Very Computer

Hello,

I would like to do character-at-a-time input.  I'm programming in C++, so
curses doesn't seem to work properly.  I've heard that charater-at-a-time
input is not very portable.  I program primarily in Linux, but I'd like to
know how to do it in Solaris and SunOS and other unices as well.  What
I'm really looking for is some example code; I've heard I can accomplish
what I want to with ioctl() and fcntl(), but I haven't been able to
figure it out.  I want to be able to wait for a key press on stdin with
select(), and then read the character in immediately without waiting for
enter to be pressed.

What is the most portable way to do character-at-a-time input without curses?

please respond by email, as my newsfeed is sometimes sketchy.

Duke School of Engineering '98                  http://wrayland.dorm.duke.edu

 Wrayman> Hello,

 Wrayman> I would like to do character-at-a-time input.  I'm
 Wrayman> programming in C++, so curses doesn't seem to work properly.

Curses can be used from C++, but since it relies heavily on macros and
various non-c++-friendly features, it really needs another layer of
encapsulation on top of it. There is (or was, when I last looked) a
curses class in libg++ (I haven't used it though; libg++'s license
usually prevents me from using it).

 Wrayman> I've heard that charater-at-a-time input is not very
 Wrayman> portable.  I program primarily in Linux, but I'd like to
 Wrayman> know how to do it in Solaris and SunOS and other unices as
 Wrayman> well.  What I'm really looking for is some example code;
 Wrayman> I've heard I can accomplish what I want to with ioctl() and
 Wrayman> fcntl(), but I haven't been able to figure it out.  I want
 Wrayman> to be able to wait for a key press on stdin with select(),
 Wrayman> and then read the character in immediately without waiting
 Wrayman> for enter to be pressed.

The stuff you need to look at is the termios interface; tcgetattr(),
tcflush(), tcsetattr(), tcflow(), etc. etc. Try 'man termios'.

 Wrayman> What is the most portable way to do character-at-a-time
 Wrayman> input without curses?

Termios is part of Posix, so it's as portable as anything is (probably
more so than curses).

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[snip]

Quote:>What is the most portable way to do character-at-a-time input without curses?