curs_getch.3curses revision c10c16dec587a0662068f6e2991c29ed3a9db943
te
Copyright 1989 AT&T
Portions Copyright (c) 1996, Sun Microsystems, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
The contents of this file are subject to the terms of the Common Development and Distribution License (the "License"). You may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
You can obtain a copy of the license at usr/src/OPENSOLARIS.LICENSE or http://www.opensolaris.org/os/licensing. See the License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations under the License.
When distributing Covered Code, include this CDDL HEADER in each file and include the License file at usr/src/OPENSOLARIS.LICENSE. If applicable, add the following below this CDDL HEADER, with the fields enclosed by brackets "[]" replaced with your own identifying information: Portions Copyright [yyyy] [name of copyright owner]
curs_getch 3CURSES "31 Dec 1996" "SunOS 5.11" "Curses Library Functions"
NAME
curs_getch, getch, wgetch, mvgetch, mvwgetch, ungetch - get (or push back) characters from curses terminal keyboard
SYNOPSIS

cc [ flag ... ] file ... -lcurses [ library ... ]
#include <curses.h>

int getch(void);

int wgetch(WINDOW *win);

int mvgetch(int y, int x);

int mvwgetch(WINDOW *win, int y, int x);

int ungetch(int ch);
DESCRIPTION

With the getch(), wgetch(), mvgetch(), and mvwgetch() routines a character is read from the terminal associated with the window. In no-delay mode, if no input is waiting, the value ERR is returned. In delay mode, the program waits until the system passes text through to the program. Depending on the setting of cbreak(), this is after one character (cbreak mode), or after the first newline (nocbreak mode). In half-delay mode, the program waits until a character is typed or the specified timeout has been reached. Unless noecho() has been set, the character will also be echoed into the designated window.

If the window is not a pad, and it has been moved or modified since the last call to wrefresh(), wrefresh() will be called before another character is read.

If keypad() is TRUE, and a function key is pressed, the token for that function key is returned instead of the raw characters. Possible function keys are defined in <curses.h> with integers beginning with 0401, whose names begin with KEY_. If a character that could be the beginning of a function key (such as escape) is received, curses sets a timer. If the remainder of the sequence does not come in within the designated time, the character is passed through; otherwise, the function key value is returned. For this reason, many terminals experience a delay between the time a user presses the escape key and the escape is returned to the program. Since tokens returned by these routines are outside the ASCII range, they are not printable.

The ungetch() routine places ch back onto the input queue to be returned by the next call to wgetch().

"Function Keys"

The following function keys, defined in <curses.h>, might be returned by getch() if keypad() has been enabled. Note that not all of these may be supported on a particular terminal if the terminal does not transmit a unique code when the key is pressed or if the definition for the key is not present in the terminfo database.

NameKey name
KEY_BREAKBreak key
KEY_DOWNThe four arrow keys \|.\|.\|.
KEY_UP
KEY_LEFT
KEY_RIGHT
KEY_HOMEHome key (upward+left arrow)
KEY_BACKSPACEBackspace
KEY_F0
Function keys; space for 64 keys is reserved.
KEY_F(n)For 0 \(<= n \(<= 63
KEY_DLDelete line
KEY_ILInsert line
KEY_DCDelete character
KEY_ICInsert char or enter insert mode
KEY_EICExit insert char mode
KEY_CLEARClear screen
KEY_EOSClear to end of screen
KEY_EOLClear to end of line
KEY_SFScroll 1 line forward
KEY_SRScroll 1 line backward (reverse)
KEY_NPAGENext page
KEY_PPAGEPrevious page
KEY_STABSet tab
KEY_CTABClear tab
KEY_CATABClear all tabs
KEY_ENTEREnter or send
KEY_SRESETSoft (partial) reset
KEY_RESETReset or hard reset
KEY_PRINTPrint or copy
KEY_LL
Home down or bottom (lower left). Keypad is arranged like this: (Row 1) A1 up A3 (Row 2) left B2 right (Row 3) C1 down C3
KEY_A1Upper left of keypad
KEY_A3Upper right of keypad
KEY_B2Center of keypad
KEY_C1Lower left of keypad
KEY_C3Lower right of keypad
KEY_BTABBack tab key
KEY_BEGBeg(inning) key
KEY_CANCELCancel key
KEY_CLOSEClose key
KEY_COMMANDCmd (command) key
KEY_COPYCopy key
KEY_CREATECreate key
KEY_ENDEnd key
KEY_EXITExit key
KEY_FINDFind key
KEY_HELPHelp key
KEY_MARKMark key
KEY_MESSAGEMessage key
KEY_MOVEMove key
KEY_NEXTNext object key
KEY_OPENOpen key
KEY_OPTIONSOptions key
KEY_PREVIOUSPrevious object key
KEY_REDORedo key
KEY_REFERENCEReference key
KEY_REFRESH Refresh key
KEY_REPLACEReplace key
KEY_RESTARTRestart key
KEY_RESUMEResume key
KEY_SAVESave key
KEY_SBEGShifted beginning key
KEY_SCANCELShifted cancel key
KEY_SCOMMANDShifted command key
KEY_SCOPYShifted copy key
KEY_SCREATEShifted create key
KEY_SDCShifted delete char key
KEY_SDLShifted delete line key
KEY_SELECTSelect key
KEY_SENDShifted end key
KEY_SEOLShifted clear line key
KEY_SEXITShifted exit key
KEY_SFINDShifted find key
KEY_SHELPShifted help key
KEY_SHOMEShifted home key
KEY_SICShifted input key
KEY_SLEFTShifted left arrow key
KEY_SMESSAGEShifted message key
KEY_SMOVEShifted move key
KEY_SNEXTShifted next key
KEY_SOPTIONSShifted options key
KEY_SPREVIOUSShifted prev key
KEY_SPRINTShifted print key
KEY_SREDOShifted redo key
KEY_SREPLACEShifted replace key
KEY_SRIGHTShifted right arrow
KEY_SRSUMEShifted resume key
KEY_SSAVEShifted save key
KEY_SSUSPENDShifted suspend key
KEY_SUNDOShifted undo key
KEY_SUSPENDSuspend key
KEY_UNDOUndo key
RETURN VALUES

All routines return the integer ERR upon failure. The ungetch() routine returns an integer value other than ERR upon successful completion. The other routines return the next input character or function key code upon successful completion.

ATTRIBUTES

See attributes(5) for descriptions of the following attributes:

ATTRIBUTE TYPEATTRIBUTE VALUE
MT-LevelUnsafe
SEE ALSO

curs_inopts(3CURSES), curs_move(3CURSES), curs_refresh(3CURSES), curses(3CURSES), attributes(5)

NOTES

The header <curses.h> automatically includes the headers <stdio.h> and <unctrl.h>.

Use of the escape key for a single character function is discouraged.

When using getch(), wgetch(), mvgetch(), or mvwgetch(), nocbreak mode (nocbreak()) and echo mode (echo()) should not be used at the same time. Depending on the state of the tty driver when each character is typed, the program may produce undesirable results.

Note that getch(), mvgetch(), and mvwgetch() may be macros.