ncurses 5.9 - patch 20110521

[ncurses.git] / ANNOUNCE

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+                            Announcing ncurses 5.9
+
+   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!

 
 

-                            Announcing ncurses 4.1
-                                       
-   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.
-   
-   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.
-   
-   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!
-   

    The distribution includes the library and support utilities, including
    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
+   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.
    manual pages are provided for the library and tools.

-   
-   The ncurses distribution is available via anonymous FTP at:
-   [1]ftp://ftp.clark.net/pub/dickey/ncurses. and
-   [2]ftp://ftp.netcom.com/pub/zm/zmbenhal/ncurses. It is also carried on
-   the GNU distribution site at [3]ftp://prep.ai.mit.edu/pub/gnu.
-   
-                              Features of ncurses
-                                       
-   The ncurses package is fully compatible with SVr4 curses:
-   
-     * All 257 of the SVr4 calls have been implemented (and are
+
+   The  ncurses  distribution  is  available via anonymous FTP at the GNU
+   distribution site [1]ftp://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/ncurses/ .
+   It is also available at [2]ftp://invisible-island.net/ncurses/ .
+
+                                 Release Notes
+
+   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
+       [3]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
+       [4]here.
+     * additional  improvements  were made for portability of the ncurses
+       examples,  adding  rpm-  and  dpkg-scripts  for  test-builds.  See
+       [5]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).
        documented).

-     * Full support for SVr4 curses features including keyboard mapping,
-       color, forms-drawing with ACS characters, and automatic
+     * Full  support for SVr4 curses features including keyboard mapping,
+       color,   forms-drawing   with   ACS   characters,   and  automatic

        recognition of keypad and function keys.
        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 emulation of the System V Release 4 menus library, supporting a
-       uniform but flexible interface for menu programming, is included.
-     * 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
+     * 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
        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
+       for  use  with  less  capable curses/terminfo versions such as the

        HP/UX and AIX ports.
        HP/UX and AIX ports.

-       
+

    The ncurses package also has many useful extensions over SVr4:
    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
+     * 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.
        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
+     * 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.
        their data.

-     * Better cursor-movement optimization. The package now features a
+     * 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.
        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
+     * 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.
        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
+     * 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
        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
+       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
        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
+       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.
        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
+     * 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.)
        V.)

-     * In terminfo source files, use capabilities may refer not just to
+     * 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
        other entries in the same source file (as in System V) but also to

-       compiled entries in either the system terminfo directory or the
+       compiled  entries  in  either the system terminfo directory or the

        user's $HOME/.terminfo directory.
        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
+     * 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.
        $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
+     * 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.
        to, but it's there.

-     * The table-of-entries utility toe makes it easy for users to see
+     * 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
        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
+       have  a  corresponding  function  which may be linked (and will be
+       prototype-checked)  if  the  macro  definition  is  disabled  with

        #undef.
        #undef.

-     * An HTML "Introduction to Programming with NCURSES" document
-       provides a narrative introduction to the curses programming
+     * An  HTML  "Introduction  to  Programming  with  NCURSES"  document
+       provides  a  narrative  introduction  to  the  curses  programming

        interface.
        interface.

-       
+

                              State of the Package
                              State of the Package

-                                       
+

    Numerous bugs present in earlier versions have been fixed; the library
    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
+   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.
    and arena corruption by the Purify memory-allocation tester.

-   
-   The ncurses code has been tested with a wide variety of applications
-   including:
-   
+
+   The  ncurses  code has been tested with a wide variety of applications
+   including (versions starting with those noted):
+
+   cdk
+          Curses Development Kit
+          [6]http://invisible-island.net/cdk/
+          [7]http://www.vexus.ca/products/CDK/
+

    ded
    ded

-          directory-editor [4]ftp://ftp.clark.net/pub/dickey/ded.
-          
+          directory-editor
+          [8]http://invisible-island.net/ded/
+

    dialog
    dialog

-          the underlying application used in Slackware's setup, and the
-          basis for similar applications on Linux.
-          
-   lynx-2.7
+          the  underlying  application used in Slackware's setup, and the
+          basis for similar applications on GNU/Linux.
+          [9]http://invisible-island.net/dialog/
+
+   lynx

           the character-screen WWW browser
           the character-screen WWW browser

-          
-   ncftp 2.0
+          [10]http://lynx.isc.org/release/
+
+   Midnight Commander
+          file manager
+          [11]http://www.midnight-commander.org/
+
+   mutt
+          mail utility
+          [12]http://www.mutt.org/
+
+   ncftp

           file-transfer utility
           file-transfer utility

-          
+          [13]http://www.ncftp.com/
+

    nvi
           New vi versions 1.50 are able to use ncurses versions 1.9.7 and
           later.
    nvi
           New vi versions 1.50 are able to use ncurses versions 1.9.7 and
           later.

-          
-   taper
-          tape archive utility
-          
-   vh-1.6
-          Volks-Hypertext browser for the Jargon File
-          
+          [14]https://sites.google.com/a/bostic.com/keithbostic/nvi
+
+   pinfo
+          Lynx-like info browser.
+          [15]https://alioth.debian.org/projects/pinfo/
+
+   tin
+          newsreader, supporting color, MIME [16]http://www.tin.org/
+

    as well as some that use ncurses for the terminfo support alone:
    as well as some that use ncurses for the terminfo support alone:

-   
-   minicom-1.75
+
+   minicom

           terminal emulator
           terminal emulator

-          
-   tin-unoff
-          tin (unofficial) newsreader, supporting color, MIME
-          [5]ftp://ftp.akk.uni-karlsruhe.de/pub/news/clients/tin-unoff.
-          
+          [17]http://alioth.debian.org/projects/minicom/
+

    vile
    vile

-          vi-like-emacs [6]ftp://ftp.clark.net/pub/dickey/vile.
-          
-   The ncurses distribution includes a selection of test programs
+          vi-like-emacs
+          [18]http://invisible-island.net/vile/
+
+   The  ncurses  distribution  includes  a  selection  of  test  programs

    (including a few games).
    (including a few games).

-   
+

 Who's Who and What's What
 
 Who's Who and What's What
 

-   The original maintainer of ncurses is [7]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 [8]Eric S. Raymond. The current primary maintainers are
-   [9]Thomas Dickey and [10]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:
+   Zeyd  Ben-Halim started it from a previous package pcurses, written by
+   Pavel  Curtis.  Eric S. Raymond continued development. Juergen Pfeifer
+   wrote  most of the form and menu libraries. Ongoing work is being done
+   by  [19]Thomas  Dickey.  Thomas  Dickey acts as the maintainer for the
+   Free  Software  Foundation,  which  holds  the  copyright  on ncurses.
+   Contact the current maintainers at [20]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.
              subscribe <name>@<host.domain>
 
    This list is open to anyone interested in helping with the development
    and testing of this package.

-   
-   Beta versions of ncurses and patches to the current release are made
-   available at [11]ftp://ftp.clark.net/pub/dickey/ncurses.
-   
+
+   Beta  versions  of ncurses and patches to the current release are made
+   available at [21]ftp://invisible-island.net/ncurses/ .
+

 Future Plans
 
 Future Plans
 

-     * Extended mouse support via Alessandro Rubini's gpm package.
-     * Extended-level XPG4 conformance, with internationalization
+     * Extended-level   XPG4   conformance,   with   internationalization

        support.
      * Ports to more systems, including DOS and Windows.
        support.
      * Ports to more systems, including DOS and Windows.

-       
-   We need people to help with these projects. If you are interested in
+
+   We  need  people to help with these projects. If you are interested in

    working on them, please join the ncurses list.
    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 [12]termcap or [13]terminfo versions of the terminal-type
-   database from Eric's ncurses page,
-   [14]http://www.ccil.org/~esr/ncurses.html.
-   
+

 Other Related Resources
 
 Other Related Resources
 

-   You can find lots of information on terminal-related topics not
-   covered in the terminfo file at [15]Richard Shuford's archive.
+   The  distribution  provides  a  newer  version  of the terminfo-format
+   terminal description file once maintained by [22]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 [23]Richard Shuford's archive .

 
 References
 
 
 References
 

-   1. ftp://ftp.clark.net/pub/dickey/ncurses
-   2. ftp://ftp.netcom.com/pub/zm/zmbenhal/ncurses
-   3. ftp://prep.ai.mit.edu/pub/gnu
-   4. ftp://ftp.clark.net/pub/dickey/ded
-   5. ftp://ftp.akk.uni-karlsruhe.de/pub/news/clients/tin-unoff
-   6. ftp://ftp.clark.net/pub/dickey/vile
-   7. mailto:zmbenhal@netcom.com
-   8. http://www.ccil.org/~esr/home.html
-   9. mailto:dickey@clark.net
-  10. mailto:Juergen.Pfeifer@T-Online.de
-  11. ftp://ftp.clark.net/pub/dickey/ncurses
-  12. http://www.ccil.org/~esr/terminfo/termtypes.tc.gz
-  13. http://www.ccil.org/~esr/terminfo/termtypes.ti.gz
-  14. http://www.ccil.org/~esr/ncurses.html
-  15. http://www.cs.utk.edu/~shuford/terminal_index.html
+   1. ftp://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/ncurses/
+   2. ftp://invisible-island.net/ncurses/
+   3. http://invisible-island.net/ncurses/man/form_fieldtype.3x
+   4. http://invisible-island.net/ncurses/ncurses-Ada95.html
+   5. http://invisible-island.net/ncurses/ncurses-examples.html
+   6. http://invisible-island.net/cdk/
+   7. http://www.vexus.ca/products/CDK/
+   8. http://invisible-island.net/ded/
+   9. http://invisible-island.net/dialog/
+  10. http://lynx.isc.org/release/
+  11. http://www.midnight-commander.org/
+  12. http://www.mutt.org/
+  13. http://www.ncftp.com/
+  14. https://sites.google.com/a/bostic.com/keithbostic/nvi
+  15. https://alioth.debian.org/projects/pinfo/
+  16. http://www.tin.org/
+  17. http://alioth.debian.org/projects/minicom/
+  18. http://invisible-island.net/vile/
+  19. mailto:dickey@invisible-island.net
+  20. mailto:bug-ncurses@gnu.org
+  21. ftp://invisible-island.net/ncurses/
+  22. http://www.catb.org/~esr/terminfo/
+  23. http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.cs.utk.edu/~shuford/terminal