- The <STRONG>init_pair</STRONG> routine changes the definition of a color-
- pair. It takes three arguments: the number of the color-
- pair to be changed, the foreground color number, and the
+ These limits apply to color values and color pairs. Val-
+ ues outside these limits are not legal, and may result in
+ a runtime error:
+
+ <STRONG>o</STRONG> <STRONG>COLORS</STRONG> corresponds to the terminal database's <STRONG>max_col-</STRONG>
+ <STRONG>ors</STRONG> capability, which is typically a signed 16-bit in-
+ teger (see <STRONG><A HREF="terminfo.5.html">terminfo(5)</A></STRONG>).
+
+ <STRONG>o</STRONG> color values are expected to be in the range <STRONG>0</STRONG> to <STRONG>COL-</STRONG>
+ <STRONG>ORS-1</STRONG>, inclusive (including <STRONG>0</STRONG> and <STRONG>COLORS-1</STRONG>).
+
+ <STRONG>o</STRONG> a special color value <STRONG>-1</STRONG> is used in certain extended
+ functions to denote the <EM>default</EM> <EM>color</EM> (see <STRONG>use_de-</STRONG>
+ <STRONG>fault_colors</STRONG>).
+
+ <STRONG>o</STRONG> <STRONG>COLOR_PAIRS</STRONG> corresponds to the terminal database's
+ <STRONG>max_pairs</STRONG> capability, which is typically a signed
+ 16-bit integer (see <STRONG><A HREF="terminfo.5.html">terminfo(5)</A></STRONG>).
+
+ <STRONG>o</STRONG> legal color pair values are in the range <STRONG>1</STRONG> to <STRONG>COL-</STRONG>
+ <STRONG>OR_PAIRS-1</STRONG>, inclusive.
+
+ <STRONG>o</STRONG> color pair <STRONG>0</STRONG> is special; it denotes "no color".
+
+ Color pair <STRONG>0</STRONG> is assumed to be white on black, but is
+ actually whatever the terminal implements before color
+ is initialized. It cannot be modified by the applica-
+ tion.
+
+ The <STRONG>init_pair</STRONG> routine changes the definition of a color-
+ pair. It takes three arguments: the number of the color-
+ pair to be changed, the foreground color number, and the