---
name: "cdk_draw"
section: "3"
platform: "linux"
package: "libcdk5-dev"
version: "5.0.20250116-1"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/cdk_draw"
---

# cdk\_draw(3)

Cdk drawing functions

## NAME

cdk\_draw - *Cdk* drawing functions

## SYNOPSIS

**cc** \[ *flag* ... \] *file* ... **-lcdk** \[ *library* ... \]

\#include \<cdk.h\>

```

```

- **void boxWindow (**

  **WINDOW \****window***,** **chtype** *attr***);**

- **void attrbox (**

  **WINDOW \****win***,** **chtype** *tlc***,** **chtype** *trc***,** **chtype** *blc***,** **chtype** *brc***,** **chtype** *horz***,** **chtype** *vert***,** **chtype** *attr***);**

- **void drawObjBox (**

  **WINDOW \****win***,** **CDKOBJS \****object***);**

- **void drawLine (**

  **WINDOW \****window***,** **int** *startx***,** **int** *starty***,** **int** *endx***,** **int** *endy***,** **chtype** *line***);**

- **void drawShadow (**

  **WINDOW \****shadowWin***);**

- **void writeBlanks (**

  **WINDOW \****window***,** **int** *xpos***,** **int** *ypos***,** **int** *align***,** **int** *start***,** **int** *end***);**

- **void writeChar (**

  **WINDOW \****window***,** **int** *xpos***,** **int** *ypos***,** **char \****string***,** **int** *align***,** **int** *start***,** **int** *end***);**

- **void writeCharAttrib (**

  **WINDOW \****window***,** **int** *xpos***,** **int** *ypos***,** **char \****string***,** **chtype** *attr***,** **int** *align***,** **int** *start***,** **int** *end***);**

- **void writeChtype (**

  **WINDOW \****window***,** **int** *xpos***,** **int** *ypos***,** **chtype \****string***,** **int** *align***,** **int** *start***,** **int** *end***);**

- **void writeChtypeAttrib (**

  **WINDOW \****window***,** **int** *xpos***,** **int** *ypos***,** **chtype \****string***,** **chtype** *attr***,** **int** *align***,** **int** *start***,** **int** *end***);**

## DESCRIPTION

These functions perform useful drawing and attribute operations.

## AVAILABLE FUNCTIONS

- **boxWindow**

  draw a box with on the window *win*. Like **attrbox**, this function ORs *attr* with each character as it draws the box.

- **attrbox**

  draw a box with on the window *win* letting the caller define each element of the box.

-

  The parameters *tlc*, *trc*, *blc*, *brc* are used for the top-left, top-right, bottom-left and bottom-right corners respectively. The parameters *horz* and *vert* are used for the horizontal and vertical sides of the box. Any of these parameters may be zero. In that case, the function skips the corresponding element of the box.

-

  The function ORs *attr* with each character as it draws the box.

- **drawObjBox**

  Draw a box around the given window *win* using the *object*'s defined line-drawing characters.

- **drawLine**

  draw a line on the given window.

-

  The parameters *starty*, *startx* are the starting coordinates. The parameters *endy*, *endx* are the ending coordinates. The function writes the data in *line* to each coordinate in that range including the start/end coordinates.

-

  The function handles lines other than vertical or horizontal, but normally it is used for that, e.g., with *line* set to **ACS\_HLINE** or **ACS\_VLINE**.

- **drawShadow**

  draw a shadow on the right and bottom edges of a window.

- **writeBlanks**

  write a string of blanks, using **writeChar**. The parameters are passed to **writeChar** as is. There is no corresponding **writeBlanksAttrib** function.

- **writeChar**

  writes out a **char \*** string without adding attributes. The parameters are passed to **writeCharAttrib** as is.

- **writeCharAttrib**

  writes out a **char \*** string with the given attributes added. The string is written to the given *window*, using its relative screen coordinates *ypos* and *xpos*.

-

  Compare with **writeChtypeAttrib**, which writes a **chtype \*** string.

-

  The function ORs the attribute *attr* with each item from the string. For instance, it may be **A\_BOLD**. The *align* parameter controls whether it is written horizontally (**HORIZONTAL**) or vertically (**VERTICAL**).

-

  Finally, only a subset of the string is written. The function starts with the data from the *start* item of *string*, and ends before the *end* item. If *start* is greater than, or equal to *end*, no data is written.

- **writeChtype**

  writes out a **chtype \*** string without adding attributes. The parameters are passed to **writeChtypeAttrib** as is.

- **writeChtypeAttrib**

  writes out a *chtype \** string with the given attributes added. The string is written to the given *window*, using its relative screen coordinates *ypos* and *xpos*. You would normally construct the string from a *char \** string using **char2Chtype** (3).

-

  The function ORs the attribute *attr* with each item from the string. For instance, it may be **A\_BOLD**. The *align* parameter controls whether it is written horizontally (**HORIZONTAL**) or vertically (**VERTICAL**).

-

  Finally, only a subset of the string is written. The function starts with the data from the *start* item of *string*, and ends before the *end* item. If *start* is greater than, or equal to *end*, no data is written.

## SEE ALSO

[**cdk**(3)](/cdk/3.md), [**cdk\_util**(3)](/cdk_util/3.md)