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

# curs\_bkgd(3x)

curses window background manipulation routines

## NAME

**bkgdset**, **wbkgdset**, **bkgd**, **wbkgd**, **getbkgd** - **curses** window background manipulation routines

## SYNOPSIS

**#include \<curses.h\>**

**void bkgdset(chtype** *ch***);**\
 **void wbkgdset(WINDOW \****win, chtype ch***);**\
 **int bkgd(chtype** *ch***);**\
 **int wbkgd(WINDOW \****win***, chtype** *ch***);**\
 **chtype getbkgd(WINDOW \****win***);**\

## DESCRIPTION

### bkgdset

The **bkgdset** and **wbkgdset** routines manipulate the background of the named window. The window background is a **chtype** consisting of any combination of attributes (i.e., rendition) and a character. The attribute part of the background is combined (OR'ed) with all non-blank characters that are written into the window with **waddch**.  Both the character and attribute parts of the background are combined with the blank characters.  The background becomes a property of the character and moves with the character through any scrolling and insert/delete line/character operations.

To the extent possible on a particular terminal, the attribute part of the background is displayed as the graphic rendition of the character put on the screen.

### bkgd

The **bkgd** and **wbkgd** functions set the background property of the current or specified window and then apply this setting to every character position in that window:

- •

  The rendition of every character on the screen is changed to the new background rendition.

- •

  Wherever the former background character appears, it is changed to the new background character.

### getbkgd

The **getbkgd** function returns the given window's current background character/attribute pair.

## RETURN VALUE

The routines **bkgd** and **wbkgd** return the integer **OK**. The SVr4.0 manual says "or a non-negative integer if **immedok** is set", but this appears to be an error.

## NOTES

Note that **bkgdset** and **bkgd** may be macros.

## PORTABILITY

These functions are described in the XSI Curses standard, Issue 4. It specifies that **bkgd** and **wbkgd** return **ERR** on failure, but gives no failure conditions.

## SEE ALSO

**curses**(3X), **curs\_addch**(3X), **curs\_attr**(3X), **curs\_outopts**(3X)