1 <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//IETF//DTD HTML 2.0//EN">
4 ****************************************************************************
5 * Copyright (c) 1998,2002 Free Software Foundation, Inc. *
7 * Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a *
8 * copy of this software and associated documentation files (the *
9 * "Software"), to deal in the Software without restriction, including *
10 * without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, *
11 * distribute, distribute with modifications, sublicense, and/or sell *
12 * copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is *
13 * furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions: *
15 * The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included *
16 * in all copies or substantial portions of the Software. *
18 * THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS *
19 * OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF *
20 * MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. *
21 * IN NO EVENT SHALL THE ABOVE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, *
22 * DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR *
23 * OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR *
24 * THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE. *
26 * Except as contained in this notice, the name(s) of the above copyright *
27 * holders shall not be used in advertising or otherwise to promote the *
28 * sale, use or other dealings in this Software without prior written *
30 ****************************************************************************
31 * @Id: form.3x,v 1.15 2002/01/19 22:48:05 tom Exp @
35 <TITLE>form 3x</TITLE>
36 <link rev=made href="mailto:bug-ncurses@gnu.org">
37 <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1">
43 <!-- Manpage converted by man2html 3.0.1 -->
47 <STRONG>form</STRONG> - curses extension for programming forms
51 <H2>SYNOPSIS</H2><PRE>
52 <STRONG>#include</STRONG> <STRONG><form.h></STRONG>
56 <H2>DESCRIPTION</H2><PRE>
57 The <STRONG>form</STRONG> library provides terminal-independent facilities
58 for composing form screens on character-cell terminals.
59 The library includes: field routines, which create and
60 modify form fields; and form routines, which group fields
61 into forms, display forms on the screen, and handle inter-
64 The <STRONG>form</STRONG> library uses the <STRONG>curses</STRONG> libraries, and a curses
65 initialization routine such as <STRONG>initscr</STRONG> must be called
66 before using any of these functions. To use the <STRONG>form</STRONG>
67 library, link with the options <STRONG>-lform</STRONG> <STRONG>-lcurses</STRONG>.
70 <STRONG>Current</STRONG> <STRONG>Default</STRONG> <STRONG>Values</STRONG> <STRONG>for</STRONG> <STRONG>Field</STRONG> <STRONG>Attributes</STRONG>
71 The <STRONG>form</STRONG> library maintains a default value for field
72 attributes. You can get or set this default by calling
73 the appropriate <STRONG>set_</STRONG> or retrieval routine with a <STRONG>NULL</STRONG>
74 field pointer. Changing this default with a <STRONG>set_</STRONG> function
75 affects future field creations, but does not change the
76 rendering of fields already created.
79 <STRONG>Routine</STRONG> <STRONG>Name</STRONG> <STRONG>Index</STRONG>
80 The following table lists each <STRONG>form</STRONG> routine and the name
81 of the manual page on which it is described.
83 <STRONG>curses</STRONG> Routine Name Manual Page Name
84 -------------------------------------------------
85 current_field <STRONG><A HREF="form_page.3x.html">form_page(3x)</A></STRONG>
86 data_ahead <STRONG><A HREF="form_data.3x.html">form_data(3x)</A></STRONG>
87 data_behind <STRONG><A HREF="form_data.3x.html">form_data(3x)</A></STRONG>
88 dup_field <STRONG><A HREF="form_field_new.3x.html">form_field_new(3x)</A></STRONG>
89 dynamic_fieldinfo <STRONG><A HREF="form_field_info.3x.html">form_field_info(3x)</A></STRONG>
90 field_arg <STRONG><A HREF="form_field_validation.3x.html">form_field_validation(3x)</A></STRONG>
91 field_back <STRONG><A HREF="form_field_attributes.3x.html">form_field_attributes(3x)</A></STRONG>
92 field_buffer <STRONG><A HREF="form_field_buffer.3x.html">form_field_buffer(3x)</A></STRONG>
93 field_count <STRONG><A HREF="form_field.3x.html">form_field(3x)</A></STRONG>
94 field_fore <STRONG><A HREF="form_field_attributes.3x.html">form_field_attributes(3x)</A></STRONG>
95 field_index <STRONG><A HREF="form_page.3x.html">form_page(3x)</A></STRONG>
96 field_info <STRONG><A HREF="form_field_info.3x.html">form_field_info(3x)</A></STRONG>
97 field_init <STRONG><A HREF="form_hook.3x.html">form_hook(3x)</A></STRONG>
98 field_just <STRONG><A HREF="form_field_just.3x.html">form_field_just(3x)</A></STRONG>
99 field_opts <STRONG><A HREF="form_field_opts.3x.html">form_field_opts(3x)</A></STRONG>
100 field_opts_off <STRONG><A HREF="form_field_opts.3x.html">form_field_opts(3x)</A></STRONG>
101 field_opts_on <STRONG><A HREF="form_field_opts.3x.html">form_field_opts(3x)</A></STRONG>
102 field_pad <STRONG><A HREF="form_field_attributes.3x.html">form_field_attributes(3x)</A></STRONG>
104 field_status <STRONG><A HREF="form_field_buffer.3x.html">form_field_buffer(3x)</A></STRONG>
105 field_term <STRONG><A HREF="form_hook.3x.html">form_hook(3x)</A></STRONG>
106 field_type <STRONG><A HREF="form_field_validation.3x.html">form_field_validation(3x)</A></STRONG>
107 field_userptr <STRONG><A HREF="form_field_userptr.3x.html">form_field_userptr(3x)</A></STRONG>
108 form_driver <STRONG><A HREF="form_driver.3x.html">form_driver(3x)</A></STRONG>
109 form_fields <STRONG><A HREF="form_field.3x.html">form_field(3x)</A></STRONG>
110 form_init <STRONG><A HREF="form_hook.3x.html">form_hook(3x)</A></STRONG>
111 form_opts <STRONG><A HREF="form_opts.3x.html">form_opts(3x)</A></STRONG>
112 form_opts_off <STRONG><A HREF="form_opts.3x.html">form_opts(3x)</A></STRONG>
113 form_opts_on <STRONG><A HREF="form_opts.3x.html">form_opts(3x)</A></STRONG>
114 form_page <STRONG><A HREF="form_page.3x.html">form_page(3x)</A></STRONG>
115 form_request_by_name <STRONG><A HREF="form_requestname.3x.html">form_requestname(3x)</A></STRONG>
116 form_request_name <STRONG><A HREF="form_requestname.3x.html">form_requestname(3x)</A></STRONG>
117 form_sub <STRONG><A HREF="form_win.3x.html">form_win(3x)</A></STRONG>
118 form_term <STRONG><A HREF="form_hook.3x.html">form_hook(3x)</A></STRONG>
119 form_userptr <STRONG><A HREF="form_userptr.3x.html">form_userptr(3x)</A></STRONG>
120 form_win <STRONG><A HREF="form_win.3x.html">form_win(3x)</A></STRONG>
121 free_field <STRONG><A HREF="form_field_new.3x.html">form_field_new(3x)</A></STRONG>
122 free_form <STRONG><A HREF="form_new.3x.html">form_new(3x)</A></STRONG>
123 link_field <STRONG><A HREF="form_field_new.3x.html">form_field_new(3x)</A></STRONG>
124 link_fieldtype <STRONG><A HREF="form_fieldtype.3x.html">form_fieldtype(3x)</A></STRONG>
125 move_field <STRONG><A HREF="form_field.3x.html">form_field(3x)</A></STRONG>
126 new_field <STRONG><A HREF="form_field_new.3x.html">form_field_new(3x)</A></STRONG>
127 new_form <STRONG><A HREF="form_new.3x.html">form_new(3x)</A></STRONG>
128 new_page <STRONG><A HREF="form_new_page.3x.html">form_new_page(3x)</A></STRONG>
129 pos_form_cursor <STRONG><A HREF="form_cursor.3x.html">form_cursor(3x)</A></STRONG>
130 post_form <STRONG><A HREF="form_post.3x.html">form_post(3x)</A></STRONG>
131 scale_form <STRONG><A HREF="form_win.3x.html">form_win(3x)</A></STRONG>
132 set_current_field <STRONG><A HREF="form_page.3x.html">form_page(3x)</A></STRONG>
133 set_field_back <STRONG><A HREF="form_field_attributes.3x.html">form_field_attributes(3x)</A></STRONG>
134 set_field_buffer <STRONG><A HREF="form_field_buffer.3x.html">form_field_buffer(3x)</A></STRONG>
135 set_field_fore <STRONG><A HREF="form_field_attributes.3x.html">form_field_attributes(3x)</A></STRONG>
136 set_field_init <STRONG><A HREF="form_hook.3x.html">form_hook(3x)</A></STRONG>
137 set_field_just <STRONG><A HREF="form_field_just.3x.html">form_field_just(3x)</A></STRONG>
138 set_field_opts <STRONG><A HREF="form_field_opts.3x.html">form_field_opts(3x)</A></STRONG>
139 set_field_pad <STRONG><A HREF="form_field_attributes.3x.html">form_field_attributes(3x)</A></STRONG>
140 set_field_status <STRONG><A HREF="form_field_buffer.3x.html">form_field_buffer(3x)</A></STRONG>
141 set_field_term <STRONG><A HREF="form_hook.3x.html">form_hook(3x)</A></STRONG>
142 set_field_type <STRONG><A HREF="form_field_validation.3x.html">form_field_validation(3x)</A></STRONG>
143 set_field_userptr <STRONG><A HREF="form_field_userptr.3x.html">form_field_userptr(3x)</A></STRONG>
144 set_fieldtype_arg <STRONG><A HREF="form_fieldtype.3x.html">form_fieldtype(3x)</A></STRONG>
145 set_fieldtype_choice <STRONG><A HREF="form_fieldtype.3x.html">form_fieldtype(3x)</A></STRONG>
146 set_form_fields <STRONG><A HREF="form_field.3x.html">form_field(3x)</A></STRONG>
147 set_form_init <STRONG><A HREF="form_hook.3x.html">form_hook(3x)</A></STRONG>
148 set_form_opts <STRONG><A HREF="form_field_opts.3x.html">form_field_opts(3x)</A></STRONG>
149 set_form_page <STRONG><A HREF="form_page.3x.html">form_page(3x)</A></STRONG>
150 set_form_sub <STRONG><A HREF="form_win.3x.html">form_win(3x)</A></STRONG>
151 set_form_term <STRONG><A HREF="form_hook.3x.html">form_hook(3x)</A></STRONG>
152 set_form_userptr <STRONG><A HREF="form_userptr.3x.html">form_userptr(3x)</A></STRONG>
153 set_form_win <STRONG><A HREF="form_win.3x.html">form_win(3x)</A></STRONG>
154 set_max_field <STRONG><A HREF="form_field_buffer.3x.html">form_field_buffer(3x)</A></STRONG>
155 set_new_page <STRONG><A HREF="form_new_page.3x.html">form_new_page(3x)</A></STRONG>
156 unpost_form <STRONG><A HREF="form_post.3x.html">form_post(3x)</A></STRONG>
160 <H2>RETURN VALUE</H2><PRE>
161 Routines that return pointers return <STRONG>NULL</STRONG> on error. Rou-
162 tines that return an integer return one of the following
165 <STRONG>E_OK</STRONG> The routine succeeded.
167 <STRONG>E_CONNECTED</STRONG>
168 The field is already connected to a form.
170 <STRONG>E_SYSTEM_ERROR</STRONG>
171 System error occurred (see <STRONG>errno</STRONG>).
173 <STRONG>E_BAD_ARGUMENT</STRONG>
174 Routine detected an incorrect or out-of-range argu-
177 <STRONG>E_POSTED</STRONG>
178 The form is already posted.
180 <STRONG>E_BAD_STATE</STRONG>
181 Routine was called from an initialization or termina-
184 <STRONG>E_NO_ROOM</STRONG>
185 Form is too large for its window.
187 <STRONG>E_NOT_POSTED</STRONG>
188 The form has not been posted.
190 <STRONG>E_UNKNOWN_COMMAND</STRONG>
191 The form driver code saw an unknown request code.
193 <STRONG>E_INVALID_FIELD</STRONG>
194 Contents of a field are not valid.
196 <STRONG>E_NOT_CONNECTED</STRONG>
197 No fields are connected to the form.
199 <STRONG>E_REQUEST_DENIED</STRONG>
200 The form driver could not process the request.
204 <H2>SEE ALSO</H2><PRE>
205 <STRONG><A HREF="ncurses.3x.html">curses(3x)</A></STRONG> and related pages whose names begin "form_" for
206 detailed descriptions of the entry points.
211 The header file <STRONG><form.h></STRONG> automatically includes the header
212 files <STRONG><curses.h></STRONG> and <STRONG><eti.h></STRONG>.
214 In your library list, libform.a should be before libn-
215 curses.a; that is, you want to say `-lform -lncurses', not
216 the other way around (which would give you a link error
217 using GNU <STRONG><A HREF="ld.1.html">ld(1)</A></STRONG> and many other linkers).
221 <H2>PORTABILITY</H2><PRE>
222 These routines emulate the System V forms library. They
223 were not supported on Version 7 or BSD versions.
227 <H2>AUTHORS</H2><PRE>
228 Juergen Pfeifer. Manual pages and adaptation for ncurses
280 Man(1) output converted with
281 <a href="http://www.oac.uci.edu/indiv/ehood/man2html.html">man2html</a>