DosTips.com

Code: Select all

 __        __        __   __
|  \  /\  |__) |__/ |__) /  \ \_/
|__/ /~~\ |  \ |  \ |__) \__/ / \

Darkbox fully portable fast I/O server, powerfull graphic command
Fully compatible with Dos9 Project.

Syntaxes:
    1) (process, code or "launcher" part) | darkbox
    2) darkbox -i | (process, code or "launcher" part)
    3) darkbox -w t
    4) darkbox -kbh (reduced: -k)

1) Start darkbox as output server.
2) Start darkbox as input server.
3) Wait t ms.
4) Return 1 if data is available in stdin,
   should be used for non-blocking input.

   NOTE: "bh" is not required but recommended for
         "a better code", so it's just cosmetic.

Output commands passing:
    Commands pass to stdin, so any command like type, more, echo,
    <nul set/p "=text" or whatever you can imagine send command to darkbox.

    So, you can store commands to files to reuses them easly, like sprites or
    something else.

    Also, darkbox accept both new syntax ('-') and batbox/tinybg syntax ('/') to
    begin command.

Output command format:
    Commands follow this format

    -(execution_count)<commands as letters>
    REMARK: '-' can be replaced by '/'

    So each <commands as letters> run (execution_count) times (or 1 time if undefined).

    NOTES:
        - You can escape chracters (" or spaces without double quotes) with '\'
        - With double quotes, new lines are considerated as characters like any others.
        - No commands will produce an error (Parsing error: No command specified).
        - Commands should be in litterals ONLY (Parsing error: Invalid litterals)
        - Commands are case-insensitive.

    TRICK:
        You can write your commands througth multiples echoes :
            echo -5dn "This is a"
            echo      "small text"
            echo      "throught"
            echo      "multiples"
            echo      "lines"

Launcher (and working variations):
    Official launchers:

        Original (first) :
            @Echo off
            call game.bat | darkbox

        Original with Input server
            @Echo off
            darkbox -i | call game.bat | darkbox

        Enhanced (only in one file) :
            @Echo off
            if defined __ goto :(code)
            set __=.
            call %0 %* | darkbox
            set __=
            pause>NUL
            goto :eof

            "call" is facultative

        Enhanced with Input server
            @Echo off
            if defined __ goto :(code)
            set __=.
            darkbox -i | call %0 %* | darkbox
            set __=
            pause>NUL
            goto :eof

            "call" is facultative.

    Unofficial launcher (variants):
        @echo off
        if not defined $ (
            set "$=1"
            (
              call "%~f0" %*
            ) | darkbox
            exit/b
        )

Output commands reference:

    ASCII:
        -a Integer

        Usage : Print the character corresponding to the integer

    Newline:
        -n

        Usage : Go to the next line

    Color:
        -c color
        color is in hexadecimal format.

        Usage : Change the current color
               0xF0 : Background
               0x0F : Foreground

    Goto:
        -g x y

        Usage : Move cursor to (x;y)

    Hide/Show cursor:
        -h 0/1

        Usage : Hide or show cursor

    Clear Screen:
        -s

        Usage : Clear console

    Origin:
        -o x y

        Usage : Change goto origin

    Reset:
        -r

        Usage : Reset foreground and background colors

    Quit:
        -q

        Usage : Properly stop darkbox

    Wait:
        -w t

        Usage : Wait t miliseconds

        NOTE: Wait is internal to darkbox, it
              do not interrupt batch execution.

        REMARK: Wait flush stdout even if t is null.

Input callback reference:

    Mouse:
        m x y b

        x: Mouse X position
        y: Mouse Y position
        b: Mouse button

    Keyboard press:
        k key

        key: Key code.

List of supported mouse buttons :
    1: NOTHING (mouse movement)
    2: LEFT_BUTTON
    3: RIGHT_BUTTON
    4: DOUBLE LEFT_BUTTON (portability issues known (*NIX))
    5: DOUBLE RIGHT_BUTTON (portability issues known (*NIX))
    6: MIDDLE_BUTTON
    7: SCROLL_UP (portability issues known (Win32))
    8: SCROLL_DOWN (portability issues known (Win32))
    9: RELEASE

See also:
    Official post : http://batch.xoo.it/t5526-Dev-Darkbox-TSnake41.htm
    Snake game : http://batch.xoo.it/t5614-Batch-Snake-IK-DC.htm
    Exquation : http://batch.xoo.it/t5654-Batch-Exquation-IK-DC.htm

    tests for examples of uses

    C library core/core_i in "lib" directory (part of darkbox project)

    Dos9 project : dos9.org
    darkbox_i and darkbox_t