Beyond Linux® From Scratch (System V Edition) - Version r12.2-543

Chapter 10. Graphics and Font Libraries

newt-0.52.24

Introduction to newt

Newt is a programming library for color text mode, widget based user interfaces. It can be used to add stacked windows, entry widgets, checkboxes, radio buttons, labels, plain text fields, scrollbars, etc., to text mode user interfaces. Newt is based on the S-Lang library.

[Note]

Note

Development versions of BLFS may not build or run some packages properly if LFS or dependencies have been updated since the most recent stable versions of the books.

Package Information

Newt Dependencies

Required

popt-1.19 and slang-2.3.3

Recommended

GPM-1.20.7 (runtime)

Installation of newt

Install newt by running the following command: 

sed -e '/install -m 644 $(LIBNEWT)/ s/^/#/' \
    -e '/$(LIBNEWT):/,/rv/ s/^/#/'          \
    -e 's/$(LIBNEWT)/$(LIBNEWTSH)/g'        \
    -i Makefile.in                          &&

./configure --prefix=/usr           \
            --with-gpm-support      \
            --with-python=python3.13 &&
make

This package does not come with a test suite.

Now, as the root user: 

make install

Command Explanations

sed -e ... -i Makefile.in: Disables installation of a static library.

--with-gpm-support: This switch enables mouse support for newt applications through GPM.

--with-python=python3.13: By giving explicitly the name of the directory where python modules reside, this switch prevents building the python2 module.

Contents

Installed Programs: whiptail
Installed Library: libnewt.so, whiptcl.so, and /usr/lib/python3.13/site-packages/_snack.so
Installed Directories: None

Short Descriptions

whiptail

displays dialog boxes from shell scripts

libnewt.so

is the library for color text mode, widget based user interfaces