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Re: (OT keyboard input)

From "BartC" <bc@freeuk.com>
Newsgroups comp.lang.c
References <gYFHs.3$OX4.0@fx16.fr7> <gw1Is.680$lO4.445@fx15.fr7> <kcqo6g$78h$1@dont-email.me> <3ncIs.609$xr.412@fx16.fr7> <kcsn1h$ans$1@speranza.aioe.org>
Subject Re: (OT keyboard input)
Message-ID <J8oIs.8135$eE2.750@fx29.fr7> (permalink)
Organization virginmedia.com
Date 2013-01-13 01:30 +0000

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"Alan Curry" <pacman@kosh.dhis.org> wrote in message
news:kcsn1h$ans$1@speranza.aioe.org...
> In article <3ncIs.609$xr.412@fx16.fr7>, BartC <bc@freeuk.com> wrote:

>>(I'm struggling
>>getting even the keyboard to behave itself at the moment....
>> Do other
>>people use ncurses, or do they have to delve deeper into the system to get
>>even basic shift+ctrl combos working?)
>
> I assure you, the Linux console and xterm are more accurate emulations of
> the
> VT100 than anything you ever saw in Windows (unless you had a Windows
> xterm)

This is where you lose me. I'm not interested in emulation of any sort of
terminal. I just want to read keys from my keyboard; how difficult can it 
be?

I understand that with standard line input via C's getchar() and so on, the
OS or the library will take care of basic line-editing; that's fine.

But moving just one step beyond that, in order to implement a console-based
editor for example, seems to have been made extraordinarily difficult for
some reason!

> The terminal interface is based on streams of characters, corresponding to
> stdin and stdout/stderr. The format of these streams is usually ASCII or a
> superset of ASCII like ISO8859-x or UTF-8. Where in any of those character
> sets do you find "shift+ctrl combos"?

The keyboard handling I want needs two kinds of key presses. Printable keys,
and control keys. They don't need to share the same code-space. I don't
expect it to work with stdin as I said above, and I don't see the need to
have to encode everything as a serial stream of ASCII codes either.

> xterm reports modifiers as part of the escape sequence for control keys,
> so
> you can distinguish F1 from Ctrl+F1 from Shift+Ctrl+F1

I'm sorry I don't know what xterm is. And I don't really want to know! Isn't
there just a language or OS function to just tell me what the next key event
is?!

> [n]curses only attempts to organize the common features of the traditional
> terminal types in a coherent way, and raw keyboard mode isn't one of them.

They must use a different meaning for 'coherent' than is generally
understood! The special key codes returned by ncurses are all over the
place, and capabilities seem to vary wildly between Windows and Debian for 
example (the latter ignores most shift combinations).

> When your input scheme isn't ASCII or UTF-8, you need a more ambitious
> library than curses. Like SDL, or an X11 widget library (Xt+Xaw/Xm, tk,
> wxWidgets, gtk, etc.) or raw Xlib.

Help! It sounds so complicated that I may have to forget the whole thing,
and just make my editors etc work with the minimum set of keys that are
certain to be available. (However, the SDL looks intriguing..)

-- 
Bartc

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Command line arguments "BartC" <bc@freeuk.com> - 2013-01-10 20:58 +0000
  Re: Command line arguments pu <uselpa.list@gmail.com> - 2013-01-10 22:02 +0100
    Re: Command line arguments pu <uselpa.list@gmail.com> - 2013-01-11 14:43 +0100
      Re: Command line arguments glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2013-01-11 19:10 +0000
  Re: Command line arguments Willem <willem@turtle.stack.nl> - 2013-01-10 21:02 +0000
    Re: Command line arguments "BartC" <bc@freeuk.com> - 2013-01-10 21:34 +0000
      Re: Command line arguments Jorgen Grahn <grahn+nntp@snipabacken.se> - 2013-01-10 22:02 +0000
      Re: Command line arguments Greg Martin <greg@softsprocket.com> - 2013-01-10 14:13 -0800
        Re: Command line arguments "BartC" <bc@freeuk.com> - 2013-01-10 22:32 +0000
          Re: Command line arguments Lew Pitcher <lpitcher@teksavvy.com> - 2013-01-10 17:49 -0500
            Re: Command line arguments BruceS <bruces42@hotmail.com> - 2013-01-10 16:05 -0700
              Re: Command line arguments Lew Pitcher <lpitcher@teksavvy.com> - 2013-01-10 18:15 -0500
              Re: Command line arguments JohnF <john@please.see.sig.for.email.com> - 2013-01-11 06:54 +0000
                Re: Command line arguments Shao Miller <sha0.miller@gmail.com> - 2013-01-11 02:26 -0500
                Re: Command line arguments glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2013-01-11 09:02 +0000
                Re: Command line arguments Joe Pfeiffer <pfeiffer@cs.nmsu.edu> - 2013-01-11 11:17 -0700
                Re: Command line arguments Shao Miller <sha0.miller@gmail.com> - 2013-01-11 13:20 -0500
                Re: Command line arguments Joe Pfeiffer <pfeiffer@cs.nmsu.edu> - 2013-01-11 13:13 -0700
                Re: Command line arguments glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2013-01-11 19:22 +0000
                Re: Command line arguments Fred K <fred.l.kleinschmidt@gmail.com> - 2013-01-11 14:42 -0800
                Re: Command line arguments glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2013-01-12 01:22 +0000
                Re: Command line arguments Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2013-01-12 01:39 +0000
                Re: Command line arguments glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2013-01-12 03:16 +0000
                Re: Command line arguments Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2013-01-12 09:49 -0800
                Re: Command line arguments JohnF <john@please.see.sig.for.email.com> - 2013-01-12 04:14 +0000
                Re: Command line arguments Phil Carmody <thefatphil_demunged@yahoo.co.uk> - 2013-01-13 20:19 +0200
                Re: Command line arguments JohnF <john@please.see.sig.for.email.com> - 2013-01-14 04:56 +0000
                Re: Command line arguments Ken Brody <kenbrody@spamcop.net> - 2013-01-22 15:32 -0500
              Re: Command line arguments Ken Brody <kenbrody@spamcop.net> - 2013-01-22 15:25 -0500
          Re: Command line arguments Fred K <fred.l.kleinschmidt@gmail.com> - 2013-01-10 14:49 -0800
          Re: Command line arguments glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2013-01-11 00:11 +0000
          Re: Command line arguments James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2013-01-10 21:16 -0500
          Re: Command line arguments Les Cargill <lcargill99@comcast.com> - 2013-01-11 21:25 -0600
      Re: Command line arguments James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2013-01-10 21:05 -0500
        Re: Command line arguments Shao Miller <sha0.miller@gmail.com> - 2013-01-10 21:15 -0500
          Re: Command line arguments 88888 Dihedral <dihedral88888@googlemail.com> - 2013-01-11 01:36 -0800
            Re: Command line arguments glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2013-01-11 19:33 +0000
              Re: Command line arguments Shao Miller <sha0.miller@gmail.com> - 2013-01-11 14:57 -0500
              Re: Command line arguments Robert Wessel <robertwessel2@yahoo.com> - 2013-01-11 14:26 -0600
                Re: Command line arguments glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2013-01-11 20:49 +0000
                Re: Command line arguments Robert Wessel <robertwessel2@yahoo.com> - 2013-01-11 18:15 -0600
                Re: Command line arguments Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2013-01-12 01:11 +0000
                Re: Command line arguments glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2013-01-12 01:38 +0000
                Re: Command line arguments Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2013-01-12 14:57 -0800
                Re: Command line arguments Shao Miller <sha0.miller@gmail.com> - 2013-01-12 18:08 -0500
                Re: Command line arguments Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2013-01-13 00:42 +0000
                Re: Command line arguments Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2013-01-13 12:31 -0800
                Re: Command line arguments Robert Wessel <robertwessel2@yahoo.com> - 2013-01-13 04:54 -0600
                Re: Command line arguments glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2013-01-13 12:37 +0000
                Re: Command line arguments Shao Miller <sha0.miller@gmail.com> - 2013-01-11 15:54 -0500
                Re: Command line arguments glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2013-01-11 21:16 +0000
                Re: Command line arguments Greg Martin <greg@softsprocket.com> - 2013-01-11 13:17 -0800
                Re: Command line arguments glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2013-01-11 22:48 +0000
              Re: Command line arguments gazelle@shell.xmission.com (Kenny McCormack) - 2013-01-11 22:53 +0000
              Re: Command line arguments "BartC" <bc@freeuk.com> - 2013-01-11 23:46 +0000
                Re: Command line arguments Robert Wessel <robertwessel2@yahoo.com> - 2013-01-11 18:12 -0600
                Re: Command line arguments Lew Pitcher <lpitcher@teksavvy.com> - 2013-01-11 19:59 -0500
                Re: Command line arguments Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2013-01-12 01:32 +0000
                Re: Command line arguments "BartC" <bc@freeuk.com> - 2013-01-12 02:47 +0000
                Re: Command line arguments Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2013-01-12 03:23 +0000
                Re: Command line arguments Joe Pfeiffer <pfeiffer@cs.nmsu.edu> - 2013-01-11 22:28 -0700
                Re: Command line arguments Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2013-01-11 18:54 -0800
                Re: Command line arguments glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2013-01-12 03:42 +0000
                Re: Command line arguments James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2013-01-11 23:18 -0500
                Re: Command line arguments "BartC" <bc@freeuk.com> - 2013-01-12 12:06 +0000
                Re: Command line arguments James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2013-01-12 11:43 -0500
                Re: Command line arguments Joe Pfeiffer <pfeiffer@cs.nmsu.edu> - 2013-01-12 10:27 -0700
                Re: Command line arguments Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2013-01-12 10:22 -0800
                Re: Command line arguments "BartC" <bc@freeuk.com> - 2013-01-12 20:26 +0000
                Re: Command line arguments glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2013-01-12 20:53 +0000
                Re: Command line arguments Geoff <geoff@invalid.invalid> - 2013-01-12 16:58 -0800
                Re: Command line arguments glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2013-01-13 01:51 +0000
                Re: Command line arguments Geoff <geoff@invalid.invalid> - 2013-01-13 00:27 -0800
                Re: Command line arguments Sjouke Burry <s@b> - 2013-01-14 06:00 +0000
                Re: Command line arguments glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2013-01-14 21:44 +0000
                Re: Command line arguments Shao Miller <sha0.miller@gmail.com> - 2013-01-12 16:10 -0500
                Re: Command line arguments "BartC" <bc@freeuk.com> - 2013-01-12 21:25 +0000
                Re: Command line arguments pacman@kosh.dhis.org (Alan Curry) - 2013-01-12 22:10 +0000
                Re: (OT keyboard input) "BartC" <bc@freeuk.com> - 2013-01-13 01:30 +0000
                Re: (OT keyboard input) Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2013-01-12 20:47 -0800
                Re: (OT keyboard input) pacman@kosh.dhis.org (Alan Curry) - 2013-01-13 08:46 +0000
                Re: (OT keyboard input) Robert Wessel <robertwessel2@yahoo.com> - 2013-01-13 03:56 -0600
                Re: (OT keyboard input) "BartC" <bc@freeuk.com> - 2013-01-13 12:10 +0000
                Re: (OT keyboard input) Lew Pitcher <lpitcher@teksavvy.com> - 2013-01-13 11:21 -0500
                Re: (OT keyboard input) 88888 Dihedral <dihedral88888@googlemail.com> - 2013-01-13 09:43 -0800
                Re: (OT keyboard input) "osmium" <r124c4u102@comcast.net> - 2013-01-13 12:09 -0600
                Re: (OT keyboard input) pacman@kosh.dhis.org (Alan Curry) - 2013-01-13 20:34 +0000
                Re: (OT keyboard input) "BartC" <bc@freeuk.com> - 2013-01-13 21:58 +0000
                Re: (OT keyboard input) Dr Nick <nospam-4@temporary-address.org.uk> - 2013-01-13 22:26 +0000
                Re: (OT keyboard input) Greg Martin <greg@softsprocket.com> - 2013-01-13 14:51 -0800
                Re: (OT keyboard input) Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2013-01-13 23:47 +0000
                Re: (OT keyboard input) pacman@kosh.dhis.org (Alan Curry) - 2013-01-14 01:34 +0000
                Re: (OT keyboard input) James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2013-01-13 23:53 -0500
                Re: (OT keyboard input) Robert Wessel <robertwessel2@yahoo.com> - 2013-01-14 00:26 -0600
                Re: (OT keyboard input) James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2013-01-14 07:36 -0500
                Re: (OT keyboard input) Robert Wessel <robertwessel2@yahoo.com> - 2013-01-14 13:40 -0600
                Re: (OT keyboard input) "BartC" <bc@freeuk.com> - 2013-01-14 14:23 +0000
                Re: (OT keyboard input) "BartC" <bc@freeuk.com> - 2013-01-14 13:36 +0000
                Re: (OT keyboard input) James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2013-01-14 09:25 -0500
                Re: (OT keyboard input) Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2013-01-14 21:09 +0000
                Re: (OT keyboard input) "BartC" <bc@freeuk.com> - 2013-01-14 22:06 +0000
                Re: (OT keyboard input) Nobody <nobody@nowhere.com> - 2013-01-15 08:16 +0000
                Re: (OT keyboard input) "BartC" <bc@freeuk.com> - 2013-01-15 11:50 +0000
                Re: (OT keyboard input) Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2013-01-15 07:53 -0800
                Re: (OT keyboard input) Nobody <nobody@nowhere.com> - 2013-01-15 20:26 +0000
                Re: (OT keyboard input) Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2013-01-15 21:08 +0000
                Re: (OT keyboard input) "BartC" <bc@freeuk.com> - 2013-01-15 22:19 +0000
                Re: (OT keyboard input) James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2013-01-15 20:37 -0500
                Re: (OT keyboard input) Robert Wessel <robertwessel2@yahoo.com> - 2013-01-16 02:24 -0600
                Re: (OT keyboard input) Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2013-01-16 04:28 +0000
                Re: (OT keyboard input) James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2013-01-16 06:44 -0500
                Re: (OT keyboard input) "BartC" <bc@freeuk.com> - 2013-01-16 13:57 +0000
                Re: (OT keyboard input) "BartC" <bc@freeuk.com> - 2013-01-16 14:32 +0000
                Re: (OT keyboard input) Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2013-01-17 00:35 +0000
                Re: (OT keyboard input) pacman@kosh.dhis.org (Alan Curry) - 2013-01-15 23:51 +0000
                Re: (OT keyboard input) pacman@kosh.dhis.org (Alan Curry) - 2013-01-14 21:15 +0000
                Re: (OT keyboard input) "BartC" <bc@freeuk.com> - 2013-01-14 21:59 +0000
                Re: (OT keyboard input) Greg Martin <greg@softsprocket.com> - 2013-01-13 10:04 -0800
                Re: (OT keyboard input) Roberto Waltman <usenet@rwaltman.com> - 2013-01-13 20:09 -0500
      Re: Command line arguments Geoff <geoff@invalid.invalid> - 2013-01-10 23:47 -0800
    Re: Command line arguments Phil Carmody <thefatphil_demunged@yahoo.co.uk> - 2013-01-13 20:03 +0200
  Re: Command line arguments glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2013-01-10 22:30 +0000
  Re: Command line arguments Shao Miller <sha0.miller@gmail.com> - 2013-01-10 18:12 -0500
    Re: Command line arguments Shao Miller <sha0.miller@gmail.com> - 2013-01-10 18:15 -0500
    Re: Command line arguments glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2013-01-11 00:16 +0000
  Re: Command line arguments Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2013-01-10 15:46 -0800
  Re: Command line arguments Joe Pfeiffer <pfeiffer@cs.nmsu.edu> - 2013-01-10 17:58 -0700
  Re: Command line arguments Johann Klammer <klammerj@NOSPAM.a1.net> - 2013-01-11 09:26 +0100
  Re: Command line arguments Les Cargill <lcargill99@comcast.com> - 2013-01-11 21:23 -0600
    Re: Command line arguments glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2013-01-12 03:45 +0000
    Re: Command line arguments Philip Lantz <prl@canterey.us> - 2013-01-11 20:52 -0800
      Re: Command line arguments Les Cargill <lcargill99@comcast.com> - 2013-01-11 23:21 -0600
    Re: Command line arguments Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2013-01-12 09:52 -0800
  Re: Command line arguments James Dow Allen <jdallen2000@yahoo.com> - 2013-01-13 01:22 -0800
    Re: Command line arguments Shao Miller <sha0.miller@gmail.com> - 2013-01-13 11:11 -0500
      Re: Command line arguments Azazel <azazel@remove.azazel.net> - 2013-01-14 09:26 -0600
        Re: Command line arguments Shao Miller <sha0.miller@gmail.com> - 2013-01-14 17:08 -0500
          Re: Command line arguments glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2013-01-14 23:13 +0000
        Re: Command line arguments 88888 Dihedral <dihedral88888@googlemail.com> - 2013-01-14 22:11 -0800

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