* sale, use or other dealings in this Software without prior written *
* authorization. *
****************************************************************************
- * @Id: ncurses.3x,v 1.145 2020/02/23 01:05:45 tom Exp @
+ * @Id: ncurses.3x,v 1.149 2020/10/03 20:15:52 tom Exp @
-->
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01//EN">
<HTML>
method of updating character screens with reasonable optimization.
This implementation is "new curses" (ncurses) and is the approved
replacement for 4.4BSD classic curses, which has been discontinued.
- This describes <STRONG>ncurses</STRONG> version 6.2 (patch 20200222).
+ This describes <STRONG>ncurses</STRONG> version 6.2 (patch 20201031).
The <STRONG>ncurses</STRONG> library emulates the curses library of System V Release 4
UNIX, and XPG4 (X/Open Portability Guide) curses (also known as XSI
Most programs would additionally use the sequence:
- <STRONG>nonl();</STRONG>
<STRONG>intrflush(stdscr,</STRONG> <STRONG>FALSE);</STRONG>
<STRONG>keypad(stdscr,</STRONG> <STRONG>TRUE);</STRONG>
Each cell (row and column) in a <STRONG>WINDOW</STRONG> is stored as a
<STRONG>cchar_t</STRONG>.
- The <STRONG><A HREF="setcchar.3x.html">setcchar(3x)</A></STRONG> and <STRONG><A HREF="getcchar.3x.html">getcchar(3x)</A></STRONG> functions store and
+ The <STRONG><A HREF="curs_getcchar.3x.html">setcchar(3x)</A></STRONG> and <STRONG><A HREF="curs_getcchar.3x.html">getcchar(3x)</A></STRONG> functions store and
retrieve the data from a <STRONG>cchar_t</STRONG> structure.
<STRONG>wchar_t</STRONG>
</PRE><H3><a name="h3-Routine-Name-Index">Routine Name Index</a></H3><PRE>
- The following table lists each <STRONG>curses</STRONG> routine and the name of the man-
- ual page on which it is described. Routines flagged with "*" are
- ncurses-specific, not described by XPG4 or present in SVr4.
+ The following table lists the <STRONG>curses</STRONG> routines provided in the "normal"
+ and "wide" libraries and the names of the manual pages on which they
+ are described. Routines flagged with "*" are ncurses-specific, not
+ described by XPG4 or present in SVr4.
<STRONG>curses</STRONG> Routine Name Manual Page Name
---------------------------------------------
COLOR_PAIR <STRONG><A HREF="curs_color.3x.html">curs_color(3x)</A></STRONG>
PAIR_NUMBER <STRONG><A HREF="curs_attr.3x.html">curs_attr(3x)</A></STRONG>
- _nc_free_and_exit <STRONG><A HREF="curs_memleaks.3x.html">curs_memleaks(3x)</A></STRONG>*
- _nc_freeall <STRONG><A HREF="curs_memleaks.3x.html">curs_memleaks(3x)</A></STRONG>*
- _nc_tracebits <STRONG><A HREF="curs_trace.3x.html">curs_trace(3x)</A></STRONG>*
- _traceattr <STRONG><A HREF="curs_trace.3x.html">curs_trace(3x)</A></STRONG>*
- _traceattr2 <STRONG><A HREF="curs_trace.3x.html">curs_trace(3x)</A></STRONG>*
- _tracechar <STRONG><A HREF="curs_trace.3x.html">curs_trace(3x)</A></STRONG>*
- _tracechtype <STRONG><A HREF="curs_trace.3x.html">curs_trace(3x)</A></STRONG>*
- _tracechtype2 <STRONG><A HREF="curs_trace.3x.html">curs_trace(3x)</A></STRONG>*
- _tracedump <STRONG><A HREF="curs_trace.3x.html">curs_trace(3x)</A></STRONG>*
- _tracef <STRONG><A HREF="curs_trace.3x.html">curs_trace(3x)</A></STRONG>*
- _tracemouse <STRONG><A HREF="curs_trace.3x.html">curs_trace(3x)</A></STRONG>*
add_wch <STRONG><A HREF="curs_add_wch.3x.html">curs_add_wch(3x)</A></STRONG>
add_wchnstr <STRONG><A HREF="curs_add_wchstr.3x.html">curs_add_wchstr(3x)</A></STRONG>
add_wchstr <STRONG><A HREF="curs_add_wchstr.3x.html">curs_add_wchstr(3x)</A></STRONG>
attr_off <STRONG><A HREF="curs_attr.3x.html">curs_attr(3x)</A></STRONG>
attr_on <STRONG><A HREF="curs_attr.3x.html">curs_attr(3x)</A></STRONG>
attr_set <STRONG><A HREF="curs_attr.3x.html">curs_attr(3x)</A></STRONG>
-
attroff <STRONG><A HREF="curs_attr.3x.html">curs_attr(3x)</A></STRONG>
attron <STRONG><A HREF="curs_attr.3x.html">curs_attr(3x)</A></STRONG>
attrset <STRONG><A HREF="curs_attr.3x.html">curs_attr(3x)</A></STRONG>
bkgrndset <STRONG><A HREF="curs_bkgrnd.3x.html">curs_bkgrnd(3x)</A></STRONG>
border <STRONG><A HREF="curs_border.3x.html">curs_border(3x)</A></STRONG>
border_set <STRONG><A HREF="curs_border_set.3x.html">curs_border_set(3x)</A></STRONG>
+
box <STRONG><A HREF="curs_border.3x.html">curs_border(3x)</A></STRONG>
box_set <STRONG><A HREF="curs_border_set.3x.html">curs_border_set(3x)</A></STRONG>
can_change_color <STRONG><A HREF="curs_color.3x.html">curs_color(3x)</A></STRONG>
color_set <STRONG><A HREF="curs_attr.3x.html">curs_attr(3x)</A></STRONG>
copywin <STRONG><A HREF="curs_overlay.3x.html">curs_overlay(3x)</A></STRONG>
curs_set <STRONG><A HREF="curs_kernel.3x.html">curs_kernel(3x)</A></STRONG>
+ curses_trace <STRONG><A HREF="curs_trace.3x.html">curs_trace(3x)</A></STRONG>*
curses_version <STRONG><A HREF="curs_extend.3x.html">curs_extend(3x)</A></STRONG>*
def_prog_mode <STRONG><A HREF="curs_kernel.3x.html">curs_kernel(3x)</A></STRONG>
def_shell_mode <STRONG><A HREF="curs_kernel.3x.html">curs_kernel(3x)</A></STRONG>
erase <STRONG><A HREF="curs_clear.3x.html">curs_clear(3x)</A></STRONG>
erasechar <STRONG><A HREF="curs_termattrs.3x.html">curs_termattrs(3x)</A></STRONG>
erasewchar <STRONG><A HREF="curs_termattrs.3x.html">curs_termattrs(3x)</A></STRONG>
+ exit_curses <STRONG><A HREF="curs_memleaks.3x.html">curs_memleaks(3x)</A></STRONG>*
+ exit_terminfo <STRONG><A HREF="curs_memleaks.3x.html">curs_memleaks(3x)</A></STRONG>*
extended_color_content <STRONG><A HREF="curs_color.3x.html">curs_color(3x)</A></STRONG>*
extended_pair_content <STRONG><A HREF="curs_color.3x.html">curs_color(3x)</A></STRONG>*
extended_slk_color <STRONG><A HREF="curs_slk.3x.html">curs_slk(3x)</A></STRONG>*
getcurx <STRONG><A HREF="curs_legacy.3x.html">curs_legacy(3x)</A></STRONG>*
getcury <STRONG><A HREF="curs_legacy.3x.html">curs_legacy(3x)</A></STRONG>*
getmaxx <STRONG><A HREF="curs_legacy.3x.html">curs_legacy(3x)</A></STRONG>*
-
getmaxy <STRONG><A HREF="curs_legacy.3x.html">curs_legacy(3x)</A></STRONG>*
getmaxyx <STRONG><A HREF="curs_getyx.3x.html">curs_getyx(3x)</A></STRONG>
getmouse <STRONG><A HREF="curs_mouse.3x.html">curs_mouse(3x)</A></STRONG>*
getparx <STRONG><A HREF="curs_legacy.3x.html">curs_legacy(3x)</A></STRONG>*
getpary <STRONG><A HREF="curs_legacy.3x.html">curs_legacy(3x)</A></STRONG>*
getparyx <STRONG><A HREF="curs_getyx.3x.html">curs_getyx(3x)</A></STRONG>
+
getstr <STRONG><A HREF="curs_getstr.3x.html">curs_getstr(3x)</A></STRONG>
getsyx <STRONG><A HREF="curs_kernel.3x.html">curs_kernel(3x)</A></STRONG>
getwin <STRONG><A HREF="curs_util.3x.html">curs_util(3x)</A></STRONG>
has_ic <STRONG><A HREF="curs_termattrs.3x.html">curs_termattrs(3x)</A></STRONG>
has_il <STRONG><A HREF="curs_termattrs.3x.html">curs_termattrs(3x)</A></STRONG>
has_key <STRONG><A HREF="curs_getch.3x.html">curs_getch(3x)</A></STRONG>*
+ has_mouse <STRONG><A HREF="curs_mouse.3x.html">curs_mouse(3x)</A></STRONG>*
hline <STRONG><A HREF="curs_border.3x.html">curs_border(3x)</A></STRONG>
hline_set <STRONG><A HREF="curs_border_set.3x.html">curs_border_set(3x)</A></STRONG>
idcok <STRONG><A HREF="curs_outopts.3x.html">curs_outopts(3x)</A></STRONG>
key_defined <STRONG><A HREF="key_defined.3x.html">key_defined(3x)</A></STRONG>*
key_name <STRONG><A HREF="curs_util.3x.html">curs_util(3x)</A></STRONG>
keybound <STRONG><A HREF="keybound.3x.html">keybound(3x)</A></STRONG>*
-
keyname <STRONG><A HREF="curs_util.3x.html">curs_util(3x)</A></STRONG>
keyok <STRONG><A HREF="keyok.3x.html">keyok(3x)</A></STRONG>*
keypad <STRONG><A HREF="curs_inopts.3x.html">curs_inopts(3x)</A></STRONG>
killwchar <STRONG><A HREF="curs_termattrs.3x.html">curs_termattrs(3x)</A></STRONG>
leaveok <STRONG><A HREF="curs_outopts.3x.html">curs_outopts(3x)</A></STRONG>
longname <STRONG><A HREF="curs_termattrs.3x.html">curs_termattrs(3x)</A></STRONG>
+
mcprint <STRONG><A HREF="curs_print.3x.html">curs_print(3x)</A></STRONG>*
meta <STRONG><A HREF="curs_inopts.3x.html">curs_inopts(3x)</A></STRONG>
mouse_trafo <STRONG><A HREF="curs_mouse.3x.html">curs_mouse(3x)</A></STRONG>*
mvwaddnwstr <STRONG><A HREF="curs_addwstr.3x.html">curs_addwstr(3x)</A></STRONG>
mvwaddstr <STRONG><A HREF="curs_addstr.3x.html">curs_addstr(3x)</A></STRONG>
mvwaddwstr <STRONG><A HREF="curs_addwstr.3x.html">curs_addwstr(3x)</A></STRONG>
-
mvwchgat <STRONG><A HREF="curs_attr.3x.html">curs_attr(3x)</A></STRONG>
mvwdelch <STRONG><A HREF="curs_delch.3x.html">curs_delch(3x)</A></STRONG>
mvwget_wch <STRONG><A HREF="curs_get_wch.3x.html">curs_get_wch(3x)</A></STRONG>
mvwgetch <STRONG><A HREF="curs_getch.3x.html">curs_getch(3x)</A></STRONG>
mvwgetn_wstr <STRONG><A HREF="curs_get_wstr.3x.html">curs_get_wstr(3x)</A></STRONG>
mvwgetnstr <STRONG><A HREF="curs_getstr.3x.html">curs_getstr(3x)</A></STRONG>
+
mvwgetstr <STRONG><A HREF="curs_getstr.3x.html">curs_getstr(3x)</A></STRONG>
mvwhline <STRONG><A HREF="curs_border.3x.html">curs_border(3x)</A></STRONG>
mvwhline_set <STRONG><A HREF="curs_border_set.3x.html">curs_border_set(3x)</A></STRONG>
nodelay <STRONG><A HREF="curs_inopts.3x.html">curs_inopts(3x)</A></STRONG>
noecho <STRONG><A HREF="curs_inopts.3x.html">curs_inopts(3x)</A></STRONG>
nofilter <STRONG><A HREF="curs_util.3x.html">curs_util(3x)</A></STRONG>*
- nonl <STRONG><A HREF="curs_outopts.3x.html">curs_outopts(3x)</A></STRONG>
+ nonl <STRONG><A HREF="curs_inopts.3x.html">curs_inopts(3x)</A></STRONG>
noqiflush <STRONG><A HREF="curs_inopts.3x.html">curs_inopts(3x)</A></STRONG>
noraw <STRONG><A HREF="curs_inopts.3x.html">curs_inopts(3x)</A></STRONG>
notimeout <STRONG><A HREF="curs_inopts.3x.html">curs_inopts(3x)</A></STRONG>
overlay <STRONG><A HREF="curs_overlay.3x.html">curs_overlay(3x)</A></STRONG>
overwrite <STRONG><A HREF="curs_overlay.3x.html">curs_overlay(3x)</A></STRONG>
pair_content <STRONG><A HREF="curs_color.3x.html">curs_color(3x)</A></STRONG>
+ pecho_wchar <STRONG><A HREF="curs_pad.3x.html">curs_pad(3x)</A></STRONG>*
pechochar <STRONG><A HREF="curs_pad.3x.html">curs_pad(3x)</A></STRONG>
pnoutrefresh <STRONG><A HREF="curs_pad.3x.html">curs_pad(3x)</A></STRONG>
prefresh <STRONG><A HREF="curs_pad.3x.html">curs_pad(3x)</A></STRONG>
raw <STRONG><A HREF="curs_inopts.3x.html">curs_inopts(3x)</A></STRONG>
redrawwin <STRONG><A HREF="curs_refresh.3x.html">curs_refresh(3x)</A></STRONG>
refresh <STRONG><A HREF="curs_refresh.3x.html">curs_refresh(3x)</A></STRONG>
+ reset_color_pairs <STRONG><A HREF="curs_color.3x.html">curs_color(3x)</A></STRONG>*
reset_prog_mode <STRONG><A HREF="curs_kernel.3x.html">curs_kernel(3x)</A></STRONG>
reset_shell_mode <STRONG><A HREF="curs_kernel.3x.html">curs_kernel(3x)</A></STRONG>
resetty <STRONG><A HREF="curs_kernel.3x.html">curs_kernel(3x)</A></STRONG>
restartterm <STRONG><A HREF="curs_terminfo.3x.html">curs_terminfo(3x)</A></STRONG>
ripoffline <STRONG><A HREF="curs_kernel.3x.html">curs_kernel(3x)</A></STRONG>
savetty <STRONG><A HREF="curs_kernel.3x.html">curs_kernel(3x)</A></STRONG>
-
scanw <STRONG><A HREF="curs_scanw.3x.html">curs_scanw(3x)</A></STRONG>
scr_dump <STRONG><A HREF="curs_scr_dump.3x.html">curs_scr_dump(3x)</A></STRONG>
scr_init <STRONG><A HREF="curs_scr_dump.3x.html">curs_scr_dump(3x)</A></STRONG>
scr_restore <STRONG><A HREF="curs_scr_dump.3x.html">curs_scr_dump(3x)</A></STRONG>
scr_set <STRONG><A HREF="curs_scr_dump.3x.html">curs_scr_dump(3x)</A></STRONG>
+
scrl <STRONG><A HREF="curs_scroll.3x.html">curs_scroll(3x)</A></STRONG>
scroll <STRONG><A HREF="curs_scroll.3x.html">curs_scroll(3x)</A></STRONG>
scrollok <STRONG><A HREF="curs_outopts.3x.html">curs_outopts(3x)</A></STRONG>
slk_restore <STRONG><A HREF="curs_slk.3x.html">curs_slk(3x)</A></STRONG>
slk_set <STRONG><A HREF="curs_slk.3x.html">curs_slk(3x)</A></STRONG>
slk_touch <STRONG><A HREF="curs_slk.3x.html">curs_slk(3x)</A></STRONG>
+ slk_wset <STRONG><A HREF="curs_slk.3x.html">curs_slk(3x)</A></STRONG>*
standend <STRONG><A HREF="curs_attr.3x.html">curs_attr(3x)</A></STRONG>
standout <STRONG><A HREF="curs_attr.3x.html">curs_attr(3x)</A></STRONG>
start_color <STRONG><A HREF="curs_color.3x.html">curs_color(3x)</A></STRONG>
use_default_colors <STRONG><A HREF="default_colors.3x.html">default_colors(3x)</A></STRONG>*
use_env <STRONG><A HREF="curs_util.3x.html">curs_util(3x)</A></STRONG>
use_extended_names <STRONG><A HREF="curs_extend.3x.html">curs_extend(3x)</A></STRONG>*
-
use_legacy_coding <STRONG><A HREF="legacy_coding.3x.html">legacy_coding(3x)</A></STRONG>*
use_tioctl <STRONG><A HREF="curs_util.3x.html">curs_util(3x)</A></STRONG>*
vid_attr <STRONG><A HREF="curs_terminfo.3x.html">curs_terminfo(3x)</A></STRONG>
vid_puts <STRONG><A HREF="curs_terminfo.3x.html">curs_terminfo(3x)</A></STRONG>
+
vidattr <STRONG><A HREF="curs_terminfo.3x.html">curs_terminfo(3x)</A></STRONG>
vidputs <STRONG><A HREF="curs_terminfo.3x.html">curs_terminfo(3x)</A></STRONG>
vline <STRONG><A HREF="curs_border.3x.html">curs_border(3x)</A></STRONG>
winch <STRONG><A HREF="curs_inch.3x.html">curs_inch(3x)</A></STRONG>
winchnstr <STRONG><A HREF="curs_inchstr.3x.html">curs_inchstr(3x)</A></STRONG>
winchstr <STRONG><A HREF="curs_inchstr.3x.html">curs_inchstr(3x)</A></STRONG>
-
winnstr <STRONG><A HREF="curs_instr.3x.html">curs_instr(3x)</A></STRONG>
winnwstr <STRONG><A HREF="curs_inwstr.3x.html">curs_inwstr(3x)</A></STRONG>
wins_nwstr <STRONG><A HREF="curs_ins_wstr.3x.html">curs_ins_wstr(3x)</A></STRONG>
wins_wch <STRONG><A HREF="curs_ins_wch.3x.html">curs_ins_wch(3x)</A></STRONG>
+
wins_wstr <STRONG><A HREF="curs_ins_wstr.3x.html">curs_ins_wstr(3x)</A></STRONG>
winsch <STRONG><A HREF="curs_insch.3x.html">curs_insch(3x)</A></STRONG>
winsdelln <STRONG><A HREF="curs_deleteln.3x.html">curs_deleteln(3x)</A></STRONG>
wvline <STRONG><A HREF="curs_border.3x.html">curs_border(3x)</A></STRONG>
wvline_set <STRONG><A HREF="curs_border_set.3x.html">curs_border_set(3x)</A></STRONG>
+ Depending on the configuration, additional sets of functions may be
+ available:
+
+ <STRONG><A HREF="curs_memleaks.3x.html">curs_memleaks(3x)</A></STRONG> - curses memory-leak checking
+
+ <STRONG><A HREF="curs_sp_funcs.3x.html">curs_sp_funcs(3x)</A></STRONG> - curses screen-pointer extension
+
+ <STRONG><A HREF="curs_threads.3x.html">curs_threads(3x)</A></STRONG> - curses thread support
+
+ <STRONG><A HREF="curs_trace.3x.html">curs_trace(3x)</A></STRONG> - curses debugging routines
+
</PRE><H2><a name="h2-RETURN-VALUE">RETURN VALUE</a></H2><PRE>
Routines that return an integer return <STRONG>ERR</STRONG> upon failure and an integer
(i.e., these should not be used as the right-hand side of assignment
statements).
+ Functions with a "mv" prefix first perform a cursor movement using
+ <STRONG>wmove</STRONG>, and return an error if the position is outside the window, or if
+ the window pointer is null. Most "mv"-prefixed functions (except vari-
+ adic functions such as <STRONG>mvprintw</STRONG>) are provided both as macros and func-
+ tions.
+
Routines that return pointers return <STRONG>NULL</STRONG> on error.
ble. That depends on the value used for <STRONG>_XOPEN_SOURCE</STRONG> feature test
macro.
+ <STRONG>o</STRONG> X/Open Curses documents one required header, in a special case:
+ <stdarg.h> before <curses.h> to prototype the <STRONG>vw_printw</STRONG> and
+ <STRONG>vw_scanw</STRONG> functions (as well as the obsolete the <STRONG>vwprintw</STRONG> and <STRONG>vws-</STRONG>
+ <STRONG>canw</STRONG> functions). Each of those uses a <STRONG>va_list</STRONG> parameter.
+
+ The two obsolete functions were introduced in SVr3. The other
+ functions were introduced in X/Open Curses. In between, SVr4
+ curses provided for the possibility that an application might
+ include either <varargs.h> or <stdarg.h>. Initially, that was done
+ by using <STRONG>void*</STRONG> for the <STRONG>va_list</STRONG> parameter. Later, a special type
+ (defined in <stdio.h>) was introduced, to allow for compiler type-
+ checking. That special type is always available, because <stdio.h>
+ is always included by <curses.h>.
+
+ None of the X/Open Curses implementations require an application to
+ include <stdarg.h> before <curses.h> because they either have
+ allowed for a special type, or (like ncurses) include <stdarg.h>
+ directly to provide a portable interface.
+
</PRE><H2><a name="h2-NOTES">NOTES</a></H2><PRE>
- If standard output from a <STRONG>ncurses</STRONG> program is re-directed to something
- which is not a tty, screen updates will be directed to standard error.
+ If standard output from a <STRONG>ncurses</STRONG> program is re-directed to something
+ which is not a tty, screen updates will be directed to standard error.
This was an undocumented feature of AT&T System V Release 3 curses.