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form_driver(3X) 		  Library calls 		 form_driver(3X)

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 char-
	 acter codes returned by wgetch(3X).

     *	 The  input  is a printable character.	Printable characters (which must
	 be positive, less than 256) are checked according to the program's  lo-
	 cale 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 charac-
     ters.  The input is either a key code (a request) or a wide  character  re-
     turned  by get_wch(3X).  The type must be passed as well, to enable the li-
     brary 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 1/2 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 1/2 page.
     REQ_SCR_FLINE	Scroll field forward 1 line.
     REQ_SCR_FPAGE	Scroll field forward 1 page.
     REQ_SCR_HBHALF	Horizontal scroll field backward 1/2 line.
     REQ_SCR_HBLINE	Horizontal scroll field backward 1 line.
     REQ_SCR_HFHALF	Horizontal scroll field forward 1/2 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 re-
     quests 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_VALIDA-
     TION.  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  exe-
	    cuted.

	*   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  com-
     mand and returns E_UNKNOWN_COMMAND.  Application-defined commands should be
     defined relative to MAX_COMMAND, the maximum value of these pre-defined re-
     quests.

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 supported
     on Version 7 or BSD versions.

AUTHORS
     Juergen  Pfeifer.	 Manual  pages	and adaptation for new curses by Eric S.
     Raymond.

SEE ALSO
     curses(3X),    form(3X),	  form_fieldtype(3X),	  form_field_buffer(3X),
     form_field_validation(3X), form_variables(3X), getch(3X)

ncurses 6.5			   2025-10-04			 form_driver(3X)

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