Ncurses form can't be read out correctly

Hi

First of all... I hope this is the right forum for the question... *cough*

I started with C only a few days ago (already programmed in Python before) and I currently have a really strange problem.

I built a small ncurses interface with a form that has one field. (this field is as wide as the terminal). Now the user can type into this form and when he presses Enter the text in the form is supposed to be printed in a different window.
Actually doesn't sound that hard... but it does some really strange things.

1. if the text that was inserted is not longer than the form itself is, the text output is just whitespaces (exactly as long as the form is)
2. if the text is longer than the form itself (so it seems to be cleared and it starts again at the beginning) the output is this "first line" (so the output is again as long as the form... but this time it contains the text inserted...)

I hope this is at least partially understandable...

heres the code snippet where input is checked and manipulated

Code:

---

while((charinput=getch()) != KEY_END)
        {
                switch(charinput)
                {
                        case 10:
                                snprintf(inputstring, 200, "%s", field_buffer(field[0], 0));
                                wprintw(chatwin, "%s|\n", field_buffer(field[0], 0));
                                wrefresh(chatwin);
                                set_field_buffer(field[0], 0, "");
                                wrefresh(entrywin);
                                break;
                        default:
                                form_driver(fo, charinput);
                                wrefresh(inputwin);
                }
        }

---

I'm sure there is some stupid mistake I did...
Is there maybe a problem because of the Enter-key?

I hope somebody can help me.. :)

greetings
vIiRuS

Not enough code posted to be able to help.

oh... okay

Code:

---

#include <form.h>
#include <curses.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <string.h>
#include <time.h>

WINDOW *chatwin, *entrywin;
FIELD  *field[1];
FORM  *fo;

void quit(void)
{
        int i;
        unpost_form(fo);
        free_form(fo);

        free_field(field[0]);
        free_field(field[1]);

        delwin(chatwin);
        endwin();
}

int main(void)
{
        int xsize, ysize;
        int charinput, i;
        char inputstring[200];
        char ttime[10];
        initscr();
        atexit(quit);
        clear();
        noecho();
        curs_set(1);
        cbreak();
        keypad(stdscr, TRUE);

        getmaxyx(stdscr, ysize, xsize);

        start_color();
        use_default_colors();
        init_pair(1, COLOR_YELLOW, COLOR_BLUE);
        init_pair(2, COLOR_BLUE, COLOR_WHITE);

        chatwin = newwin((ysize - 8), (xsize-21), 6, 21);

        entrywin = newwin(1, (xsize-21), (ysize - 1), 21);
       
        field[0] = new_field(1, (xsize - 21), 0, 0, 0, 10);
        field[1] = 0;
        set_form_win(fo, entrywin);
        fo = new_form(field);
        post_form(fo);
        field_opts_on(field[0], O_STATIC);
        set_field_fore(field[0], COLOR_PAIR(2));
        set_field_back(field[0], COLOR_PAIR(2));

        refresh();
        wrefresh(chatwin);
        wrefresh(entrywin);

        while((charinput=getch()) != KEY_END)
        {
                switch(charinput)
                {
                        case 10:
                                snprintf(inputstring, 200, "%s", field_buffer(field[0], 0));
                                struct tm *akttime;
                                time_t second;
                                time(&second);
                                akttime = localtime(&second);
                                strftime(ttime, 10, "%H:%M:%S", akttime);
                                wprintw(chatwin, "<%s> %s|\n", ttime, inputstring);
                                wrefresh(chatwin);
                                set_field_buffer(field[0], 0, "");
                                wrefresh(entrywin);
                                break;
                        default:
                                form_driver(fo, charinput);
                                wrefresh(entrywin);
                }
        }

        return(0);
}

---

the code can be compiled and should "work"... ;)

greetings
vIiRuS

*push*

doesn't anybody have an idea what I did wrong? :/

It seems odd that you would define a FIELD instance, and then not use it. Instead, you are passing the char from field(0) around.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Dino

It seems odd that you would define a FIELD instance, and then not use it. Instead, you are passing the char from field(0) around.

---

I'm sorry but I don't quite understand what you mean...

do you mean the "field[1] = 0;" line? the example file I have also has an extra one that isn't used... isn't that correct?

and what do you mean that I am passing the char from field(0) around?

Code:

---

FIELD  *field[1];

field[1] = 0;  // this is overwriting memory. valid index is 0 ONLY!

---

If you are not going to post all your code, at least post your function and variable declarations.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Dino

If you are not going to post all your code, at least post your function and variable declarations.

---

that actually _was_ the whole code...

I rechecked the code example and they had it a bit different... but that actually wasn't the problem

The problem is that you can't read out the buffer of a field if the cursor is pointing on it. So I have to move the cursor to the empty field before I read out the buffer and then move the cursor back to the field afterwards.

Glad you figured it out.