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-- $Id: README-first,v 1.8 2006/04/22 22:19:37 tom Exp $
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                  C++ interface to ncurses routines
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

This directory contains the source code for several C++ classes which
ease the use of writing ncurses-based programs.  The code is derived
from the libg++ CursesWindow class but enhanced for ncurses.

The classes simplify the use of window specific functions by
encapsulating them in the window object.  Function overloading is
used in order to narrow the interface.  E.g. you don't have the
distinction between `printw' and `mvprintw' anymore.

A second benefit is the removal of all #defines which are included in
the curses.h file.  This is a steady cause of trouble because many
common identifiers are used.  Instead now all #defines are inline
functions which also allows strict type checking of arguments.

The next enhancement is color support. It was originally provided by a 
derived class. This caused some trouble if you think about Panels or
Menus and Forms with colors. We decided to put color support into the
base class so that any derived class may use color support also.
The implementation chosen here is directed to unrestricted use
of mixes of color and monochrome windows. The original NCursesColorWindow
class is maintained for compatibility reasons.

The last point to mention is the support of other packages that are
distributed with the ncurses package: the panels library, the menu library
and the form library. This support is provided by the NCursesPanel class, 
which is also derived from the NCursesWindow class and the NCursesMenu
and NCursesForm classes which are derived from NCursesPanel. This allows 
building interfaces with windows.

Please see the example program for a quick introduction.

Note that at this point, there is no documentation for these classes.
Hopefully some will be written in the not too distant future.  For now,
to find out how to use the classes, read the code and the example program.

Suggestions for enhancements and contributions of code (and docs) are
welcome.  Please let us know which functionality you miss.

	ATTENTION LINUX USERS:  There is currently some discussion of
	replacing the BSD curses in the Linux libc with ncurses.  If
	this is done we could perhaps include these classes in the Linux
	libg++ replacing the original CursesWindow class (and renaming it
	to CursesWindow).  This could be done because NCursesWindow can
	be made easily to a superset of the CursesWindow class.


Original author:
     Eric Newton         <newton@rocky.oswego.edu> for FSF's libg++

Authors of first ncurses based release (NCursesWindow, NCursesPanel):
     Ulrich Drepper      <drepper@ira.uka.de>
 and Anatoly Ivasyuk     <anatoly@nick.csh.rit.edu>

Author of this release:
     Juergen Pfeifer
