ncurses 6.1 - patch 20190216

[ncurses.git] / README

diff --git a/README b/README
index 8af7db77fc8af4400ac88c825f6ede7a08e82b86..136c6001fdc91903627a97cd513e8ed4c8e47f73 100644 (file)
--- a/README
+++ b/README
@@ -1,3 +1,32 @@
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+-- Copyright (c) 1998-2012,2018 Free Software Foundation, Inc.               --
+--                                                                           --
+-- Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a   --
+-- copy of this software and associated documentation files (the             --
+-- "Software"), to deal in the Software without restriction, including       --
+-- without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish,       --
+-- distribute, distribute with modifications, sublicense, and/or sell copies --
+-- of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is furnished  --
+-- to do so, subject to the following conditions:                            --
+--                                                                           --
+-- The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included   --
+-- in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.                    --
+--                                                                           --
+-- THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS   --
+-- OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF                --
+-- MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN --
+-- NO EVENT SHALL THE ABOVE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM,       --
+-- DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR     --
+-- OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE --
+-- USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.                                    --
+--                                                                           --
+-- Except as contained in this notice, the name(s) of the above copyright    --
+-- holders shall not be used in advertising or otherwise to promote the      --
+-- sale, use or other dealings in this Software without prior written        --
+-- authorization.                                                            --
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+-- $Id: README,v 1.27 2018/01/01 15:09:04 tom Exp $
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                README file for the ncurses package
 
 See the file ANNOUNCE for a summary of ncurses features and ports.
                README file for the ncurses package
 
 See the file ANNOUNCE for a summary of ncurses features and ports.


@@ -8,15 +37,15 @@ See the file TO-DO for things that still need doing, including known bugs.
 Browse the file misc/ncurses-intro.html for narrative descriptions of how
 to use ncurses and the panel, menu, and form libraries.
  
 Browse the file misc/ncurses-intro.html for narrative descriptions of how
 to use ncurses and the panel, menu, and form libraries.
  

-Browse the file misc/hackguide.html for a tour of the package internals.
+Browse the file doc/html/hackguide.html for a tour of the package internals.

 
 ROADMAP AND PACKAGE OVERVIEW:
 
 
 ROADMAP AND PACKAGE OVERVIEW:
 

-You should be reading this file in a directory called: ncurses-d.d.d,
-where d.d.d is the current version number (see the dist.mk file in
-this directory for that).  There should be a number of subdirectories,
-including `c++', `form', `man', `menu', `misc', `ncurses', `panel',
-`progs', `test', and `Ada95'.
+You should be reading this file in a directory called:  ncurses-d.d, where d.d
+is the current version number (see the dist.mk file in this directory for
+that).  There should be a number of subdirectories, including `c++', `form',
+`man', `menu', `misc', `ncurses', `panel', `progs', `test', 'tack' and `Ada95'. 
+(The 'tack' program may be distributed separately).

 
 A full build/install of this package typically installs several libraries, a
 handful of utilities, and a database hierarchy.  Here is an inventory of the
 
 A full build/install of this package typically installs several libraries, a
 handful of utilities, and a database hierarchy.  Here is an inventory of the


@@ -30,33 +59,48 @@ The libraries are:
        libncurses_p.a     (profiling enabled)
 
        libpanel.a         (normal)
        libncurses_p.a     (profiling enabled)
 
        libpanel.a         (normal)

+       libpanel.so        (shared)

        libpanel_g.a       (debug and trace code enabled)
 
        libmenu.a          (normal)
        libpanel_g.a       (debug and trace code enabled)
 
        libmenu.a          (normal)

+       libmenu.so         (shared)

        libmenu_g.a        (debug enabled)
 
        libform.a          (normal)
        libmenu_g.a        (debug enabled)
 
        libform.a          (normal)

+       libform.so         (shared)

        libform_g.a        (debug enabled)
 
        libform_g.a        (debug enabled)
 

+If you configure using the --enable-widec option, a "w" is appended to the
+library names (e.g., libncursesw.a), and the resulting libraries support
+wide-characters, e.g., via a UTF-8 locale.  The corresponding header files
+are compatible with the non-wide-character configuration; wide-character
+features are provided by ifdef's in the header files.  The wide-character
+library interfaces are not binary-compatible with the non-wide-character
+version.
+
+If you configure using the --enable-reentrant option, a "t" is appended to the
+library names (e.g., libncursest.a) and the resulting libraries have a
+different binary interface which makes the ncurses interface more "opaque".
+

 The ncurses libraries implement the curses API.  The panel, menu and forms
 The ncurses libraries implement the curses API.  The panel, menu and forms

-libraries implement clones of the SVr4 panel, menu and forms APIs.  The
-source code for these lives in the `ncurses', `panel', `menu', and
-`form' directories respectively.
+libraries implement clones of the SVr4 panel, menu and forms APIs.  The source
+code for these lives in the `ncurses', `panel', `menu', and `form' directories
+respectively.

 
 In the `c++' directory, you'll find code that defines an interface to the
 
 In the `c++' directory, you'll find code that defines an interface to the

-curses and panels library packaged as a C++ class, and a demo program in C++
-to test it.  These class definition modules are not installed anywhere by
-default; it's up to you what you do with them.
+curses, forms, menus and panels library packaged as C++ classes, and a demo program in C++
+to test it.  These class definition modules are not installed by the 'make
+install.libs' rule as libncurses++.

 
 In the `Ada95' directory, you'll find code and documentation for an
 Ada95 binding of the curses API, to be used with the GNAT compiler.
 This binding is built by a normal top-level `make' if configure detects
 
 In the `Ada95' directory, you'll find code and documentation for an
 Ada95 binding of the curses API, to be used with the GNAT compiler.
 This binding is built by a normal top-level `make' if configure detects

-an usable version of GNAT (3.05 or above). It is not installed automatically.
+an usable version of GNAT (3.11 or above). It is not installed automatically.

 See the Ada95 directory for more build and installation instructions and
 for documentation of the binding.
 
 See the Ada95 directory for more build and installation instructions and
 for documentation of the binding.
 

-In order to do its job, the ncurses code needs your terminal type to be set in
-the environment variable TERM (normally set by your OS; under UNIX, getty(1)
+To do its job, the ncurses code needs your terminal type to be set in the
+environment variable TERM (normally set by your OS; under UNIX, getty(1)

 typically does this, but you can override it in your .profile); and, it needs a
 database of terminal descriptions in which to look up your terminal type's
 capabilities.
 typically does this, but you can override it in your .profile); and, it needs a
 database of terminal descriptions in which to look up your terminal type's
 capabilities.


@@ -72,7 +116,7 @@ second form.
 In the `misc' directory, there is a text file terminfo.src, in editable
 terminfo format, which can be used to generate the terminfo binaries (that's
 what make install.data does).  If the package was built with the
 In the `misc' directory, there is a text file terminfo.src, in editable
 terminfo format, which can be used to generate the terminfo binaries (that's
 what make install.data does).  If the package was built with the

---with-termcap option enabled, and the ncurses library can't find a terminfo
+--enable-termcap option enabled, and the ncurses library cannot find a terminfo

 description for your terminal, it will fall back to the termcap file supplied
 with your system (which the ncurses package installation leaves strictly
 alone).
 description for your terminal, it will fall back to the termcap file supplied
 with your system (which the ncurses package installation leaves strictly
 alone).


@@ -82,34 +126,25 @@ The utilities are as follows:
        tic             -- terminfo source to binary compiler
        infocmp         -- terminfo binary to source decompiler/comparator
        clear           -- emits clear-screen for current terminal
        tic             -- terminfo source to binary compiler
        infocmp         -- terminfo binary to source decompiler/comparator
        clear           -- emits clear-screen for current terminal

+       tabs            -- set tabs on a terminal

        tput            -- shell-script access to terminal capabilities.
        tput            -- shell-script access to terminal capabilities.

+       toe             -- table of entries utility

        tset            -- terminal-initialization utility
        tset            -- terminal-initialization utility

-       toe             -- table of entries utility
-
-The first two are used for manipulating terminfo descriptions; the next two
-are for use in shell scripts.  The last is provided for 4.4BSD compatibility.
-The source code for all of these lives in the `progs' directory.
-
-Detailed documentation for all libraries and utilities can be found in
-the `man' directory.  An HTML introduction to ncurses, panels, and
-menus programming lives in the `misc' directory.
-
-The `test' directory contains programs that can be used to verify the 
-functions of the ncurses libraries.  See test/README for descriptions of
-these programs.  Notably, the `ncurses' utility is designed to help you
-systematically exercise the library functions.

 
 

-RELATED RESOURCES:
+The first two (tic and infocmp) are used for manipulating terminfo
+descriptions; the next two (clear and tput) are for use in shell scripts.  The
+last (tset) is provided for 4.4BSD compatibility.  The source code for all of
+these lives in the `progs' directory.

 
 

-This distribution now includes (and uses) a copy of the master terminfo
-database maintained by Eric Raymond.  This database (which is the 
-official descendant of the 4.4BSD termcap file) changes faster than this
-code does.
+Detailed documentation for all libraries and utilities can be found in the
+`man' and `doc' directories.  An HTML introduction to ncurses, panels, and
+menus programming lives in the `doc/html' directory.  Manpages in HTML format
+are under `doc/html/man'.

 
 

-You can surf to a WWW page that carries the current terminfo master file,
-and news about ncurses, at
-
-       http://www.ccil.org/~esr/ncurses.html
+The `test' directory contains programs that can be used to verify or
+demonstrate the functions of the ncurses libraries.  See test/README for
+descriptions of these programs.  Notably, the `ncurses' utility is designed to
+help you systematically exercise the library functions.

 
 AUTHORS:
 
 
 AUTHORS:
 


@@ -119,26 +154,35 @@ Pavel Curtis:
 Zeyd M. Ben-Halim:
        port of original to Linux and many enhancements.
 
 Zeyd M. Ben-Halim:
        port of original to Linux and many enhancements.
 

-Thomas Dickey (maintainer since 1.9.9e):
+Thomas Dickey (maintainer for 1.9.9g through 4.1, resuming with FSF's 5.0):

        configuration scripts, porting, mods to adhere to XSI Curses in the
        areas of background color, terminal modes.  Also memory leak testing,
        configuration scripts, porting, mods to adhere to XSI Curses in the
        areas of background color, terminal modes.  Also memory leak testing,

-       the wresize extension and numerous bug fixes (more than half of those
-       enumerated in NEWS since release 1.9.2d)
+       the wresize, default colors and key definition extensions and numerous
+       bug fixes -- more than half of those enumerated in NEWS beginning with
+       the internal release 1.8.9, see
+
+               https://invisible-island.net/personal/changelogs.html
+
+Florian La Roche (official maintainer for FSF's ncurses 4.2)
+       Beginning with release 4.2, ncurses is distributed under an MIT-style
+       license.

 
 Eric S. Raymond:
        the man pages, infocmp(1), tput(1), clear(1), captoinfo(1), tset(1),
 
 Eric S. Raymond:
        the man pages, infocmp(1), tput(1), clear(1), captoinfo(1), tset(1),

-       toe(1), most of tic(1), src/lib_twait.c, trace levels, the HTML intro,
-       wgetnstr() and many other entry points, the cursor-movement
-       optimization, the scroll-pack optimizer for vertical motions,
-       the mouse interface and xterm mouse support, and the ncurses
-       test program.
+       toe(1), most of tic(1), trace levels, the HTML intro, wgetnstr() and
+       many other entry points, the cursor-movement optimization, the
+       scroll-pack optimizer for vertical motions, the mouse interface and
+       xterm mouse support, and the ncurses test program.

 
 Juergen Pfeifer
 
 Juergen Pfeifer

-       The menu and form code, and the Ada95 binding.  Ongoing support for
-       panel.
+       The menu and form libraries, C++ bindings for ncurses, menus, forms and
+       panels, as well as the Ada95 binding.  Ongoing support for panel.

 
 CONTRIBUTORS:
 
 
 CONTRIBUTORS:
 

+Alexander V. Lukyanov
+       for numerous fixes and improvements to the optimization logic.
+

 David MacKenzie
        for first-class bug-chasing and methodical testing.
 
 David MacKenzie
        for first-class bug-chasing and methodical testing.
 


@@ -161,10 +205,13 @@ Keith Bostic (maintainer of 4.4BSD curses)
        for help, criticism, comments, bug-finding, and being willing to
        deep-six BSD curses for this one when it grew up.
 
        for help, criticism, comments, bug-finding, and being willing to
        deep-six BSD curses for this one when it grew up.
 

+Richard Stallman,
+       for his commitment to making ncurses free software.
+

 Countless other people have contributed by reporting bugs, sending fixes,
 suggesting improvements, and generally whining about ncurses :-)
 
 BUGS:
        See the INSTALL file for bug and developer-list addresses.
 Countless other people have contributed by reporting bugs, sending fixes,
 suggesting improvements, and generally whining about ncurses :-)
 
 BUGS:
        See the INSTALL file for bug and developer-list addresses.

-       The Hacker's Guide in the misc directory includes some guidelines
+       The Hacker's Guide in the doc directory includes some guidelines

        on how to report bugs in ways that will get them fixed most quickly.
        on how to report bugs in ways that will get them fixed most quickly.