form_fieldtype(3X) form_fieldtype(3X)
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
The function new_fieldtype creates a new field type usable for data validation. You supply it with field_check, a predicate to check the
validity of an entered data string whenever the user attempts to leave a field. 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.
You also supply new_fieldtype with char_check, a function to validate input characters as they are entered; it will be passed the character
to be checked and a pointer to an argument-block structure.
The function free_fieldtype frees the space allocated for a given validation type.
The function set_fieldtype_arg associates three storage-management functions with a field type. The make_arg function is automatically
applied to the list of arguments you give set_field_type when attaching validation to a field; its job is to bundle these into an allocated
argument-block object which can later be passed to validation predicated. The other two hook arguments should copy and free argument-block
structures. They will be used by the forms-driver code. You must supply the make_arg function, the other two are optional, you may supply
NULL for them. In this case it is assumed that make_arg does not allocate memory but simply loads the argument into a single scalar value.
The function link_fieldtype creates a new field type from the two given types. They are connected by an logical 'OR'.
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 pre-
decessor functions for the field type. These functions take the field pointer and an argument-block structure as arguments.
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).
SEE ALSO
curses(3X), form(3X).
NOTES
The header file <form.h> automatically includes the header file <curses.h>.
All of the (char *) arguments of these functions should actually be (void *). The type has been left uncorrected for strict compatibility
with System V.
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_fieldtype(3X)