define_key(3X)                   Library calls                  define_key(3X)

NAME

     define_key - define a curses function key code

SYNOPSIS

     #include <curses.h>

     int define_key(const char * definition, int key-code);

DESCRIPTION

     The define_key ncurses extension permits a curses application to bind a
     string definition to the function key key-code returned by wgetch(3X)
     (wide-character API users: wget_wch(3X)) when keypad(3X) is enabled in a
     window and a function key is pressed.  ncurses interprets such a binding
     as it does those in the terminfo database entry for the terminal type.

     A definition of NULL removes any existing binding from key-code.
     Similarly, a non-positive key-code removes an existing binding for
     definition, if any.

RETURN VALUE

     define_key returns ERR if

     o   definition is NULL and key-code is nonpositive, or

     o   insufficient memory is available to bind definition to key-code.

     Otherwise, define_key returns OK.

EXTENSIONS

     define_key is an ncurses extension.

PORTABILITY

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

     NetBSD curses since 2.0 (2004) supports define_key.

AUTHORS

     Thomas Dickey

SEE ALSO

     curses(3X), keybound(3X), keyok(3X), key_defined(3X), terminfo(5)

ncurses 6.6                       2024-12-28                    define_key(3X)