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<H1 class="no-header">curs_getch 3x</H1>
<PRE>
<STRONG><A HREF="curs_getch.3x.html">curs_getch(3x)</A></STRONG>                                           <STRONG><A HREF="curs_getch.3x.html">curs_getch(3x)</A></STRONG>


</PRE>
<H2><a name="h2-NAME">NAME</a></H2><PRE>
       <STRONG>getch</STRONG>, <STRONG>wgetch</STRONG>, <STRONG>mvgetch</STRONG>, <STRONG>mvwgetch</STRONG>, <STRONG>ungetch</STRONG>, <STRONG>has_key</STRONG> - get
       (or push back) characters from <STRONG>curses</STRONG> terminal keyboard


</PRE>
<H2><a name="h2-SYNOPSIS">SYNOPSIS</a></H2><PRE>
       <STRONG>#include</STRONG> <STRONG>&lt;curses.h&gt;</STRONG>

       <STRONG>int</STRONG> <STRONG>getch(void);</STRONG>
       <STRONG>int</STRONG> <STRONG>wgetch(WINDOW</STRONG> <STRONG>*</STRONG><EM>win);</EM>
       <STRONG>int</STRONG> <STRONG>mvgetch(int</STRONG> <EM>y</EM><STRONG>,</STRONG> <STRONG>int</STRONG> <EM>x</EM><STRONG>);</STRONG>
       <STRONG>int</STRONG> <STRONG>mvwgetch(WINDOW</STRONG> <STRONG>*</STRONG><EM>win</EM><STRONG>,</STRONG> <STRONG>int</STRONG> <EM>y</EM><STRONG>,</STRONG> <STRONG>int</STRONG> <EM>x</EM><STRONG>);</STRONG>
       <STRONG>int</STRONG> <STRONG>ungetch(int</STRONG> <EM>ch</EM><STRONG>);</STRONG>
       <STRONG>int</STRONG> <STRONG>has_key(int</STRONG> <EM>ch</EM><STRONG>);</STRONG>


</PRE>
<H2><a name="h2-DESCRIPTION">DESCRIPTION</a></H2><PRE>

</PRE>
<H3><a name="h3-Reading-characters">Reading characters</a></H3><PRE>
       The <STRONG>getch</STRONG>, <STRONG>wgetch</STRONG>, <STRONG>mvgetch</STRONG> and <STRONG>mvwgetch</STRONG>, routines  read  a
       character  from the window.  In no-delay mode, if no input
       is waiting, the value <STRONG>ERR</STRONG> is returned.  In delay mode, the
       program  waits until the system passes text through to the
       program.  Depending on the setting of <STRONG>cbreak</STRONG>, this is  af-
       ter  one  character (cbreak mode), or after the first new-
       line (nocbreak mode).  In  half-delay  mode,  the  program
       waits  until a character is typed or the specified timeout
       has been reached.

       If <STRONG>echo</STRONG> is enabled, and the window is not a pad, then  the
       character  will  also be echoed into the designated window
       according to the following rules:

       <STRONG>o</STRONG>   If the character is the current erase character,  left
           arrow,  or backspace, the cursor is moved one space to
           the left and that screen  position  is  erased  as  if
           <STRONG>delch</STRONG> had been called.

       <STRONG>o</STRONG>   If  the  character value is any other <STRONG>KEY_</STRONG> define, the
           user is alerted with a <STRONG>beep</STRONG> call.

       <STRONG>o</STRONG>   If the character is a carriage-return, and  if  <STRONG>nl</STRONG>  is
           enabled,  it  is translated to a line-feed after echo-
           ing.

       <STRONG>o</STRONG>   Otherwise  the  character  is  simply  output  to  the
           screen.

       If the window is not a pad, and it has been moved or modi-
       fied since the last call to  <STRONG>wrefresh</STRONG>,  <STRONG>wrefresh</STRONG>  will  be
       called before another character is read.


</PRE>
<H3><a name="h3-Keypad-mode">Keypad mode</a></H3><PRE>
       If  <STRONG>keypad</STRONG> is <STRONG>TRUE</STRONG>, and a function key is pressed, the to-
       ken for that function key is returned instead of  the  raw
       characters.   Possible function keys are defined in <STRONG>&lt;curs-</STRONG>
       <STRONG>es.h&gt;</STRONG> as macros with values outside  the  range  of  8-bit
       characters  whose names begin with <STRONG>KEY_</STRONG>.  Thus, a variable
       intended to hold the return value of a function  key  must
       be of short size or larger.

       When a character that could be the beginning of a function
       key is received (which, on modern terminals, means an  es-
       cape character), <STRONG>curses</STRONG> 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 es-
       cape key and the escape is returned to the program.


</PRE>
<H3><a name="h3-Ungetting-characters">Ungetting characters</a></H3><PRE>
       The <STRONG>ungetch</STRONG> routine places <EM>ch</EM> back onto the input queue to
       be returned by the next call to <STRONG>wgetch</STRONG>.  There is just one
       input queue for all windows.


</PRE>
<H3><a name="h3-Predefined-key-codes">Predefined key-codes</a></H3><PRE>
       The following special keys, defined in <STRONG>&lt;curses.h&gt;</STRONG>, may  be
       returned  by <STRONG>getch</STRONG> if <STRONG>keypad</STRONG> has been enabled.  Not all of
       these are necessarily supported on any  particular  termi-
       nal.

            <EM>Name</EM>            <EM>Key</EM> <EM>name</EM>
            -------------------------------------------------
            KEY_BREAK       Break key
            KEY_DOWN        The four arrow keys ...
            KEY_UP
            KEY_LEFT
            KEY_RIGHT
            KEY_HOME        Home key (upward+left arrow)
            KEY_BACKSPACE   Backspace
            KEY_F0          Function keys; space for 64 keys
                            is reserved.
            KEY_F(<EM>n</EM>)        For 0 &lt;= <EM>n</EM> &lt;= 63
            KEY_DL          Delete line
            KEY_IL          Insert line
            KEY_DC          Delete character
            KEY_IC          Insert char or enter insert mode
            KEY_EIC         Exit insert char mode
            KEY_CLEAR       Clear screen
            KEY_EOS         Clear to end of screen
            KEY_EOL         Clear to end of line
            KEY_SF          Scroll 1 line forward
            KEY_SR          Scroll 1 line backward (reverse)
            KEY_NPAGE       Next page
            KEY_PPAGE       Previous page
            KEY_STAB        Set tab
            KEY_CTAB        Clear tab
            KEY_CATAB       Clear all tabs
            KEY_ENTER       Enter or send
            KEY_SRESET      Soft (partial) reset
            KEY_RESET       Reset or hard reset
            KEY_PRINT       Print or copy
            KEY_LL          Home down or bottom (lower left)
            KEY_A1          Upper left of keypad
            KEY_A3          Upper right of keypad
            KEY_B2          Center of keypad
            KEY_C1          Lower left of keypad
            KEY_C3          Lower right of keypad
            KEY_BTAB        Back tab key
            KEY_BEG         Beg(inning) key
            KEY_CANCEL      Cancel key
            KEY_CLOSE       Close key
            KEY_COMMAND     Cmd (command) key
            KEY_COPY        Copy key
            KEY_CREATE      Create key
            KEY_END         End key
            KEY_EXIT        Exit key
            KEY_FIND        Find key
            KEY_HELP        Help key
            KEY_MARK        Mark key

            KEY_MESSAGE     Message key
            KEY_MOUSE       Mouse event read
            KEY_MOVE        Move key
            KEY_NEXT        Next object key
            KEY_OPEN        Open key
            KEY_OPTIONS     Options key
            KEY_PREVIOUS    Previous object key
            KEY_REDO        Redo key
            KEY_REFERENCE   Ref(erence) key
            KEY_REFRESH     Refresh key
            KEY_REPLACE     Replace key
            KEY_RESIZE      Screen resized
            KEY_RESTART     Restart key
            KEY_RESUME      Resume key
            KEY_SAVE        Save key
            KEY_SBEG        Shifted beginning key
            KEY_SCANCEL     Shifted cancel key
            KEY_SCOMMAND    Shifted command key
            KEY_SCOPY       Shifted copy key
            KEY_SCREATE     Shifted create key
            KEY_SDC         Shifted delete char key
            KEY_SDL         Shifted delete line key
            KEY_SELECT      Select key
            KEY_SEND        Shifted end key
            KEY_SEOL        Shifted clear line key
            KEY_SEXIT       Shifted exit key
            KEY_SFIND       Shifted find key
            KEY_SHELP       Shifted help key
            KEY_SHOME       Shifted home key
            KEY_SIC         Shifted input key
            KEY_SLEFT       Shifted left arrow key
            KEY_SMESSAGE    Shifted message key
            KEY_SMOVE       Shifted move key
            KEY_SNEXT       Shifted next key
            KEY_SOPTIONS    Shifted options key
            KEY_SPREVIOUS   Shifted prev key
            KEY_SPRINT      Shifted print key
            KEY_SREDO       Shifted redo key
            KEY_SREPLACE    Shifted replace key
            KEY_SRIGHT      Shifted right arrow
            KEY_SRSUME      Shifted resume key
            KEY_SSAVE       Shifted save key
            KEY_SSUSPEND    Shifted suspend key
            KEY_SUNDO       Shifted undo key
            KEY_SUSPEND     Suspend key
            KEY_UNDO        Undo key

       Keypad is arranged like this:

                         +-----+------+-------+
                         | <STRONG>A1</STRONG>  |  <STRONG>up</STRONG>  |  <STRONG>A3</STRONG>   |
                         +-----+------+-------+
                         |<STRONG>left</STRONG> |  <STRONG>B2</STRONG>  | <STRONG>right</STRONG> |
                         +-----+------+-------+
                         | <STRONG>C1</STRONG>  | <STRONG>down</STRONG> |  <STRONG>C3</STRONG>   |
                         +-----+------+-------+
       A few of these predefined values do <EM>not</EM>  correspond  to  a
       real key:

       <STRONG>o</STRONG>   <STRONG>KEY_RESIZE</STRONG>  is  returned  when the <STRONG>SIGWINCH</STRONG> signal has
           been detected (see <STRONG><A HREF="curs_initscr.3x.html">curs_initscr(3x)</A></STRONG> and <STRONG><A HREF="resizeterm.3x.html">resizeterm(3x)</A></STRONG>).

       <STRONG>o</STRONG>   <STRONG>KEY_MOUSE</STRONG>   is   returned   for   mouse-events    (see
           <STRONG><A HREF="curs_mouse.3x.html">curs_mouse(3x)</A></STRONG>).


</PRE>
<H3><a name="h3-Testing-key-codes">Testing key-codes</a></H3><PRE>
       The  <STRONG>has_key</STRONG> routine takes a key-code value from the above
       list, and returns <STRONG>TRUE</STRONG> or <STRONG>FALSE</STRONG> according to  whether  the
       current terminal type recognizes a key with that value.

       The library also supports these extensions:

          <STRONG>define_key</STRONG>
               defines  a  key-code  for  a given string (see <STRONG>de-</STRONG>
               <STRONG><A HREF="define_key.3x.html">fine_key(3x)</A></STRONG>).

          <STRONG>key_defined</STRONG>
               checks if there is a key-code defined for a  given
               string (see <STRONG><A HREF="key_defined.3x.html">key_defined(3x)</A></STRONG>).


</PRE>
<H2><a name="h2-RETURN-VALUE">RETURN VALUE</a></H2><PRE>
       All  routines  return  the integer <STRONG>ERR</STRONG> upon failure and an
       integer value other than <STRONG>ERR</STRONG> (<STRONG>OK</STRONG> in the case of ungetch())
       upon successful completion.

          <STRONG>ungetch</STRONG>
               returns ERR if there is no more room in the FIFO.

          <STRONG>wgetch</STRONG>
               returns  ERR  if the window pointer is null, or if
               its timeout expires without having any data.

       Functions with a "mv" prefix first perform a cursor  move-
       ment  using  <STRONG>wmove</STRONG>, and return an error if the position is
       outside the window, or if the window pointer is null.


</PRE>
<H2><a name="h2-NOTES">NOTES</a></H2><PRE>
       Use of the escape key by a programmer for a single charac-
       ter  function  is discouraged, as it will cause a delay of
       up to one second while the keypad code looks for a follow-
       ing function-key sequence.

       Some  keys  may be the same as commonly used control keys,
       e.g., <STRONG>KEY_ENTER</STRONG>  versus  control/M,  <STRONG>KEY_BACKSPACE</STRONG>  versus
       control/H.  Some curses implementations may differ accord-
       ing to whether they treat  these  control  keys  specially
       (and  ignore  the  terminfo),  or use the terminfo defini-
       tions.  <STRONG>Ncurses</STRONG> uses the terminfo definition.  If it  says
       that  <STRONG>KEY_ENTER</STRONG>  is control/M, <STRONG>getch</STRONG> will return <STRONG>KEY_ENTER</STRONG>
       when you press control/M.

       Generally, <STRONG>KEY_ENTER</STRONG> denotes the character(s) sent by  the
       <EM>Enter</EM> key on the numeric keypad:

       <STRONG>o</STRONG>   the terminal description lists the most useful keys,

       <STRONG>o</STRONG>   the  <EM>Enter</EM> key on the regular keyboard is already han-
           dled by the standard ASCII characters for carriage-re-
           turn and line-feed,

       <STRONG>o</STRONG>   depending  on  whether <STRONG>nl</STRONG> or <STRONG>nonl</STRONG> was called, pressing
           "Enter" on the regular keyboard may  return  either  a
           carriage-return or line-feed, and finally

       <STRONG>o</STRONG>   "Enter  or  send" is the standard description for this
           key.

       When using <STRONG>getch</STRONG>, <STRONG>wgetch</STRONG>, <STRONG>mvgetch</STRONG>, or  <STRONG>mvwgetch</STRONG>,  nocbreak
       mode (<STRONG>nocbreak</STRONG>) and echo mode (<STRONG>echo</STRONG>) 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 un-
       desirable results.

       Note that <STRONG>getch</STRONG>, <STRONG>mvgetch</STRONG>, and <STRONG>mvwgetch</STRONG> may be macros.

       Historically, the set of keypad macros was largely defined
       by  the  extremely  function-key-rich keyboard of the AT&amp;T
       7300, aka 3B1, aka Safari 4.   Modern  personal  computers
       usually  have  only a small subset of these.  IBM PC-style
       consoles  typically  support  little  more  than   <STRONG>KEY_UP</STRONG>,
       <STRONG>KEY_DOWN</STRONG>,    <STRONG>KEY_LEFT</STRONG>,   <STRONG>KEY_RIGHT</STRONG>,   <STRONG>KEY_HOME</STRONG>,   <STRONG>KEY_END</STRONG>,
       <STRONG>KEY_NPAGE</STRONG>, <STRONG>KEY_PPAGE</STRONG>, and function keys 1 through 12.  The
       Ins key is usually mapped to <STRONG>KEY_IC</STRONG>.


</PRE>
<H2><a name="h2-PORTABILITY">PORTABILITY</a></H2><PRE>
       The  *get* functions are described in the XSI Curses stan-
       dard, Issue 4.  They  read  single-byte  characters  only.
       The  standard  specifies  that they return <STRONG>ERR</STRONG> on failure,
       but specifies no error conditions.

       The echo behavior of these functions on input of  <STRONG>KEY_</STRONG>  or
       backspace  characters  was not specified in the SVr4 docu-
       mentation.  This description is adopted from the XSI Curs-
       es standard.

       The  behavior of <STRONG>getch</STRONG> and friends in the presence of han-
       dled signals is unspecified in the  SVr4  and  XSI  Curses
       documentation.   Under  historical curses implementations,
       it varied depending on whether the operating system's  im-
       plementation   of  handled  signal  receipt  interrupts  a
       <STRONG>read(2)</STRONG> call in progress or not, and also (in some  imple-
       mentations)  depending on whether an input timeout or non-
       blocking mode has been set.

       Programmers concerned about portability should be prepared
       for  either  of two cases: (a) signal receipt does not in-
       terrupt <STRONG>getch</STRONG>; (b) signal  receipt  interrupts  <STRONG>getch</STRONG>  and
       causes  it  to  return ERR with <STRONG>errno</STRONG> set to <STRONG>EINTR</STRONG>.  Under
       the <STRONG>ncurses</STRONG> implementation, handled signals  never  inter-
       rupt <STRONG>getch</STRONG>.

       The  <STRONG>has_key</STRONG>  function is unique to <STRONG>ncurses</STRONG>.  We recommend
       that any code using it be conditionalized  on  the  <STRONG>NCURS-</STRONG>
       <STRONG>ES_VERSION</STRONG> feature macro.


</PRE>
<H2><a name="h2-SEE-ALSO">SEE ALSO</a></H2><PRE>
       <STRONG><A HREF="ncurses.3x.html">curses(3x)</A></STRONG>,       <STRONG><A HREF="curs_inopts.3x.html">curs_inopts(3x)</A></STRONG>,       <STRONG><A HREF="curs_outopts.3x.html">curs_outopts(3x)</A></STRONG>,
       <STRONG><A HREF="curs_mouse.3x.html">curs_mouse(3x)</A></STRONG>,   <STRONG><A HREF="curs_move.3x.html">curs_move(3x)</A></STRONG>,   <STRONG><A HREF="curs_refresh.3x.html">curs_refresh(3x)</A></STRONG>,   <STRONG>re-</STRONG>
       <STRONG><A HREF="resizeterm.3x.html">sizeterm(3x)</A></STRONG>.

       Comparable  functions in the wide-character (ncursesw) li-
       brary are described in <STRONG><A HREF="curs_get_wch.3x.html">curs_get_wch(3x)</A></STRONG>.


                                                         <STRONG><A HREF="curs_getch.3x.html">curs_getch(3x)</A></STRONG>
</PRE>
<div class="nav">
<ul>
<li><a href="#h2-NAME">NAME</a></li>
<li><a href="#h2-SYNOPSIS">SYNOPSIS</a></li>
<li><a href="#h2-DESCRIPTION">DESCRIPTION</a>
<ul>
<li><a href="#h3-Reading-characters">Reading characters</a></li>
<li><a href="#h3-Keypad-mode">Keypad mode</a></li>
<li><a href="#h3-Ungetting-characters">Ungetting characters</a></li>
<li><a href="#h3-Predefined-key-codes">Predefined key-codes</a></li>
<li><a href="#h3-Testing-key-codes">Testing key-codes</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="#h2-RETURN-VALUE">RETURN VALUE</a></li>
<li><a href="#h2-NOTES">NOTES</a></li>
<li><a href="#h2-PORTABILITY">PORTABILITY</a></li>
<li><a href="#h2-SEE-ALSO">SEE ALSO</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
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