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31 * @Id: form.3x,v 1.56 2024/05/25 20:52:38 tom Exp @
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38 <TITLE>form 3x 2024-05-25 ncurses 6.5 Library calls</TITLE>
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43 <H1 class="no-header">form 3x 2024-05-25 ncurses 6.5 Library calls</H1>
45 <STRONG><A HREF="form.3x.html">form(3x)</A></STRONG> Library calls <STRONG><A HREF="form.3x.html">form(3x)</A></STRONG>
50 </PRE><H2><a name="h2-NAME">NAME</a></H2><PRE>
51 <STRONG>form</STRONG> - present user-fillable forms in <EM>curses</EM> windows
54 </PRE><H2><a name="h2-SYNOPSIS">SYNOPSIS</a></H2><PRE>
55 <STRONG>#include</STRONG> <STRONG><form.h></STRONG>
58 </PRE><H2><a name="h2-DESCRIPTION">DESCRIPTION</a></H2><PRE>
59 The <STRONG>form</STRONG> library provides terminal-independent facilities for composing
60 form screens on character-cell terminals. The library includes: field
61 routines, which create and modify form fields; and form routines, which
62 group fields into forms, display forms on the screen, and handle
63 interaction with the user.
65 The <STRONG>form</STRONG> library uses the <STRONG>curses</STRONG> libraries. To use the <STRONG>form</STRONG> library,
66 link with the options <STRONG>-lform</STRONG> <STRONG>-lcurses</STRONG>.
68 Your program should set up the locale, e.g.,
70 <STRONG>setlocale(LC_ALL,</STRONG> <STRONG>"");</STRONG>
72 so that input/output processing will work.
74 A curses initialization routine such as <STRONG>initscr</STRONG> must be called before
75 using any of these functions.
78 </PRE><H3><a name="h3-Current-Default-Values-for-Field-Attributes">Current Default Values for Field Attributes</a></H3><PRE>
79 The <STRONG>form</STRONG> library maintains a default value for field attributes. You
80 can get or set this default by calling the appropriate <STRONG>set_</STRONG> or
81 retrieval routine with a <STRONG>NULL</STRONG> field pointer. Changing this default
82 with a <STRONG>set_</STRONG> function affects future field creations, but does not
83 change the rendering of fields already created.
86 </PRE><H3><a name="h3-Routine-Name-Index">Routine Name Index</a></H3><PRE>
87 The following table lists each <STRONG>form</STRONG> routine and the name of the manual
88 page on which it is described. Routines flagged with "*" are
89 <EM>ncurses</EM>-specific, not present in SVr4.
91 <STRONG>curses</STRONG> Routine Name Manual Page Name
92 --------------------------------------------------
93 current_field <STRONG><A HREF="form_page.3x.html">form_page(3x)</A></STRONG>
94 data_ahead <STRONG><A HREF="form_data.3x.html">form_data(3x)</A></STRONG>
95 data_behind <STRONG><A HREF="form_data.3x.html">form_data(3x)</A></STRONG>
96 dup_field <STRONG><A HREF="form_field_new.3x.html">form_field_new(3x)</A></STRONG>
97 dynamic_field_info <STRONG><A HREF="form_field_info.3x.html">form_field_info(3x)</A></STRONG>
98 field_arg <STRONG><A HREF="form_field_validation.3x.html">form_field_validation(3x)</A></STRONG>
99 field_back <STRONG><A HREF="form_field_attributes.3x.html">form_field_attributes(3x)</A></STRONG>
100 field_buffer <STRONG><A HREF="form_field_buffer.3x.html">form_field_buffer(3x)</A></STRONG>
101 field_count <STRONG><A HREF="form_field.3x.html">form_field(3x)</A></STRONG>
102 field_fore <STRONG><A HREF="form_field_attributes.3x.html">form_field_attributes(3x)</A></STRONG>
103 field_index <STRONG><A HREF="form_page.3x.html">form_page(3x)</A></STRONG>
104 field_info <STRONG><A HREF="form_field_info.3x.html">form_field_info(3x)</A></STRONG>
105 field_init <STRONG><A HREF="form_hook.3x.html">form_hook(3x)</A></STRONG>
106 field_just <STRONG><A HREF="form_field_just.3x.html">form_field_just(3x)</A></STRONG>
107 field_opts <STRONG><A HREF="form_field_opts.3x.html">form_field_opts(3x)</A></STRONG>
108 field_opts_off <STRONG><A HREF="form_field_opts.3x.html">form_field_opts(3x)</A></STRONG>
109 field_opts_on <STRONG><A HREF="form_field_opts.3x.html">form_field_opts(3x)</A></STRONG>
110 field_pad <STRONG><A HREF="form_field_attributes.3x.html">form_field_attributes(3x)</A></STRONG>
111 field_status <STRONG><A HREF="form_field_buffer.3x.html">form_field_buffer(3x)</A></STRONG>
112 field_term <STRONG><A HREF="form_hook.3x.html">form_hook(3x)</A></STRONG>
113 field_type <STRONG><A HREF="form_field_validation.3x.html">form_field_validation(3x)</A></STRONG>
114 field_userptr <STRONG><A HREF="form_field_userptr.3x.html">form_field_userptr(3x)</A></STRONG>
116 form_driver <STRONG><A HREF="form_driver.3x.html">form_driver(3x)</A></STRONG>
117 form_driver_w <STRONG><A HREF="form_driver.3x.html">form_driver(3x)</A></STRONG>*
118 form_fields <STRONG><A HREF="form_field.3x.html">form_field(3x)</A></STRONG>
119 form_init <STRONG><A HREF="form_hook.3x.html">form_hook(3x)</A></STRONG>
120 form_opts <STRONG><A HREF="form_opts.3x.html">form_opts(3x)</A></STRONG>
121 form_opts_off <STRONG><A HREF="form_opts.3x.html">form_opts(3x)</A></STRONG>
122 form_opts_on <STRONG><A HREF="form_opts.3x.html">form_opts(3x)</A></STRONG>
123 form_page <STRONG><A HREF="form_page.3x.html">form_page(3x)</A></STRONG>
124 form_request_by_name <STRONG><A HREF="form_requestname.3x.html">form_requestname(3x)</A></STRONG>*
125 form_request_name <STRONG><A HREF="form_requestname.3x.html">form_requestname(3x)</A></STRONG>*
126 form_sub <STRONG><A HREF="form_win.3x.html">form_win(3x)</A></STRONG>
127 form_term <STRONG><A HREF="form_hook.3x.html">form_hook(3x)</A></STRONG>
128 form_userptr <STRONG><A HREF="form_userptr.3x.html">form_userptr(3x)</A></STRONG>
129 form_win <STRONG><A HREF="form_win.3x.html">form_win(3x)</A></STRONG>
130 free_field <STRONG><A HREF="form_field_new.3x.html">form_field_new(3x)</A></STRONG>
131 free_fieldtype <STRONG><A HREF="form_fieldtype.3x.html">form_fieldtype(3x)</A></STRONG>
132 free_form <STRONG><A HREF="form_new.3x.html">form_new(3x)</A></STRONG>
133 link_field <STRONG><A HREF="form_field_new.3x.html">form_field_new(3x)</A></STRONG>
134 link_fieldtype <STRONG><A HREF="form_fieldtype.3x.html">form_fieldtype(3x)</A></STRONG>
135 move_field <STRONG><A HREF="form_field.3x.html">form_field(3x)</A></STRONG>
136 new_field <STRONG><A HREF="form_field_new.3x.html">form_field_new(3x)</A></STRONG>
137 new_fieldtype <STRONG><A HREF="form_fieldtype.3x.html">form_fieldtype(3x)</A></STRONG>
138 new_form <STRONG><A HREF="form_new.3x.html">form_new(3x)</A></STRONG>
139 new_page <STRONG><A HREF="form_new_page.3x.html">form_new_page(3x)</A></STRONG>
140 pos_form_cursor <STRONG><A HREF="form_cursor.3x.html">form_cursor(3x)</A></STRONG>
141 post_form <STRONG><A HREF="form_post.3x.html">form_post(3x)</A></STRONG>
142 scale_form <STRONG><A HREF="form_win.3x.html">form_win(3x)</A></STRONG>
143 set_current_field <STRONG><A HREF="form_page.3x.html">form_page(3x)</A></STRONG>
144 set_field_back <STRONG><A HREF="form_field_attributes.3x.html">form_field_attributes(3x)</A></STRONG>
145 set_field_buffer <STRONG><A HREF="form_field_buffer.3x.html">form_field_buffer(3x)</A></STRONG>
146 set_field_fore <STRONG><A HREF="form_field_attributes.3x.html">form_field_attributes(3x)</A></STRONG>
147 set_field_init <STRONG><A HREF="form_hook.3x.html">form_hook(3x)</A></STRONG>
148 set_field_just <STRONG><A HREF="form_field_just.3x.html">form_field_just(3x)</A></STRONG>
149 set_field_opts <STRONG><A HREF="form_field_opts.3x.html">form_field_opts(3x)</A></STRONG>
150 set_field_pad <STRONG><A HREF="form_field_attributes.3x.html">form_field_attributes(3x)</A></STRONG>
151 set_field_status <STRONG><A HREF="form_field_buffer.3x.html">form_field_buffer(3x)</A></STRONG>
152 set_field_term <STRONG><A HREF="form_hook.3x.html">form_hook(3x)</A></STRONG>
153 set_field_type <STRONG><A HREF="form_field_validation.3x.html">form_field_validation(3x)</A></STRONG>
154 set_field_userptr <STRONG><A HREF="form_field_userptr.3x.html">form_field_userptr(3x)</A></STRONG>
155 set_fieldtype_arg <STRONG><A HREF="form_fieldtype.3x.html">form_fieldtype(3x)</A></STRONG>
156 set_fieldtype_choice <STRONG><A HREF="form_fieldtype.3x.html">form_fieldtype(3x)</A></STRONG>
157 set_form_fields <STRONG><A HREF="form_field.3x.html">form_field(3x)</A></STRONG>
158 set_form_init <STRONG><A HREF="form_hook.3x.html">form_hook(3x)</A></STRONG>
159 set_form_opts <STRONG><A HREF="form_field_opts.3x.html">form_field_opts(3x)</A></STRONG>
160 set_form_page <STRONG><A HREF="form_page.3x.html">form_page(3x)</A></STRONG>
161 set_form_sub <STRONG><A HREF="form_win.3x.html">form_win(3x)</A></STRONG>
162 set_form_term <STRONG><A HREF="form_hook.3x.html">form_hook(3x)</A></STRONG>
163 set_form_userptr <STRONG><A HREF="form_userptr.3x.html">form_userptr(3x)</A></STRONG>
164 set_form_win <STRONG><A HREF="form_win.3x.html">form_win(3x)</A></STRONG>
165 set_max_field <STRONG><A HREF="form_field_buffer.3x.html">form_field_buffer(3x)</A></STRONG>
166 set_new_page <STRONG><A HREF="form_new_page.3x.html">form_new_page(3x)</A></STRONG>
167 unfocus_current_field <STRONG><A HREF="form_page.3x.html">form_page(3x)</A></STRONG>*
168 unpost_form <STRONG><A HREF="form_post.3x.html">form_post(3x)</A></STRONG>
171 </PRE><H2><a name="h2-RETURN-VALUE">RETURN VALUE</a></H2><PRE>
172 Routines that return pointers return <STRONG>NULL</STRONG> on error, and set <STRONG>errno</STRONG> to
173 the corresponding error-code returned by functions returning an
174 integer. Routines that return an integer return one of the following
177 <STRONG>E_OK</STRONG> The routine succeeded.
179 <STRONG>E_BAD_ARGUMENT</STRONG>
180 Routine detected an incorrect or out-of-range argument.
182 <STRONG>E_BAD_STATE</STRONG>
183 Routine was called from an initialization or termination function.
185 <STRONG>E_CONNECTED</STRONG>
186 The field is already connected to a form.
188 <STRONG>E_INVALID_FIELD</STRONG>
189 Contents of a field are not valid.
191 <STRONG>E_NOT_CONNECTED</STRONG>
192 No fields are connected to the form.
194 <STRONG>E_NOT_POSTED</STRONG>
195 The form has not been posted.
197 <STRONG>E_NO_ROOM</STRONG>
198 Form is too large for its window.
200 <STRONG>E_POSTED</STRONG>
201 The form is already posted.
203 <STRONG>E_REQUEST_DENIED</STRONG>
204 The form driver could not process the request.
206 <STRONG>E_SYSTEM_ERROR</STRONG>
207 System error occurred (see <STRONG>errno(3)</STRONG>).
209 <STRONG>E_UNKNOWN_COMMAND</STRONG>
210 The form driver code saw an unknown request code.
213 </PRE><H2><a name="h2-NOTES">NOTES</a></H2><PRE>
214 The header file <EM>form.h</EM> itself includes <EM>curses.h</EM>.
217 </PRE><H2><a name="h2-PORTABILITY">PORTABILITY</a></H2><PRE>
218 These routines emulate the System V forms library. They were not
219 supported on Version 7 or BSD versions.
221 A form facility was documented in SVr4.2's <EM>Character</EM> <EM>User</EM> <EM>Interface</EM>
222 <EM>Programming</EM> document.
224 It is not part of X/Open Curses.
226 Aside from <EM>ncurses</EM>, there are few implementations:
228 <STRONG>o</STRONG> systems based on SVr4 source code, e.g., Solaris.
230 <STRONG>o</STRONG> NetBSD curses.
232 A few functions in this implementation are extensions added for
233 <EM>ncurses</EM>, but not provided by other implementations, e.g.,
234 <STRONG>form_driver_w</STRONG>, <STRONG>unfocus_current_field</STRONG>.
237 </PRE><H2><a name="h2-AUTHORS">AUTHORS</a></H2><PRE>
238 Juergen Pfeifer. Manual pages and adaptation for <EM>ncurses</EM> by Eric S.
242 </PRE><H2><a name="h2-SEE-ALSO">SEE ALSO</a></H2><PRE>
243 <STRONG><A HREF="ncurses.3x.html">curses(3x)</A></STRONG> and related pages whose names begin "form_" for detailed
244 descriptions of the entry points.
248 ncurses 6.5 2024-05-25 <STRONG><A HREF="form.3x.html">form(3x)</A></STRONG>
252 <li><a href="#h2-NAME">NAME</a></li>
253 <li><a href="#h2-SYNOPSIS">SYNOPSIS</a></li>
254 <li><a href="#h2-DESCRIPTION">DESCRIPTION</a>
256 <li><a href="#h3-Current-Default-Values-for-Field-Attributes">Current Default Values for Field Attributes</a></li>
257 <li><a href="#h3-Routine-Name-Index">Routine Name Index</a></li>
260 <li><a href="#h2-RETURN-VALUE">RETURN VALUE</a></li>
261 <li><a href="#h2-NOTES">NOTES</a></li>
262 <li><a href="#h2-PORTABILITY">PORTABILITY</a></li>
263 <li><a href="#h2-AUTHORS">AUTHORS</a></li>
264 <li><a href="#h2-SEE-ALSO">SEE ALSO</a></li>