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

# curs\_border(3x)

create curses borders, horizontal and vertical lines

## NAME

**border**, **wborder**, **box**, **hline**, **whline**, **vline**, **wvline**, **mvhline**, **mvwhline**, **mvvline**, **mvwvline** - create **curses** borders, horizontal and vertical lines

## SYNOPSIS

**#include \<curses.h\>**\
 **int border(chtype ls, chtype rs, chtype ts, chtype bs,**\
    **chtype tl, chtype tr, chtype bl, chtype br);**\
 **int wborder(WINDOW \*win, chtype ls, chtype rs,**\
    **chtype ts, chtype bs, chtype tl, chtype tr,**\
    **chtype bl, chtype br);**\
 **int box(WINDOW \*win, chtype verch, chtype horch);**\
 **int hline(chtype ch, int n);**\
 **int whline(WINDOW \*win, chtype ch, int n);**\
 **int vline(chtype ch, int n);**\
 **int wvline(WINDOW \*win, chtype ch, int n);**\
 **int mvhline(int y, int x, chtype ch, int n);**\
 **int mvwhline(WINDOW \*, int y, int x, chtype ch, int n);**\
 **int mvvline(int y, int x, chtype ch, int n);**\
 **int mvwvline(WINDOW \*, int y, int x, chtype ch, int n);**\

## DESCRIPTION

The **border**, **wborder** and **box** routines draw a box around the edges of a window. Other than the window, each argument is a character with attributes:

*ls* - left side,\
 *rs* - right side,\
 *ts* - top side,\
 *bs* - bottom side,\
 *tl* - top left-hand corner,\
 *tr* - top right-hand corner,\
 *bl* - bottom left-hand corner, and\
 *br* - bottom right-hand corner.

If any of these arguments is zero, then the corresponding default values (defined in **curses.h**) are used instead:

**ACS\_VLINE**,\
 **ACS\_VLINE**,\
 **ACS\_HLINE**,\
 **ACS\_HLINE**,\
 **ACS\_ULCORNER**,\
 **ACS\_URCORNER**,\
 **ACS\_LLCORNER**,\
 **ACS\_LRCORNER**.

**box(***win***,** *verch***,** *horch***)** is a shorthand for the following call: **wborder(***win***,** *verch***,** *verch***,** *horch***,** *horch***, 0, 0, 0, 0)**.

The **hline** and **whline** functions draw a horizontal (left to right) line using *ch* starting at the current cursor position in the window.  The current cursor position is not changed.  The line is at most *n* characters long, or as many as fit into the window.

The **vline** and **wvline** functions draw a vertical (top to bottom) line using *ch* starting at the current cursor position in the window.  The current cursor position is not changed.  The line is at most *n* characters long, or as many as fit into the window.

## RETURN VALUE

All routines 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.

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

The borders generated by these functions are *inside* borders (this is also true of SVr4 curses, though the fact is not documented).

Note that **border** and **box** may be macros.

## PORTABILITY

These functions are described in the XSI Curses standard, Issue 4. The standard specifies that they return **ERR** on failure, but specifies no error conditions.

## SEE ALSO

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