curs\_scroll(3X) Library calls curs\_scroll(3X)

# [NAME](#NAME)

**scroll**, **scrl**, **wscrl** - scroll a *curses* window

# [SYNOPSIS](#SYNOPSIS)

```
#include <curses.h>
```

```
int scroll(WINDOW * win);
```

```
int scrl(int n);
int wscrl(WINDOW * win, int n);
```

# [DESCRIPTION](#DESCRIPTION)

**scroll** scrolls the given window up one line. That is, every visible line we might number *i* becomes line *i*-1. **wscrl** and **scrl** scroll the specified window or **stdscr**, respectively, up or down per the sign of *n*.

- For positive *n*, line *i*+*n* becomes *i* (scrolling up);
- for negative *n*, line *i*-*n* becomes *i* (scrolling down).

A line that scrolls beyond the window boundaries disappears; *curses* populates a new one emerging at the opposite boundary with the background character; see [**bkgd**(3X)](/man/os/ncurses/bkgd.3X) (wide-character API users: [**bkgrnd**(3X)](/man/os/ncurses/bkgrnd.3X)). As an optimization, if the scrolling region of the window is the entire screen, the physical screen may be scrolled at the same time; see [**curscr**(3X)](/man/os/ncurses/curscr.3X).

The cursor does not move. These functions perform no operation unless scrolling is enabled for the window via [**scrollok**(3X)](/man/os/ncurses/scrollok.3X).

# [RETURN VALUE](#RETURN_VALUE)

These functions return **ERR** upon failure and **OK** upon success.

In *ncurses*, they return **ERR** if

- the *curses* screen has not been initialized,
- (for functions taking a *WINDOW* pointer argument) *win* is a null pointer, or
- scrolling is not enabled in the window (as by [**scrollok**(3X)](/man/os/ncurses/scrollok.3X)).

# [NOTES](#NOTES)

**scroll** and **scrl** may be implemented as macros.

Unusually, there is no **wscroll** function; **scroll** behaves as one would expect **wscroll** to, accepting a *WINDOW* pointer argument.

# [PORTABILITY](#PORTABILITY)

X/Open Curses Issue 4 describes these functions. It specifies no error conditions for them.

SVr4 describes a successful return value only as “an integer value other than *ERR*”.

SVr4 indicates that the optimization of physically scrolling immediately if the scroll region is the entire screen “is” performed, not “may be” performed. *ncurses* deliberately does not guarantee that this occurs, to leave open the possibility of better optimization of multiple scroll actions on the next update.

Neither SVr4 *curses* nor X/Open Curses specify whether these functions zero the attributes or color pair identifier of the background character. In *ncurses*, they do not.

# [HISTORY](#HISTORY)

4BSD (1980) introduced *scroll*, defining it as a function.

SVr3.1 (1987) added *scrl* and *wscrl*, redefining *scroll* as a macro wrapping the latter.

# [SEE ALSO](#SEE_ALSO)

[**curses**(3X)](/man/os/ncurses/curses.3X), [**curs\_outopts**(3X)](/man/os/ncurses/curs_outopts.3X)

2025-04-05 ncurses 6.6

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Document: scroll(3x) from ncurses 6.6.20261017-r0 (Chainguard OS)
Source: https://github.com/ThomasDickey/ncurses-snapshots