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<H1>curs_getch 3x</H1>
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<PRE>
-<!-- Manpage converted by man2html 3.0.1 -->
+<STRONG><A HREF="curs_getch.3x.html">curs_getch(3x)</A></STRONG> <STRONG><A HREF="curs_getch.3x.html">curs_getch(3x)</A></STRONG>
+
+
+
</PRE>
-<H2>NAME</H2><PRE>
- <STRONG>getch</STRONG>, <STRONG>wgetch</STRONG>, <STRONG>mvgetch</STRONG>, <STRONG>mvwgetch</STRONG>, <STRONG>ungetch</STRONG>, <STRONG>has_key</STRONG> - get
+<H2><a name="h2-NAME">NAME</a></H2><PRE>
+ <STRONG>getch</STRONG>, <STRONG>wgetch</STRONG>, <STRONG>mvgetch</STRONG>, <STRONG>mvwgetch</STRONG>, <STRONG>ungetch</STRONG>, <STRONG>has_key</STRONG> - get
(or push back) characters from <STRONG>curses</STRONG> terminal keyboard
</PRE>
-<H2>SYNOPSIS</H2><PRE>
+<H2><a name="h2-SYNOPSIS">SYNOPSIS</a></H2><PRE>
<STRONG>#include</STRONG> <STRONG><curses.h></STRONG>
<STRONG>int</STRONG> <STRONG>getch(void);</STRONG>
</PRE>
-<H2>DESCRIPTION</H2><PRE>
+<H2><a name="h2-DESCRIPTION">DESCRIPTION</a></H2><PRE>
The <STRONG>getch</STRONG>, <STRONG>wgetch</STRONG>, <STRONG>mvgetch</STRONG> and <STRONG>mvwgetch</STRONG>, routines read a
character from the window. In no-delay mode, if no input
is waiting, the value <STRONG>ERR</STRONG> is returned. In delay mode, the
program waits until the system passes text through to the
- program. Depending on the setting of <STRONG>cbreak</STRONG>, this is
- after one character (cbreak mode), or after the first new-
+ program. Depending on the setting of <STRONG>cbreak</STRONG>, this is af-
+ ter one character (cbreak mode), or after the first new-
line (nocbreak mode). In half-delay mode, the program
waits until a character is typed or the specified timeout
has been reached.
- Unless <STRONG>noecho</STRONG> has been set, then the character will also
- be echoed into the designated window according to the fol-
- lowing rules: If the character is the current erase char-
- acter, left arrow, or backspace, the cursor is moved one
- space to the left and that screen position is erased as if
- <STRONG>delch</STRONG> had been called. If the character value is any
- other <STRONG>KEY_</STRONG> define, the user is alerted with a <STRONG>beep</STRONG> call.
- Otherwise the character is simply output to the screen.
+ If <STRONG>echo</STRONG> is enabled, and the window is not a pad, then the
+ character will also be echoed into the designated window
+ according to the following rules:
+
+ <STRONG>o</STRONG> If the character is the current erase character, left
+ arrow, or backspace, the cursor is moved one space to
+ the left and that screen position is erased as if
+ <STRONG>delch</STRONG> had been called.
+
+ <STRONG>o</STRONG> If the character value is any other <STRONG>KEY_</STRONG> define, the
+ user is alerted with a <STRONG>beep</STRONG> call.
+
+ <STRONG>o</STRONG> If the character is a carriage-return, and if <STRONG>nl</STRONG> is
+ enabled, it is translated to a line-feed after echo-
+ ing.
+
+ <STRONG>o</STRONG> Otherwise the character is simply output to the
+ screen.
If the window is not a pad, and it has been moved or modi-
fied since the last call to <STRONG>wrefresh</STRONG>, <STRONG>wrefresh</STRONG> will be
called before another character is read.
- If <STRONG>keypad</STRONG> is <STRONG>TRUE</STRONG>, and a function key is pressed, the
- token for that function key is returned instead of the raw
- characters. Possible function keys are defined in
- <STRONG><curses.h></STRONG> as macros with values outside the range of
- 8-bit characters whose names begin with <STRONG>KEY_.</STRONG> Thus, a
- variable intended to hold the return value of a function
- key must be of short size or larger.
+ If <STRONG>keypad</STRONG> is <STRONG>TRUE</STRONG>, and a function key is pressed, the to-
+ ken for that function key is returned instead of the raw
+ characters. Possible function keys are defined in <STRONG><curs-</STRONG>
+ <STRONG>es.h></STRONG> as macros with values outside the range of 8-bit
+ characters whose names begin with <STRONG>KEY_</STRONG>. Thus, a variable
+ intended to hold the return value of a function key must
+ be of short size or larger.
When a character that could be the beginning of a function
- key is received (which, on modern terminals, means an
- escape character), <STRONG>curses</STRONG> sets a timer. If the remainder
- of the sequence does not come in within the designated
- time, the character is passed through; otherwise, the
- function key value is returned. For this reason, many
- terminals experience a delay between the time a user
- presses the escape key and the escape is returned to the
- program.
+ key is received (which, on modern terminals, means an es-
+ cape character), <STRONG>curses</STRONG> sets a timer. If the remainder of
+ the sequence does not come in within the designated time,
+ the character is passed through; otherwise, the function
+ key value is returned. For this reason, many terminals
+ experience a delay between the time a user presses the es-
+ cape key and the escape is returned to the program.
The <STRONG>ungetch</STRONG> routine places <EM>ch</EM> back onto the input queue to
be returned by the next call to <STRONG>wgetch</STRONG>. There is just one
input queue for all windows.
- <STRONG>Function</STRONG> <STRONG>Keys</STRONG>
- The following function keys, defined in <STRONG><curses.h></STRONG>, might
- be returned by <STRONG>getch</STRONG> if <STRONG>keypad</STRONG> has been enabled. Note
- that not all of these are necessarily supported on any
+</PRE>
+<H3><a name="h3-Function-Keys">Function Keys</a></H3><PRE>
+ The following function keys, defined in <STRONG><curses.h></STRONG>, might
+ be returned by <STRONG>getch</STRONG> if <STRONG>keypad</STRONG> has been enabled. Note
+ that not all of these are necessarily supported on any
particular terminal.
- <EM>Name</EM> <EM>Key</EM> <EM>name</EM>
-
- KEY_BREAK Break key
- KEY_DOWN The four arrow keys ...
- KEY_UP
- KEY_LEFT
- KEY_RIGHT
- KEY_HOME Home key (upward+left arrow)
- KEY_BACKSPACE Backspace
- KEY_F0 Function keys; space for 64 keys
- is reserved.
- KEY_F(<EM>n</EM>) For 0 <= <EM>n</EM> <= 63
- KEY_DL Delete line
- KEY_IL Insert line
- KEY_DC Delete character
- KEY_IC Insert char or enter insert mode
- KEY_EIC Exit insert char mode
- KEY_CLEAR Clear screen
- KEY_EOS Clear to end of screen
- KEY_EOL Clear to end of line
- KEY_SF Scroll 1 line forward
- KEY_SR Scroll 1 line backward (reverse)
- KEY_NPAGE Next page
- KEY_PPAGE Previous page
- KEY_STAB Set tab
- KEY_CTAB Clear tab
- KEY_CATAB Clear all tabs
- KEY_ENTER Enter or send
- KEY_SRESET Soft (partial) reset
- KEY_RESET Reset or hard reset
- KEY_PRINT Print or copy
- KEY_LL Home down or bottom (lower left).
- KEY_A1 Upper left of keypad
- KEY_A3 Upper right of keypad
- KEY_B2 Center of keypad
- KEY_C1 Lower left of keypad
- KEY_C3 Lower right of keypad
- KEY_BTAB Back tab key
- KEY_BEG Beg(inning) key
- KEY_CANCEL Cancel key
-
- KEY_CLOSE Close key
- KEY_COMMAND Cmd (command) key
- KEY_COPY Copy key
- KEY_CREATE Create key
- KEY_END End key
- KEY_EXIT Exit key
- KEY_FIND Find key
- KEY_HELP Help key
- KEY_MARK Mark key
- KEY_MESSAGE Message key
- KEY_MOUSE Mouse event read
- KEY_MOVE Move key
- KEY_NEXT Next object key
- KEY_OPEN Open key
- KEY_OPTIONS Options key
- KEY_PREVIOUS Previous object key
- KEY_REDO Redo key
- KEY_REFERENCE Ref(erence) key
- KEY_REFRESH Refresh key
- KEY_REPLACE Replace key
- KEY_RESIZE Screen resized
- KEY_RESTART Restart key
- KEY_RESUME Resume key
- KEY_SAVE Save key
- KEY_SBEG Shifted beginning key
- KEY_SCANCEL Shifted cancel key
- KEY_SCOMMAND Shifted command key
- KEY_SCOPY Shifted copy key
- KEY_SCREATE Shifted create key
- KEY_SDC Shifted delete char key
- KEY_SDL Shifted delete line key
- KEY_SELECT Select key
- KEY_SEND Shifted end key
- KEY_SEOL Shifted clear line key
- KEY_SEXIT Shifted exit key
- KEY_SFIND Shifted find key
- KEY_SHELP Shifted help key
- KEY_SHOME Shifted home key
- KEY_SIC Shifted input key
- KEY_SLEFT Shifted left arrow key
- KEY_SMESSAGE Shifted message key
- KEY_SMOVE Shifted move key
- KEY_SNEXT Shifted next key
- KEY_SOPTIONS Shifted options key
- KEY_SPREVIOUS Shifted prev key
- KEY_SPRINT Shifted print key
- KEY_SREDO Shifted redo key
- KEY_SREPLACE Shifted replace key
- KEY_SRIGHT Shifted right arrow
- KEY_SRSUME Shifted resume key
- KEY_SSAVE Shifted save key
- KEY_SSUSPEND Shifted suspend key
- KEY_SUNDO Shifted undo key
-
- KEY_SUSPEND Suspend key
- KEY_UNDO Undo key
+ <EM>Name</EM> <EM>Key</EM> <EM>name</EM>
+ -------------------------------------------------
+ KEY_BREAK Break key
+ KEY_DOWN The four arrow keys ...
+ KEY_UP
+ KEY_LEFT
+ KEY_RIGHT
+ KEY_HOME Home key (upward+left arrow)
+ KEY_BACKSPACE Backspace
+ KEY_F0 Function keys; space for 64 keys
+ is reserved.
+ KEY_F(<EM>n</EM>) For 0 <= <EM>n</EM> <= 63
+ KEY_DL Delete line
+ KEY_IL Insert line
+ KEY_DC Delete character
+ KEY_IC Insert char or enter insert mode
+ KEY_EIC Exit insert char mode
+ KEY_CLEAR Clear screen
+ KEY_EOS Clear to end of screen
+ KEY_EOL Clear to end of line
+ KEY_SF Scroll 1 line forward
+ KEY_SR Scroll 1 line backward (reverse)
+ KEY_NPAGE Next page
+ KEY_PPAGE Previous page
+ KEY_STAB Set tab
+ KEY_CTAB Clear tab
+ KEY_CATAB Clear all tabs
+ KEY_ENTER Enter or send
+ KEY_SRESET Soft (partial) reset
+ KEY_RESET Reset or hard reset
+ KEY_PRINT Print or copy
+ KEY_LL Home down or bottom (lower left)
+ KEY_A1 Upper left of keypad
+ KEY_A3 Upper right of keypad
+ KEY_B2 Center of keypad
+ KEY_C1 Lower left of keypad
+ KEY_C3 Lower right of keypad
+ KEY_BTAB Back tab key
+ KEY_BEG Beg(inning) key
+ KEY_CANCEL Cancel key
+ KEY_CLOSE Close key
+ KEY_COMMAND Cmd (command) key
+ KEY_COPY Copy key
+ KEY_CREATE Create key
+ KEY_END End key
+ KEY_EXIT Exit key
+ KEY_FIND Find key
+ KEY_HELP Help key
+ KEY_MARK Mark key
+ KEY_MESSAGE Message key
+ KEY_MOUSE Mouse event read
+ KEY_MOVE Move key
+
+ KEY_NEXT Next object key
+ KEY_OPEN Open key
+ KEY_OPTIONS Options key
+ KEY_PREVIOUS Previous object key
+ KEY_REDO Redo key
+ KEY_REFERENCE Ref(erence) key
+ KEY_REFRESH Refresh key
+ KEY_REPLACE Replace key
+ KEY_RESIZE Screen resized
+ KEY_RESTART Restart key
+ KEY_RESUME Resume key
+ KEY_SAVE Save key
+ KEY_SBEG Shifted beginning key
+ KEY_SCANCEL Shifted cancel key
+ KEY_SCOMMAND Shifted command key
+ KEY_SCOPY Shifted copy key
+ KEY_SCREATE Shifted create key
+ KEY_SDC Shifted delete char key
+ KEY_SDL Shifted delete line key
+ KEY_SELECT Select key
+ KEY_SEND Shifted end key
+ KEY_SEOL Shifted clear line key
+ KEY_SEXIT Shifted exit key
+ KEY_SFIND Shifted find key
+ KEY_SHELP Shifted help key
+ KEY_SHOME Shifted home key
+ KEY_SIC Shifted input key
+ KEY_SLEFT Shifted left arrow key
+ KEY_SMESSAGE Shifted message key
+ KEY_SMOVE Shifted move key
+ KEY_SNEXT Shifted next key
+ KEY_SOPTIONS Shifted options key
+ KEY_SPREVIOUS Shifted prev key
+ KEY_SPRINT Shifted print key
+ KEY_SREDO Shifted redo key
+ KEY_SREPLACE Shifted replace key
+ KEY_SRIGHT Shifted right arrow
+ KEY_SRSUME Shifted resume key
+ KEY_SSAVE Shifted save key
+ KEY_SSUSPEND Shifted suspend key
+ KEY_SUNDO Shifted undo key
+ KEY_SUSPEND Suspend key
+ KEY_UNDO Undo key
Keypad is arranged like this:
+
+-----+------+-------+
| <STRONG>A1</STRONG> | <STRONG>up</STRONG> | <STRONG>A3</STRONG> |
+-----+------+-------+
+-----+------+-------+
The <STRONG>has_key</STRONG> routine takes a key value from the above list,
and returns TRUE or FALSE according to whether the current
- terminal type recognizes a key with that value.
-
+ terminal type recognizes a key with that value. Note that
+ a few values do not correspond to a real key, e.g.,
+ <STRONG>KEY_RESIZE</STRONG> and <STRONG>KEY_MOUSE</STRONG>. See <STRONG><A HREF="resizeterm.3x.html">resizeterm(3x)</A></STRONG> for more de-
+ tails about <STRONG>KEY_RESIZE</STRONG>, and <STRONG><A HREF="curs_mouse.3x.html">curs_mouse(3x)</A></STRONG> for a discus-
+ sion of <STRONG>KEY_MOUSE</STRONG>.
</PRE>
-<H2>RETURN VALUE</H2><PRE>
- All routines return the integer <STRONG>ERR</STRONG> upon failure and an
+<H2><a name="h2-RETURN-VALUE">RETURN VALUE</a></H2><PRE>
+ All routines return the integer <STRONG>ERR</STRONG> upon failure and an
integer value other than <STRONG>ERR</STRONG> (<STRONG>OK</STRONG> in the case of ungetch())
upon successful completion.
+ <STRONG>ungetch</STRONG>
+ returns ERR if there is no more room in the FIFO.
+
+ <STRONG>wgetch</STRONG>
+ returns ERR if the window pointer is null, or if
+ its timeout expires without having any data.
+
+ Functions with a "mv" prefix first perform a cursor move-
+ ment using <STRONG>wmove</STRONG>, and return an error if the position is
+ outside the window, or if the window pointer is null.
+
</PRE>
-<H2>NOTES</H2><PRE>
+<H2><a name="h2-NOTES">NOTES</a></H2><PRE>
Use of the escape key by a programmer for a single charac-
ter function is discouraged, as it will cause a delay of
up to one second while the keypad code looks for a follow-
ing function-key sequence.
Note that some keys may be the same as commonly used con-
- trol keys, e.g., KEY_ENTER versus control/M, KEY_BACKSPACE
+ trol keys, e.g., <STRONG>KEY_ENTER</STRONG> versus control/M, <STRONG>KEY_BACKSPACE</STRONG>
versus control/H. Some curses implementations may differ
according to whether they treat these control keys spe-
cially (and ignore the terminfo), or use the terminfo def-
initions. <STRONG>Ncurses</STRONG> uses the terminfo definition. If it
- says that KEY_ENTER is control/M, <STRONG>getch</STRONG>, will return
- KEY_ENTER when you press control/M.
+ says that <STRONG>KEY_ENTER</STRONG> is control/M, <STRONG>getch</STRONG> will return
+ <STRONG>KEY_ENTER</STRONG> when you press control/M.
+
+ Generally, <STRONG>KEY_ENTER</STRONG> denotes the character(s) sent by the
+ <EM>Enter</EM> key on the numeric keypad:
+
+ <STRONG>o</STRONG> the terminal description lists the most useful keys,
+
+ <STRONG>o</STRONG> the <EM>Enter</EM> key on the regular keyboard is already han-
+ dled by the standard ASCII characters for carriage-re-
+ turn and line-feed,
+
+ <STRONG>o</STRONG> depending on whether <STRONG>nl</STRONG> or <STRONG>nonl</STRONG> was called, pressing
+ "Enter" on the regular keyboard may return either a
+ carriage-return or line-feed, and finally
+
+ <STRONG>o</STRONG> "Enter or send" is the standard description for this
+ key.
When using <STRONG>getch</STRONG>, <STRONG>wgetch</STRONG>, <STRONG>mvgetch</STRONG>, or <STRONG>mvwgetch</STRONG>, nocbreak
mode (<STRONG>nocbreak</STRONG>) and echo mode (<STRONG>echo</STRONG>) should not be used at
the same time. Depending on the state of the tty driver
- when each character is typed, the program may produce
- undesirable results.
+ when each character is typed, the program may produce un-
+ desirable results.
Note that <STRONG>getch</STRONG>, <STRONG>mvgetch</STRONG>, and <STRONG>mvwgetch</STRONG> may be macros.
</PRE>
-<H2>PORTABILITY</H2><PRE>
+<H2><a name="h2-PORTABILITY">PORTABILITY</a></H2><PRE>
The *get* functions are described in the XSI Curses stan-
dard, Issue 4. They read single-byte characters only.
The standard specifies that they return <STRONG>ERR</STRONG> on failure,
The echo behavior of these functions on input of <STRONG>KEY_</STRONG> or
backspace characters was not specified in the SVr4 docu-
- mentation. This description is adopted from the XSI
- Curses standard.
+ mentation. This description is adopted from the XSI Curs-
+ es standard.
The behavior of <STRONG>getch</STRONG> and friends in the presence of han-
dled signals is unspecified in the SVr4 and XSI Curses
documentation. Under historical curses implementations,
- it varied depending on whether the operating system's
- implementation of handled signal receipt interrupts a
- <STRONG><A HREF="read.2.html">read(2)</A></STRONG> call in progress or not, and also (in some imple-
+ it varied depending on whether the operating system's im-
+ plementation of handled signal receipt interrupts a
+ <STRONG>read(2)</STRONG> call in progress or not, and also (in some imple-
mentations) depending on whether an input timeout or non-
- blocking mode hsd been set.
+ blocking mode has been set.
Programmers concerned about portability should be prepared
- for either of two cases: (a) signal receipt does not
- interrupt <STRONG>getch</STRONG>; (b) signal receipt interrupts <STRONG>getch</STRONG> and
+ for either of two cases: (a) signal receipt does not in-
+ terrupt <STRONG>getch</STRONG>; (b) signal receipt interrupts <STRONG>getch</STRONG> and
causes it to return ERR with <STRONG>errno</STRONG> set to <STRONG>EINTR</STRONG>. Under
the <STRONG>ncurses</STRONG> implementation, handled signals never inter-
rupt <STRONG>getch</STRONG>.
The <STRONG>has_key</STRONG> function is unique to <STRONG>ncurses</STRONG>. We recommend
- that any code using it be conditionalized on the
- <STRONG>NCURSES_VERSION</STRONG> feature macro.
+ that any code using it be conditionalized on the <STRONG>NCURS-</STRONG>
+ <STRONG>ES_VERSION</STRONG> feature macro.
</PRE>
-<H2>SEE ALSO</H2><PRE>
- <STRONG><A HREF="ncurses.3x.html">curses(3x)</A></STRONG>, <STRONG><A HREF="curs_inopts.3x.html">curs_inopts(3x)</A></STRONG>, <STRONG><A HREF="curs_mouse.3x.html">curs_mouse(3x)</A></STRONG>,
- <STRONG><A HREF="curs_move.3x.html">curs_move(3x)</A></STRONG>, <STRONG><A HREF="curs_refresh.3x.html">curs_refresh(3x)</A></STRONG>. <STRONG><A HREF="resizeterm.3x.html">resizeterm(3x)</A></STRONG>.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
+<H2><a name="h2-SEE-ALSO">SEE ALSO</a></H2><PRE>
+ <STRONG><A HREF="ncurses.3x.html">curses(3x)</A></STRONG>, <STRONG><A HREF="curs_inopts.3x.html">curs_inopts(3x)</A></STRONG>, <STRONG><A HREF="curs_outopts.3x.html">curs_outopts(3x)</A></STRONG>,
+ <STRONG><A HREF="curs_mouse.3x.html">curs_mouse(3x)</A></STRONG>, <STRONG><A HREF="curs_move.3x.html">curs_move(3x)</A></STRONG>, <STRONG><A HREF="curs_refresh.3x.html">curs_refresh(3x)</A></STRONG>, <STRONG>re-</STRONG>
+ <STRONG><A HREF="resizeterm.3x.html">sizeterm(3x)</A></STRONG>.
+ Comparable functions in the wide-character (ncursesw) li-
+ brary are described in <STRONG><A HREF="curs_get_wch.3x.html">curs_get_wch(3x)</A></STRONG>.
+ <STRONG><A HREF="curs_getch.3x.html">curs_getch(3x)</A></STRONG>
</PRE>
-<HR>
-<ADDRESS>
-Man(1) output converted with
-<a href="http://www.oac.uci.edu/indiv/ehood/man2html.html">man2html</a>
-</ADDRESS>
+<div class="nav">
+<ul>
+<li><a href="#h2-NAME">NAME</a></li>
+<li><a href="#h2-SYNOPSIS">SYNOPSIS</a></li>
+<li><a href="#h2-DESCRIPTION">DESCRIPTION</a>
+<ul>
+<li><a href="#h3-Function-Keys">Function Keys</a></li>
+</ul>
+</li>
+<li><a href="#h2-RETURN-VALUE">RETURN VALUE</a></li>
+<li><a href="#h2-NOTES">NOTES</a></li>
+<li><a href="#h2-PORTABILITY">PORTABILITY</a></li>
+<li><a href="#h2-SEE-ALSO">SEE ALSO</a></li>
+</ul>
+</div>
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