59 lines
2.7 KiB
Plaintext
59 lines
2.7 KiB
Plaintext
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C++ interface to ncurses routines
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-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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This directory contains the source code for several C++ classes which
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ease the use of writing ncurses-based programs. The code is derived
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from the libg++ CursesWindow class but enhanced for ncurses.
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The classes simplify the use of window specific functions by
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encapsulating them in the window object. Function overloading is
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used in order to narrow the interface. E.g. you don't have the
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distinction between `printw' and `mvprintw' anymore.
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A second benefit is the removal of all #defines which are included in
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the curses.h file. This is a steady cause of trouble because many
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common identifiers are used. Instead now all #defines are inline
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functions which also allows strict type checking of arguments.
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The next enhancement is color support. It was originally provided by a
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derived class. This caused some trouble if you think about Panels or
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Menus and Forms with colors. We decided to put color support into the
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base class so that any derived class may use color support also.
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The implementation chosen here is directed to unrestricted use
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of mixes of color and monochrome windows. The original NCursesColorWindow
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class is maintained for compatibility reasons.
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The last point to mention is the support of other packages that are
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distributed with the ncurses package: the panels library, the menu library
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and the form library. This support is provided by the NCursesPanel class,
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which is also derived from the NCursesWindow class and the NCursesMenu
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and NCursesForm classes which are derived from NCursesPanel. This allows
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building interfaces with windows.
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Please see the example program for a quick introduction.
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Note that at this point, there is no documentation for these classes.
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Hopefully some will be written in the not too distant future. For now,
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to find out how to use the classes, read the code and the example program.
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Suggestions for enhancements and contributions of code (and docs) are
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welcome. Please let us know which functionality you miss.
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ATTENTION LINUX USERS: There is currently some discussion of
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replacing the BSD curses in the Linux libc with ncurses. If
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this is done we could perhaps include these classes in the Linux
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libg++ replacing the original CursesWindow class (and renaming it
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to CursesWindow). This could be done because NCursesWindow can
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be made easily to a superset of the CursesWindow class.
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Original author:
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Eric Newton <newton@rocky.oswego.edu> for FSF's libg++
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Authors of first ncurses based release (NCursesWindow, NCursesPanel):
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Ulrich Drepper <drepper@ira.uka.de>
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and Anatoly Ivasyuk <anatoly@nick.csh.rit.edu>
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Author of this release:
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Juergen Pfeifer <juergen.pfeifer@gmx.net>
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