curs_terminfo(3X)MISCELLANEOUS LIBRARY FUNCTIONScurs_terminfo(3X)
NAME
cursterminfo: setupterm, setterm, setcurterm,
delcurterm, restartterm, tparm, tputs, putp, vidputs,
vidattr, mvcur, tigetflag, tigetnum, tigetstr - curses
interfaces to terminfo database
SYNOPSIS
#include <curses.h>
#include <term.h>
int setupterm(char *term, int fildes, int *errret);
int setterm(char *term);
int setcurterm(TERMINAL *nterm);
int delcurterm(TERMINAL *oterm);
int restartterm(char *term, int fildes, int *errret);
char *tparm(char *str, long int p1, long int p2, long int p3,
long int p4, long int p5, long int p6, long int p7,
long int p8, long int p9);
int tputs(char *str, int affcnt, int (*putc)(char));
int putp(char *str);
int vidputs(chtype attrs, int (*putc)(char));
int vidattr(chtype attrs);
int mvcur(int oldrow, int oldcol, int newrow, int newcol);
int tigetflag(char *capname);
int tigetnum(char *capname);
int tigetstr(char *capname);
DESCRIPTION
These low-level routines must be called by programs that
have to deal directly with the terminfo database to handle
certain terminal capabilities, such as programming function
keys. For all other functionality, curses routines are more
suitable and their use is recommended. Initially, setupterm
should be called. Note that setupterm is automatically
called by initscr and newterm. This defines the set of
terminal-dependent variables [listed in terminfo(4)]. The
terminfo variables lines and columns are initialized by
setupterm as follows: If useenv(FALSE) has been called,
values for lines and columns specified in terminfo are used.
Otherwise, if the environment variables LINES and COLUMNS
exist, their values are used. If these environment vari-
ables do not exist and the program is running in a window,
the current window size is used. Otherwise, if the environ-
ment variables do not exist, the values for lines and
columns specified in the terminfo database are used. The
header files <curses.h> and <term.h> should be included (in
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curs_terminfo(3X)MISCELLANEOUS LIBRARY FUNCTIONScurs_terminfo(3X)
this order) to get the definitions for these strings,
numbers, and flags. Parameterized strings should be passed
through tparm to instantiate them. All terminfo strings
[including the output of tparm] should be printed with tputs
or putp. Call the resetshellmode to restore the tty modes
before exiting [see curs_kernel(3X)]. Programs which use
cursor addressing should output entercamode upon startup
and should output exitcamode before exiting. Programs
desiring shell escapes should call resetshellmode and out-
put exitcamode before the shell is called and should out-
put entercamode and call resetprogmode after returning
from the shell.
The setupterm routine reads in the terminfo database, ini-
tializing the terminfo structures, but does not set up the
output virtualization structures used by curses. The termi-
nal type is the character string term; if term is null, the
environment variable TERM is used. All output is to file
descriptor fildes which is initialized for output. If
errret is not null, then setupterm returns OK or ERR and
stores a status value in the integer pointed to by errret.
A status of 1 in errret is normal, 0 means that the terminal
could not be found, and -1 means that the terminfo database
could not be found. If errret is null, setupterm prints an
error message upon finding an error and exits. Thus, the
simplest call is:
setupterm((char *)0, 1, (int *)0);,
which uses all the defaults and sends the output to stdout.
The setterm routine is being replaced by setupterm. The
call:
setupterm(term, 1, (int *)0)
provides the same functionality as setterm(term). The
setterm routine is included here for compatibility and is
supported at Level 2. The setcurterm routine sets the
variable curterm to nterm, and makes all of the terminfo
boolean, numeric, and string variables use the values from
nterm. The delcurterm routine frees the space pointed to
by oterm and makes it available for further use. If oterm
is the same as curterm, references to any of the terminfo
boolean, numeric, and string variables thereafter may refer
to invalid memory locations until another setupterm has been
called. The restartterm routine is similar to setupterm and
initscr, except that it is called after restoring memory to
a previous state. It assumes that the windows and the input
and output options are the same as when memory was saved,
but the terminal type and baud rate may be different. The
tparm routine instantiates the string str with parameters
pi. A pointer is returned to the result of str with the
parameters applied. The tputs routine applies padding
information to the string str and outputs it. The str must
be a terminfo string variable or the return value from
tparm, tgetstr, or tgoto. affcnt is the number of lines
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curs_terminfo(3X)MISCELLANEOUS LIBRARY FUNCTIONScurs_terminfo(3X)
affected, or 1 if not applicable. putc is a putchar-like
routine to which the characters are passed, one at a time.
The putp routine calls tputs(str, 1, putchar). Note that
the output of putp always goes to stdout, not to the fildes
specified in setupterm. The vidputs routine displays the
string on the terminal in the video attribute mode attrs,
which is any combination of the attributes listed in
curses(3X). The characters are passed to the putchar-like
routine putc. The vidattr routine is like the vidputs rou-
tine, except that it outputs through putchar. The mvcur
routine provides low-level cursor motion. The tigetflag,
tigetnum and tigetstr routines return the value of the capa-
bility corresponding to the terminfo capname passed to them,
such as xenl. With the tigetflag routine, the value -1 is
returned if capname is not a boolean capability. With the
tigetnum routine, the value -2 is returned if capname is not
a numeric capability. With the tigetstr routine, the value
(char *)-1 is returned if capname is not a string capabil-
ity. The capname for each capability is given in the table
column entitled capname code in the capabilities section of
terminfo(4). char *boolnames, *boolcodes, *boolfnames char
*numnames, *numcodes, *numfnames char *strnames, *strcodes,
*strfnames These null-terminated arrays contain the cap-
names, the termcap codes, and the full C names, for each of
the terminfo variables.
RETURN VALUE
All routines return the integer ERR upon failure and an
integer value other than ERR upon successful completion,
unless otherwise noted in the preceding routine descrip-
tions. Routines that return pointers always return NULL on
error.
NOTES
The header file <curses.h> automatically includes the header
files <stdio.h> and <unctrl.h>.
The setupterm routine should be used in place of setterm.
Note that vidattr and vidputs may be macros.
SEE ALSO
curses(3X), cursinitscr(3X), curskernel(3X),
curstermcap(3X), putc(3S), terminfo(4).
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