curs_threads(3x) — Linux manual page

NAME | SYNOPSIS | DESCRIPTION | RETURN VALUE | NOTES | PORTABILITY | SEE ALSO | COLOPHON

curs_threads(3X)                                        curs_threads(3X)

NAME         top

       curs_threads - curses thread support

SYNOPSIS         top

       #include <curses.h>

       typedef int (*NCURSES_WINDOW_CB)(WINDOW *, void *);
       typedef int (*NCURSES_SCREEN_CB)(SCREEN *, void *);

       int get_escdelay(void);
       int set_escdelay(int ms);
       int set_tabsize(int cols);

       int use_screen(SCREEN *scr, NCURSES_SCREEN_CB func, void *data);
       int use_window(WINDOW *win, NCURSES_WINDOW_CB func, void *data);

DESCRIPTION         top

       This implementation can be configured to provide rudimentary sup‐
       port for multi-threaded applications.  This makes a different set
       of  libraries,  e.g., libncursest since the binary interfaces are
       different.

       Rather than modify the interfaces to pass a thread  specifier  to
       each  function,  it adds a few functions which can be used in any
       configuration which hide the mutex's needed to prevent concurrent
       use of the global variables when configured for threading.

       In addition to forcing access to members of the WINDOW  structure
       to  be via functions (see curs_opaque(3X)), it makes functions of
       the common global variables, e.g., COLORS, COLOR_PAIRS, COLS, ES‐
       CDELAY, LINES, TABSIZE curscr, newscr and ttytype.   Those  vari‐
       ables  are  maintained  as read-only values, stored in the SCREEN
       structure.

       Even this is not enough to make a thread-safe  application  using
       curses.   A  multi-threaded application would be expected to have
       threads updating separate windows (within the  same  device),  or
       updating on separate screens (on different devices).  Also, a few
       of  the global variables are considered writable by some applica‐
       tions.  The functions described here address these special situa‐
       tions.

       The ESCDELAY and TABSIZE global variables are  modified  by  some
       applications.   To  modify  them  in  any  configuration, use the
       set_escdelay or set_tabsize functions.   Other  global  variables
       are not modifiable.

       The get_escdelay function returns the value for ESCDELAY.

       The use_window and use_screen functions provide coarse granulari‐
       ty mutexes for their respective WINDOW and SCREEN parameters, and
       call  a  user-supplied function, passing it a data parameter, and
       returning the value from the user-supplied function to the appli‐
       cation.

   USAGE
       All of the ncurses library functions assume that  the  locale  is
       not  altered  during operation.  In addition, they use data which
       is maintained within a hierarchy of scopes.

          •   global data, e.g., used in the low-level terminfo or term‐
              cap interfaces.

          •   terminal data, e.g., associated with a call to
              set_curterm.  The terminal data are initialized when
              screens are created.

          •   screen data, e.g., associated with a call to newterm or
              initscr.

          •   window data, e.g., associated with a call to newwin or
              subwin.  Windows are associated with screens.  Pads are
              not necessarily associated with a particular screen.

              Most curses applications operate on one or more windows
              within a single screen.

          •   reentrant, i.e., it uses only the data passed as parame‐
              ters.

       This table lists the scope of data used for each symbol in the
       ncurses library when it is configured to support threading:
         Symbol                  Scope
         ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
         BC                      global
         COLORS                  screen (readonly)
         COLOR_PAIR              reentrant
         COLOR_PAIRS             screen (readonly)
         COLS                    screen (readonly)
         ESCDELAY                screen (readonly, see set_escdelay)
         LINES                   screen (readonly)
         PAIR_NUMBER             reentrant
         PC                      global
         SP                      global
         TABSIZE                 screen (readonly)
         UP                      global
         acs_map                 screen (readonly)
         add_wch                 window (stdscr)
         add_wchnstr             window (stdscr)
         add_wchstr              window (stdscr)
         addch                   window (stdscr)
         addchnstr               window (stdscr)
         addchstr                window (stdscr)
         addnstr                 window (stdscr)
         addnwstr                window (stdscr)
         addstr                  window (stdscr)
         addwstr                 window (stdscr)
         assume_default_colors   screen
         attr_get                window (stdscr)
         attr_off                window (stdscr)
         attr_on                 window (stdscr)
         attr_set                window (stdscr)
         attroff                 window (stdscr)
         attron                  window (stdscr)
         attrset                 window (stdscr)
         baudrate                screen
         beep                    screen
         bkgd                    window (stdscr)
         bkgdset                 window (stdscr)
         bkgrnd                  window (stdscr)
         bkgrndset               window (stdscr)
         boolcodes               global (readonly)
         boolfnames              global (readonly)
         boolnames               global (readonly)
         border                  window (stdscr)
         border_set              window (stdscr)
         box                     window (stdscr)
         box_set                 window (stdscr)
         can_change_color        terminal
         cbreak                  screen
         chgat                   window (stdscr)
         clear                   window (stdscr)
         clearok                 window
         clrtobot                window (stdscr)
         clrtoeol                window (stdscr)
         color_content           screen
         color_set               window (stdscr)
         copywin                 window locks(source, target)
         cur_term                terminal
         curs_set                screen
         curscr                  screen (readonly)
         curses_version          global (readonly)
         def_prog_mode           terminal
         def_shell_mode          terminal
         define_key              screen
         del_curterm             screen
         delay_output            screen
         delch                   window (stdscr)
         deleteln                window (stdscr)
         delscreen               global locks(screenlist, screen)
         delwin                  global locks(windowlist)
         derwin                  screen
         doupdate                screen
         dupwin                  screen locks(window)
         echo                    screen
         echo_wchar              window (stdscr)
         echochar                window (stdscr)
         endwin                  screen
         erase                   window (stdscr)
         erasechar               window (stdscr)
         erasewchar              window (stdscr)
         filter                  global
         flash                   terminal
         flushinp                screen
         get_wch                 screen (input-operation)
         get_wstr                screen (input-operation)
         getattrs                window
         getbegx                 window
         getbegy                 window
         getbkgd                 window
         getbkgrnd               window
         getcchar                reentrant
         getch                   screen (input-operation)
         getcurx                 window
         getcury                 window
         getmaxx                 window
         getmaxy                 window
         getmouse                screen (input-operation)
         getn_wstr               screen (input-operation)
         getnstr                 screen (input-operation)
         getparx                 window
         getpary                 window
         getstr                  screen (input-operation)
         getwin                  screen (input-operation)
         halfdelay               screen
         has_colors              terminal
         has_ic                  terminal
         has_il                  terminal
         has_key                 screen
         hline                   window (stdscr)
         hline_set               window (stdscr)
         idcok                   window
         idlok                   window
         immedok                 window
         in_wch                  window (stdscr)
         in_wchnstr              window (stdscr)
         in_wchstr               window (stdscr)
         inch                    window (stdscr)
         inchnstr                window (stdscr)
         inchstr                 window (stdscr)
         init_color              screen
         init_pair               screen
         initscr                 global locks(screenlist)
         innstr                  window (stdscr)
         innwstr                 window (stdscr)
         ins_nwstr               window (stdscr)
         ins_wch                 window (stdscr)
         ins_wstr                window (stdscr)
         insch                   window (stdscr)
         insdelln                window (stdscr)
         insertln                window (stdscr)
         insnstr                 window (stdscr)
         insstr                  window (stdscr)
         instr                   window (stdscr)
         intrflush               terminal
         inwstr                  window (stdscr)
         is_cleared              window
         is_idcok                window
         is_idlok                window
         is_immedok              window
         is_keypad               window
         is_leaveok              window
         is_linetouched          window
         is_nodelay              window
         is_notimeout            window
         is_scrollok             window
         is_syncok               window
         is_term_resized         terminal
         is_wintouched           window
         isendwin                screen
         key_defined             screen
         key_name                global (static data)
         keybound                screen
         keyname                 global (static data)
         keyok                   screen
         keypad                  window
         killchar                terminal
         killwchar               terminal
         leaveok                 window
         longname                screen
         mcprint                 terminal
         meta                    screen
         mouse_trafo             window (stdscr)
         mouseinterval           screen
         mousemask               screen
         move                    window (stdscr)
         mvadd_wch               window (stdscr)
         mvadd_wchnstr           window (stdscr)
         mvadd_wchstr            window (stdscr)
         mvaddch                 window (stdscr)
         mvaddchnstr             window (stdscr)
         mvaddchstr              window (stdscr)
         mvaddnstr               window (stdscr)
         mvaddnwstr              window (stdscr)
         mvaddstr                window (stdscr)
         mvaddwstr               window (stdscr)
         mvchgat                 window (stdscr)
         mvcur                   screen
         mvdelch                 window (stdscr)
         mvderwin                window (stdscr)
         mvget_wch               screen (input-operation)
         mvget_wstr              screen (input-operation)
         mvgetch                 screen (input-operation)
         mvgetn_wstr             screen (input-operation)
         mvgetnstr               screen (input-operation)
         mvgetstr                screen (input-operation)
         mvhline                 window (stdscr)
         mvhline_set             window (stdscr)
         mvin_wch                window (stdscr)
         mvin_wchnstr            window (stdscr)
         mvin_wchstr             window (stdscr)
         mvinch                  window (stdscr)
         mvinchnstr              window (stdscr)
         mvinchstr               window (stdscr)
         mvinnstr                window (stdscr)
         mvinnwstr               window (stdscr)
         mvins_nwstr             window (stdscr)
         mvins_wch               window (stdscr)
         mvins_wstr              window (stdscr)
         mvinsch                 window (stdscr)
         mvinsnstr               window (stdscr)
         mvinsstr                window (stdscr)
         mvinstr                 window (stdscr)
         mvinwstr                window (stdscr)
         mvprintw                window (stdscr)
         mvscanw                 screen
         mvvline                 window (stdscr)
         mvvline_set             window (stdscr)
         mvwadd_wch              window
         mvwadd_wchnstr          window
         mvwadd_wchstr           window
         mvwaddch                window
         mvwaddchnstr            window
         mvwaddchstr             window
         mvwaddnstr              window
         mvwaddnwstr             window
         mvwaddstr               window
         mvwaddwstr              window
         mvwchgat                window
         mvwdelch                window
         mvwget_wch              screen (input-operation)
         mvwget_wstr             screen (input-operation)
         mvwgetch                screen (input-operation)
         mvwgetn_wstr            screen (input-operation)
         mvwgetnstr              screen (input-operation)
         mvwgetstr               screen (input-operation)
         mvwhline                window
         mvwhline_set            window
         mvwin                   window
         mvwin_wch               window
         mvwin_wchnstr           window
         mvwin_wchstr            window
         mvwinch                 window
         mvwinchnstr             window
         mvwinchstr              window
         mvwinnstr               window
         mvwinnwstr              window
         mvwins_nwstr            window
         mvwins_wch              window
         mvwins_wstr             window
         mvwinsch                window
         mvwinsnstr              window
         mvwinsstr               window
         mvwinstr                window
         mvwinwstr               window
         mvwprintw               window
         mvwscanw                screen
         mvwvline                window
         mvwvline_set            window
         napms                   reentrant
         newpad                  global locks(windowlist)
         newscr                  screen (readonly)
         newterm                 global locks(screenlist)
         newwin                  global locks(windowlist)
         nl                      screen
         nocbreak                screen
         nodelay                 window
         noecho                  screen
         nofilter                global
         nonl                    screen
         noqiflush               terminal
         noraw                   screen
         notimeout               window
         numcodes                global (readonly)
         numfnames               global (readonly)
         numnames                global (readonly)
         ospeed                  global
         overlay                 window locks(source, target)
         overwrite               window locks(source, target)
         pair_content            screen
         pecho_wchar             screen
         pechochar               screen
         pnoutrefresh            screen
         prefresh                screen
         printw                  window
         putp                    global
         putwin                  window
         qiflush                 terminal
         raw                     screen
         redrawwin               window
         refresh                 screen
         reset_prog_mode         screen
         reset_shell_mode        screen
         resetty                 terminal
         resize_term             screen locks(windowlist)
         resizeterm              screen
         restartterm             screen
         ripoffline              global (static data)
         savetty                 terminal
         scanw                   screen
         scr_dump                screen
         scr_init                screen
         scr_restore             screen
         scr_set                 screen
         scrl                    window (stdscr)
         scroll                  window
         scrollok                window
         set_curterm             screen
         set_escdelay            screen
         set_tabsize             screen
         set_term                global locks(screenlist, screen)
         setcchar                reentrant
         setscrreg               window (stdscr)
         setupterm               global
         slk_attr                screen
         slk_attr_off            screen
         slk_attr_on             screen
         slk_attr_set            screen
         slk_attroff             screen
         slk_attron              screen
         slk_attrset             screen
         slk_clear               screen
         slk_color               screen
         slk_init                screen
         slk_label               screen
         slk_noutrefresh         screen
         slk_refresh             screen
         slk_restore             screen
         slk_set                 screen
         slk_touch               screen
         slk_wset                screen
         standend                window
         standout                window
         start_color             screen
         stdscr                  screen (readonly)
         strcodes                global (readonly)
         strfnames               global (readonly)
         strnames                global (readonly)
         subpad                  window
         subwin                  window
         syncok                  window
         term_attrs              screen
         termattrs               screen
         termname                terminal
         tgetent                 global
         tgetflag                global
         tgetnum                 global
         tgetstr                 global
         tgoto                   global
         tigetflag               terminal
         tigetnum                terminal
         tigetstr                terminal
         timeout                 window (stdscr)
         touchline               window
         touchwin                window
         tparm                   global (static data)
         tputs                   screen
         trace                   global (static data)
         ttytype                 screen (readonly)
         typeahead               screen
         unctrl                  screen
         unget_wch               screen (input-operation)
         ungetch                 screen (input-operation)
         ungetmouse              screen (input-operation)
         untouchwin              window
         use_default_colors      screen
         use_env                 global (static data)
         use_extended_names      global (static data)
         use_legacy_coding       screen
         use_screen              global locks(screenlist, screen)
         use_window              global locks(windowlist, window)
         vid_attr                screen
         vid_puts                screen
         vidattr                 screen
         vidputs                 screen
         vline                   window (stdscr)
         vline_set               window (stdscr)
         vw_printw               window
         vw_scanw                screen
         vwprintw                window
         vwscanw                 screen
         wadd_wch                window
         wadd_wchnstr            window
         wadd_wchstr             window
         waddch                  window
         waddchnstr              window
         waddchstr               window
         waddnstr                window
         waddnwstr               window
         waddstr                 window
         waddwstr                window
         wattr_get               window
         wattr_off               window
         wattr_on                window
         wattr_set               window
         wattroff                window
         wattron                 window
         wattrset                window
         wbkgd                   window
         wbkgdset                window
         wbkgrnd                 window
         wbkgrndset              window
         wborder                 window
         wborder_set             window
         wchgat                  window
         wclear                  window
         wclrtobot               window
         wclrtoeol               window
         wcolor_set              window
         wcursyncup              screen (affects window plus parents)
         wdelch                  window
         wdeleteln               window
         wecho_wchar             window
         wechochar               window
         wenclose                window
         werase                  window
         wget_wch                screen (input-operation)
         wget_wstr               screen (input-operation)
         wgetbkgrnd              window
         wgetch                  screen (input-operation)
         wgetdelay               window
         wgetn_wstr              screen (input-operation)
         wgetnstr                screen (input-operation)
         wgetparent              window
         wgetscrreg              window
         wgetstr                 screen (input-operation)
         whline                  window
         whline_set              window
         win_wch                 window
         win_wchnstr             window
         win_wchstr              window
         winch                   window
         winchnstr               window
         winchstr                window
         winnstr                 window
         winnwstr                window
         wins_nwstr              window
         wins_wch                window
         wins_wstr               window
         winsch                  window
         winsdelln               window
         winsertln               window
         winsnstr                window
         winsstr                 window
         winstr                  window
         winwstr                 window
         wmouse_trafo            window
         wmove                   window
         wnoutrefresh            screen
         wprintw                 window
         wredrawln               window
         wrefresh                screen
         wresize                 window locks(windowlist)
         wscanw                  screen
         wscrl                   window
         wsetscrreg              window
         wstandend               window
         wstandout               window
         wsyncdown               screen (affects window plus parents)
         wsyncup                 screen (affects window plus parents)
         wtimeout                window
         wtouchln                window
         wunctrl                 global (static data)
         wvline                  window
         wvline_set              window

RETURN VALUE         top

       These functions all return TRUE or FALSE, except as noted.

NOTES         top

       Both a macro and a function are provided for each name.

PORTABILITY         top

       These routines are specific to ncurses.  They were not supported
       on Version 7, BSD or System V implementations.  It is recommended
       that any code depending on ncurses extensions be conditioned us‐
       ing NCURSES_VERSION.

SEE ALSO         top

       curses(3X), curs_opaque(3X), curs_variables(3X).

COLOPHON         top

       This page is part of the ncurses (new curses) project.  Informa‐
       tion about the project can be found at 
       ⟨https://www.gnu.org/software/ncurses/ncurses.html⟩.  If you have
       a bug report for this manual page, send it to
       [email protected].  This page was obtained from the
       project's upstream Git mirror of the CVS repository
       ⟨https://github.com/mirror/ncurses.git⟩ on 2024-06-14.  (At that
       time, the date of the most recent commit that was found in the
       repository was 2023-03-12.)  If you discover any rendering
       problems in this HTML version of the page, or you believe there
       is a better or more up-to-date source for the page, or you have
       corrections or improvements to the information in this COLOPHON
       (which is not part of the original manual page), send a mail to
       [email protected]

                                                        curs_threads(3X)