Provided by: ncurses-doc_6.4+20230625-2_all
NAME
form_fieldtype - define validation-field types
SYNOPSIS
#include <form.h> FIELDTYPE *new_fieldtype( bool (* const field_check)(FIELD *, const void *), bool (* const char_check)(int, const void *)); int free_fieldtype(FIELDTYPE *fieldtype); int set_fieldtype_arg( FIELDTYPE *fieldtype, void *(* const make_arg)(va_list *), void *(* const copy_arg)(const void *), void (* const free_arg)(void *)); int set_fieldtype_choice( FIELDTYPE *fieldtype, bool (* const next_choice)(FIELD *, const void *), bool (* const prev_choice)(FIELD *, const void *)); FIELDTYPE *link_fieldtype(FIELDTYPE *type1, FIELDTYPE *type2);
DESCRIPTION
new_fieldtype The function new_fieldtype creates a new field type usable for data validation. Its parameters are function pointers: field_check This function checks the validity of an entered data string whenever the user attempts to leave a field. It has two arguments: • The (FIELD *) argument is passed in so the validation predicate can see the field's buffer, sizes and other attributes. • The second argument is an argument-block structure, about which more below. char_check This function validates input characters as they are entered. The form library passes it the character to be checked and a pointer to an argument-block structure. free_fieldtype The free_fieldtype function frees the space allocated for a given validation type by new_fieldtype. set_fieldtype_arg The function set_fieldtype_arg associates three storage-management functions with a field type: make_arg This function is automatically applied to the list of arguments you give set_field_type when attaching validation to a field. It stores the arguments in an allocated argument-block object which is used when validating input. copy_arg This function may be used by applications to copy argument-blocks. free_arg Frees an argument-block structure. You must supply the make_arg function. The other two are optional: you may supply NULL for them. In this case, the form library assumes that make_arg does not allocate memory but simply loads the argument into a single scalar value. set_fieldtype_choice The form driver requests REQ_NEXT_CHOICE and REQ_PREV_CHOICE assume that the possible values of a field form an ordered set, and provide the forms user with a way to move through the set. The set_fieldtype_choice function allows forms programmers to define successor and predecessor functions for the field type. These functions take the field pointer and an argument-block structure as arguments. link_fieldtype The function link_fieldtype creates a new field type from the two given types. They are connected by an logical 'OR'.
RETURN VALUE
The pointer-valued routines return NULL on error. They set errno according to their success: E_OK The routine succeeded. E_BAD_ARGUMENT Routine detected an incorrect or out-of-range argument. E_SYSTEM_ERROR System error occurred, e.g., malloc failure. The integer-valued routines return one of the following codes on error: E_OK The routine succeeded. E_BAD_ARGUMENT Routine detected an incorrect or out-of-range argument. E_CONNECTED The field is already connected to a form. E_CURRENT The field is the current field. E_SYSTEM_ERROR System error occurred (see errno(3)).
SEE ALSO
ncurses(3NCURSES), form(3FORM), field_validation(3FORM).
NOTES
The header file <form.h> automatically includes the header file <curses.h>.
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.