How to detect console window resize in Linux

Question

I'm working on a TUI (Text User Interface) library for C++, and I have a function for detecting the size of the console window. Is it possible for me to detect a window resize? I would prefer if it would work with any terminal emulator, but if it matters I am using Ubuntu Budgie 20.10, and my terminal emulator is Tilix.

Toby Speight · Accepted Answer · 2025-05-05 13:52:40Z

7

You can set up a signal handler for the SIGWINCH signal (you can use signal() or sigaction()), and you will get this signal whenever the terminal size changes. Note that, as with all signal handlers, any code in the signal handler must be signal-safe.

If you are using the curses library, you will get a KEY_RESIZE key, and then check COLS and LINES.

edited May 5 at 13:52

Toby Speight

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answered Apr 25, 2021 at 23:23

Sam Varshavchik

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2 Comments

Da Mammoth Over a year ago

Thanks, I'll look into it. I would also like to point out, that I am not using curses/ncurses, I'm using ASCII escape codes to control it.

Luigi Minardi Nov 4 at 18:33

Not sure how useful this is for the OP thread but after listening to SIGWINCH signal you can get the size using ioctl with TIOCGWINSZ as the op argument and a winsize struct as a 3rd argument.

Da Mammoth · Accepted Answer · 2021-06-15 21:19:02Z

-2

I found a way by constantly checking the screen size. If the screen size changes, it will be recorded and the screen redrawn.

answered Jun 15, 2021 at 21:19

Da Mammoth

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