CDK/ + ded - directory-editor [4]ftp://ftp.clark.net/pub/dickey/ded. - + directory-editor + [8]http://invisible-island.net/ded/ + dialog - the underlying application used in Slackware's setup, and the - basis for similar applications on Linux. - - lynx-2.7 + the underlying application used in Slackware's setup, and the + basis for similar applications on GNU/Linux. + [9]http://invisible-island.net/dialog/ + + lynx the character-screen WWW browser - - ncftp 2.0 + [10]http://lynx.isc.org/release/ + + Midnight Commander + file manager + [11]http://www.midnight-commander.org/ + + mutt + mail utility + [12]http://www.mutt.org/ + + ncftp file-transfer utility - + [13]http://www.ncftp.com/ + nvi New vi versions 1.50 are able to use ncurses versions 1.9.7 and later. - - taper - tape archive utility - - vh-1.6 - Volks-Hypertext browser for the Jargon File - + [14]https://sites.google.com/a/bostic.com/keithbostic/nvi + + pinfo + Lynx-like info browser. + [15]https://alioth.debian.org/projects/pinfo/ + + tin + newsreader, supporting color, MIME [16]http://www.tin.org/ + as well as some that use ncurses for the terminfo support alone: - - minicom-1.75 + + minicom terminal emulator - - tin-unoff - tin (unofficial) newsreader, supporting color, MIME - [5]ftp://ftp.akk.uni-karlsruhe.de/pub/news/clients/tin-unoff. - + [17]http://alioth.debian.org/projects/minicom/ + vile - vi-like-emacs [6]ftp://ftp.clark.net/pub/dickey/vile. - - The ncurses distribution includes a selection of test programs + vi-like-emacs + [18]http://invisible-island.net/vile/ + + The ncurses distribution includes a selection of test programs (including a few games). - + Who's Who and What's What - The original maintainer of ncurses is [7]Zeyd Ben-Halim. - Unfortunately, he can only work on the package part time. As a result, - since 1.8.1, much of the enhancement work and documentation has been - done by [8]Eric S. Raymond. The current primary maintainers are - [9]Thomas Dickey and [10]Juergen Pfeifer. - - There is an ncurses mailing list. It is a majordomo list; to join, - write to ncurses-request@mailgate.bsdi.com with a message containing - the line: + Zeyd Ben-Halim started it from a previous package pcurses, written by + Pavel Curtis. Eric S. Raymond continued development. Juergen Pfeifer + wrote most of the form and menu libraries. Ongoing work is being done + by [19]Thomas Dickey. Thomas Dickey acts as the maintainer for the + Free Software Foundation, which holds the copyright on ncurses. + Contact the current maintainers at [20]bug-ncurses@gnu.org. + To join the ncurses mailing list, please write email to + bug-ncurses-request@gnu.org containing the line: subscribe @ This list is open to anyone interested in helping with the development and testing of this package. - - Beta versions of ncurses and patches to the current release are made - available at [11]ftp://ftp.clark.net/pub/dickey/ncurses. - + + Beta versions of ncurses and patches to the current release are made + available at [21]ftp://invisible-island.net/ncurses/ . + Future Plans - * Extended mouse support via Alessandro Rubini's gpm package. - * Extended-level XPG4 conformance, with internationalization + * Extended-level XPG4 conformance, with internationalization support. * Ports to more systems, including DOS and Windows. - - We need people to help with these projects. If you are interested in + + We need people to help with these projects. If you are interested in working on them, please join the ncurses list. - -The terminfo/termcap Database - - The distribution includes and uses a copy of the terminfo-format - terminal description file maintained by Eric Raymond. You can download - either the [12]termcap or [13]terminfo versions of the terminal-type - database from Eric's ncurses page, - [14]http://www.ccil.org/~esr/ncurses.html. - + Other Related Resources - You can find lots of information on terminal-related topics not - covered in the terminfo file at [15]Richard Shuford's archive. + The distribution provides a newer version of the terminfo-format + terminal description file once maintained by [22]Eric Raymond . Unlike + the older version, the termcap and terminfo data are provided in the + same file, and provides several user-definable extensions beyond the + X/Open specification. + + You can find lots of information on terminal-related topics not + covered in the terminfo file at [23]Richard Shuford's archive . References - 1. ftp://ftp.clark.net/pub/dickey/ncurses - 2. ftp://ftp.netcom.com/pub/zm/zmbenhal/ncurses - 3. ftp://prep.ai.mit.edu/pub/gnu - 4. ftp://ftp.clark.net/pub/dickey/ded - 5. ftp://ftp.akk.uni-karlsruhe.de/pub/news/clients/tin-unoff - 6. ftp://ftp.clark.net/pub/dickey/vile - 7. mailto:zmbenhal@netcom.com - 8. http://www.ccil.org/~esr/home.html - 9. mailto:dickey@clark.net - 10. mailto:Juergen.Pfeifer@T-Online.de - 11. ftp://ftp.clark.net/pub/dickey/ncurses - 12. http://www.ccil.org/~esr/terminfo/termtypes.tc.gz - 13. http://www.ccil.org/~esr/terminfo/termtypes.ti.gz - 14. http://www.ccil.org/~esr/ncurses.html - 15. http://www.cs.utk.edu/~shuford/terminal_index.html + 1. ftp://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/ncurses/ + 2. ftp://invisible-island.net/ncurses/ + 3. http://invisible-island.net/ncurses/man/form_fieldtype.3x + 4. http://invisible-island.net/ncurses/ncurses-Ada95.html + 5. http://invisible-island.net/ncurses/ncurses-examples.html + 6. http://invisible-island.net/cdk/ + 7. http://www.vexus.ca/products/CDK/ + 8. http://invisible-island.net/ded/ + 9. http://invisible-island.net/dialog/ + 10. http://lynx.isc.org/release/ + 11. http://www.midnight-commander.org/ + 12. http://www.mutt.org/ + 13. http://www.ncftp.com/ + 14. https://sites.google.com/a/bostic.com/keithbostic/nvi + 15. https://alioth.debian.org/projects/pinfo/ + 16. http://www.tin.org/ + 17. http://alioth.debian.org/projects/minicom/ + 18. http://invisible-island.net/vile/ + 19. mailto:dickey@invisible-island.net + 20. mailto:bug-ncurses@gnu.org + 21. ftp://invisible-island.net/ncurses/ + 22. http://www.catb.org/~esr/terminfo/ + 23. http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.cs.utk.edu/~shuford/terminal