form_fieldtype(3curses)                      form_fieldtype(3curses)


       NAME
             form_fieldtype: new_fieldtype, free_fieldtype,
             set_fieldtype_arg, set_fieldtype_choice, link_fieldtype -
             forms fieldtype routines

       SYNOPSIS
             cc [flag . . .] file -lform -lcurses [library . . .]
             #include <form.h>
             FIELDTYPE *new_fieldtype(int (* field_check)(FIELD *, char *),
                   int (* char_check)(int, char *));
             int free_fieldtype(FIELDTYPE *fieldtype);
             int set_fieldtype_arg(FIELDTYPE *fieldtype,
                   char *(* mak_arg)(va_list *),
                   char *(* copy_arg)(char *), void (* free_arg)(char *));
             int set_fieldtype_choice(FIELDTYPE *fieldtype,
                   int (* next_choice)(FIELD *, char *),
                   int (* prev_choice)(FIELD *, char *));
             FIELDTYPE *link_fieldtype(FIELDTYPE *type1, FIELDTYPE *type2);

       DESCRIPTION
             new_fieldtype creates a new field type.  The application
             programmer must write the function field_check, which
             validates the field value, and the function char_check, which
             validates each character.  free_fieldtype frees the space
             allocated for the field type.

             By associating function pointers with a field type,
             set_fieldtype_arg connects to the field type additional
             arguments necessary for a set_field_type call.  Function
             mak_arg allocates a structure for the field specific
             parameters to set_field_type and returns a pointer to the
             saved data.  Function copy_arg duplicates the structure
             created by mak_arg.  Function free_arg frees any storage
             allocated by mak_arg or copy_arg.

             The form_driver requests REQ_NEXT_CHOICE and REQ_PREV_CHOICE
             let the user request the next or previous value of a field
             type comprising an ordered set of values.
             set_fieldtype_choice allows the application programmer to
             implement these requests for the given field type.  It
             associates with the given field type those application-defined
             functions that return pointers to the next or previous choice
             for the field.





                           Copyright 1994 Novell, Inc.               Page 1

      form_fieldtype(3curses)                      form_fieldtype(3curses)


            link_fieldtype returns a pointer to the field type built from
            the two given types.  The constituent types may be any
            application-defined or pre-defined types.

      RETURN VALUE
            Routines that return pointers always return NULL on error.
            Routines that return an integer return one of the following:
            E_OK             The function returned successfully.
            E_SYSTEM_ERROR   System error.
            E_BAD_ARGUMENT   An argument is incorrect.
            E_CONNECTED      Type is connected to one or more fields.

      NOTICES
            The header file form.h automatically includes the header files
            eti.h and curses.h.

      REFERENCES
            curses(3curses), forms(3curses)






























                          Copyright 1994 Novell, Inc.               Page 2