ax_with_curses (Autoconf Archive)

ax_with_curses

Synopsis

AX_WITH_CURSES

Description

This macro checks whether a SysV or X/Open-compatible Curses library is present, along with the associated header file. The NcursesW (wide-character) library is searched for first, followed by Ncurses, then the system-default plain Curses. The first library found is the one returned. Finding libraries will first be attempted by using pkg-config, and should the pkg-config files not be available, will fallback to combinations of known flags itself.

The following options are understood: –with-ncursesw, –with-ncurses, –without-ncursesw, –without-ncurses. The "–with" options force the macro to use that particular library, terminating with an error if not found. The "–without" options simply skip the check for that library. The effect on the search pattern is:

  (no options)                           - NcursesW, Ncurses, Curses
  --with-ncurses     --with-ncursesw     - NcursesW only [*]
  --without-ncurses  --with-ncursesw     - NcursesW only [*]
                     --with-ncursesw     - NcursesW only [*]
  --with-ncurses     --without-ncursesw  - Ncurses only [*]
  --with-ncurses                         - NcursesW, Ncurses [**]
  --without-ncurses  --without-ncursesw  - Curses only
                     --without-ncursesw  - Ncurses, Curses
  --without-ncurses                      - NcursesW, Curses

[*] If the library is not found, abort the configure script.

[**] If the second library (Ncurses) is not found, abort configure.

The following preprocessor symbols may be defined by this macro if the appropriate conditions are met:

  HAVE_CURSES             - if any SysV or X/Open Curses library found
  HAVE_CURSES_ENHANCED    - if library supports X/Open Enhanced functions
  HAVE_CURSES_COLOR       - if library supports color (enhanced functions)
  HAVE_CURSES_OBSOLETE    - if library supports certain obsolete features
  HAVE_NCURSESW           - if NcursesW (wide char) library is to be used
  HAVE_NCURSES            - if the Ncurses library is to be used

  HAVE_CURSES_H           - if <curses.h> is present and should be used
  HAVE_NCURSESW_H         - if <ncursesw.h> should be used
  HAVE_NCURSES_H          - if <ncurses.h> should be used
  HAVE_NCURSESW_CURSES_H  - if <ncursesw/curses.h> should be used
  HAVE_NCURSES_CURSES_H   - if <ncurses/curses.h> should be used

(These preprocessor symbols are discussed later in this document.)

The following output variables are defined by this macro; they are precious and may be overridden on the ./configure command line:

  CURSES_LIBS  - library to add to xxx_LDADD
  CURSES_CFLAGS  - include paths to add to xxx_CPPFLAGS

In previous versions of this macro, the flags CURSES_LIB and CURSES_CPPFLAGS were defined. These have been renamed, in keeping with AX_WITH_CURSES’s close bigger brother, PKG_CHECK_MODULES, which should eventually supersede the use of AX_WITH_CURSES. Neither the library listed in CURSES_LIBS, nor the flags in CURSES_CFLAGS are added to LIBS, respectively CPPFLAGS, by default. You need to add both to the appropriate xxx_LDADD/xxx_CPPFLAGS line in your Makefile.am. For example:

  prog_LDADD = @CURSES_LIBS@
  prog_CPPFLAGS = @CURSES_CFLAGS@

If CURSES_LIBS is set on the configure command line (such as by running "./configure CURSES_LIBS=-lmycurses"), then the only header searched for is <curses.h>. If the user needs to specify an alternative path for a library (such as for a non-standard NcurseW), the user should use the LDFLAGS variable.

The following shell variables may be defined by this macro:

  ax_cv_curses           - set to "yes" if any Curses library found
  ax_cv_curses_enhanced  - set to "yes" if Enhanced functions present
  ax_cv_curses_color     - set to "yes" if color functions present
  ax_cv_curses_obsolete  - set to "yes" if obsolete features present

  ax_cv_ncursesw      - set to "yes" if NcursesW library found
  ax_cv_ncurses       - set to "yes" if Ncurses library found
  ax_cv_plaincurses   - set to "yes" if plain Curses library found
  ax_cv_curses_which  - set to "ncursesw", "ncurses", "plaincurses" or "no"

These variables can be used in your configure.ac to determine the level of support you need from the Curses library. For example, if you must have either Ncurses or NcursesW, you could include:

  AX_WITH_CURSES
  if test "x$ax_cv_ncursesw" != xyes && test "x$ax_cv_ncurses" != xyes; then
      AC_MSG_ERROR([requires either NcursesW or Ncurses library])
  fi

If any Curses library will do (but one must be present and must support color), you could use:

  AX_WITH_CURSES
  if test "x$ax_cv_curses" != xyes || test "x$ax_cv_curses_color" != xyes; then
      AC_MSG_ERROR([requires an X/Open-compatible Curses library with color])
  fi

Certain preprocessor symbols and shell variables defined by this macro can be used to determine various features of the Curses library. In particular, HAVE_CURSES and ax_cv_curses are defined if the Curses library found conforms to the traditional SysV and/or X/Open Base Curses definition. Any working Curses library conforms to this level.

HAVE_CURSES_ENHANCED and ax_cv_curses_enhanced are defined if the library supports the X/Open Enhanced Curses definition. In particular, the wide-character types attr_t, cchar_t and wint_t, the functions wattr_set() and wget_wch() and the macros WA_NORMAL and _XOPEN_CURSES are checked. The Ncurses library does NOT conform to this definition, although NcursesW does.

HAVE_CURSES_COLOR and ax_cv_curses_color are defined if the library supports color functions and macros such as COLOR_PAIR, A_COLOR, COLOR_WHITE, COLOR_RED and init_pair(). These are NOT part of the X/Open Base Curses definition, but are part of the Enhanced set of functions. The Ncurses library DOES support these functions, as does NcursesW.

HAVE_CURSES_OBSOLETE and ax_cv_curses_obsolete are defined if the library supports certain features present in SysV and BSD Curses but not defined in the X/Open definition. In particular, the functions getattrs(), getcurx() and getmaxx() are checked.

To use the HAVE_xxx_H preprocessor symbols, insert the following into your system.h (or equivalent) header file:

  #if defined HAVE_NCURSESW_CURSES_H
  #  include <ncursesw/curses.h>
  #elif defined HAVE_NCURSESW_H
  #  include <ncursesw.h>
  #elif defined HAVE_NCURSES_CURSES_H
  #  include <ncurses/curses.h>
  #elif defined HAVE_NCURSES_H
  #  include <ncurses.h>
  #elif defined HAVE_CURSES_H
  #  include <curses.h>
  #else
  #  error "SysV or X/Open-compatible Curses header file required"
  #endif

For previous users of this macro: you should not need to change anything in your configure.ac or Makefile.am, as the previous (serial 10) semantics are still valid. However, you should update your system.h (or equivalent) header file to the fragment shown above. You are encouraged also to make use of the extended functionality provided by this version of AX_WITH_CURSES, as well as in the additional macros AX_WITH_CURSES_PANEL, AX_WITH_CURSES_MENU and AX_WITH_CURSES_FORM.

Source Code

Download the latest version of ax_with_curses.m4 or browse the macro’s revision history.

License

This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.

This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for more details.

You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with this program. If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.

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