xref: /freebsd-10-stable/contrib/dialog/README

-(1999-12-25)-------------------------------------------------------------------
This version of dialog, formerly known as cdialog is based on the Debian
package for dialog 0.9a (see CHANGES for recent modifications)
- T.Dickey <dickey@invisible-island.net>

-(1996-01-15)-------------------------------------------------------------------
I have uploaded cdialog-0.9a.tar.gz to sunsite. It should be moved
to pub/Linux/utils/shell, I think.

Starting point for cdialog v.0.9a was dialog-0.6c. Many new features
like as Resolution-independence, Auto-sizing, Maximizing, more widget
on the same screen (multi-widget), etc. were added. New widget are 
tailbox and tailbox-in-background. Here are the options:

   Usage: dialog <Common options> <Box options>
          { --and-widget <Common options> <Box options> }

   Common options: <Global options>
       [--backtitle <backtitle>] [--sleep <secs>] [--beep] [--beep-after]
       [--clear] [--begin <y> <x>] [--aspect <ratio>] [--print-size]
       [--print-maxsize] [--size-err] [--separate-output] [--cr-wrap]
       [--tab-len <n>] [--tab-correct] [--print-version] [--no-kill]
       [--title <title>]

   Global options: [--shadow] [--no-shadow] [--separate-widget "<str>"]

At the moment, mouse support with libgpm can't be added because it
does't implement the wtimeout() function of ncurses. Wtimeout() is
needed to have more widgets (es.tailbox) cooperating on the same
screen... I don't know if with newer versions of libgpm it's possible.

I have no more time to write docs for this new version...Is there
anyone, that looking at the code, can do it??? Ouch! :-)
Don't flame me!

For the future, if any volunteer want, the way to evolve cdialog is to
1) make a daemon for a better support of multi-tasking or implementing
   multithreading.
2) add an option that could permit to read commands (--options) from a
   file, like as in a normal programming language, but maintaining 
   compatiblity with older version of dialog.

I no longer could maintain cdialog...
Executable and library name of cdialog are the same of dialog, for
compatiblity.

I think that only one directive should be follow: don't use a resource
like stdin, stdout when you'll write new options for cdialog; these 
resources have to be shared from all widgets on the command line.
Guage uses stdin :-/ so that can't be mixed for example with an inputbox,
but it was made before of multi-widget. However this is not a big problem!

THERE ARE NO *KNOWN* BUGS. If anyone has much time and can find the way
to add wtimeout() support to libgpm, also mouse could be supported.

Please use ncurses-1.9.4 or newer.

|  __   |  demarco_p@abramo.it:~$ make Linux | more > UserFriendly;
| /__)  |  /~~  _   _ _   _   /~\  _     /  .  _          |
|/  ako | (___ (_) | ) ) (-' (__/ | )   /__ | | ) (_| ><  .  coordinator.