curs_color(3X)							curs_color(3X)

NAME    [Toc]    [Back]

     curs_color:  start_color, init_pair, init_color, has_colors,
     can_change_color, color_content, pair_content - curses color manipulation
     routines

SYNOPSIS    [Toc]    [Back]

     # include <curses.h>

     int start_color(void);
     int init_pair(short pair, short f,	short b);
     int init_color(short color, short r, short	g, short b);
     bool has_colors(void);
     bool can_change_color(void);
     int color_content(short color, short *r, short *g,	short *b);
     int pair_content(short pair, short	*f, short *b);

DESCRIPTION    [Toc]    [Back]

   Overview
     curses provides routines  that manipulate color on	color alphanumeric
     terminals.	 To use	these routines start_color must	be called, usually
     right after initscr.  Colors are always used in pairs (referred to	as
     color-pairs).  A color-pair consists of a foreground color	(for
     characters) and a background color	(for the field on which	the characters
     are displayed).  A	programmer initializes a color-pair with the routine
     init_pair.	 After it has been initialized,	COLOR_PAIR(n), a macro defined
     in	<curses.h>, can	be used	in the same ways other video attributes	can be
     used.  If a terminal is capable of	redefining colors, the programmer can
     use the routine init_color	to change the definition of a color.  The
     routines has_colors and can_change_color return TRUE or FALSE, depending
     on	whether	the terminal has color capabilities and	whether	the programmer
     can change	the colors.  The routine color_content allows a	programmer to
     identify the amounts of red, green, and blue components in	an initialized
     color.  The routine pair_content allows a programmer to find out how a
     given color-pair is currently defined.

   Routine Descriptions    [Toc]    [Back]
     The start_color routine requires no arguments.  It	must be	called if the
     programmer	wants to use colors, and before	any other color	manipulation
     routine is	called.	 It is good practice to	call this routine right	after
     initscr.  start_color initializes eight basic colors (black, red, green,
     yellow, blue, magenta, cyan, and white), and two global variables,	COLORS
     and COLOR_PAIRS (respectively defining the	maximum	number of colors and
     color-pairs the terminal can support).  It	also restores the colors on
     the terminal to the values	they had when the terminal was just turned on.

     The init_pair routine changes the definition of a color-pair.  It takes
     three arguments: the number of the	color-pair to be changed, the
     foreground	color number, and the background color number.	The value of
     the first argument	must be	between	1 and COLOR_PAIRS-1.  The value	of the
     second and	third arguments	must be	between	0 and COLORS.  If the colorpair
 was previously initialized, the screen is refreshed and all
     occurrences of that color-pair is changed to the new definition.



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curs_color(3X)							curs_color(3X)



     The init_color routine changes the	definition of a	color.	It takes four
     arguments:	the number of the color	to be changed followed by three	RGB
     values (for the amounts of	red, green, and	blue components).  The value
     of	the first argument must	be between 0 and COLORS.  (See the section
     Colors for	the default color index.)  Each	of the last three arguments
     must be a value between 0 and 1000.  When init_color is used, all
     occurrences of that color on the screen immediately change	to the new
     definition.

     The has_colors routine requires no	arguments.  It returns TRUE if the
     terminal can manipulate colors; otherwise,	it returns FALSE.  This
     routine facilitates writing terminal-independent programs.	 For example,
     a programmer can use it to	decide whether to use color or some other
     video attribute.

     The can_change_color routine requires no arguments.  It returns TRUE if
     the terminal supports colors and can change their definitions; other, it
     returns FALSE.  This routine facilitates writing terminal-independent
     programs.

     The color_content routine gives users a way to find the intensity of the
     red, green, and blue (RGB)	components in a	color.	It requires four
     arguments:	the color number, and three addresses of shorts	for storing
     the information about the amounts of red, green, and blue components in
     the given color.  The value of the	first argument must be between 0 and
     COLORS.  The values that are stored at the	addresses pointed to by	the
     last three	arguments are between 0	(no component) and 1000	(maximum
     amount of component).

     The pair_content routine allows users to find out what colors a given
     color-pair	consists of.  It requires three	arguments: the color-pair
     number, and two addresses of shorts for storing the foreground and	the
     background	color numbers.	The value of the first argument	must be
     between 1 and COLOR_PAIRS-1.  The values that are stored at the addresses
     pointed to	by the second and third	arguments are between 0	and COLORS.

   Colors    [Toc]    [Back]
     In	<curses.h> the following macros	are defined.  These are	the default
     colors.  curses also assumes that COLOR_BLACK is the default background
     color for all terminals.

	  COLOR_BLACK
	  COLOR_RED
	  COLOR_GREEN
	  COLOR_YELLOW
	  COLOR_BLUE
	  COLOR_MAGENTA
	  COLOR_CYAN
	  COLOR_WHITE






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curs_color(3X)							curs_color(3X)

RETURN VALUE    [Toc]    [Back]

     All routines that return an integer return	ERR upon failure and OK	upon
     successful	completion.

NOTES    [Toc]    [Back]

     The header	file <curses.h>	automatically includes the header files
     <stdio.h> and <unctrl.h>.

SEE ALSO    [Toc]    [Back]

     curses(3X), curs_initscr(3X), curs_attr(3X)


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