ncurses screen library: no ctrl/shift-key recognized

[gotar]

When compiled with ncurses(w) ctrl/shift-keys (like arrows in editor) are not recognized at all.

[anton_kg]

I'm experiencing about the same issue with 4.7 release. The shift key is not recognized with ncurces then I want to rename a file, for example. Shift+F6 press is actually trying to delete a file.

[E.L.K.]

It seems i found the solution for this problem. I'm not sure that this is "right" solution, but it works, and maybe will be useful in diagnosing source of it.

Described here: ​http://7ocb.blogspot.com/2010/03/screen-midnight-commander-shift-f6.html

[angel_il]

2gotar:
please show result of
echo $TERM

[gotar]

anton_kg, E.L.K.: no, you are talking about something entirely different; your shifts ARE recognized (which is obvious as some behaviour changes), but misinterpreted (see #367). This is caused by using different shift-Fx 'wrap' policy: one is to max out the range (F1-12 shifted == F13-24), the other is to be natural for humans (i.e. in terms of decimal shift: F1-12 shifted == F11-F22, thus doubling F11==shift-F1 and F12==shift-F2). You can go to Options->Learn keys and teach mc to treat F18 (this is what you get as input) as 'Function key 16'.

angel_il: my TERM is plain xterm. When I hit shift-F1 to F10 under mc/ncurses (either in command line or mcedit) i got this: 2P2Q2R2S28~29~31~32~33~34~. I can teach mc to recognize these:

[terminal:xterm]
f13=
eO2R

but there's no place to teach it that ^[[1;2A is shift-up. With slang as screen library the same sequences ARE recognized well. I suspect that ncurses uses only terminfo database, which doesn't contain such combos.

I've just checked 4.7.1 and nothing has changed. But the main question is: what's the point of using/having this screen library at all? Why/when slang is not superior?

[ossi]

what's the point of using/having this screen library at all? Why/when slang is [] superior?

that's actually a good question.
ncurses is theoretically a cleaner solution, because it doesn't come bundled with a scripting language interpreter.
but issues like this (and #2837), #4096, and #4144 call this into question.
so given that clearly nobody is fixing this, it may be more pragmatic to simply commit to slang after all, and actually leverage that interpreter (#4187).

[zaytsev]

so given that clearly nobody is fixing this, it may be more pragmatic to simply commit to slang after all, and actually leverage that interpreter (#4187)

I have no strong opinion about committing (or not committing) to slang, but the interpreter... oh my dear god. I wish somebody would just employ me full time to work on mc some, so that I could resurrect the brilliant mooffie's work - solid architecture and professional implementation, good choice of tools, excellent documentation. Really, a fantastic piece of work!