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.\" $Id: curs_beep.3x,v 1.29 2024/04/20 21:20:07 tom Exp $
.TH curs_beep 3X 2024-04-20 "ncurses 6.5" "Library calls"
.SH NAME
\fB\%beep\fP,
\fB\%flash\fP \-
ring the (visual) bell of the terminal with \fIcurses\fR
.SH SYNOPSIS
.nf
\fB#include <curses.h>
.PP
\fBint beep(void);
\fBint flash(void);
.fi
.SH DESCRIPTION
The \fBbeep\fP and \fBflash\fP routines are used to alert the terminal user.
The routine \fBbeep\fP sounds an audible alarm on the terminal, if possible;
otherwise it flashes the screen (visible bell).
The routine \fBflash\fP
flashes the screen, and if that is not possible, sounds the alert.
If neither
alert is possible, nothing happens.
Nearly all terminals have an audible alert
(bell or beep), but only some can flash the screen.
.SH RETURN VALUE
These routines return \fBOK\fP if they succeed in beeping or flashing,
\fBERR\fP otherwise.
.SH EXTENSIONS
SVr4's beep and flash routines always returned \fBOK\fP, so it was not
possible to tell when the beep or flash failed.
.SH PORTABILITY
These functions are described in X/Open Curses, Issue 4.
Like SVr4, it specifies that they always return \fBOK\fP.
.SH SEE ALSO
\fB\%curses\fP(3X)