Help with program that emulate VT100 terminal

[einstein1969]

Hi to all,

I need to write a dos batch program for simple emulate a DEC VT100 monitor.

I will test with the BrainF*ck interpreter batch and the Hanoi program. Find here

I think that the syntax for run this batch will be something like:

Code: Select all

bf hanoi.bf | vt100emulator.cmd

The first thing is how to read a character at a time via pipe?

einstein1969

[aGerman]

What behevior of a VT100 would you like to emulate?

The first thing is how to read a character at a time via pipe?

Hmm. Have a look at the cmd /u trick to separate characters of a string. I think I posted it first in Daves Snake thread.
http://www.dostips.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=27384#p27384
Not quite certain if that is what you're looking for though.

Regards
aGerman

[einstein1969]

What behevior of a VT100 would you like to emulate?

The first thing is how to read a character at a time via pipe?

Hmm. Have a look at the cmd /u trick to separate characters of a string. I think I posted it first in Daves Snake thread.
http://www.dostips.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=27384#p27384
Not quite certain if that is what you're looking for though.

Regards
aGerman

For the moment i want emulate CLS and GOTOXY (cusor position).

I have probed with this piece of code but with no result

vt100.cmd

Code: Select all

@echo off & setlocal enableDelayedExpansion

  for /f delims^=^ eol^= %%i in (' cmd /v:on /u /c "find /v "" " ') do (
    set "e=%%i"
    setlocal EnableDelayedExpansion
    echo(!e!
    endlocal
  )

exit /b

Code: Select all

bf triangle.bf | vt100.cmd

the output is ok but i need UNBUFFERED I/O. (char by char)

einstein1969

[aGerman]

cmd /u doesn't work for the output of external commands.

Code: Select all

@echo off &setlocal
for /f delims^=^ eol^= %%i in ('find /v ""') do (
  set "ln=%%i"
  for /f delims^=^ eol^= %%j in ('cmd /von /u /c "echo(!ln!"^|find /v ""^|findstr .') do (
    set "e=%%j"
    setlocal EnableDelayedExpansion
    echo(!e!
    endlocal
  )
)
exit /b

Well CLS is CLS, isn't it. And for the GOTOXY we already have topics at DosTips that show how to achieve it (with 3rd party scripts or executables though).

Regards
aGerman

[einstein1969]

cmd /u doesn't work for the output of external commands.

Code: Select all

@echo off &setlocal
for /f delims^=^ eol^= %%i in ('find /v ""') do (
  set "ln=%%i"
  for /f delims^=^ eol^= %%j in ('cmd /von /u /c "echo(!ln!"^|find /v ""^|findstr .') do (
    set "e=%%j"
    setlocal EnableDelayedExpansion
    echo(!e!
    endlocal
  )
)
exit /b

Well CLS is CLS, isn't it. And for the GOTOXY we already have topics at DosTips that show how to achieve it (with 3rd party scripts or executables though).

Regards
aGerman

Yes, I have not problem with cls or gotoXY.

This version of code work and output the character one at the time but there is the problem that, it bufferering all, and then after processing all, output one at the time but is not good for the scope of the emulator. The timing is important.

I have tried with the set/p but i thing that there are problem with char controll.

I not have enought experince for this. A little more help is necessary.

einstein1969

[aGerman]

Since you can't force BF to output characterwise you have to buffer the output stream somewhere. Either in a file or in the calling Batch file (and call vt100emulator.cmd once for each character) or even in the called Batch file as shown above.

Regards
aGerman

[einstein1969]

Since you can't force BF to output characterwise you have to buffer the output stream somewhere. Either in a file or in the calling Batch file (and call vt100emulator.cmd once for each character) or even in the called Batch file as shown above.

Regards
aGerman

This seem work ( partially... )
this get unbuffered
vt100.cmd:

Code: Select all

@echo off &setlocal 

 for /L %%i in (1,1,500) do ( 
  set "ln="
  set/p"ln=" 
  if defined ln ( 
     set /p ".=!ln!" <nul 
  ) else set /p ".=N/D" <nul 
 )

I have tried

Code: Select all

bf triangle.bf -s | cmd /von /u /q /c "vt100" 

and

Code: Select all

bf triangle.bf -s | cmd /von /u /q /c "vt100" | find /v "" |findstr .

and this (get one line at time but the output is better)

Code: Select all

bf triangle.bf -s | find/v "" | cmd /von /u /q /c "vt100" | find /v "" |findstr .

But i don't know what happen...

the output is safe? How can test if good?

PS: the "bf" used is the version 3 of dbenham with silent switch.

einstein1969

[Aacini]

Ok. I wrote a quick-and-dirty VT100 emulator in assembly language just as a proof of concept. After the output of TowerOfHanoi.b appear at the right positions (the four lines I have, at least) I was surprised of how easy is to create complex output with this method, so I couldn't resist the temptation to add color settings in the emulator and renamed it AnsiSys.exe. The result is amazing!

I prepared the following text file called Ansi2.txt with Ansi sequences, it have an ESC character (Ascii 27) before each left bracket:

Code: Select all


     Foreground:   31    32     33     34      35     36     37
                  Red  Green  Yellow  Blue  Magenta  Cyan  White   Light: 1
     Ansi colors
                  Red  Green  Yellow  Blue  Magenta  Cyan  White   Light: 5
     Background:   41    42     43     44      45     46     47

... and the folowing Batch file called "Ansi Color Table.bat" that create a table of text color combinations using Ansi escape sequences:

EDIT 2014/11/09: I fixed a small bug in the AnsiSys.exe program that changed to black a non-given attribute, so the default colors set by COLOR command are not preserved.

Code: Select all

@echo off
setlocal EnableDelayedExpansion

if not exist AnsiSys.exe (
   echo Extracting AnsiSys.exe
   call :ExtractBinaryFile AnsiSys.exe
   echo AnsiSys.exe file created
   echo/
   echo Execute: %0 ^| AnsiSys.exe
   goto :EOF
)

rem Create an Ansi table of the 256 foreground/background color combinations

rem The next variable must have an Ascii ESC (27) between the equal-sign and the left braquet
set "CSI=["

echo/
echo                     Ansi color table of console text colors
echo/
echo                                        ^| -^> Foreground light colors, add: ;1
echo                                        ^|
for /L %%b in (40,1,47) do (
   set "line=%CSI%%%b;30m%%b30"
   for /L %%f in (31,1,37) do set "line=!line!%CSI%%%b;%%fm %%b%%f"
   for /L %%f in (30,1,37) do set "line=!line!%CSI%%%b;%%f;1m %%b%%f"
   echo !line!
)
echo/
for /L %%b in (40,1,47) do (
   set "line=%CSI%%%b;5;30m%%b30"
   for /L %%f in (31,1,37) do set "line=!line!%CSI%%%b;5;%%fm %%b%%f"
   for /L %%f in (30,1,37) do set "line=!line!%CSI%%%b;5;%%f;1m %%b%%f"
   echo !line!
)
echo/
echo %CSI%mLast 8 lines background light colors, add: ;5
goto :EOF


rem Extract Binary File from hexadecimal digits placed in a "resource" in this .bat file

:ExtractBinaryFile filename.ext[.cab]
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

rem Modified code based on :genchr subroutine
type nul > t.tmp
(for /F "usebackq" %%a in ("%~1.hex") do (
   set input=%%a
   set i=0
   for /L %%I in (0,2,120) do for %%i in (!i!) do if "!input:~%%i,1!" neq "" (
      set hex=!input:~%%i,2!
      set /A i+=2
      if "!hex:~0,1!" neq "[" (
         set /A chr=0x!hex!
         if not exist !chr!.chr call :genchr !chr!
         type !chr!.chr
      ) else (
         for /L %%J in (1,1,5) do for %%i in (!i!) do if "!input:~%%i,1!" neq "]" (
            set "hex=!hex!!input:~%%i,1!"
            set /A i+=1
         )
         if not exist 0.chr call :genchr 0
         for /L %%J in (1,1,!hex:~1!) do type 0.chr
         set /A i+=1
      )
   )
)) > "%~1"
del *.chr
del t.tmp temp.tmp
del "%~1.hex"

rem Expand created file if extension is .cab
set "filename=%~1"
if /I "%filename:~-4%" equ ".cab" (
   expand "%filename%" "%filename:~0,-4%" > NUL
   del "%filename%"
)

exit /B


:genchr
REM This code creates one single byte. Parameter: int
REM Teamwork of carlos, penpen, aGerman, dbenham
REM Tested under Win2000, XP, Win7, Win8
set "options=/d compress=off /d reserveperdatablocksize=26"
if %~1 neq 26 (
   makecab %options% /d reserveperfoldersize=%~1 t.tmp %~1.chr > nul
   type %~1.chr | ( (for /l %%N in (1,1,38) do pause)>nul & findstr "^" > temp.tmp )
   >nul copy /y temp.tmp /a %~1.chr /b
) else (
   copy /y nul + nul /a 26.chr /a >nul
)
exit /B


<resource id="AnsiSys.exe">
4d5a900003[3]04[3]ffff[2]b8[7]40[35]c0[3]0e1fba0e00b409cd21b8014ccd21546869732070726f6772616d2063616e6e6f74206265207275
6e20696e20444f53206d6f64652e0d0d0a24[7]5159150315387b5015387b5015387b509b2768501b387b50e918695017387b505269636815387b50
[24]5045[2]4c010300a64dcf53[8]e0000f010b01050c0006[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]2c20[2]3c[84]20[2]2c[27]2e74657874[3]1405[3]10[3]06[3]04[14]20[2]602e7264617461[2]5201[3]20[3]02[3]0a
[14]40[2]402e64617461[3]5001[3]30[3]02[3]0c[14]40[2]c0[464]558bec83c4e86af5e8dd04[2]a32c3040008d45ea50ff352c304000e8c304
[2]668b45f266a334304000fce87f04[2]e89e04[2]803e007429668b06662d30303c0976082c073c0f76022c1f86c43c0976082c073c0f76022c1f
d51066a3343040006a0168433140006a00ff152420400083c40c660bc00f842f01[2]803d433140001b75536a0168433140006a00ff152420400083
c40c803d433140005b75c133c048a33e3140008d3d3e314000e8ff[3]aa80fc3b74f58ac48d3d00304000b908[3]8bd9f2ae75952bd94bff149d0830
4000eb89803d433140000a743d833d30304000ff75178d45ea50ff352c304000e8e803[2]8b45eea3303040006a0168433140006a01ff151c204000
83c40cff0536304000e943ffffff833d363040[2]744066833d343040000774368d3d3a30400066a1343040008b0d36304000f366ab6844314000ff
3530304000ff3536304000683a304000ff352c304000e88c03[2]33c0a33630400048a330304000c605433140000d6a0168433140006a01ff151c20
400083c40cc605433140000a6a0168433140006a01ff151c20400083c40ce9b6feffff6a00e82903[2]32ff6a0168433140006a00ff152420400083
c40ca0433140003c30726d3c3977692c308af86a0168433140006a00ff152420400083c40ca0433140003c30724a3c3977462c308ae7d50a8af86a01
68433140006a00ff152420400083c40ca0433140003c3072233c39771f2c308ae7d50a8af86a0168433140006a00ff152420400083c40ca043314000
8ae786c4c3803d3e31400002751b6828304000ff152020400083c40433c0a33630400048a330304000c3e8eb01[2]a03e314000fec80fb6d8c1e310
a03f314000fec8660fb6d853ff352c304000e85e02[2]c3e8c101[2]668b1d343040008d353e314000ac3cff747b3c007504b307ebf33c01750580cb
08ebea3c05750580cb80ebe13c1e72dd3c2577272c1e3c017504b004eb163c037504b006eb0e3c047504b001eb063c067502b00380e3f80ad8ebb23c
2872ae3c2f77aa2c283c017504b004eb163c037504b006eb0e3c047504b001eb063c067502b00380e38fc0e0040ad8eb8066891d34304000c3558bec
83c4e8e82101[2]8d45ea50ff352c304000e89d01[2]668b45f0660fbe1d3e3140006683fbff750366f7db662bc37c13668945f08b5dee53ff352c30
4000e87c01[2]c9c3558bec83c4e8e8d8[3]8d45ea50ff352c304000e85401[2]668b45f0660fbe1d3e3140006683fbff750366f7db6603c3663b45
ec7f13668945f08b5dee53ff352c304000e82f01[2]c9c3558bec83c4e8e88b[3]8d45ea50ff352c304000e80701[2]668b45ee660fbe1d3e314000
6683fbff750366f7db662bc37c13668945ee8b5dee53ff352c304000e8e6[3]c9c3558bec83c4e8e842[3]8d45ea50ff352c304000e8be[3]668b45
ee660fbe1d3e3140006683fbff750366f7db6603c3663b45ea7f13668945ee8b5dee53ff352c304000e899[3]c9c3833d363040[2]744066833d3430
40000774368d3d3a30400066a1343040008b0d36304000f366ab6844314000ff3530304000ff3536304000683a304000ff352c304000e854[3]33c0
a33630400048a330304000c3e847[3]8bf08a06463c2275098a06463c2275f9eb0c8a06463c20740484c075f54ec38a06463c2074f94ec3ccff2500
204000ff2504204000ff2508204000ff250c204000ff2510204000ff2514204000ff2524204000ff251c204000ff25202040[237]9420[2]a220[2]
c020[2]d020[2]ec20[2]0a21[6]3221[2]3c21[2]2a21[6]6820[10]1c21[3]20[2]8420[10]4621[2]1c20[22]9420[2]a220[2]c020[2]d020[2]
ec20[2]0a21[6]3221[2]3c21[2]2a21[6]9b004578697450726f6365737300f500476574436f6e736f6c6553637265656e427566666572496e666f
[2]6a0147657453746448616e646c65[2]6d02536574436f6e736f6c65437572736f72506f736974696f6e[2]f2025772697465436f6e736f6c654f
757470757441747472696275746500e600476574436f6d6d616e644c696e6541006b65726e656c33322e646c6c[2]73015f7265616400f8015f7772
697465[2]b00273797374656d[2]6d73766372742e646c6c[176]48664a6d41424344691240006912400044124000931240002d134000761340000c
144000c3134000434c53[5]ffffffff07[269]ff[189]
</resource>

Note that previous file also create the AnsiSys.exe program. Below is the result of execute this line:

Code: Select all

( type Ansi2.txt & "Ansi Color Table.bat" ) | AnsiSys.exe

The use of Ansi sequences is particularly useful for Batch files, because it is very easy to add colors at different screen positions. For example, the next file is called AnsiDir.bat:

Code: Select all

@echo off
setlocal EnableDelayedExpansion

rem AnsiDir.bat: show DIR output in different colors
rem Antonio Perez Ayala

rem Define the Ansi colors used in the parameters
set "CSI=["
set "Gray=%CSI%40;5;37;1m"
set color=40
for %%a in (Red Green Yellow Blue Magenta Cyan White) do (
   set /A color+=1
   set "%%a=%CSI%!color!;5;37;1m"
)

set "dirArgs="
:nextArg
   set "arg=%~1"
   if "%arg:~0,1%" equ "." goto nextColor
   set "dirArgs=%dirArgs% %arg%"
   shift
if "%~1" neq "" goto nextArg
goto continue

:nextColor
   set "color[%~1]=!%~2!"
   shift & shift
if "%~1" neq "" goto nextColor

:continue
(for /F "tokens=1* delims=:" %%a in ('dir %dirArgs% ^| findstr /N "^"') do (
   set "line=%%b"
   set "ext=!line:~-4!"
   if not defined color[!ext!] (
      echo/!line!
   ) else (
      for %%e in (!ext!) do echo !color[%%e]!!line!%CSI%m
   )
)) > AnsiDir.txt

AnsiSys.exe < AnsiDir.txt
del AnsiDir.txt

Previous Batch file take in the first parameters the ones that will be passed to a DIR command, and in the last parameters a list of ".ext=color" pairs; the possible colors are: Gray, Red, Green, Yellow, Blue, Magenta, Cyan and White. For example, below is a comparison of "dir Ansi*.*" command vs. "AnsiDir Ansi*.* .asm=Red .exe=Blue .txt=Gray" when executed in my computer:



I then added an initial color attribute to AnsiSys.exe program that may be useful to display any text, with no Ansi escape sequences, in a given color. For example, to view if a file have spaces after the last visible character in each line, just use: "AnsiSys.exe 1F < anyFile.txt", or to implement the frequently-requested feature of differentiate lines sent to Stderr from normal Stdout lines, use "anyCommand 2>&1 1>&3 | AnsiSys.exe attrib". As exampe of this feature, we use this "Ansi Error.bat" file that send a couple lines to Stderr:

Code: Select all

@echo off
echo This line to Stdout
ping -n 2 -w 1 localhost > NUL
echo THIS LINE IS AN ERROR! >&2
ping -n 2 -w 1 localhost > NUL
echo This line is normal
ping -n 2 -w 1 localhost > NUL
echo Another line to Stderr >&2
ping -n 2 -w 1 localhost > NUL
echo The last normal line

... and run it this way:

Code: Select all

"Ansi Error.bat" 2>&1 1>&3 | AnsiSys.exe 4E

IMPORTANT: The version of AnsiSys.exe program included here have not any error checking, so the program output will be wrong if the screen scrolls without a new Ansi escape sequence or end of line, and the program will crash if there are more than 128 characters without a new Ansi escape sequence or end of line.

Enjoy!

Antonio

PS - I have not steam enough to check if the ESCape character (Ascii 27) used in CSI variable may be correctly copied when it is copy-pasted from this site. If not, I'll appreciate it if someone post the right method to generate the ESC.

[foxidrive]

It looks very good Antonio.

The first scripts work as designed, the colour is great!
The escape character is copied just fine from the web page too.

The last script however has the goto continue but it doesn't have a :continue label and it's too late for me to try debugging it here.

[Aacini]

It looks very good Antonio.

The first scripts work as designed, the colour is great!
The escape character is copied just fine from the web page too.

The last script however has the goto continue but it doesn't have a :continue label and it's too late for me to try debugging it here.

Oops! Fixed it!

[foxidrive]

Thanks Antonio.

For other readers, note that the last script can be saved as Ansidir.bat and it works like this:

Code: Select all

Ansidir ansi* .exe=red .bat=blue

Which colours the lines in the dir listing for the ansi* filespec and makes .exe files red and .bat file blue.
You have to read the images to realise that and I posted this part so that you can copy and paste the command to try it.

Antonio, it would be useful if you you can also paste the code for the bottom image into your posts
so people can save it to remind themselves later how it works, without needing to type it all in without typos.

Thanks for your fine work.

[Aacini]

Thanks Antonio.

For other readers, note that the last script can be saved as Ansidir.bat and it works like this:

Code: Select all

Ansidir ansi* .exe=red .bat=blue

Which colours the lines in the dir listing for the ansi* filespec and makes .exe files red and .bat file blue.
You have to read the images to realise that and I posted this part so that you can copy and paste the command to try it.

Antonio, it would be useful if you you can also paste the code for the bottom image into your posts
so people can save it to remind themselves later how it works, without needing to type it all in without typos.

Thanks for your fine work.

Thank you for your suggestions, foxi; I completed this and other similar modifications in the original post.


This is the file "Ansi USA Flag.txt":

Code: Select all

                                                              
  *   *   *   *   *   *  ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄
    *   *   *   *   *    █████████████████████████████████████
  *   *   *   *   *   *                                       
    *   *   *   *   *    ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄
  *   *   *   *   *   *  █████████████████████████████████████
    *   *   *   *   *                                         
  *   *   *   *   *   *  ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄
    *   *   *   *   *    █████████████████████████████████████
  *   *   *   *   *   *                                       
▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄
██████████████████████████████████████████████████████████████
                                                              
▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄
██████████████████████████████████████████████████████████████
                                                              
▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄
██████████████████████████████████████████████████████████████
                                                              
▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄

... and below is the result when it is displayed in the screen this way:

Code: Select all

type "Ansi USA Flag.txt" | AnsiSys.exe

When I created "Ansi USA Flag.txt" in Notepad, taken it from a screen copy of the output of my USA Flag.bat program, the first time that I saved the file Notepad said that it have non-Ansi characters, so it needs to be saved as Unicode. When I tried to show it this way: AnsiSys.exe < "Ansi USA Flag.txt" it does not dispay correctly, so I need to try with type "Ansi USA Flag.txt" | AnsiSys.exe. This means that TYPE not just convert an Unicode file to Ascii, but it also convert the extended characters beyond 256 that have some representation in the current code page! I don't know if this point had been discussed before...

Antonio

[foxidrive]

I had a couple of glitches here. Windows 8.1 32 bit

I use the Consolas font in my cmd prompt.




This flag was after editing the file in notepad to add an esc to the very first character which I missed in copy/paste.
When I copied the whole text again and tried it, the output is very similar but has rows of ??????????????? through it.

[dbenham]

Great start to a great utility Antonio. It's already extremely useful. I've wanted something like ansisys.com for 64 bit Windows for a long time.


Dave Benham

[einstein1969]

Nice work Antonio!

If you need to debug you can use this

I have probed but there are some problem on some lines and the color should be adjusted



I have tried some years ago on ubuntu this is a snapshot of an user that developed a color adjust.



OT
For the vt100 emulator (in real time, not file input) have you some suggestion?
/OT

einstein1969