sub addstring
{
    # add a string to a screen
    my $screenname=shift;
    my $widgetname=shift;
    my $sock=getsocket();
    debug ("widget_add \"$screenname\" \"$widgetname\" string");
    print $sock "widget_add \"$screenname\" \"$widgetname\" string\n";
    my $answer=suck($sock);
    if ( $answer ne "1" ) { die "error while creating widget \"$widgetname\" in screen \"$screenname\". Server said: $answer";}
    return 1;
}

sub setstring
{
    # modify a string-type widget
    my $screenname=shift;
    my $widgetname=shift;
    my $x=shift;
    my $y=shift;
    my $value=shift;
    my $sock=getsocket();
    debug ("widget_set \"$screenname\" \"$widgetname\" $x $y \"$value\"");
    print $sock "widget_set \"$screenname\" \"$widgetname\" $x $y \"$value\"\n";
    my $answer=suck($sock);
    if ( $answer ne "1" ) { die "error while modifying widget \"$widgetname\" in screen \"screenname\". Server said: $answer";}
    return 1;
}