ncurses manuals

Posted on 2021-11-03 - Updated on 2023-08-12

ncurses is a library to write programs with a TUI, I used ncurses to implement MixerTUI and currently BSDDialog. The library is released under a permissive open source license so the FreeBSD Operating System provides it in BASE (and in PORTS devel/ncurses).

The following table lists the manuals linking to https://man.freebsd.org, the ncurses project provides also some tool but the table takes into account only the API.

Finally a curiosity, other libraries derive from the 4.4 BSD curses library, for example the NetBSD Operating System provides its implementation; to know more: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curses_(programming_library) and en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ncurses.

Manual Short Description Functions, macros, etc.
curs_add_wch(3x) Add a complex character and rendition to a curses window, then advance the cursor. add_wch, wadd_wch, mvadd_wch, mvwadd_wch, echo_wchar, wecho_wchar
curs_add_wchstr(3x) Add an array of complex characters (and attributes) to a curses window. add_wchstr, add_wchnstr, wadd_wchstr, wadd_wchnstr, mvadd_wchstr, mvadd_wchnstr, mvwadd_wchstr, mvwadd_wchnstr
curs_addch(3x) Add a character (with attributes) to a curses window, then advance the cursor. addch, waddch, mvaddch, mvwaddch, echochar, wechochar
curs_addchstr(3x) Add a string of characters (and attributes) to a curses window. addchstr, addchnstr, waddchstr, waddchnstr, mvaddchstr, mvaddchnstr, mvwaddchstr, mvwaddchnstr
curs_addstr(3x) Add a string of characters to a curses window and advance cursor. addstr, addnstr, waddstr, waddnstr, mvaddstr, mvaddnstr, mvwaddstr, mvwaddnstr
curs_addwstr(3x) Add a string of wide characters to a curses window and advance cursor. addwstr, addnwstr, waddwstr, waddnwstr, mvaddwstr, mvaddnwstr, mvwaddwstr, mvwaddnwstr
curs_attr(3x) Curses character and window attribute control routines. attr_get, wattr_get, attr_set, wattr_set, attr_off, wattr_off, attr_on, wattr_on, attroff, wattroff, attron, wattron, attrset, wattrset, chgat, wchgat, mvchgat, mvwchgat, color_set, wcolor_set, standend, wstandend, standout, wstandout
curs_beep(3x) Curses bell and screen flash routines. beep flash
curs_bkgd(3x) Curses window background manipulation routines. bkgdset wbkgdset, bkgd wbkgd, getbkgd
curs_bkgrnd(3x) Curses window complex background manipulation routines. bkgrnd, wbkgrnd, bkgrndset, wbkgrndset, getbkgrnd, wgetbkgrnd
curs_border(3x) Create curses borders, horizontal and vertical lines. border, wborder, box, hline, whline, vline, wvline, mvhline, mvwhline, mvvline, mvwvline
curs_border_set(3x) Create curses borders or lines using complex characters and renditions. border_set, wborder_set, box_set, hline_set, whline_set, mvhline_set, mvwhline_set, vline_set, wvline_set, mvvline_set, mvwvline_set
curs_clear(3x) Clear all or part of a curses window. erase, werase, clear, wclear, clrtobot, wclrtobot, clrtoeol, wclrtoeol
curs_color(3x) Curses color manipulation routines. start_color, has_colors, can_change_color, init_pair, init_color, init_extended_pair, init_extended_color, color_content, pair_content, extended_color_content, extended_pair_content, reset_color_pairs, COLOR_PAIR, PAIR_NUMBER
curs_delch(3x) Delete character under the cursor in a curses window. delch, wdelch, mvdelch, mvwdelch
curs_deleteln(3x) Delete and insert lines in a curses window. deleteln, wdeleteln, insdelln, winsdelln, insertln, winsertln
curs_extend(3x) Miscellaneous curses extensions. curses_version, use_extended_names
curs_get_wch(3x) Get (or push back) a wide character from curses terminal keyboard. get_wch, wget_wch, mvget_wch, mvwget_wch, unget_wch
curs_get_wstr(3x) Get an array of wide characters from a curses terminal keyboard. get_wstr, getn_wstr, wget_wstr, wgetn_wstr, mvget_wstr, mvgetn_wstr, mvwget_wstr, mvwgetn_wstr
curs_getcchar(3x) Get a wide character string and rendition from a cchar_t or set a cchar_t from a wide-character string. getcchar, setcchar
curs_getch(3x) Get (or push back) characters from curses terminal keyboard. getch, wgetch, mvgetch, mvwgetch, ungetch, has_key
curs_getstr(3x) Accept character strings from curses terminal keyboard. getstr, getnstr, wgetstr, wgetnstr, mvgetstr, mvgetnstr, mvwgetstr, mvwgetnstr
curs_getyx(3x) Get curses cursor and window coordinates. getyx, getparyx, getbegyx, getmaxyx
curs_in_wch(3x) Extract a complex character and rendition from a window. in_wch, mvin_wch, mvwin_wch, win_wch
curs_in_wchstr(3x) Get an array of complex characters and renditions from a curses window. in_wchstr, in_wchnstr, win_wchstr, win_wchnstr, mvin_wchstr, mvin_wchnstr, mvwin_wchstr, mvwin_wchnstr
curs_inch(3x) Get a character and attributes from a curses window. inch, winch, mvinch, mvwinch
curs_inchstr(3x) Get a string of characters (and attributes) from a curses window. inchstr, inchnstr, winchstr, winchnstr, mvinchstr, mvinchnstr, mvwinchstr, mvwinchnstr
curs_initscr(3x) Curses screen initialization and manipulation routines. initscr, newterm, endwin, isendwin, set_term, delscreen
curs_inopts(3x) Curses input options. cbreak, nocbreak, echo, noecho, halfdelay, intrflush, keypad, meta, nl, nonl, nodelay, notimeout, raw, noraw, qiflush, noqiflush, timeout, wtimeout, typeahead
curs_ins_wch(3x) Insert a complex character and rendition into a window. ins_wch, mvins_wch, mvwins_wch, wins_wch
curs_ins_wstr(3x) Insert a wide-character string into a curses window. ins_wstr, ins_nwstr, wins_wstr, wins_nwstr, mvins_wstr, mvins_nwstr, mvwins_wstr, mvwins_nwstr
curs_insch(3x) Insert a character before cursor in a curses window. insch, winsch, mvinsch, mvwinsch
curs_insstr(3x) Insert string before cursor in a curses window. insstr, insnstr, winsstr, winsnstr, mvinsstr, mvinsnstr, mvwinsstr, mvwinsnstr
curs_instr(3x) Get a string of characters from a curses window. instr, innstr, winstr, winnstr, mvinstr, mvinnstr, mvwinstr, mvwinnstr
curs_inwstr(3x) Get a string of wchar_t characters from a curses window. inwstr, innwstr, winwstr, winnwstr, mvinwstr, mvinnwstr, mvwinwstr, mvwinnwstr
curs_kernel(3x) Low-level curses routines. def_prog_mode, def_shell_mode, reset_prog_mode, reset_shell_mode, resetty, savetty, getsyx, setsyx, ripoffline, curs_set, napms
curs_legacy(3x) Get curses cursor and window coordinates, attributes. curs_legacy
curs_memleaks(3x) Curses memory-leak checking. exit_curses, exit_terminfo
curs_mouse(3x) Mouse interface through curses. has_mouse, getmouse ungetmouse, mousemask wenclose, mouse_trafo wmouse_trafo, mouseinterval
curs_move(3x) Move curses window cursor. move, wmove
curs_opaque(3x) Curses window properties. is_cleared, is_idlok, is_idcok, is_immedok, is_keypad, is_leaveok, is_nodelay, is_notimeout, is_pad, is_scrollok, is_subwin, is_syncok, wgetdelay, wgetparent, wgetscrreg
curs_outopts(3x) Curses output options. clearok, idlok, idcok, immedok, leaveok, setscrreg, wsetscrreg, scrollok
curs_overlay(3x) Overlay and manipulate overlapped curses windows. overlay, overwrite, copywin
curs_pad(3x) Create and display curses pads. newpad, subpad, prefresh, pnoutrefresh, pechochar, pecho_wchar
curs_print(3x) Ship binary data to printer. mcprint
curs_printw(3x) Print formatted output in curses windows. printw, wprintw, mvprintw, mvwprintw, vwprintw vw_printw
curs_refresh(3x) Refresh curses windows and lines. doupdate, redrawwin, refresh, wnoutrefresh, wredrawln, wrefresh
curs_scanw(3x) Convert formatted input from a curses window. scanw, wscanw, mvscanw, mvwscanw, vwscanw vw_scanw
curs_scr_dump(3x) Read (write) a curses screen from (to) a file. scr_dump, scr_restore, scr_init, scr_set
curs_scroll(3x) Scroll a curses window. scroll, scrl, wscrl
curs_slk(3x) Curses soft label routines. slk_init, slk_set, slk_wset, slk_refresh, slk_noutrefresh, slk_label, slk_clear, slk_restore, slk_touch, slk_attron, slk_attrset, slk_attroff, slk_attr_on, slk_attr_set, slk_attr_off, slk_attr, slk_color, extended_slk_color
curs_sp_funcs(3x) Curses screen-pointer extension. curs_sp_funcs
curs_termattrs(3x) Curses environment query routines. baudrate, erasechar, erasewchar, has_ic, has_il, killchar, killwchar, longname, term_attrs, termattrs, termname
curs_termcap(3x) Curses emulation of termcap. PC, UP, BC, ospeed, tgetent, tgetflag, tgetnum, tgetstr, tgoto, tputs
curs_terminfo(3x) Curses interfaces to terminfo database. del_curterm, mvcur, putp, restartterm, set_curterm, setupterm, tigetflag, tigetnum, tigetstr, tiparm, tparm, tputs, vid_attr, vid_puts, vidattr, vidputs
curs_threads(3x) Curses thread support. curs_threads
curs_touch(3x) Curses refresh control routines. touchwin, touchline, untouchwin, wtouchln, is_linetouched, is_wintouched
curs_trace(3x) Curses debugging routines. curses_trace, trace, _tracef, _traceattr, _traceattr2, _tracecchar_t, _tracecchar_t2, _tracechar, _tracechtype, _tracechtype2, _nc_tracebits, _tracedump, _tracemouse
curs_util(3x) Miscellaneous curses utility routines. delay_output, filter, flushinp, getwin, key_name, keyname, nofilter, putwin, unctrl, use_env, use_tioctl, wunctrl
curs_variables(3x) Curses global variables. COLORS, COLOR_PAIRS, COLS, ESCDELAY, LINES, TABSIZE, curscr, newscr, stdscr
curs_window(3x) Create curses windows. newwin, delwin, mvwin, subwin, derwin, mvderwin, dupwin, wsyncup, syncok, wcursyncup, wsyncdown
default_colors(3x) Use terminal’s default colors. use_default_colors, assume_default_colors
define_key(3x) Define a keycode. define_key
form(3x) Curses extension for programming forms. form
form_cursor(3x) Position a form window cursor. pos_form_cursor
form_data(3x) Test for off-screen data in given forms. data_ahead, data_behind
form_driver(3x) Command-processing loop of the form system. form_driver, form_driver_w
form_field(3x) Make and break connections between fields and forms. form_field
form_field_attributes(3x) Color and attribute control for form fields. form_field_attributes
form_field_buffer(3x) Field buffer control. form_field_buffer
form_field_info(3x) Retrieve field characteristics. dynamic_field_info, field_info
form_field_just(3x) Retrieve field characteristics. set_field_just, field_just
form_field_new(3x) Create and destroy form fields. new_field, dup_field, link_field, free_field
form_field_opts(3x) Set and get field options. set_field_opts, field_opts_on, field_opts_off, field_opts
form_field_userptr(3x) Associate application data with a form field. set_field_userptr, field_userptr
form_field_validation(3x) Data type validation for fields. form_field_validation
form_fieldtype(3x) Define validation-field types. form_fieldtype
form_hook(3x) Set hooks for automatic invocation by applications. form_hook
form_new(3x) Create and destroy forms. new_form, free_form
form_new_page(3x) Form pagination functions. set_new_page, new_page
form_opts(3x) Set and get form options. set_form_opts, form_opts_on, form_opts_off, form_opts
form_page(3x) Set and get form page number. form_page
form_post(3x) Write or erase forms from associated subwindows. post_form, unpost_form
form_requestname(3x) Handle printable form request names. form_request_by_name, form_request_name
form_userptr(3x) Associate application data with a form item. set_form_userptr, form_userptr
form_variables(3x) Form system global variables. TYPE_ALNUM, TYPE_ALPHA, TYPE_ENUM, TYPE_INTEGER, TYPE_IPV4, TYPE_NUMERIC, TYPE_REGEXP
form_win(3x) Make and break form window and subwindow associations. form_win
key_defined(3x) Check if a keycode is defined. key_defined
keybound(3x) Return definition of keycode. keybound
keyok(3x) Enable or disable a keycode. keyok
legacy_coding(3x) Override locale-encoding checks. use_legacy_coding
menu(3x) Curses extension for programming menus. menu
menu_attributes(3x) Color and attribute control for menus. menu_back, menu_fore, menu_grey, menu_pad, set_menu_back, set_menu_fore, set_menu_grey, set_menu_pad
menu_cursor(3x) Position a menu’s cursor. pos_menu_cursor
menu_driver(3x) Command-processing loop of the menu system. menu_driver
menu_format(3x) Set and get menu sizes. set_menu_format, menu_format
menu_hook(3x) Set hooks for automatic invocation by applications. menu_hook
menu_items(3x) Make and break connections between items and menus. set_menu_items, menu_items, item_count
menu_mark(3x) Get and set the menu mark string. set_menu_mark, menu_mark
menu_new(3x) Create and destroy menus. new_menu, free_menu
menu_opts(3x) Set and get menu options. set_menu_opts, menu_opts_on, menu_opts_off, menu_opts
menu_pattern(3x) Set and get a menu’s pattern buffer. set_menu_pattern, menu_pattern
menu_post(3x) Write or erase menus from associated subwindows. post_menu, unpost_menu
menu_requestname(3x) Handle printable menu request names. menu_request_by_name, menu_request_name
menu_spacing(3x) Set and get spacing between menu items.. set_menu_spacing, menu_spacing
menu_userptr(3x) Associate application data with a menu item. set_menu_userptr, menu_userptr
menu_win(3x) Make and break menu window and subwindow associations. menu_win
mitem_current(3x) Set and get current_menu_item. mitem_current
mitem_name(3x) Get menu item name and description fields. item_name, item_description
mitem_new(3x) Create and destroy menu items. new_item, free_item
mitem_opts(3x) Set and get menu item options. set_item_opts, item_opts_on, item_opts_off, item_opts
mitem_userptr(3x) Associate application data with a menu item. set_item_userptr, item_userptr
mitem_value(3x) Set and get menu item values. set_item_value, item_value
mitem_visible(3x) Check visibility of a menu item. mitem_visible
ncurses(3x) Crt screen handling and optimization package. ncurses
new_pair(3x) New curses color-pair functions. alloc_pair, find_pair, free_pair
panel(3x) Panel stack extension for curses. panel
resizeterm(3x) Change the curses terminal size. is_term_resized, resize_term, resizeterm
term_variables(3x) Curses terminfo global variables. SP, acs_map, boolcodes, boolfnames, boolnames, cur_term, numcodes, numfnames, numnames, strcodes, strfnames, strnames, ttytype
wresize(3x) Resize a curses window. wresize