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

# curs\_deleteln(3x)

delete and insert lines in a curses window

## NAME

**deleteln**, **wdeleteln**, **insdelln**, **winsdelln**, **insertln**, **winsertln** - delete and insert lines in a **curses** window

## SYNOPSIS

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

**int deleteln(void);**\
 **int wdeleteln(WINDOW \*win);**\
 **int insdelln(int n);**\
 **int winsdelln(WINDOW \*win, int n);**\
 **int insertln(void);**\
 **int winsertln(WINDOW \*win);**\

## DESCRIPTION

The **deleteln** and **wdeleteln** routines delete the line under the cursor in the window; all lines below the current line are moved up one line. The bottom line of the window is cleared.  The cursor position does not change.

The **insdelln** and **winsdelln** routines, for positive *n*, insert *n* lines into the specified window above the current line.  The *n* bottom lines are lost.  For negative *n*, delete *n* lines (starting with the one under the cursor), and move the remaining lines up.  The bottom *n* lines are cleared.  The current cursor position remains the same.

The **insertln** and **winsertln** routines insert a blank line above the current line and the bottom line is lost.

## RETURN VALUE

All routines return the integer **ERR** upon failure and an **OK** (SVr4 specifies only "an integer value other than **ERR**") upon successful completion.

X/Open defines no error conditions. In this implementation, if the window parameter is null, an error is returned.

## 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.

## NOTES

Note that all but **winsdelln** may be macros.

These routines do not require a hardware line delete or insert feature in the terminal.  In fact, they will not use hardware line delete/insert unless **idlok(..., TRUE)** has been set on the current window.

## SEE ALSO

**curses**(3X)