curses(S)

curses -- CRT screen handling and optimization package

Syntax

cc ... -lcurses

#include <curses.h>

Description

The curses library routines give the user a terminal-independent method of updating character screens with reasonable optimization. A program using these routines must be compiled with the -lcurses option of cc(CP).

The curses package allows:

overall screen, window and pad manipulation
output to windows and pads
reading terminal input
control over terminal and curses input and output options
environment query routines
color manipulation
use of soft label keys
terminfo access
access to low-level curses routines

To initialize the routines, you must call the routine initscr or newterm before using any of the other routines that deal with windows and screens. The routine endwin(S) must be called before exiting. Most interactive, screen-oriented programs want single-character input without echoing. To get it, use this sequence:

cbreak();
noecho();

Most programs would also use the sequence:

nonl();
intrflush(stdscr,FALSE);
keypad(stdscr,TRUE);

Before you run a curses( ) program, set the tab stops of the terminal and output its initialization strings if they are defined. You can do this using the command:

tput init

after the shell environment variable TERM has been exported. (See terminfo(F) and terminfo(M) for details.)

The curses( ) library lets you manipulate data structures, called windows, which can be thought of as two-dimensional arrays of characters. The library supplies a default window called stdscr, which is the size of the terminal screen. You can create others using newwin( ).

Windows are referred to by variables declared as WINDOW *. These data structures are manipulated with routines described on curses pages (whose names begin with ``curs_''). Among the most basic routines are move( ) and addch( ). The library includes more general versions of these routines that allow you to specify a window.

After routines manipulate a window, refresh( ) is called, telling curses( ) to make the user's screen look like stdscr. The characters in a window are actually of type chtype (character and attribute data) so that other information about the character can also be stored with each character.

Special windows called pads can also be manipulated. They are windows that might not be associated with a viewable part of the screen. See curs_pad(S) for more information.

In addition to drawing characters on the screen, you can use video attributes and colors, producing characters that are underlined, reverse video, or in color on terminals that support those modes. You can also output line-drawing characters. On input, curses( ) can also translate the escape sequences from arrow and function keys into single values. The video attributes, line-drawing characters, and input values use names, defined in curses.h, such as A_REVERSE, ACS_HLINE, and KEY_LEFT.

curses( ) has routines that manipulate color on color alphanumeric terminals. To use them, call start_color( ), usually right after initscr( ). Colors are always used in pairs, called color-pairs. A color-pair has a foreground color (the character) and a background color (the field on which the character is displayed).

You initialize a color-pair with the routine init_pair( ). After it has been initialized, you can use COLOR_PAIR(n), a macro defined in curses.h, in the same way that you use other video attributes. If a terminal can redefine colors, the following routines are useful:

has_color( ) returns TRUE or FALSE, depending on whether the terminal has color capability.
can_change_color( ) returns TRUE or FALSE, depending on whether the user can change the colors.
color_content( ) reports to the user the amounts of red, green, and blue in an initialized color.
pair_content( ) reports to the user how a specified color-pair is currently defined.
init_color( ) changes the definition of a color.

If the environment variables LINES and COLUMNS are set, or if the program is running in a window environment, line and column information in the environment overrides information read by terminfo( ). Programs running in a window environment need this because the size of a screen is changeable.

If the environment variable TERMINFO is defined, any program using curses( ) checks for a local terminal definition before checking in the standard place. For example, if TERM is set to wyse150, then the compiled terminal definition is found in

/usr/lib/terminfo/w/wyse150

(The w is copied from the first letter of wyse150 to avoid creating huge directories.) However, if TERMINFO is set to $HOME/myterms, curses( ) first checks

$HOME/myterms/w/wyse150

and if that fails, it checks

/usr/lib/terminfo/w/wyse150

This is useful for developing experimental definitions or when write permission in /usr/lib/terminfo is not available.

The integer variables LINES and COLS are defined in curses.h and are filled in by initscr( ) with the size of the screen. The constant TRUE has the value 1; and the constant FALSE has the value 0.

curses routines also define the WINDOW * variable curscr, which is used for certain low-level operations such as clearing and redrawing a screen. However, curscr can be used in only a few routines.

International functions

The number of bytes and the number of columns to hold a character from the supplementary character set is locale-specific (locale category LC_CTYPE). You can specify it in the character class table.

For editing, it is entirely appropriate to operate at the character level. But for screen formatting, arbitrary movement of characters on screen is not desirable.

Routines that overwrite characters (such as addch( )) operate on a screen level. Overwriting a character with a character that requires a different number of columns can produce orphaned columns. They are filled with background characters.

Routines that insert characters (such as insch( )) operate on a character level (that is, at the character boundaries). A new character is inserted right before the current character, regardless of which column of a character the cursor points to. Before insertion, the cursor moves to the first column of the character.

Routines that delete characters (such as delch( )) also operate on a character level (that is, at the character boundaries). The character at the cursor is deleted, no matter which column of the character the cursor points to. Before deletion, the cursor moves to the first column of the character.

You cannot place a multi-column character on the last column of a line. If you try, the last column is set to the background character. Such an operation can also create orphaned columns, filled with background characters.

Overlapping and overwriting a window follows the operation of overwriting characters around its edge. The orphaned columns, if any, are handled as in character operations.

The cursor can be placed anywhere in a window. It moves to the first column of a multi-column character before an insertion or deletion.

Routine and argument names

Many curses( ) routines have two or more versions:

Routines prefixed with p require a pad argument.
Routines whose names contain a w generally require either a window argument or a wide-character argument. If w appears twice in a routine name, the routine usually requires both a window and a wide-character argument.
Routines that do not require a pad or window argument generally use stdscr.
The routines prefixed with mv need an x and a y coordinate to move to before acting. The mv routines imply a call to move( ) before the call to the other routine. The coordinate y always refers to the row (of the window), and x always refers to the column. The upper left-hand corner is always (0,0), not (1,1).
The routines prefixed with mvw take both a window argument and x and y coordinates. The window argument is always specified before the coordinates.

In each case, win is the window affected, and pad is the pad affected; win and pad are always pointers to type WINDOW.

Routines that set options require a Boolean flag bf with the value TRUE or FALSE; the flag bf is always of type bool. The variables ch and attrs are always of type chtype. The types WINDOW, SCREEN, bool, and chtype are defined in curses.h. The type TERMINAL, is defined in term.h. All other arguments are integers.

Many routines can be optimized by inlining them as macros. Compile them with

cc ... -DPERFORMANCE

to explicitly enable this (see tinfo.h).

Routine name index

The following table lists each curses routine and the name of the manual page on which it is described.

curses Routine Name Manual Page Name

addch curs_addch(S)

addchnstr curs_addchstr(S)

addchstr curs_addchstr(S)

addnstr curs_addstr(S)

addnwstr curs_addwstr(S)

addstr curs_addstr(S)

addwch curs_addwch(S)

addwchnstr curs_addwchstr(S)

addwchstr curs_addwchstr(S)

addwstr curs_addwstr(S)

attroff curs_attr(S)

attron curs_attr(S)

attrset curs_attr(S)

baudrate curs_termattrs(S)

beep curs_beep(S)

bkgd curs_bkgd(S)

bkgdset curs_bkgd(S)

border curs_border(S)

box curs_border(S)

can_change_color curs_color(S)

cbreak curs_inopts(S)

clear curs_clear(S)

clearok curs_outopts(S)

clrtobot curs_clear(S)

clrtoeol curs_clear(S)

color_content curs_color(S)

copywin curs_overlay(S)

curs_set curs_kernel(S)

def_prog_mode curs_kernel(S)

def_shell_mode curs_kernel(S)

del_curterm curs_terminfo(S)

delay_output curs_util(S)

delch curs_delch(S)

deleteln curs_deleteln(S)

delscreen curs_initscr(S)

delwin curs_window(S)

derwin curs_window(S)

doupdate curs_refresh(S)

draino curs_util(S)

dupwin curs_window(S)

echo curs_inopts(S)

echochar curs_addch(S)

echowchar curs_addwch(S)

endwin curs_initscr(S)

erase curs_clear(S)

erasechar curs_termattrs(S)

filter curs_util(S)

flash curs_beep(S)

flushinp curs_util(S)

getbegyx curs_getyx(S)

getch curs_getch(S)

getmaxyx curs_getyx(S)

getnwstr curs_getwstr(S)

getparyx curs_getyx(S)

getstr curs_getstr(S)

getsyx curs_kernel(S)

getwch curs_getwch(S)

getwin curs_util(S)

getwstr curs_getwstr(S)

getyx curs_getyx(S)

halfdelay curs_inopts(S)

has_colors curs_color(S)

has_ic curs_termattrs(S)

has_il curs_termattrs(S)

hline curs_border(S)

idcok curs_outopts(S)

idlok curs_outopts(S)

immedok curs_outopts(S)

inch curs_inch(S)

inchnstr curs_inchstr(S)

inchstr curs_inchstr(S)

init_color curs_color(S)

init_pair curs_color(S)

initscr curs_initscr(S)

innstr curs_instr(S)

innwstr curs_inwstr(S)

insch curs_insch(S)

insdelln curs_deleteln(S)

insertln curs_deleteln(S)

insnstr curs_insstr(S)

insnwstr curs_inswstr(S)

insstr curs_insstr(S)

instr curs_instr(S)

inswch curs_inswch(S)

inswstr curs_inswstr(S)

intrflush curs_inopts(S)

inwch curs_inwch(S)

inwchnstr curs_inwchstr(S)

inwchstr curs_inwchstr(S)

inwstr curs_inwstr(S)

is_linetouched curs_touch(S)

is_wintouched curs_touch(S)

isendwin curs_initscr(S)

keyname curs_util(S)

keypad curs_inopts(S)

killchar curs_termattrs(S)

leaveok curs_outopts(S)

longname curs_termattrs(S)

meta curs_inopts(S)

move curs_move(S)

mvaddch curs_addch(S)

mvaddchnstr curs_addchstr(S)

mvaddchstr curs_addchstr(S)

mvaddnstr curs_addstr(S)

mvaddnwstr curs_addwstr(S)

mvaddstr curs_addstr(S)

mvaddwch curs_addwch(S)

mvaddwchnstr curs_addwchstr(S)

mvaddwchstr curs_addwchstr(S)

mvaddwstr curs_addwstr(S)

mvcur curs_terminfo(S)

mvdelch curs_delch(S)

mvderwin curs_window(S)

mvgetch curs_getch(S)

mvgetnwstr curs_getwstr(S)

mvgetstr curs_getstr(S)

mvgetwch curs_getwch(S)

mvgetwstr curs_getwstr(S)

mvinch curs_inch(S)

mvinchnstr curs_inchstr(S)

mvinchstr curs_inchstr(S)

mvinnstr curs_instr(S)

mvinnwstr curs_inwstr(S)

mvinsch curs_insch(S)

mvinsnstr curs_insstr(S)

mvinsnwstr curs_inswstr(S)

mvinsstr curs_insstr(S)

mvinstr curs_instr(S)

mvinswch curs_inswch(S)

mvinswstr curs_inswstr(S)

mvinwch curs_inwch(S)

mvinwchnstr curs_inwchstr(S)

mvinwchstr curs_inwchstr(S)

mvinwstr curs_inwstr(S)

mvprintw curs_printw(S)

mvscanw curs_scanw(S)

mvwaddch curs_addch(S)

mvwaddchnstr curs_addchstr(S)

mvwaddchstr curs_addchstr(S)

mvwaddnstr curs_addstr(S)

mvwaddnwstr curs_addwstr(S)

mvwaddstr curs_addstr(S)

mvwaddwch curs_addwch(S)

mvwaddwchnstr curs_addwchstr(S)

mvwaddwchstr curs_addwchstr(S)

mvwaddwstr curs_addwstr(S)

mvwdelch curs_delch(S)

mvwgetch curs_getch(S)

mvwgetnwstr curs_getwstr(S)

mvwgetstr curs_getstr(S)

mvwgetwch curs_getwch(S)

mvwgetwstr curs_getwstr(S)

mvwin curs_window(S)

mvwinch curs_inch(S)

mvwinchnstr curs_inchstr(S)

mvwinchstr curs_inchstr(S)

mvwinnstr curs_instr(S)

mvwinnwstr curs_inwstr(S)

mvwinsch curs_insch(S)

mvwinsnstr curs_insstr(S)

mvwinsstr curs_insstr(S)

mvwinstr curs_instr(S)

mvwinswch curs_inswch(S)

mvwinswstr curs_inswstr(S)

mvwinwch curs_inwch(S)

mvwinwchnstr curs_inwchstr(S)

mvwinwchstr curs_inwchstr(S)

mvwinwstr curs_inwstr(S)

mvwprintw curs_printw(S)

mvwscanw curs_scanw(S)

napms curs_kernel(S)

newpad curs_pad(S)

newterm curs_initscr(S)

newwin curs_window(S)

nl curs_outopts(S)

nocbreak curs_inopts(S)

nodelay curs_inopts(S)

noecho curs_inopts(S)

nonl curs_outopts(S)

noqiflush curs_inopts(S)

noraw curs_inopts(S)

notimeout curs_inopts(S)

overlay curs_overlay(S)

overwrite curs_overlay(S)

pair_content curs_color(S)

pechochar curs_pad(S)

pechowchar curs_pad(S)

pnoutrefresh curs_pad(S)

prefresh curs_pad(S)

printw curs_printw(S)

putp curs_terminfo(S)

putwin curs_util(S)

qiflush curs_inopts(S)

raw curs_inopts(S)

redrawwin curs_refresh(S)

refresh curs_refresh(S)

reset_prog_mode curs_kernel(S)

reset_shell_mode curs_kernel(S)

resetty curs_kernel(S)

restartterm curs_terminfo(S)

ripoffline curs_kernel(S)

savetty curs_kernel(S)

scanw curs_scanw(S)

scr_dump curs_scr_dump(S)

scr_init curs_scr_dump(S)

scr_restore curs_scr_dump(S)

scr_set curs_scr_dump(S)

scrl curs_scroll(S)

scroll curs_scroll(S)

scrollok curs_outopts(S)

set_curterm curs_terminfo(S)

set_term curs_initscr(S)

setscrreg curs_outopts(S)

setsyx curs_kernel(S)

setterm curs_terminfo(S)

setupterm curs_terminfo(S)

slk_attroff curs_slk(S)

slk_attron curs_slk(S)

slk_attrset curs_slk(S)

slk_clear curs_slk(S)

slk_init curs_slk(S)

slk_label curs_slk(S)

slk_noutrefresh curs_slk(S)

slk_refresh curs_slk(S)

slk_restore curs_slk(S)

slk_set curs_slk(S)

slk_touch curs_slk(S)

standend curs_attr(S)

standout curs_attr(S)

start_color curs_color(S)

subpad curs_pad(S)

subwin curs_window(S)

syncok curs_window(S)

termattrs curs_termattrs(S)

termname curs_termattrs(S)

tgetent curs_termcap(S)

tgetflag curs_termcap(S)

tgetnum curs_termcap(S)

tgetstr curs_termcap(S)

tgoto curs_termcap(S)

tigetflag curs_terminfo(S)

tigetnum curs_terminfo(S)

tigetstr curs_terminfo(S)

timeout curs_inopts(S)

touchline curs_touch(S)

touchwin curs_touch(S)

tparm curs_terminfo(S)

tputs curs_termcap(S)

tputs curs_terminfo(S)

typeahead curs_inopts(S)

unctrl curs_util(S)

ungetch curs_getch(S)

ungetwch curs_getwch(S)

untouchwin curs_touch(S)

use_env curs_util(S)

vidattr curs_terminfo(S)

vidputs curs_terminfo(S)

vline curs_border(S)

vwprintw curs_printw(S)

vwscanw curs_scanw(S)

waddch curs_addch(S)

waddchnstr curs_addchstr(S)

waddchstr curs_addchstr(S)

waddnstr curs_addstr(S)

waddnwstr curs_addwstr(S)

waddstr curs_addstr(S)

waddwch curs_addwch(S)

waddwchnstr curs_addwchstr(S)

waddwchstr curs_addwchstr(S)

waddwstr curs_addwstr(S)

wattroff curs_attr(S)

wattron curs_attr(S)

wattrset curs_attr(S)

wbkgd curs_bkgd(S)

wbkgdset curs_bkgd(S)

wborder curs_border(S)

wclear curs_clear(S)

wclrtobot curs_clear(S)

wclrtoeol curs_clear(S)

wcursyncup curs_window(S)

wdelch curs_delch(S)

wdeleteln curs_deleteln(S)

wechochar curs_addch(S)

wechowchar curs_addwch(S)

werase curs_clear(S)

wgetch curs_getch(S)

wgetnstr curs_getstr(S)

wgetnwstr curs_getwstr(S)

wgetstr curs_getstr(S)

wgetwch curs_getwch(S)

wgetwstr curs_getwstr(S)

whline curs_border(S)

winch curs_inch(S)

winchnstr curs_inchstr(S)

winchstr curs_inchstr(S)

winnstr curs_instr(S)

winnwstr curs_inwstr(S)

winsch curs_insch(S)

winsdelln curs_deleteln(S)

winsertln curs_deleteln(S)

winsnstr curs_insstr(S)

winsnwstr curs_inswstr(S)

winsstr curs_insstr(S)

winstr curs_instr(S)

winswch curs_inswch(S)

winswstr curs_inswstr(S)

winwch curs_inwch(S)

winwchnstr curs_inwchstr(S)

winwchstr curs_inwchstr(S)

winwstr curs_inwstr(S)

wmove curs_move(S)

wnoutrefresh curs_refresh(S)

wprintw curs_printw(S)

wredrawln curs_refresh(S)

wrefresh curs_refresh(S)

wscanw curs_scanw(S)

wscrl curs_scroll(S)

wsetscrreg curs_outopts(S)

wstandend curs_attr(S)

wstandout curs_attr(S)

wsyncdown curs_window(S)

wsyncup curs_window(S)

wtimeout curs_inopts(S)

wtouchln curs_touch(S)

wvline curs_border(S)

curses Routine Name	Manual Page Name
addch	curs_addch(S)
addchnstr	curs_addchstr(S)
addchstr	curs_addchstr(S)
addnstr	curs_addstr(S)
addnwstr	curs_addwstr(S)
addstr	curs_addstr(S)
addwch	curs_addwch(S)
addwchnstr	curs_addwchstr(S)
addwchstr	curs_addwchstr(S)
addwstr	curs_addwstr(S)
attroff	curs_attr(S)
attron	curs_attr(S)
attrset	curs_attr(S)
baudrate	curs_termattrs(S)
beep	curs_beep(S)
bkgd	curs_bkgd(S)
bkgdset	curs_bkgd(S)
border	curs_border(S)
box	curs_border(S)
can_change_color	curs_color(S)
cbreak	curs_inopts(S)
clear	curs_clear(S)
clearok	curs_outopts(S)
clrtobot	curs_clear(S)
clrtoeol	curs_clear(S)
color_content	curs_color(S)
copywin	curs_overlay(S)
curs_set	curs_kernel(S)
def_prog_mode	curs_kernel(S)
def_shell_mode	curs_kernel(S)
del_curterm	curs_terminfo(S)
delay_output	curs_util(S)
delch	curs_delch(S)
deleteln	curs_deleteln(S)
delscreen	curs_initscr(S)
delwin	curs_window(S)
derwin	curs_window(S)
doupdate	curs_refresh(S)
draino	curs_util(S)
dupwin	curs_window(S)
echo	curs_inopts(S)
echochar	curs_addch(S)
echowchar	curs_addwch(S)
endwin	curs_initscr(S)
erase	curs_clear(S)
erasechar	curs_termattrs(S)
filter	curs_util(S)
flash	curs_beep(S)
flushinp	curs_util(S)
getbegyx	curs_getyx(S)
getch	curs_getch(S)
getmaxyx	curs_getyx(S)
getnwstr	curs_getwstr(S)
getparyx	curs_getyx(S)
getstr	curs_getstr(S)
getsyx	curs_kernel(S)
getwch	curs_getwch(S)
getwin	curs_util(S)
getwstr	curs_getwstr(S)
getyx	curs_getyx(S)
halfdelay	curs_inopts(S)
has_colors	curs_color(S)
has_ic	curs_termattrs(S)
has_il	curs_termattrs(S)
hline	curs_border(S)
idcok	curs_outopts(S)
idlok	curs_outopts(S)
immedok	curs_outopts(S)
inch	curs_inch(S)
inchnstr	curs_inchstr(S)
inchstr	curs_inchstr(S)
init_color	curs_color(S)
init_pair	curs_color(S)
initscr	curs_initscr(S)
innstr	curs_instr(S)
innwstr	curs_inwstr(S)
insch	curs_insch(S)
insdelln	curs_deleteln(S)
insertln	curs_deleteln(S)
insnstr	curs_insstr(S)
insnwstr	curs_inswstr(S)
insstr	curs_insstr(S)
instr	curs_instr(S)
inswch	curs_inswch(S)
inswstr	curs_inswstr(S)
intrflush	curs_inopts(S)
inwch	curs_inwch(S)
inwchnstr	curs_inwchstr(S)
inwchstr	curs_inwchstr(S)
inwstr	curs_inwstr(S)
is_linetouched	curs_touch(S)
is_wintouched	curs_touch(S)
isendwin	curs_initscr(S)
keyname	curs_util(S)
keypad	curs_inopts(S)
killchar	curs_termattrs(S)
leaveok	curs_outopts(S)
longname	curs_termattrs(S)
meta	curs_inopts(S)
move	curs_move(S)
mvaddch	curs_addch(S)
mvaddchnstr	curs_addchstr(S)
mvaddchstr	curs_addchstr(S)
mvaddnstr	curs_addstr(S)
mvaddnwstr	curs_addwstr(S)
mvaddstr	curs_addstr(S)
mvaddwch	curs_addwch(S)
mvaddwchnstr	curs_addwchstr(S)
mvaddwchstr	curs_addwchstr(S)
mvaddwstr	curs_addwstr(S)
mvcur	curs_terminfo(S)
mvdelch	curs_delch(S)
mvderwin	curs_window(S)
mvgetch	curs_getch(S)
mvgetnwstr	curs_getwstr(S)
mvgetstr	curs_getstr(S)
mvgetwch	curs_getwch(S)
mvgetwstr	curs_getwstr(S)
mvinch	curs_inch(S)
mvinchnstr	curs_inchstr(S)
mvinchstr	curs_inchstr(S)
mvinnstr	curs_instr(S)
mvinnwstr	curs_inwstr(S)
mvinsch	curs_insch(S)
mvinsnstr	curs_insstr(S)
mvinsnwstr	curs_inswstr(S)
mvinsstr	curs_insstr(S)
mvinstr	curs_instr(S)
mvinswch	curs_inswch(S)
mvinswstr	curs_inswstr(S)
mvinwch	curs_inwch(S)
mvinwchnstr	curs_inwchstr(S)
mvinwchstr	curs_inwchstr(S)
mvinwstr	curs_inwstr(S)
mvprintw	curs_printw(S)
mvscanw	curs_scanw(S)
mvwaddch	curs_addch(S)
mvwaddchnstr	curs_addchstr(S)
mvwaddchstr	curs_addchstr(S)
mvwaddnstr	curs_addstr(S)
mvwaddnwstr	curs_addwstr(S)
mvwaddstr	curs_addstr(S)
mvwaddwch	curs_addwch(S)
mvwaddwchnstr	curs_addwchstr(S)
mvwaddwchstr	curs_addwchstr(S)
mvwaddwstr	curs_addwstr(S)
mvwdelch	curs_delch(S)
mvwgetch	curs_getch(S)
mvwgetnwstr	curs_getwstr(S)
mvwgetstr	curs_getstr(S)
mvwgetwch	curs_getwch(S)
mvwgetwstr	curs_getwstr(S)
mvwin	curs_window(S)
mvwinch	curs_inch(S)
mvwinchnstr	curs_inchstr(S)
mvwinchstr	curs_inchstr(S)
mvwinnstr	curs_instr(S)
mvwinnwstr	curs_inwstr(S)
mvwinsch	curs_insch(S)
mvwinsnstr	curs_insstr(S)
mvwinsstr	curs_insstr(S)
mvwinstr	curs_instr(S)
mvwinswch	curs_inswch(S)
mvwinswstr	curs_inswstr(S)
mvwinwch	curs_inwch(S)
mvwinwchnstr	curs_inwchstr(S)
mvwinwchstr	curs_inwchstr(S)
mvwinwstr	curs_inwstr(S)
mvwprintw	curs_printw(S)
mvwscanw	curs_scanw(S)
napms	curs_kernel(S)
newpad	curs_pad(S)
newterm	curs_initscr(S)
newwin	curs_window(S)
nl	curs_outopts(S)
nocbreak	curs_inopts(S)
nodelay	curs_inopts(S)
noecho	curs_inopts(S)
nonl	curs_outopts(S)
noqiflush	curs_inopts(S)
noraw	curs_inopts(S)
notimeout	curs_inopts(S)
overlay	curs_overlay(S)
overwrite	curs_overlay(S)
pair_content	curs_color(S)
pechochar	curs_pad(S)
pechowchar	curs_pad(S)
pnoutrefresh	curs_pad(S)
prefresh	curs_pad(S)
printw	curs_printw(S)
putp	curs_terminfo(S)
putwin	curs_util(S)
qiflush	curs_inopts(S)
raw	curs_inopts(S)
redrawwin	curs_refresh(S)
refresh	curs_refresh(S)
reset_prog_mode	curs_kernel(S)
reset_shell_mode	curs_kernel(S)
resetty	curs_kernel(S)
restartterm	curs_terminfo(S)
ripoffline	curs_kernel(S)
savetty	curs_kernel(S)
scanw	curs_scanw(S)
scr_dump	curs_scr_dump(S)
scr_init	curs_scr_dump(S)
scr_restore	curs_scr_dump(S)
scr_set	curs_scr_dump(S)
scrl	curs_scroll(S)
scroll	curs_scroll(S)
scrollok	curs_outopts(S)
set_curterm	curs_terminfo(S)
set_term	curs_initscr(S)
setscrreg	curs_outopts(S)
setsyx	curs_kernel(S)
setterm	curs_terminfo(S)
setupterm	curs_terminfo(S)
slk_attroff	curs_slk(S)
slk_attron	curs_slk(S)
slk_attrset	curs_slk(S)
slk_clear	curs_slk(S)
slk_init	curs_slk(S)
slk_label	curs_slk(S)
slk_noutrefresh	curs_slk(S)
slk_refresh	curs_slk(S)
slk_restore	curs_slk(S)
slk_set	curs_slk(S)
slk_touch	curs_slk(S)
standend	curs_attr(S)
standout	curs_attr(S)
start_color	curs_color(S)
subpad	curs_pad(S)
subwin	curs_window(S)
syncok	curs_window(S)
termattrs	curs_termattrs(S)
termname	curs_termattrs(S)
tgetent	curs_termcap(S)
tgetflag	curs_termcap(S)
tgetnum	curs_termcap(S)
tgetstr	curs_termcap(S)
tgoto	curs_termcap(S)
tigetflag	curs_terminfo(S)
tigetnum	curs_terminfo(S)
tigetstr	curs_terminfo(S)
timeout	curs_inopts(S)
touchline	curs_touch(S)
touchwin	curs_touch(S)
tparm	curs_terminfo(S)
tputs	curs_termcap(S)
tputs	curs_terminfo(S)
typeahead	curs_inopts(S)
unctrl	curs_util(S)
ungetch	curs_getch(S)
ungetwch	curs_getwch(S)
untouchwin	curs_touch(S)
use_env	curs_util(S)
vidattr	curs_terminfo(S)
vidputs	curs_terminfo(S)
vline	curs_border(S)
vwprintw	curs_printw(S)
vwscanw	curs_scanw(S)
waddch	curs_addch(S)
waddchnstr	curs_addchstr(S)
waddchstr	curs_addchstr(S)
waddnstr	curs_addstr(S)
waddnwstr	curs_addwstr(S)
waddstr	curs_addstr(S)
waddwch	curs_addwch(S)
waddwchnstr	curs_addwchstr(S)
waddwchstr	curs_addwchstr(S)
waddwstr	curs_addwstr(S)
wattroff	curs_attr(S)
wattron	curs_attr(S)
wattrset	curs_attr(S)
wbkgd	curs_bkgd(S)
wbkgdset	curs_bkgd(S)
wborder	curs_border(S)
wclear	curs_clear(S)
wclrtobot	curs_clear(S)
wclrtoeol	curs_clear(S)
wcursyncup	curs_window(S)
wdelch	curs_delch(S)
wdeleteln	curs_deleteln(S)
wechochar	curs_addch(S)
wechowchar	curs_addwch(S)
werase	curs_clear(S)
wgetch	curs_getch(S)
wgetnstr	curs_getstr(S)
wgetnwstr	curs_getwstr(S)
wgetstr	curs_getstr(S)
wgetwch	curs_getwch(S)
wgetwstr	curs_getwstr(S)
whline	curs_border(S)
winch	curs_inch(S)
winchnstr	curs_inchstr(S)
winchstr	curs_inchstr(S)
winnstr	curs_instr(S)
winnwstr	curs_inwstr(S)
winsch	curs_insch(S)
winsdelln	curs_deleteln(S)
winsertln	curs_deleteln(S)
winsnstr	curs_insstr(S)
winsnwstr	curs_inswstr(S)
winsstr	curs_insstr(S)
winstr	curs_instr(S)
winswch	curs_inswch(S)
winswstr	curs_inswstr(S)
winwch	curs_inwch(S)
winwchnstr	curs_inwchstr(S)
winwchstr	curs_inwchstr(S)
winwstr	curs_inwstr(S)
wmove	curs_move(S)
wnoutrefresh	curs_refresh(S)
wprintw	curs_printw(S)
wredrawln	curs_refresh(S)
wrefresh	curs_refresh(S)
wscanw	curs_scanw(S)
wscrl	curs_scroll(S)
wsetscrreg	curs_outopts(S)
wstandend	curs_attr(S)
wstandout	curs_attr(S)
wsyncdown	curs_window(S)
wsyncup	curs_window(S)
wtimeout	curs_inopts(S)
wtouchln	curs_touch(S)
wvline	curs_border(S)

Return values

Routines that return an integer return ERR on failure and an integer value other than ERR, typically OK, on successful completion, unless otherwise noted in the routine descriptions.

All macros return the value of the window version, except setscrreg( ), wsetscrreg( ), getyx( ), getbegyx( ), and getmaxyx( ). The return values of those exceptions ( setscrreg( ), wsetscrreg( ), getyx( ), getbegyx( ), and getmaxyx( )) are undefined, so they should not be used as the right-hand side of assignment statements.

Routines that return pointers return NULL on error.

Warning

The header file curses.h automatically includes the header files stdio.h and unctrl.h.

Files

/usr/lib/libcurses.a: the library

Standards conformance

curses(S) is not part of any currently supported standard; it was developed by UNIX System Laboratories, Inc. and is maintained by The SCO Group.