form_field_buffer(3X)													     form_field_buffer(3X)

NAME

       form_field_buffer - field buffer control

SYNOPSIS

       #include <form.h>
       int set_field_buffer(FIELD *field, int buf, const char *value);
       char *field_buffer(const FIELD *field, int buffer);
       int set_field_status(FIELD *field, bool status);
       bool field_status(const FIELD *field);
       int set_max_field(FIELD *field, int max);

DESCRIPTION

       The function set_field_buffer sets the numbered buffer of the given field to contain a given string:

	  -  Buffer 0 is the displayed value of the field.

	  -  Other numbered buffers may be allocated by applications through the nbuf argument of (see form_field_new(3X)) but are not manipulated
	     by the forms library.

       The function field_buffer returns a pointer to the contents of the given numbered buffer:

	  -  The buffer contents always have the same length, and are padded with trailing spaces as needed to ensure this length is the same.

	  -  The buffer may contain leading spaces, depending on how it was set.

	  -  The buffer contents are set with set_field_buffer, or as a side effect of any editing operations on the corresponding field.

	  -  Editing operations are based on the window which displays the field, rather than a string.  The window contains only printable  char-
	     acters, and is filled with blanks.  If you want the raw data, you must write your own routine that copies the value out of the buffer
	     and removes the leading and trailing spaces.

	  -  Because editing operations change the content of the buffer to correspond to the window, you should not rely  on  using  buffers  for
	     long-term storage of form data.

       The  function  set_field_status sets the associated status flag of field; field_status gets the current value.  The status flag is set to a
       nonzero value whenever the field changes.

       The function set_max_field sets the maximum size for a dynamic field.  An argument of 0 turns off  any  maximum	size  threshold  for  that
       field.

RETURN VALUE

       The field_buffer function returns NULL on error.  It sets errno according to their success:

       E_OK The routine succeeded.

       E_BAD_ARGUMENT
	    Routine detected an incorrect or out-of-range argument.

       The field_status function returns TRUE or FALSE.

       The remaining routines return one of the following:

       E_OK The routine succeeded.

       E_SYSTEM_ERROR
	    System error occurred (see errno).

       E_BAD_ARGUMENT
	    Routine detected an incorrect or out-of-range argument.

SEE ALSO

       curses(3X) and related pages whose names begin "form_" for detailed descriptions of the entry points.

NOTES

       The header file <form.h> automatically includes the header file

       When  configured for wide-characters, field_buffer returns a pointer to temporary storage (allocated and freed by the library).	The appli-
       cation should not attempt to modify the data.  It will be freed on the next call to field_buffer to return the same buffer.  <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.

															     form_field_buffer(3X)