quick&dirty example on how to use ncurses library in c++ to build a mutt-like user interface. build with g++ -lncurses ncursestest.cpp

ncursestest.cpp

#include <iostream>
#include <signal.h>
#include <ncurses.h>
#include <menu.h>
#include <string>
#include <unistd.h>

using namespace std;

#define SCREEN_MAIN 0

#define KKEY_DOWN 258
#define KKEY_UP 259
#define KEY_q 113

char *MenuItems[1024];
int SelItem = 0;
int LastItem = 0;
char *HeaderText;
char *StatusText;
WINDOW *win;
bool Terminated;
int Screen = 0;
int LastKey = 0;
int MaxX = 0;
int MaxY = 0;

int ProcessScreenMain();
void ClearLine(int y, int l);

int Process() {
  getmaxyx(win, MaxY, MaxX);
  
  switch (Screen) {
    default: ProcessScreenMain();
  }
  
  if (LastKey == KEY_q) {
    Terminated = true;
  }
}

int ProcessScreenMain() {
  MenuItems[0] = "dffreiodadasdasd";
  MenuItems[1] = "dffreio2222222222";
  LastItem = 1;
  
  attrset(COLOR_PAIR(1));
  for (int i = 0; i <= MaxY; i++) ClearLine(i, MaxX);

  // draw header
  attrset(A_BOLD|COLOR_PAIR(2));
  ClearLine(0, MaxX);
  mvaddstr(0, 0, HeaderText);
  
  // draw body
  attrset(COLOR_PAIR(1));

  for (int i = 0; i <= LastItem; i++) {
    if (SelItem == i) {
      attrset(COLOR_PAIR(3));
    } else {
      attrset(COLOR_PAIR(1));
    }
    ClearLine(1 + i, MaxX);
    mvaddstr(1 + i, 0, MenuItems[i]);
  }

  // draw status line
  attrset(A_BOLD|COLOR_PAIR(2));
  ClearLine(MaxY - 2, MaxX);
  mvaddstr(MaxY - 2, 0, StatusText);

  curs_set(0);
  refresh();
  
  LastKey = getch();
  
  if (LastKey == KEY_UP) SelItem--;
  if (LastKey == KEY_DOWN) SelItem++;

  if (SelItem > LastItem) SelItem = LastItem;
  if (SelItem < 0) SelItem = 0;
}

void ClearLine(int y, int l) {
  move(y, 1);
  l++;
  char Str[l];
  for (int i = 0; i < l; i++) Str[i] = ' ';
  Str[l - 1] = '\0';
  mvaddstr(y, 0, Str);
}

void CatchSIG(int sig) {
  Terminated = true;
}

int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
  int c = 0;
  
  signal(SIGINT, CatchSIG);
  
  initscr();
  keypad(stdscr, true);
  nonl(); 
  cbreak();
  noecho();   
  win = newwin(0, 0, 0, 0);
  
  if (has_colors()) {
    start_color();
    init_pair(1, COLOR_WHITE,   COLOR_BLACK);
    init_pair(2, COLOR_GREEN,   COLOR_BLUE);
    init_pair(3, COLOR_BLACK,   COLOR_CYAN);
  }
  
  SelItem = 0;
  LastItem = 0;
  HeaderText = "  q:Quit  ";
  StatusText = "dumdi di dumm da";
  
  while (!Terminated) {
    Process();
    usleep(1000);
  }

  cout << "Terminated" << endl;

  endwin();
}

Why do you call it dirty ?

Why do you call it dirty ?

because of the global " using namespace std; "