text-mode

The goal of the text-mode DUB package is to be a virtual text-mode, like in older DOS machines, except with Unicode support instead of a single 8-bit code page. There is however a 16 color palette like in ancient text modes.

A secundary goal is to be efficient (everything is cached) and provide vintage looks.

0. Basic example

See examples/ to run a basic example (you will need SDL installed).

1. Setup a TM_Console

The following TM_Console methods are necessary in order to use text-mode:

• size(int columns, int rows)
• outbuf(void* p, int width, int height, int pitchBytes)
• render()

Example:

TM_Console console;

void setup(MyImage image)
{
    // Set number of columns and rows.
    int columns = 40;
    int rows = 20;
 
    // .size clear the text buffer content and eventually resize it
    console.size(columns, rows);
 
    // set where to draw output, can be called every frame
    console.outbuf(image.ptr, image.width, image.height, image.pitchBytes);
 
    /* ...printing functions goes here... */
 
    // display changes since the last .render, in output buffer
     console.render();
}

**Key concept**: No font resampling is done. Pixels are scaled NxN depending to the room in output buffer, and letterboxed with "border" pixels.

### 2. Print some text

Example:

console.size(40, 22);

with (console)
{
    cls();
 
    print("Hello world! ");
    println("Same, with line feed");
 
    // Save state (colors, style, cursor position)
    save();
 
    // Change foreground color (0 to 15)
    fg(TM_red);
    print("This is red text ");
    bg(TM_blue);
    println("on blue background");
 
    // Restore state. Warning: this restore cursor position!
    restore();
 
    // Set text cursor position (where text is drawn next)
    locate(7, 5);
 
    // There are 3 implemented styles:
    //   - bold
    //   - shiny (sort of bloom)
    //   - underline
    style(TM_bold);
    println("This is bold");
 
    style(TM_shiny);
    print("This is ");
    fg(14);
    println("shiny");
 
    style(TM_underline);
    fg(TM_lgreen);
    println("This is underline");
 
    render();
}

Result

**Key-concept**: if text must be printed in a line below the screen, the whole screen scrolls.

TO DOCUMENT

• raw char data access
• print some CCL text
• tweak options