menu\_mark(3X) Library calls menu\_mark(3X)

# [NAME](#NAME)

**set\_menu\_mark**, **menu\_mark** - get and set the menu mark string

# [SYNOPSIS](#SYNOPSIS)

```
#include <menu.h>
```

```
int set_menu_mark(MENU *menu, const char *mark);
const char *menu_mark(const MENU *menu);
```

# [DESCRIPTION](#DESCRIPTION)

In order to make menu selections visible on older terminals without highlighting or color capability, the menu library marks selected items in a menu with a prefix string.

The function **set\_menu\_mark** sets the mark string for the given menu. Calling **set\_menu\_mark** with a null menu item will abolish the mark string. Note that changing the length of the mark string for a menu while the menu is posted is likely to produce unhelpful behavior.

The default string is "-" (a dash). Calling **set\_menu\_mark** with a *non-*NULL menu argument will change this default.

The function **menu\_mark** returns the menu's mark string (or *NULL* if there is none).

# [RETURN VALUE](#RETURN_VALUE)

The function **menu\_mark** returns a pointer (which may be *NULL*). It does not set **errno**.

The function **set\_menu\_mark** may return the following error codes:

[**E\_OK**](#E_OK)

The routine succeeded.

[**E\_BAD\_ARGUMENT**](#E_BAD_ARGUMENT)

Routine detected an incorrect or out-of-range argument.

[**E\_SYSTEM\_ERROR**](#E_SYSTEM_ERROR)

System error occurred (see [**errno**(3)](/man/os/ncurses/errno.3)).

# [PORTABILITY](#PORTABILITY)

These routines emulate the System V menu library. They were not supported on Version 7 or BSD versions.

# [AUTHORS](#AUTHORS)

Juergen Pfeifer. Manual pages and adaptation for new curses by Eric S. Raymond.

# [SEE ALSO](#SEE_ALSO)

[**curses**(3X)](/man/os/ncurses/curses.3X), [**menu**(3X)](/man/os/ncurses/menu.3X)

2024-12-28 ncurses 6.6

---

Document: menu_mark(3x) from ncurses 6.6.20260926-r0 (Chainguard OS)
Source: https://github.com/ThomasDickey/ncurses-snapshots