---
name: "curs_add_wchstr"
section: "3x"
platform: "macos"
package: "ncurses"
version: "79"
release: "macOS 26.5"
platforms: ["linux", "macos"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/curs_add_wchstr/3x"
---

# curs\_add\_wchstr(3x)

add an array of complex characters (and attributes) to a curses window

## NAME

**add\_wchstr**, **add\_wchnstr**, **wadd\_wchstr**, **wadd\_wchnstr**, **mvadd\_wchstr**, **mvadd\_wchnstr**, **mvwadd\_wchstr**, **mvwadd\_wchnstr** - add an array of complex characters (and attributes) to a curses window

## SYNOPSIS

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

**int add\_wchstr(const cchar\_t \****wchstr***);**\
 **int add\_wchnstr(const cchar\_t \****wchstr***, int** *n***);**\
 **int wadd\_wchstr(WINDOW \*** *win***, const cchar\_t \****wchstr***);**\
 **int wadd\_wchnstr(WINDOW \*** *win***, const cchar\_t \****wchstr***, int** *n***);**\
 **int mvadd\_wchstr(int** *y***, int** *x***, const cchar\_t \****wchstr***);**\
 **int mvadd\_wchnstr(int** *y***, int** *x***, const cchar\_t \****wchstr***, int** *n***);**\
 **int mvwadd\_wchstr(WINDOW \****win***, int** *y***, int** *x***, const cchar\_t \****wchstr***);**\
 **int mvwadd\_wchnstr(WINDOW \****win***, int** *y***, int** *x***, const cchar\_t \****wchstr***, int** *n***);**

## DESCRIPTION

These functions copy the (null-terminated) array of complex characters *wchstr* into the window image structure starting at the current cursor position. The four functions with *n* as the last argument copy at most *n* elements, but no more than will fit on the line. If **n**=**-1** then the whole array is copied, to the maximum number of characters that will fit on the line.

The window cursor is *not* advanced. These functions work faster than **waddnstr**. On the other hand:

- •

  they do not perform checking (such as for the newline, backspace, or carriage return characters),

- •

  they do not advance the current cursor position,

- •

  they do not expand other control characters to ^-escapes, and

- •

  they truncate the string if it crosses the right margin, rather than wrapping it around to the new line.

These functions end successfully on encountering a null *cchar\_t*, or when they have filled the current line. If a complex character cannot completely fit at the end of the current line, the remaining columns are filled with the background character and rendition.

## RETURN VALUE

All functions return the integer **ERR** upon failure and **OK** on success.

X/Open does not define any error conditions. This implementation returns an error if the window pointer is null.

Functions with a "mv" prefix first perform a cursor movement using **wmove**, and return an error if the position is outside the window, or if the window pointer is null.

## NOTES

All functions except **wadd\_wchnstr** may be macros.

## PORTABILITY

These entry points are described in the XSI Curses standard, Issue 4.

## SEE ALSO

**curs\_addwstr**(3X), **curses**(3X).

Comparable functions in the narrow-character (ncurses) library are described in **curs\_addchstr**(3X).