driver(3FORM) Library calls driver(3FORM)
NAME
form_driver, form_driver_w - command-processing loop of the form system
SYNOPSIS
#include <form.h>
int form_driver(FORM *form, int c);
int form_driver_w(FORM *form, int c, wchar_t wc);
DESCRIPTION
form_driver
Once a form has been posted (displayed), you should funnel input events
to it through form_driver. This routine has three major input cases:
• The input is a form navigation request. Navigation request codes
are constants defined in <form.h>, which are distinct from the key-
and character codes returned by wgetch(3NCURSES).
• The input is a printable character. Printable characters (which
must be positive, less than 256) are checked according to the pro-
gram's locale settings.
• The input is the KEY_MOUSE special key associated with an mouse
event.
form_driver_w
This extension simplifies the use of the forms library using wide char-
acters. The input is either a key code (a request) or a wide character
returned by get_wch(3NCURSES). The type must be passed as well, to en-
able the library to determine whether the parameter is a wide character
or a request.
Form Driver Requests
The form driver requests are as follows:
Name Description
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
REQ_BEG_FIELD Move to beginning of field.
REQ_BEG_LINE Move to beginning of the line.
REQ_CLR_EOF Clear to end of field from cursor.
REQ_CLR_EOL Clear to end of line from cursor.
REQ_CLR_FIELD Clear the entire field.
REQ_DEL_CHAR Delete character at the cursor.
REQ_DEL_LINE Delete line at the cursor.
REQ_DEL_PREV Delete character before the cursor.
REQ_DEL_WORD Delete blank-delimited word at cursor.
REQ_DOWN_CHAR Move down in field.
REQ_DOWN_FIELD Move down to a field.
REQ_END_FIELD Move to the end of field.
REQ_END_LINE Move to the end of the line.
REQ_FIRST_FIELD Move to the first field.
REQ_FIRST_PAGE Move to the first page.
REQ_INS_CHAR Insert a blank at the cursor.
REQ_INS_LINE Insert a blank line at the cursor.
REQ_INS_MODE Enter insert mode.
REQ_LAST_FIELD Move to the last field.
REQ_LAST_PAGE Move to the last field.
REQ_LEFT_CHAR Move left in field.
REQ_LEFT_FIELD Move left to a field.
REQ_NEW_LINE Insert or overlay a new line.
REQ_NEXT_CHAR Move to the next char.
REQ_NEXT_CHOICE Display next field choice.
REQ_NEXT_FIELD Move to the next field.
REQ_NEXT_LINE Move to the next line.
REQ_NEXT_PAGE Move to the next page.
REQ_NEXT_PAGE Move to the next page.
REQ_NEXT_WORD Move to the next word.
REQ_OVL_MODE Enter overlay mode.
REQ_PREV_CHAR Move to the previous char.
REQ_PREV_CHOICE Display previous field choice.
REQ_PREV_FIELD Move to the previous field.
REQ_PREV_LINE Move to the previous line.
REQ_PREV_PAGE Move to the previous page.
REQ_PREV_WORD Move to the previous word.
REQ_RIGHT_CHAR Move right in field.
REQ_RIGHT_FIELD Move right to a field.
REQ_SCR_BCHAR Scroll field backward 1 character.
REQ_SCR_BHPAGE Scroll field backward ½ page.
REQ_SCR_BLINE Scroll field backward 1 line.
REQ_SCR_BPAGE Scroll field backward 1 page.
REQ_SCR_FCHAR Scroll field forward 1 character.
REQ_SCR_FHPAGE Scroll field forward ½ page.
REQ_SCR_FLINE Scroll field forward 1 line.
REQ_SCR_FPAGE Scroll field forward 1 page.
REQ_SCR_HBHALF Horizontal scroll field backward ½ line.
REQ_SCR_HBLINE Horizontal scroll field backward 1 line.
REQ_SCR_HFHALF Horizontal scroll field forward ½ line.
REQ_SCR_HFLINE Horizontal scroll field forward 1 line.
REQ_SFIRST_FIELD Move to the sorted first field.
REQ_SLAST_FIELD Move to the sorted last field.
REQ_SNEXT_FIELD Move to the sorted next field.
REQ_SPREV_FIELD Move to the sorted previous field.
REQ_UP_CHAR Move up in field.
REQ_UP_FIELD Move up to a field.
REQ_VALIDATION Validate field.
If the second argument is a printable character, the driver places it in
the current position in the current field. If it is one of the forms
requests listed above, that request is executed.
Field Validation
The form library makes updates to the window associated with form fields
rather than directly to the field buffers.
The form driver provides low-level control over updates to the form
fields. The form driver also provides for validating modified fields to
ensure that the contents meet whatever constraints an application may
attach using set_field_type.
You can validate a field without making any changes to it using REQ_VAL-
IDATION. The form driver also validates a field in these cases:
• a call to set_current_field attempts to move to a different field.
• a call to set_current_page attempts to move to a different page of
the form.
• a request attempts to move to a different field.
• a request attempts to move to a different page of the form.
In each case, the move fails if the field is invalid.
If the modified field is valid, the form driver copies the modified data
from the window associated with the field to the field buffer.
Mouse Handling
If the second argument is the KEY_MOUSE special key, the associated
mouse event is translated into one of the above pre-defined requests.
Currently only clicks in the user window (e.g., inside the form display
area or the decoration window) are handled.
If you click above the display region of the form:
a REQ_PREV_FIELD is generated for a single click,
a REQ_PREV_PAGE is generated for a double-click and
a REQ_FIRST_FIELD is generated for a triple-click.
If you click below the display region of the form:
a REQ_NEXT_FIELD is generated for a single click,
a REQ_NEXT_PAGE is generated for a double-click and
a REQ_LAST_FIELD is generated for a triple-click.
If you click at an field inside the display area of the form:
• the form cursor is positioned to that field.
• If you double-click a field, the form cursor is positioned to
that field and E_UNKNOWN_COMMAND is returned. This return value
makes sense, because a double click usually means that an field-
specific action should be returned. It is exactly the purpose of
this return value to signal that an application specific command
should be executed.
• If a translation into a request was done, form_driver returns the
result of this request.
If you clicked outside the user window or the mouse event could not be
translated into a form request an E_REQUEST_DENIED is returned.
Application-defined Commands
If the second argument is neither printable nor one of the above pre-de-
fined form requests, the driver assumes it is an application-specific
command and returns E_UNKNOWN_COMMAND. Application-defined commands
should be defined relative to MAX_COMMAND, the maximum value of these
pre-defined requests.
RETURN VALUE
form_driver returns one of the following error codes:
E_OK The routine succeeded.
E_BAD_ARGUMENT
Routine detected an incorrect or out-of-range argument.
E_BAD_STATE
Routine was called from an initialization or termination function.
E_NOT_POSTED
The form has not been posted.
E_INVALID_FIELD
Contents of field is invalid.
E_NOT_CONNECTED
No fields are connected to the form.
E_REQUEST_DENIED
The form driver could not process the request.
E_SYSTEM_ERROR
System error occurred (see errno(3)).
E_UNKNOWN_COMMAND
The form driver code saw an unknown request code.
PORTABILITY
These routines emulate the System V forms library. They were not sup-
ported on Version 7 or BSD versions.
AUTHORS
Juergen Pfeifer. Manual pages and adaptation for new curses by Eric S.
Raymond.
SEE ALSO
ncurses(3NCURSES), form(3FORM), fieldtype(3FORM), field_buffer(3FORM),
field_validation(3FORM), form_variables(3FORM), getch(3NCURSES)
ncurses 6.5 2024-04-20 driver(3FORM)
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