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!
+
+
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 manual pages are provided for the library and
+ tools.
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 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 here.
+
+
+
additional improvements were made for portability of the
+ ncurses examples, adding rpm- and dpkg-scripts for test-builds.
+ See 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 recognition of keypad and function keys.
+
+
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 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, 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.
+
+
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.
+
+
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 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 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 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 terminfo directory.
-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.
+
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 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.
+
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 user's $HOME/.terminfo directory.
-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!
+
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 to, but it's there.
-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 manual pages are provided for
-the library and tools.
+
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 #undef.
-The ncurses package is fully compatible with SVr4 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 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 HTML "Introduction to Programming with NCURSES" document
+ provides a narrative introduction to the curses programming
+ interface.
+
-
An emulation of the System V Release 4 menus library, supporting
-a uniform but flexible interface for menu programming, is included.
+
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 and arena
+ corruption by the Purify memory-allocation tester.
+
+
The ncurses code has been tested with a wide variety of
+ applications including (versions starting with those noted):
the underlying application used in Slackware's setup, and
+ the basis for similar applications on GNU/Linux.
+ http://invisible-island.net/dialog/
+
+
lynx
-
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 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 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 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
-their data.
-
-
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 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 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 sets.
-
-
A BSD-like tset(1) utility is provided.
-
-
The ncurses library and utilities will automatically read terminfo
-entries from $HOME/.terminfo if it exists, and compile to that directory
-if it exists and the user has no write access to the system directory.
-This feature makes it easier for users to have personal terminfo entries
-without giving up access to the system terminfo directory.
-
-
You may specify a path of directories to search for compiled
-descriptions with the environment variable TERMINFO_DIRS (this
-generalizes the feature provided by TERMINFO under stock System V.)
-
-
In terminfo source files, use capabilities may refer not just to
-other entries in the same source file (as in System V) but also to
-compiled entries in either the system terminfo directory or the user's
-$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 $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 to,
-but it's there.
-
-
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
-#undef.
-
-
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 and
-arena corruption by the Purify memory-allocation tester.
-
-The ncurses code has been tested with a wide variety of applications
-including:
-
-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 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 Eric S. Raymond.
-The current primary maintainers are
-Thomas Dickey
-and
-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:
-
The ncurses distribution includes a selection of test programs
+ (including a few games).
+
+
Who's Who and What's What
Zeyd Ben-Halim started it from
+ a previous package pcurses, written by Pavel Curtis. Eric S.
+ Raymond continued development. Jürgen Pfeifer wrote most of
+ the form and menu libraries. Ongoing work is being done by
+ Thomas Dickey.
+ Thomas Dickey acts as the maintainer for the Free Software
+ Foundation, which holds the copyright on ncurses. Contact the
+ current maintainers at bug-ncurses@gnu.org.
+
+
To join the ncurses mailing list, please write email to
+ bug-ncurses-request@gnu.org containing the line:
+
subscribe <name>@<host.domain>
-
-
-This list is open to anyone interested in helping with the development and
-testing of this package.
Extended mouse support via Alessandro Rubini's gpm package.
-
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 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
-termcap
-or
-terminfo
-versions of the terminal-type
-database from Eric's ncurses page,
-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
-Richard Shuford's
-archive.
-
-
-
+
+
+
This list is open to anyone interested in helping with the
+ development and testing of this package.
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 working on them, please join the ncurses list.
+
+
Other Related Resources
The distribution provides a newer
+ version of the terminfo-format terminal description file once
+ maintained by 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
+ Richard Shuford's archive .