diff --git a/ncurses/base/lib_instr.c b/ncurses/base/lib_instr.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3fb2949
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ncurses/base/lib_instr.c
@@ -0,0 +1,112 @@
+/****************************************************************************
+ * Copyright (c) 1998-2005,2007 Free Software Foundation, Inc.              *
+ *                                                                          *
+ * Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a  *
+ * copy of this software and associated documentation files (the            *
+ * "Software"), to deal in the Software without restriction, including      *
+ * without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish,      *
+ * distribute, distribute with modifications, sublicense, and/or sell       *
+ * copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is    *
+ * furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:                 *
+ *                                                                          *
+ * The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included  *
+ * in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.                   *
+ *                                                                          *
+ * THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS  *
+ * OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF               *
+ * MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT.   *
+ * IN NO EVENT SHALL THE ABOVE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM,   *
+ * DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR    *
+ * OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR    *
+ * THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.                               *
+ *                                                                          *
+ * Except as contained in this notice, the name(s) of the above copyright   *
+ * holders shall not be used in advertising or otherwise to promote the     *
+ * sale, use or other dealings in this Software without prior written       *
+ * authorization.                                                           *
+ ****************************************************************************/
+
+/****************************************************************************
+ *  Author: Zeyd M. Ben-Halim <zmbenhal@netcom.com> 1992,1995               *
+ *     and: Eric S. Raymond <esr@snark.thyrsus.com>                         *
+ *     and: Thomas E. Dickey                        1996-on                 *
+ ****************************************************************************/
+
+/*
+**	lib_instr.c
+**
+**	The routine winnstr().
+**
+*/
+
+#include <curses.priv.h>
+
+MODULE_ID("$Id: lib_instr.c,v 1.16 2007/07/21 20:18:10 tom Exp $")
+
+NCURSES_EXPORT(int)
+winnstr(WINDOW *win, char *str, int n)
+{
+    int i = 0, row, col;
+
+    T((T_CALLED("winnstr(%p,%p,%d)"), win, str, n));
+
+    if (!str)
+	returnCode(0);
+
+    if (win) {
+	getyx(win, row, col);
+
+	if (n < 0)
+	    n = win->_maxx - win->_curx + 1;
+
+	for (; i < n;) {
+#if USE_WIDEC_SUPPORT
+	    cchar_t *cell = &(win->_line[row].text[col]);
+	    wchar_t *wch;
+	    attr_t attrs;
+	    short pair;
+	    int n2;
+	    bool done = FALSE;
+	    mbstate_t state;
+	    size_t i3, n3;
+	    char *tmp;
+
+	    if (!isWidecExt(*cell)) {
+		n2 = getcchar(cell, 0, 0, 0, 0);
+		if (n2 > 0
+		    && (wch = typeCalloc(wchar_t, (unsigned) n2 + 1)) != 0) {
+		    if (getcchar(cell, wch, &attrs, &pair, 0) == OK) {
+
+			init_mb(state);
+			n3 = wcstombs(0, wch, 0);
+			if (isEILSEQ(n3) || (n3 == 0)) {
+			    ;
+			} else if ((int) (n3 + i) > n) {
+			    done = TRUE;
+			} else if ((tmp = typeCalloc(char, n3 + 10)) == 0) {
+			    done = TRUE;
+			} else {
+			    init_mb(state);
+			    wcstombs(tmp, wch, n3);
+			    for (i3 = 0; i3 < n3; ++i3)
+				str[i++] = tmp[i3];
+			    free(tmp);
+			}
+		    }
+		    free(wch);
+		    if (done)
+			break;
+		}
+	    }
+#else
+	    str[i++] = (char) CharOf(win->_line[row].text[col]);
+#endif
+	    if (++col > win->_maxx) {
+		break;
+	    }
+	}
+    }
+    str[i] = '\0';		/* SVr4 does not seem to count the null */
+    T(("winnstr returns %s", _nc_visbuf(str)));
+    returnCode(i);
+}