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curs_extend 3x 2025-10-05 ncurses 6.5 Library calls

curs_extend(3x)                  Library calls                 curs_extend(3x)


NAME

       curses_version, use_extended_names - miscellaneous ncurses extensions


SYNOPSIS

       #include <curses.h>

       const char * curses_version(void);
       int use_extended_names(bool bf);


DESCRIPTION

       These  ncurses  extensions to the curses library do not fit easily into
       other functional categories.


curses_version

       curses_version returns a pointer to a string containing  the  library's
       name  and  version  number,  including  its  patch  level,  for example
       "ncurses 6.5.20240720".


use_extended_names

       use_extended_names configures  whether  the  library  recognizes  user-
       defined  or  nonstandard terminfo capability names that may be compiled
       into  terminal  type  descriptions   via   the   curs_terminfo(3x)   or
       curs_termcap(3x)  interfaces.   Normally  these names are available for
       use, since the essential decision is made through use  of  tic(1)'s  -x
       option  to  include  such  extensions  in  terminal  type descriptions.
       use_extended_names(FALSE)  prevents  ncurses  from  recognizing   these
       capabilities  to  ensure  compatibility  with  other implementations of
       curses.


RETURN VALUE

       curses_version returns a constant string.

       use_extended_names returns the previous state  of  extended  capability
       name recognition, allowing you to save this property and restore it.


NOTES

       The  pointer  returned  by  curses_version  corresponds  to  statically
       allocated memory; do not attempt to free(3) it.


EXTENSIONS

       These functions are ncurses extensions,  and  are  not  found  in  SVr4
       curses, 4.4BSD curses, or any other previous curses implementation.

       NetBSD  9 added a curses_version function which intentionally returns a
       string without version information.


PORTABILITY

       Applications employing ncurses extensions should condition their use on
       the visibility of the NCURSES_VERSION preprocessor macro.


AUTHORS

       Thomas Dickey


SEE ALSO

       ncurses offers several other extensions to the X/Open Curses API.

       curs_getch(3x),   curs_inopts(3x),   curs_mouse(3x),    curs_print(3x),
       curs_util(3x),    default_colors(3x),   define_key(3x),   keybound(3x),
       keyok(3x), new_pair(3x), resizeterm(3x), wresize(3x)

ncurses 6.5                       2025-10-05                   curs_extend(3x)