# Ncurses alternative character set?

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ncurses-alternative-character-set/185084>\
**Category:** Ruby\
**Created:** [March 13, 2010, 9:59am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ncurses-alternative-character-set/185084 "2010-03-13T09:59:40Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Todd\_ASJacobs](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/t/f17d59/32.png) [@Todd\_ASJacobs](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Todd_ASJacobs)\
**Post date:** [March 13, 2010, 9:59am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ncurses-alternative-character-set/185084/1 "2010-03-13T09:59:40Z")

</div>

I’m exploring the ncurses library for Ruby 1.8, and am unclear how to  
access the alternative character set (e.g. ACS\_LTEE) from within Ruby.  
For example:

```
require 'ncurses'
Ncurses.initscr
Ncurses.addstr Ncurses.ACS_LTEE
Ncurses.refresh
Ncurses.getch
Ncurses.endwin

```

doesn’t print the left tee. How can I access the alternative character  
set properly?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Todd\_ASJacobs](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/t/f17d59/32.png) [@Todd\_ASJacobs](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Todd_ASJacobs)\
**Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 4:53am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ncurses-alternative-character-set/185084/2 "2010-03-17T04:53:23Z")

</div>

Todd A. Jacobs wrote:

> I’m exploring the ncurses library for Ruby 1.8, and am unclear how to  
> access the alternative character set (e.g. ACS\_LTEE) from within Ruby.  
> For example:
> 
> ```
> require 'ncurses'
> Ncurses.initscr
> Ncurses.addstr Ncurses.ACS_LTEE
> 
> ```

window.mvwaddch(0, 0, Ncurses::ACS\_LTEE)

Works for me.