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

# curs\_bkgrnd(3x)

curses window complex background manipulation routines

## NAME

**bkgrnd**, **wbkgrnd**, **bkgrndset**, **wbkgrndset**, **getbkgrnd**, **wgetbkgrnd** - **curses** window complex background manipulation routines

## SYNOPSIS

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

**int bkgrnd( const cchar\_t \****wch***);**\
 **int wbkgrnd( WINDOW \****win***, const cchar\_t \****wch***);**\
 **void bkgrndset(const cchar\_t \****wch* **);**\
 **void wbkgrndset(WINDOW \****win***, const cchar\_t \****wch***);**\
 **int getbkgrnd(cchar\_t \****wch***);**\
 **int wgetbkgrnd(WINDOW \****win***, cchar\_t \****wch***);**\

## DESCRIPTION

### bkgrndset

The **bkgrndset** and **wbkgrndset** routines manipulate the background of the named window. The window background is a **cchar\_t** consisting of any combination of attributes (i.e., rendition) and a complex 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.

### bkgrnd

The **bkgrnd** and **wbkgrnd** 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.

### getbkgrnd

The **getbkgrnd** function returns the given window's current background character/attribute pair via the **wch** pointer.

## NOTES

Note that **bkgrnd**, **bkgrndset**, and **getbkgrnd** may be macros.

## RETURN VALUE

The **bkgrndset** and **wbkgrndset** routines do not return a value.

Upon successful completion, the other functions return **OK**. Otherwise, they return **ERR**. A null window pointer is treated as an error.

## SEE ALSO

**curses**(3X), **curs\_bkgd**(3X)