Drawing pixel resolution graphics in text mode
Posted: 10 Jan 2014 13:38
Some time ago I started to draw color graphics in text mode using the Ascii 219 block character that is displayed as a very low resolution "fat pixel" that have the size of the font (11x18 pixels), so the "graphic" looks rudimentary and grainy as you can see in this image. Later, I used the smallest possible font (Lucida console @ size 5) to generate a smaller "text pixel" of 3x5 pixels that produce more pleasant graphics, like this one. This way, the method to produce better graphics in text mode is via smaller fonts.
I followed the steps described at http://stackoverflow.com/questions/20896597/how-to-create-two-very-simple-bitmap-fonts post to create a "Terminal" raster font of 1x1 pixel size that effectively convert the "text pixel" into a graphics one, so it provides Batch files with the capability to draw graphics at pixel resolution in the same way of standard graphics functions of other programming languages. The result is amazing:
In order to use this resolution you have to install the 1x1 font, create a shortcut to MS-DOS command-line window that use it and modify its buffer and window sizes to large values. It is suggested to use standard graphic screen sizes, like 640x480, 800x600 or 1024x768, and include window and font sizes in the shorcut name as reference; for example: "MS-DOS 800x600 @ 1x1.lnk". Note that when this command-line window is open, you can not distinguish any text in the screen! Most characters different than space will appear as dots, so just type the name of the program you want run and press Enter. The Batch file below create "Terminal 1x1.FNT" font file and display instructions on how to install it if the font file does not exists; the program use :ExtractBinaryFile subroutine described at http://www.dostips.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=4842&p=31616#p31616 post to do that.
The 1x1 size font allows to use the 16 standard text colors for the "pixels", but a larger font would allow to define a color gradient via the combination of different foreground and background colors at several percentages ("dithering"); for example, a 2x2 size font would allow 25%, 50% and 75% combinations (I am working on this point). The existent "show color text" methods (like ColorChar.exe auxiliary program or the findstr method) can draw individual "pixels", so they are equivalent to C's "putpixel" graphic function. These routines can be combined with CursorPos.exe cursor positioning auxiliary program in order to develop a "draw line" subroutine. This way, any standard graphic function can be written in Batch, like line, box, circle, etc, and even a floodfill function can be developed with the aid of an auxiliary program that return the color of "pixels" in the screen (equivalent to C's "getpixel"). These operations may be slow because the number of processed pixels is large, so I am planning to also develop additional .exe auxiliary programs to draw lines, boxes, circles, show text, floodfill operations, etc. in a much faster way.
The Batch file below is a modified version of the original Mandelbrot Set program with the code that calculate the points converted to JScript, because the pure Batch code is too slow given the larger number of points in the new screen resolutions. The program create two parallel processes, the first one calculate the points and the other one display them, so it should run faster in a multi-core CPU computer. The image shown above was created by this program running in a 912x684 resolution screen and maxLevel value changed to 1024.
EDIT 2014-01-23: I fixed a small bug in ColorChar.exe program that incorrectly show results when the number of adjacent pixels of same color is larger than 1024.
Enjoy!
Antonio
I followed the steps described at http://stackoverflow.com/questions/20896597/how-to-create-two-very-simple-bitmap-fonts post to create a "Terminal" raster font of 1x1 pixel size that effectively convert the "text pixel" into a graphics one, so it provides Batch files with the capability to draw graphics at pixel resolution in the same way of standard graphics functions of other programming languages. The result is amazing:
In order to use this resolution you have to install the 1x1 font, create a shortcut to MS-DOS command-line window that use it and modify its buffer and window sizes to large values. It is suggested to use standard graphic screen sizes, like 640x480, 800x600 or 1024x768, and include window and font sizes in the shorcut name as reference; for example: "MS-DOS 800x600 @ 1x1.lnk". Note that when this command-line window is open, you can not distinguish any text in the screen! Most characters different than space will appear as dots, so just type the name of the program you want run and press Enter. The Batch file below create "Terminal 1x1.FNT" font file and display instructions on how to install it if the font file does not exists; the program use :ExtractBinaryFile subroutine described at http://www.dostips.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=4842&p=31616#p31616 post to do that.
The 1x1 size font allows to use the 16 standard text colors for the "pixels", but a larger font would allow to define a color gradient via the combination of different foreground and background colors at several percentages ("dithering"); for example, a 2x2 size font would allow 25%, 50% and 75% combinations (I am working on this point). The existent "show color text" methods (like ColorChar.exe auxiliary program or the findstr method) can draw individual "pixels", so they are equivalent to C's "putpixel" graphic function. These routines can be combined with CursorPos.exe cursor positioning auxiliary program in order to develop a "draw line" subroutine. This way, any standard graphic function can be written in Batch, like line, box, circle, etc, and even a floodfill function can be developed with the aid of an auxiliary program that return the color of "pixels" in the screen (equivalent to C's "getpixel"). These operations may be slow because the number of processed pixels is large, so I am planning to also develop additional .exe auxiliary programs to draw lines, boxes, circles, show text, floodfill operations, etc. in a much faster way.
The Batch file below is a modified version of the original Mandelbrot Set program with the code that calculate the points converted to JScript, because the pure Batch code is too slow given the larger number of points in the new screen resolutions. The program create two parallel processes, the first one calculate the points and the other one display them, so it should run faster in a multi-core CPU computer. The image shown above was created by this program running in a 912x684 resolution screen and maxLevel value changed to 1024.
EDIT 2014-01-23: I fixed a small bug in ColorChar.exe program that incorrectly show results when the number of adjacent pixels of same color is larger than 1024.
Code: Select all
@if (@CodeSection == @Batch) @then
@echo off
rem Mandelbrot Set graphic in text mode
rem Batch-JScript hybrid version optimized for high resolution screens
rem Include "Terminal 1x1.FNT" font file and installation instructions
rem Antonio Perez Ayala
setlocal EnableDelayedExpansion
if "%~1" equ "DrawLines" goto DrawLines
rem Create "Terminal 1x1.FNT" file if not exists
if not exist "Terminal 1x1.FNT" (
call :ExtractBinaryFile "Terminal 1x1.FNT"
echo/
echo In order to install a "Terminal" raster font right-click on it and select
echo "Install", or open Fonts via Control Panel and drag^&drop the font file.
echo/
echo To use the installed font in a Command-line window, follow these steps:
echo/
echo 1. Right-click on any MS-DOS Command-line icon and select "Create shortcut"
echo or "Copy".
echo 2. Open the folder that contain the programs that will be used in this window
echo and type Ctrl-V (paste^); a new MS-DOS shortcut icon is created.
echo 3. Open the new icon, right-click on the title bar and select "Properties".
echo 4. Open "Font" tab, select "Bitmap fonts" and "1x1" size.
echo 5. Open "Layout" tab and enter a large size in Buffer and Window sizes; for
echo example: Width: 800, Height: 600 (same values in BOTH Buffer and Window^).
echo 6. Click OK, type EXIT and press Enter.
echo/
echo After that, it is suggested to rename the new icon to include the resolution
echo and the font size; for example: "MS-DOS 800x600 @ 1x1". To use this icon:
echo open it, type the name of the program to execute and press Enter.
echo/
pause
goto :EOF
)
rem Working values: maximum screen coordinates
rem The Command-line window MUST have the same values in BOTH Buffer and Window sizes
set /A maxY=0, maxX=0
for /F "skip=2 tokens=2" %%a in ('mode con') do (
if !maxY! equ 0 ( set /A maxY=%%a-2
) else if !maxX! equ 0 ( set /A maxX=%%a-1
)
)
if not exist ColorChar.exe call :ExtractBinaryFile ColorChar.exe
rem Create the semaphore-signal file and start the asynchronous process
echo X > Flag.out
if exist Flag.in del Flag.in
rem Get output lines from JScript section and show they with ColorChar.exe
cls
CScript //nologo //E:JScript "%~F0" %maxY% %maxX% | "%~F0" DrawLines
del Flag.out
pause
goto :EOF
:DrawLines
rem Wait for "Data Available" signal
if not exist Flag.in goto DrawLines
rem Read the input line sent by JScript code
set line=
set /P "line="
rem Set "Data Read" acknowledgement
ren Flag.in Flag.out
rem Check the standard "End Of piped File" mark
if not defined line goto :EOF
ColorChar %line%
goto DrawLines
rem ExtractBinaryFile from hexadecimal digits placed in a "resource" in this .bat file
:ExtractBinaryFile filename.ext
setlocal EnableDelayedExpansion
set "start="
set "end="
for /F "tokens=1,3 delims=:=>" %%a in ('findstr /N /B "</*resource" "%~F0"') do (
if not defined start (
if "%%~b" equ "%~1" set start=%%a
) else if not defined end set end=%%a
)
(for /F "skip=%start% tokens=1* delims=:" %%a in ('findstr /N "^" "%~F0"') do (
if "%%a" == "%end%" goto decodeHexFile
echo %%b
)) > "%~1.hex"
:decodeHexFile
< "%~1.hex" Cscript //nologo //E:JScript "%~F0" Extract "%~1"
del "%~1.hex"
exit /B
<resource id="Terminal 1x1.FNT">
00034403[2]416e746f6e696f20506572657a204179616c612028616b6120416163696e6929006163696e692900446c6c5c6e74646c6c2e646c6c[24]
9001ff010001[2]01000100207f212061[5]3b03[6]da02[3]01[29]0100da02[2]0100db02[2]0100dc02[2]0100dd02[2]0100de02[2]0100df02
[2]0100e002[2]0100e102[2]0100e202[2]0100e302[2]0100e402[2]0100e502[2]0100e602[2]0100e702[2]0100e802[2]0100e902[2]0100ea
02[2]0100eb02[2]0100ec02[2]0100ed02[2]0100ee02[2]0100ef02[2]0100f002[2]0100f102[2]0100f202[2]0100f302[2]0100f402[2]0100
f502[2]0100f602[2]0100f702[2]0100f802[2]0100f902[2]0100fa02[2]0100fb02[2]0100fc02[2]0100fd02[2]0100fe02[2]0100ff02[2]01
[2]03[2]01000103[2]01000203[2]01000303[2]01000403[2]01000503[2]01000603[2]01000703[2]01000803[2]01000903[2]01000a03[2]01
000b03[2]01000c03[2]01000d03[2]01000e03[2]01000f03[2]01001003[2]01001103[2]01001203[2]01001303[2]01001403[2]01001503[2]
01001603[2]01001703[2]01001803[2]01001903[2]01001a03[2]01001b03[2]01001c03[2]01001d03[2]01001e03[2]01001f03[2]01002003[2]
01002103[2]01002203[2]01002303[2]01002403[2]01002503[2]01002603[2]01002703[2]01002803[2]01002903[2]01002a03[2]01002b03[2]
01002c03[2]01002d03[2]01002e03[2]01002f03[2]01003003[2]01003103[2]01003203[2]01003303[2]01003403[2]01003503[2]01003603[2]
01003703[2]01003803[2]01003903[2]08003a03[3][6x80]0080[7]80[3]808080008080[3]8080[2]8000[6x80][2][9x80]00[5x80]008080[4]
[11x80]00[15x80][3]80005465726d696e616c00
</resource>
<resource id="ColorChar.exe">
4d5a900003[3]04[3]ffff[2]b8[7]40[35]b0[3]0e1fba0e00b409cd21b8014ccd21546869732070726f6772616d2063616e6e6f74206265207275
6e20696e20444f53206d6f64652e0d0d0a24[7]55b5b8fd11d4d6ae11d4d6ae11d4d6ae9fcbc5ae18d4d6aeedf4c4ae13d4d6ae5269636811d4d6ae
[8]5045[2]4c010300ff23cd52[8]e0000f010b01050c0004[3]04[7]10[3]10[3]20[4]40[2]10[3]02[2]04[7]04[8]40[3]04[6]03[5]10[2]10
[4]10[2]10[6]10[11]1c20[2]28[84]20[2]1c[27]2e74657874[3]a202[3]10[3]04[3]04[14]20[2]602e7264617461[2]ea[4]20[3]02[3]08[14]
40[2]402e64617461[3]20[4]30[3]02[3]0a[14]40[2]c0[480]e806[3]50e87302[2]558bec81c4f4dffffffc6af5e86e02[2]8945fc6800304000
ff75fce85802[2]8dbdfcdfffff89bdf8dfffffe81302[2]e83202[2]8a064684c00f846001[2]3c2f75672bbdf8dfffff74168d85f4dfffff5057ff
b5f8dfffffff75fce88b01[2]8bbdf8dfffff8a064684c00f842d01[2]2c303c0976082c073c0f76022c208a264684e40f841401[2]80fc20741286
c42c303c0976082c073c0f76022c20d51066a316304000eb853c2275208a064684c00f84e6[3]3c227405880747ebec8a06463c2274f4e961ffffff
3c300f82c9[3]3c390f87c1[3]e8e3[3]8ae080ff2a740a80ff58740580ff7875278adc468a06463c300f829d[3]3c390f8795[3]e8b7[3]0fb7c88a
c3f3aae914ffffff80fc20737780fc09751f8b0d0430400003cf2b8df8dfffff83e10783e908f7d9b020f3aae9ebfeffff2bbdf8dfffff7418508d85
f4dfffff5057ffb5f8dfffffff75fce889[3]588bbdf8dfffff88276a008d85f4dfffff506a01ffb5f8dfffffff75fce8fd[3]6800304000ff75fce8
e4[3]e998feffff882747e990feffff2bbdf8dfffff74168d85f4dfffff5057ffb5f8dfffffff75fce82f[3]33c0c9c3e8[4]6683e00f66b90a008a
3e4680ff30721480ff39770f66f7e180ef30660fb6d76603c2ebe44ec3558bec6a00ff7514ff7510ff750cff7508e880[3]8b4d10578b7d0c66a116
304000f366ab8b0d04304000ff751451ff7510ff750cff7508e85e[3]5f6800304000ff7508e83e[3]c9c21000[6xcc]e847[3]8bf08a06463c2275
098a06463c2275f9eb0c8a06463c20740484c075f54ec38a06463c2074f94ec3ccff2514204000ff2500204000ff2504204000ff2508204000ff250c
204000ff25102040[351]6e20[2]8c20[2]9c20[2]ac20[2]ca20[2]6020[6]4420[10]dc20[3]20[22]6e20[2]8c20[2]9c20[2]ac20[2]ca20[2]
6020[6]9b004578697450726f6365737300f500476574436f6e736f6c6553637265656e427566666572496e666f[2]6a0147657453746448616e646c
65[2]ee025772697465436f6e736f6c654100f2025772697465436f6e736f6c654f757470757441747472696275746500e600476574436f6d6d616e
644c696e6541006b65726e656c33322e646c6c[302]07[489]
</resource>
@end
if ( WScript.Arguments(0) != "Extract" ) {
// Calculate Mandelbrot Set points and output they to Batch section
fso = new ActiveXObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject");
// Horizontal range: for 4:3 screen use range=3 (-1,2), for 16:9 screen use range=4 (-1.5,2.5)
var yTop=1.1250,
xLeft=-1.0000, xRight=2.0000,
yBottom=-1.1250, maxLevel=32, // larger maxLevel values produce finer image details
maxY=parseInt(WScript.Arguments(0)), maxX=parseInt(WScript.Arguments(1)),
xStep=(xRight-xLeft)/maxX, yStep=(yBottom-yTop)/maxY, yPos=yTop-yStep,
color="0123456789ABCDDEEEE";
for ( var y = 0; y <= maxY; y++ ) {
yPos+=yStep;
var xPos=xLeft-xStep, line="", prevPixel="", count=0, pixel;
for ( var x = 0; x <= maxX; x++ ) {
xPos+=xStep;
var xIter=xPos, yIter=yPos, xSquare=xIter*xIter, ySquare=yIter*yIter, root=xSquare+ySquare, level=0;
for ( var i = 1; i <= maxLevel; i++ ) {
if ( root < 4 ) {
yIter=2*xIter*yIter-yPos; xIter=xSquare-ySquare-xPos; xSquare=xIter*xIter; ySquare=yIter*yIter; root=xSquare+ySquare;
} else {
level=i;
break;
}
}
pixel = (level<color.length) ? color.charAt(level) : "F";
// Use next line instead of previous one when maxLevel > 500
// pixel = (level<color.length) ? color.charAt(level) : ((level<36)?"1":"F");
if ( pixel != prevPixel ) {
line+=" /"+prevPixel+" 219*"+count;
if ( line.length > 1000 ) {
sendLine(line);
line = "";
}
prevPixel=pixel;
count=1;
} else {
count++;
}
}
line+=" /"+prevPixel+" 219*"+count;
sendLine(line);
}
// Wait for last "Data Read" acknowledgement
while ( ! fso.FileExists("Flag.out") ) {
WScript.Sleep(1);
}
// Send the standard "End Of piped File" mark
WScript.Echo();
fso.MoveFile("Flag.out", "Flag.in");
} else {
// Extract a hexadecimal "resource" into a binary file
// Convert Ascii hexadecimal digits from Stdin to a binary string
var count, byte, output = "";
while ( !WScript.Stdin.AtEndOfStream ) {
var input = WScript.Stdin.ReadLine();
for ( var index = 0; index < input.length; ) {
if ( input.charAt(index) == '[' ) {
for ( count = ++index; input.charAt(index) != 'x' &&
input.charAt(index) != ']' ; index++ ) ;
count = parseInt(input.slice(count,index++));
if ( input.charAt(index-1) == 'x' ) {
byte = String.fromCharCode(parseInt(input.substr(index,2),16));
index += 3;
} else {
byte = String.fromCharCode(0);
}
for ( var i = 1; i <= count; i++ ) output += byte;
} else {
output += String.fromCharCode(parseInt(input.substr(index,2),16));
index += 2;
}
}
}
// Write the binary string to the output file
var ado = WScript.CreateObject("ADODB.Stream");
ado.Type = 2; // adTypeText = 2
ado.CharSet = "iso-8859-1"; // right code page for output (no adjustments)
ado.Open();
ado.WriteText(output);
ado.SaveToFile(WScript.Arguments(1),2); // adSaveCreateOverWrite = 2
ado.Close();
}
function sendLine ( line ) {
// Wait for "Data Read" acknowledgement
while ( ! fso.FileExists("Flag.out") ) {
WScript.Sleep(1);
}
// Send the line to Batch code
WScript.Echo(line);
// Set "Data Available" signal
fso.MoveFile("Flag.out", "Flag.in");
}
Enjoy!
Antonio
