How can I start using ncurses?

[gameprogrammer]

It's written here:
http://en.tldp.org/HOWTO/NCURSES-Programming-HOWTO/intro.html#WHERETOGETIT

But those links don't work. I can't understand how to start programming using ncurses, I feel stupid :(

Thanks in advance :D

[S6k9GNh0]

http://ftp.gnu.org/pub/gnu/ncurses/

[gameprogrammer]

So which of them should I download?
And simply tell me, what will I have to do after I've downloaded the content?
No need for a long description, you can save your time, but I really need some advice badly because I can't find, no matter how hard I try to search, a way to start this programming.. Sorry for bothering you..
Thanks.

[S6k9GNh0]

You start with a goal, read the documentation to learn how to accomplish that goal, etc.

Also, download the latest version of course.

[gameprogrammer]

So should I download the ncurses-5.9.tar.gz one? Since it's the latest (you can see that from the date).

And I don't really understand. What documentation are you talking about?
If you're implying that I should find the information on how to start the programming, then I can say that I simply couldn't find it.

On this website:
http://en.tldp.org/HOWTO/NCURSES-Programming-HOWTO/
it's written how to program, that's ok, but what I need is to make things ready to start being able to program.
For ex., getting the ncurses.h header or library or whatever it is ready and so on.

While I haven't done that, I can't start doing this:
http://en.tldp.org/HOWTO/NCURSES-Programming-HOWTO/helloworld.html#COMPILECURSES
- it simply won't compile. There will be some errors shown.

That's what I need - getting all the headers and libraries or whatever ready to start programming.

Again, sorry for bothering you so much.

Thanks.

[mariostg]

How did you compile it?
What error did you get?

[S6k9GNh0]

It's not too difficult but maybe a bit confusing for a newbie.

On Windows, you need at least a working installation of MinGW and MSys.
On Linux, you just need core utilities that most distributions already come with.

On Windows, open MSys, change directory to wherever you extracted ncurses, and

./configure

Then

make

make check

and

make install

.

[gameprogrammer]

I'm sorry, I'm a newbie and it's really difficult for me to understand all this.

When you said to open MSys, did you mean the folder in the C:/ ?
If you did, how can I change directory?

@mariostg The message box of my Code::Blocks doesn't work, it can't open up whatever I do, so I can't know the error message. What I know is that the problem is with the #include <ncurses.h> library when I type it in the algorithm.

Thanks.

[gameprogrammer]

Oh wait, I understand now, you mean the program itself, not the folder, of course.
Show me an example of what I should type in the program once it's open?

You're telling me I should type the director of the extracted nurses. Do I simply type something like this: C:/dgfg/dgsfdgd, then, without having used a space button, type ./configure ?

Sorry for bothering you again. It might take quite a long time until I get everything right.
Thanks.

[gameprogrammer]

Wait, I'm still trying something else, I'll reply when I need further assistance.

Thanks.