OS Manuals

curs_legacy(3x)

getattrs, getbegx, getbegy, getcurx, getcury, getmaxx, getmaxy, getparx, getpary - get curses cursor and window coordinates or attributes (legacy)

curs_legacy(3X) Library calls curs_legacy(3X)

getattrs, getbegx, getbegy, getcurx, getcury, getmaxx, getmaxy, getparx, getpary - get curses cursor and window coordinates or attributes (legacy)

#include <curses.h>
int getattrs(const WINDOW *win);
int getbegx(const WINDOW *win);
int getbegy(const WINDOW *win);
int getcurx(const WINDOW *win);
int getcury(const WINDOW *win);
int getmaxx(const WINDOW *win);
int getmaxy(const WINDOW *win);
int getparx(const WINDOW *win);
int getpary(const WINDOW *win);

These legacy functions are simpler to use than the X/Open curses functions:

•
The getattrs function returns the same attribute data as wattr_get.
However, getattrs returns an integer (actually a chtype), while wattr_get returns the current color pair in a separate parameter. In the wide-character library configuration, color pairs may not fit into a chtype, so wattr_get is the only way to obtain the color information.
Because getattrs returns the attributes in a single parameter, it would not be possible for an application to distinguish that from ERR (a -1). If the window parameter is null, getattrs returns A_NORMAL (zero).
  • The getbegy and getbegx functions return the same data as getbegyx.
  • The getcury and getcurx functions return the same data as getyx.
  • The getmaxy and getmaxx functions return the same data as getmaxyx.
  • The getpary and getparx functions return the same data as getparyx.

Except as noted, these functions return an integer, or ERR if the window parameter is null.

BSD and System V curses did not check the pointer-to-WINDOW parameter for validity.

The getattrs function and macro are defined to return a (signed) integer for compatibility with those implementations although an unsigned type would have been more appropriate.

curses(3X), curs_getyx(3X), curs_opaque(3X)

2026-09-19 ncurses 6.6

ncurses 6.6.20260926-r0 · os · ingested 2026-09-30