getch(3XC)
NAME
getch, wgetch, mvgetch, mvwgetch − get a single-byte character from terminal
SYNOPSIS
#include <curses.h>
int getch(void);
int wgetch (WINDOW ∗win);
int mvgetch(int y, int x);
int mvwgetch(WINDOW ∗win, int y, int x);
ARGUMENTS
winIs a pointer to the window associated with the terminal from which the character is to be read.
yIs the y (row) coordinate for the position of the character to be read.
xIs the x (column) coordinate for the position of the character to be read.
DESCRIPTION
The getch() and wgetch() functions get a single-byte character from the terminal associated with the window stdscr or window win, respectively. The mvgetch() and mvwgetch() functions move the cursor to the position specified in stdscr or win, respectively, then get a character.
If the window is not a pad and has been changed since the last call to refresh(3XC), getch() calls refresh() to update the window before the next character is read.
The setting of certain functions affects the behavior of the getch() set of functions. For example, if cbreak(3XC) is set, characters typed by the user are immediately processed. If halfdelay(3XC) is set, getch() waits until a character is typed or returns ERR if no character is typed within the specified timeout period. This timeout can also be specified for individual windows with the delay parameter of timeout(3XC). A negative value waits for input; a value of 0 returns ERR if no input is ready; a positive value blocks until input arrives or the time specified expires (in which case, ERR is returned). If nodelay(3XC) is set, ERR is returned if no input is waiting; if not set, getch() waits until input arrives. Each character will be echoed to the window unless noecho(3XC) has been set.
If keypad handling is enabled ( keypad(3XC) is TRUE), the token for the function key is returned. If a character is received that could be the beginning of a function key (for example, ESC), an inter-byte timer is set. If the remainder of the sequence is not received before the time expires, the character is passed through; otherwise, the value of the function key is returned. If notimeout() is set, the inter-byte timer is not used.
The ESC key is typically a prefix key used with function keys and should not be used as a single character.
The following is a list of tokens for function keys that are returned by the getch() set of functions if keypad handling is enabled (some terminals may not support all tokens).
Constant Values for Function Keys
| Constant | Description | |
| KEY_BREAK | Break key | |
| KEY_DOWN | The down arrow key | |
| KEY_UP | The up arrow key | |
| KEY_LEFT | The left arrow key | |
| KEY_RIGHT | The right arrow key | |
| KEY_HOME | Home key | |
| KEY_BACKSPACE | Backspace | |
| KEY_F0 | Function keys. Space for 64 | |
| KEY_F(n) | (KEY_F0+(n)) key is reserved | |
| 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 backwards | |
| 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_BEG | Beginning key | |
| KEY_CANCEL | Cancel key | |
| KEY_CLOSE | Close key | |
| KEY_COMMAND | Cmd (command) key | |
| KEY_COPY | Copy key | |
| KEY_CREATE | Create key |
(Continued)
| Constant | Description | |
| 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_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_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 key | |
| KEY_SMESSAGES | Shifted messages key | |
| KEY_SMOVE | Shifted move key | |
| KEY_SNEXT | Shifted next key | |
| KEY_SOPTIONS | Shifted options key | |
| KEY_SPREVIOUS | Shifted previous key | |
| KEY_SPRINT | Shifted print key | |
| KEY_SREDO | Shifted redo key |
(Continued)
| Constant | Description | |
| KEY_SREPLACE | Shifted replace key | |
| KEY_SRIGHT | Shifted right key | |
| 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 |
RETURN VALUES
On success, these function return OK. Otherwise, they return ERR.
ERRORS
None
SEE ALSO
cbreak(3XC), echo(3XC), halfdelay(3XC), keypad(3XC), nodelay(3XC), notimeout(3XC), raw(3XC), timeout(3XC)
SunOS 5.6 — Last change: 1 Jun 1996