[PATCH 16/16] test/move_field.c: Add help text.

"G. Branden Robinson" <[email protected]> Sat, 15 Aug 2026 07:22:14 -0500
Newsgroups	gmane.comp.lib.ncurses.bugs
Message-ID	<20260815122214.he2oupokef75k6pf@illithid>
* test/move_field.c: Add new global WINDOW pointer `win_help` and const
  char pointer `main_help_text`.
  (rip_help): New function stores the WINDOW pointer for the help window
  created by initscr(3).
  (configure_help): New function sets up the help window's background
  but does not populate its text.
  (update_help): New function writes string in argument to help window.
  (show_status): Allocate a buffer on the stack to hold the text of the
  help message used while moving a field.  Maintain the existing method
  of populating the line if `HAVE_RIPOFFLINE` is false; populate and
  refresh the ripped-off help window otherwise.
  (do_demo): When the user leaves field-moving move, maintain the
  existing method of clearing the last line of the (`stdscr`) window if
  `HAVE_RIPOFFLINE` is false; re-populate the ripped-off help window
  with the "main help text" and refresh it otherwise.
  (main): Allocate a buffer on the stack to hold the "main help text".
  Call ripoffline(3) to reserve a help window.  Once curses and
  color pairs are set up, call `configure_help()`.  If `HAVE_RIPOFFLINE`
  is true, populate the message and write it to the ripped-off help
  window with a strdup(3)ed copy of the message on the heap to
  paranoiacally avoid optimizer stack shenanigans.  Free that heap
  memory before exiting.
---
 test/move_field.c | 74 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++----
 1 file changed, 69 insertions(+), 5 deletions(-)

diff --git a/test/move_field.c b/test/move_field.c
index 7f92bcc2f..db36580fe 100644
--- a/test/move_field.c
+++ b/test/move_field.c
@@ -46,6 +46,10 @@
 static char empty[] = "";
 static FIELD *all_fields[MAX_FIELDS];
 static unsigned num_fields;
+#if HAVE_RIPOFFLINE
+WINDOW *win_help = NULL;
+const char *main_help_text = NULL;
+#endif
 /* *INDENT-OFF* */
 static struct {
     int code;
@@ -290,20 +294,59 @@ copy_fields(FIELD **source, size_t length)
     return target;
 }
 
+#if HAVE_RIPOFFLINE
+static int
+rip_help(WINDOW *win, int cols)
+{
+    win_help = win;
+    return OK;
+}
+
+/*
+ * We can't do this stuff in rip_help() because colors aren't yet set up
+ * when initscr() calls it.
+ */
+static void
+configure_help(WINDOW *win)
+{
+    wbkgd(win, (chtype) COLOR_PAIR(1));
+    werase(win);
+    wmove(win, 0, 0);
+    wnoutrefresh(win);
+}
+
+static void
+update_help(WINDOW *win, const char *message)
+{
+    werase(win);
+    wprintw(win, message);
+    wnoutrefresh(win);
+}
+#endif
+
 /* display a status message to show what's happening */
 static void
 show_status(NCURSES_CONST FORM *form, NCURSES_CONST FIELD *field)
 {
     NCURSES_CONST WINDOW *sub = form_sub(form);
     int currow, curcol;
+    const size_t bufsz = 512; /* maximum # columns ncurses supports */
+    char buf[bufsz];
 
+    memset(buf, 0, bufsz);
     getyx(stdscr, currow, curcol);
-    mvprintw(LINES - 1, 0,
-	     "Field at [%d,%d].  Press %s to quit moving.",
-	     getbegy(sub) + form_field_row(field),
-	     getbegx(sub) + form_field_col(field),
-	     keyname(DO_DEMO));
+    (void) snprintf(buf, bufsz,
+		    "Field at [%d,%d].  Press %s to quit moving.",
+		    getbegy(sub) + form_field_row(field),
+		    getbegx(sub) + form_field_col(field),
+		    keyname(DO_DEMO));
+#if HAVE_RIPOFFLINE
+    update_help(win_help, buf);
+    wrefresh(win_help);
+#else
+    mvaddstr(LINES - 1, 0, buf);
     clrtobot();
+#endif
     move(currow, curcol);
     refresh();
 }
@@ -411,8 +454,12 @@ do_demo(FORM *form)
 		}
 
 		/* cleanup */
+#if HAVE_RIPOFFLINE
+		update_help(win_help, main_help_text);
+#else
 		move(LINES - 1, 0);
 		clrtobot();
+#endif
 		move(currow, curcol);
 		refresh();
 	    }
@@ -526,6 +573,8 @@ VERSION_COMMON()
 int
 main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
+    const size_t bufsz = 512; /* maximum # columns ncurses supports */
+    char buf[bufsz];
     int ch;
 
     while ((ch = getopt(argc, argv, OPTS_COMMON)) != -1) {
@@ -540,6 +589,9 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
     setlocale(LC_ALL, "");
 
+#if HAVE_RIPOFFLINE
+    ripoffline(-1, rip_help);
+#endif
     initscr();
     cbreak();
     noecho();
@@ -557,9 +609,21 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	refresh();
     }
 
+#if HAVE_RIPOFFLINE
+    configure_help(win_help);
+    memset(buf, 0, bufsz);
+    (void) snprintf(buf, bufsz,
+		    "Press F1 for help, %s to move field,"
+		    " or ^Q to quit.",
+		    keyname(DO_DEMO));
+    main_help_text = strdup(buf); // don't point to stack memory
+    update_help(win_help, buf);
+    wrefresh(win_help);
+#endif /* HAVE_RIPOFFLINE */
     demo_forms();
 
     endwin();
+    free((char *)main_help_text);
     ExitProgram(EXIT_SUCCESS);
 }
 
-- 
2.30.2
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