ncurses 5.9 - patch 20120714

[ncurses.git] / man / ncurses.3x

diff --git a/man/ncurses.3x b/man/ncurses.3x
index 7d2bc6595dbf2dbd872d1b1d87c78afd4fec7ca9..64a0211b352d2db4d786a4249fb7b44dec2f4454 100644 (file)
--- a/man/ncurses.3x
+++ b/man/ncurses.3x
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 '\" t
 .\"***************************************************************************
 '\" t
 .\"***************************************************************************

-.\" Copyright (c) 1998-2009,2010 Free Software Foundation, Inc.              *
+.\" Copyright (c) 1998-2011,2012 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            *
 .\"                                                                          *
 .\" Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a  *
 .\" copy of this software and associated documentation files (the            *


@@ -27,9 +27,12 @@
 .\" authorization.                                                           *
 .\"***************************************************************************
 .\"
 .\" authorization.                                                           *
 .\"***************************************************************************
 .\"

-.\" $Id: ncurses.3x,v 1.96 2010/07/31 15:55:04 tom Exp $
+.\" $Id: ncurses.3x,v 1.107 2012/07/14 21:13:06 tom Exp $

 .hy 0
 .TH ncurses 3X ""
 .hy 0
 .TH ncurses 3X ""

+.de bP
+.IP \(bu 4
+..

 .ds n 5
 .ds d @TERMINFO@
 .SH NAME
 .ds n 5
 .ds d @TERMINFO@
 .SH NAME


@@ -105,9 +108,9 @@ Most programs would additionally use the sequence:
 .sp
 Before a \fBcurses\fR program is run, the tab stops of the terminal
 should be set and its initialization strings, if defined, must be output.
 .sp
 Before a \fBcurses\fR program is run, the tab stops of the terminal
 should be set and its initialization strings, if defined, must be output.

-This can be done by executing the \fBtput init\fR command
+This can be done by executing the \fB@TPUT@ init\fR command

 after the shell environment variable \fBTERM\fR has been exported.
 after the shell environment variable \fBTERM\fR has been exported.

-\fBtset(1)\fR is usually responsible for doing this.
+\fB@TSET@(1)\fR is usually responsible for doing this.

 [See \fBterminfo\fR(\*n) for further details.]
 .PP
 The \fBncurses\fR library permits manipulation of data structures,
 [See \fBterminfo\fR(\*n) for further details.]
 .PP
 The \fBncurses\fR library permits manipulation of data structures,


@@ -246,7 +249,7 @@ Each cell (row and column) in a \fBWINDOW\fP is stored as a \fBchtype\fP.
 .TP 5
 ncursesw
 the so-called "wide" library, which handles multibyte characters
 .TP 5
 ncursesw
 the so-called "wide" library, which handles multibyte characters

-(See the section on \fBALTERNATE CONFIGURATIONS\fP).
+(see the section on \fBALTERNATE CONFIGURATIONS\fP).

 The "wide" library includes all of the calls from the "normal" library.
 It adds about one third more calls using data types which store
 multibyte characters:
 The "wide" library includes all of the calls from the "normal" library.
 It adds about one third more calls using data types which store
 multibyte characters:


@@ -634,6 +637,7 @@ use_default_colors/\fBdefault_colors\fR(3X)*
 use_env/\fBcurs_util\fR(3X)
 use_extended_names/\fBcurs_extend\fR(3X)*
 use_legacy_coding/\fBlegacy_coding\fR(3X)*
 use_env/\fBcurs_util\fR(3X)
 use_extended_names/\fBcurs_extend\fR(3X)*
 use_legacy_coding/\fBlegacy_coding\fR(3X)*

+use_tioctl/\fBcurs_util\fR(3X)

 vid_attr/\fBcurs_terminfo\fR(3X)
 vid_puts/\fBcurs_terminfo\fR(3X)
 vidattr/\fBcurs_terminfo\fR(3X)
 vid_attr/\fBcurs_terminfo\fR(3X)
 vid_puts/\fBcurs_terminfo\fR(3X)
 vidattr/\fBcurs_terminfo\fR(3X)


@@ -731,6 +735,9 @@ Routines that return an integer return \fBERR\fR upon failure and an
 integer value other than \fBERR\fR upon successful completion, unless
 otherwise noted in the routine descriptions.
 .PP
 integer value other than \fBERR\fR upon successful completion, unless
 otherwise noted in the routine descriptions.
 .PP

+As a general rule, routines check for null pointers passed as parameters,
+and handle this as an error.
+.PP

 All macros return the value of the \fBw\fR version, except \fBsetscrreg\fR,
 \fBwsetscrreg\fR, \fBgetyx\fR, \fBgetbegyx\fR, and \fBgetmaxyx\fR.
 The return values of \fBsetscrreg\fR, \fBwsetscrreg\fR, \fBgetyx\fR, \fBgetbegyx\fR, and
 All macros return the value of the \fBw\fR version, except \fBsetscrreg\fR,
 \fBwsetscrreg\fR, \fBgetyx\fR, \fBgetbegyx\fR, and \fBgetmaxyx\fR.
 The return values of \fBsetscrreg\fR, \fBwsetscrreg\fR, \fBgetyx\fR, \fBgetbegyx\fR, and


@@ -783,7 +790,9 @@ For best results, \fBlines\fR and \fBcols\fR should not be specified in
 a terminal description for terminals which are run as emulations.
 .IP
 Use the \fBuse_env\fR function to disable all use of external environment
 a terminal description for terminals which are run as emulations.
 .IP
 Use the \fBuse_env\fR function to disable all use of external environment

-(including system calls) to determine the screen size.
+(but not including system calls) to determine the screen size.
+Use the \fBuse_tioctl\fR function to update \fBCOLUMNS\fP or \fBLINES\fP
+to match the screen size obtained from system calls or the terminal database.

 .TP 5
 ESCDELAY
 Specifies the total time, in milliseconds, for which ncurses will
 .TP 5
 ESCDELAY
 Specifies the total time, in milliseconds, for which ncurses will


@@ -927,6 +936,28 @@ and is likely to work for terminal emulators.
 When setting this variable, you should set it to a nonzero value.
 Setting it to zero (or to a nonnumber)
 disables the special check for "linux" and "screen".
 When setting this variable, you should set it to a nonzero value.
 Setting it to zero (or to a nonnumber)
 disables the special check for "linux" and "screen".

+.IP
+As an alternative to the environment variable,
+ncurses checks for an extended terminfo capability \fBU8\fP.
+This is a numeric capability which can be compiled using \fB@TIC@\ \-x\fP.
+For example
+.RS 5
+.sp
+.nf
+# linux console, if patched to provide working
+# VT100 shift-in/shift-out, with corresponding font.
+linux-vt100|linux console with VT100 line-graphics,
+       U8#0, use=linux,
+.sp
+# uxterm with vt100Graphics resource set to false
+xterm-utf8|xterm relying on UTF-8 line-graphics,
+       U8#1, use=xterm,
+.fi
+.RE
+.IP
+The name "U8" is chosen to be two characters,
+to permit it to be used by applications that use ncurses'
+termcap interface.

 .TP 5
 NCURSES_TRACE
 During initialization, the \fBncurses\fR debugging library
 .TP 5
 NCURSES_TRACE
 During initialization, the \fBncurses\fR debugging library


@@ -960,20 +991,15 @@ description.
 This is the simplest, but not the only way to change the list of directories.
 The complete list of directories in order follows:
 .RS
 This is the simplest, but not the only way to change the list of directories.
 The complete list of directories in order follows:
 .RS

-.TP 3
-\-
+.bP

 the last directory to which \fBncurses\fR wrote, if any, is searched first
 the last directory to which \fBncurses\fR wrote, if any, is searched first

-.TP 3
-\-
+.bP

 the directory specified by the TERMINFO symbol
 the directory specified by the TERMINFO symbol

-.TP 3
-\-
+.bP

 $HOME/.terminfo
 $HOME/.terminfo

-.TP 3
-\-
+.bP

 directories listed in the TERMINFO_DIRS symbol
 directories listed in the TERMINFO_DIRS symbol

-.TP 3
-\-
+.bP

 one or more directories whose names are configured and compiled into the
 ncurses library, e.g.,
 @TERMINFO@
 one or more directories whose names are configured and compiled into the
 ncurses library, e.g.,
 @TERMINFO@


@@ -984,6 +1010,13 @@ Specifies a list of directories to search for terminal descriptions.
 The list is separated by colons (i.e., ":") on Unix, semicolons on OS/2 EMX.
 All of the terminal descriptions are in terminfo form, which makes
 a subdirectory named for the first letter of the terminal names therein.
 The list is separated by colons (i.e., ":") on Unix, semicolons on OS/2 EMX.
 All of the terminal descriptions are in terminfo form, which makes
 a subdirectory named for the first letter of the terminal names therein.

+.IP
+If \fBncurses\fP is built with a hashed database,
+then each entry in this list can also be the path of the corresponding
+database file.
+.IP
+If \fBncurses\fP is built with a support for reading termcap files
+directly, then an entry in this list may be the path of a termcap file.

 .TP 5
 TERMPATH
 If TERMCAP does not hold a file name then \fBncurses\fR checks
 .TP 5
 TERMPATH
 If TERMCAP does not hold a file name then \fBncurses\fR checks


@@ -1075,6 +1108,8 @@ terminal capability database
 .SH SEE ALSO
 \fBterminfo\fR(\*n) and related pages whose names begin "curs_" for detailed routine
 descriptions.
 .SH SEE ALSO
 \fBterminfo\fR(\*n) and related pages whose names begin "curs_" for detailed routine
 descriptions.

+.br
+\fBcurs_variables\fR(3X) 

 .SH EXTENSIONS
 The \fBncurses\fR library can be compiled with an option (\fB\-DUSE_GETCAP\fR)
 that falls back to the old-style /etc/termcap file if the terminal setup code
 .SH EXTENSIONS
 The \fBncurses\fR library can be compiled with an option (\fB\-DUSE_GETCAP\fR)
 that falls back to the old-style /etc/termcap file if the terminal setup code


@@ -1122,30 +1157,45 @@ A small number of local differences (that is, individual differences between
 the XSI Curses and \fBncurses\fR calls) are described in \fBPORTABILITY\fR
 sections of the library man pages.
 .PP
 the XSI Curses and \fBncurses\fR calls) are described in \fBPORTABILITY\fR
 sections of the library man pages.
 .PP

-This implementation also contains several extensions:
-.RS 5
+Unlike other implementations, this one checks parameters such as pointers
+to WINDOW structures to ensure they are not null.
+The main reason for providing this behavior is to guard against programmer
+error.
+The standard interface does not provide a way for the library
+to tell an application which of several possible errors were detected.
+Relying on this (or some other) extension will adversely affect the
+portability of curses applications.

 .PP
 .PP

+This implementation also contains several extensions:
+.bP

 The routine \fBhas_key\fR is not part of XPG4, nor is it present in SVr4.
 See the \fBcurs_getch\fR(3X) manual page for details.
 The routine \fBhas_key\fR is not part of XPG4, nor is it present in SVr4.
 See the \fBcurs_getch\fR(3X) manual page for details.

-.PP
+.bP

 The routine \fBslk_attr\fR is not part of XPG4, nor is it present in SVr4.
 See the \fBcurs_slk\fR(3X) manual page for details.
 The routine \fBslk_attr\fR is not part of XPG4, nor is it present in SVr4.
 See the \fBcurs_slk\fR(3X) manual page for details.

-.PP
+.bP

 The routines \fBgetmouse\fR, \fBmousemask\fR, \fBungetmouse\fR,
 \fBmouseinterval\fR, and \fBwenclose\fR relating to mouse interfacing are not
 part of XPG4, nor are they present in SVr4.
 See the \fBcurs_mouse\fR(3X) manual page for details.
 The routines \fBgetmouse\fR, \fBmousemask\fR, \fBungetmouse\fR,
 \fBmouseinterval\fR, and \fBwenclose\fR relating to mouse interfacing are not
 part of XPG4, nor are they present in SVr4.
 See the \fBcurs_mouse\fR(3X) manual page for details.

-.PP
+.bP

 The routine \fBmcprint\fR was not present in any previous curses implementation.
 See the \fBcurs_print\fR(3X) manual page for details.
 The routine \fBmcprint\fR was not present in any previous curses implementation.
 See the \fBcurs_print\fR(3X) manual page for details.

-.PP
+.bP

 The routine \fBwresize\fR is not part of XPG4, nor is it present in SVr4.
 See the \fBwresize\fR(3X) manual page for details.
 The routine \fBwresize\fR is not part of XPG4, nor is it present in SVr4.
 See the \fBwresize\fR(3X) manual page for details.

-.PP
+.bP

 The WINDOW structure's internal details can be hidden from application
 programs.
 See \fBcurs_opaque\fR(3X) for the discussion of \fBis_scrollok\fR, etc.
 The WINDOW structure's internal details can be hidden from application
 programs.
 See \fBcurs_opaque\fR(3X) for the discussion of \fBis_scrollok\fR, etc.

-.RE
+.bP
+This implementation can be configured to provide rudimentary support
+for multi-threaded applications.
+See \fBcurs_threads\fR(3X) for details.
+.bP
+This implementation can also be configured to provide a set of functions which
+improve the ability to manage multiple screens.
+See \fBcurs_sp_funcs\fR(3X) for details.

 .PP
 In historic curses versions, delays embedded in the capabilities \fBcr\fR,
 \fBind\fR, \fBcub1\fR, \fBff\fR and \fBtab\fR activated corresponding delay
 .PP
 In historic curses versions, delays embedded in the capabilities \fBcr\fR,
 \fBind\fR, \fBcub1\fR, \fBff\fR and \fBtab\fR activated corresponding delay


@@ -1164,9 +1214,3 @@ This was an undocumented feature of AT&T System V Release 3 curses.
 .SH AUTHORS
 Zeyd M. Ben-Halim, Eric S. Raymond, Thomas E. Dickey.
 Based on pcurses by Pavel Curtis.
 .SH AUTHORS
 Zeyd M. Ben-Halim, Eric S. Raymond, Thomas E. Dickey.
 Based on pcurses by Pavel Curtis.

-.\"#
-.\"# The following sets edit modes for GNU EMACS
-.\"# Local Variables:
-.\"# mode:nroff
-.\"# fill-column:79
-.\"# End: