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| custom:ctrl-a_codes [2020/05/11 18:02] – [Control] Add mouse hot-spot related Ctrl-A codes digital man | custom:ctrl-a_codes [2024/05/25 16:00] (current) – [Attributes] Document new rainbow attribute code (Ctrl-AX) digital man |
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| ===== Use ===== | ===== Use ===== |
| Ctrl-A codes are 2-character sequences which begin with a Ctrl-A (ASCII 1) character (hence the name) and are followed by a single character (case insensitive) which determines the operation to be performed. The only exception to this 2-character sequence is the Ctrl-A''"//filename//'' code, which takes a filename as an argument and the filename is considered part of the sequence and not displayed. | Ctrl-A codes are 2-character sequences that begin with a Ctrl-A (ASCII 1) character (hence the name) followed by a single character (the operand) which determines the operation to be performed. The only exception to this 2-character sequence is the Ctrl-A''"//filename//'' code, which takes a filename as an argument and the filename is considered part of the sequence and not displayed. |
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| It can sometimes require a special purpose text editor to actually enter a Ctrl-A character into a text file. Some editors may require a special key sequence or use of a menu option to enter a Ctrl-A character into a file. The graphical representation of the character may be a happy face or any other non-alphanumeric symbol that the editor chooses to render to represent that character code. There are [[atcodes|@-Codes]] for the equivalent of many of the Ctrl-A codes, so may consider using them if they are more convenient for your text editor of choice. | It can sometimes require a special purpose text editor to actually enter a Ctrl-A character into a text file. Some editors may require a special key sequence or use of a menu option to enter an actual Ctrl-A character into a file. The graphical representation of the character may be a happy face (☺) or any other non-alphanumeric symbol that the editor chooses to render to represent that character code. There are [[atcodes|@-Codes]] for the equivalent of most Ctrl-A codes, so consider using them if they are more convenient for your text editor of choice. |
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| In the ''[[custom:text.dat]]'' and possibly some other files (e.g. [[JavaScript]] and [[:util:Baja]] source files), Ctrl-A characters may be included by using the escape sequence ''\1'' (or ''\x01'') rather than having to insert an actual control character into the file. | In the ''[[custom:text.dat]]'' and possibly some other files (e.g. [[JavaScript]] and [[:util:Baja]] source files), Ctrl-A characters may be included by using the escape sequence ''\1'' (or ''\x01'') rather than having to insert the actual control character into the file. |
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| The [[util:ANS2ASC]] utility may be used to convert files encoded with ANSI X3.64 terminal escape sequences (e.g. ''*.ans'') into Ctrl-A encoded output and the [[util:ASC2ANS]] utility can be used to perform the opposite operation (useful for editing Ctrl-A encoded files (e.g. ''*.msg'' or ''*.asc'') with an //[[resource:ansi editors|ANSI-BBS screen editor]]//). | The [[util:ANS2ASC]] utility may be used to convert files encoded with ANSI X3.64 terminal escape sequences (e.g. ''*.ans'') into Ctrl-A encoded output and the [[util:ASC2ANS]] utility can be used to perform the opposite operation (useful for editing Ctrl-A encoded files (e.g. ''*.msg'' or ''*.asc'') with an //[[resource:ansi editors|ANSI-BBS screen editor]]//). |
| The following table is a list of //Attribute Control// Ctrl-A codes, and a brief description of each code's usage: | The following table is a list of //Attribute Control// Ctrl-A codes, and a brief description of each code's usage: |
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| ^Attribute ^ Code ^Description ^ | ^Attribute ^ Code ^Description ^ |
| |Bright | ''H'' |High Intensity foreground | | |Bright | ''H'' |High Intensity foreground | |
| |Blink | ''I'' |Blinking (slow), when supported by the terminal | | |Blink | ''I'' |Blinking (slow), when supported by the terminal | |
| |Bright-Background | ''E'' |High intensity background (so-called iCE colors), when supported by the terminal (new in v3.17c) | | |Bright-Background | ''E'' |High intensity background (so-called iCE colors), when supported by the terminal (new in v3.17c) | |
| |Blink-Font | ''f'' |Set the //Blink// attribute **only** if a alternate [[config:fonts.ini|Blink-font]] has been activated in the terminal (new in v3.17) | | |Blink-Font | ''f'' |Set the //Blink// attribute **only** if a alternate [[config:fonts.ini|Blink-font]] has been activated in the terminal (new in v3.17) | |
| |High-Blink-Font | ''F'' |Set the //Blink// attribute **only** if a alternate [[config:fonts.ini|High-intensity Blink-font]] has been activated in the terminal (new in v3.17) | | |High-Blink-Font | ''F'' |Set the //Blink// attribute **only** if a alternate [[config:fonts.ini|High-intensity Blink-font]] has been activated in the terminal (new in v3.17) | |
| |Normal | ''N'' |No Special Attributes (Normal, e.g. light-gray) - resets both //High// and //Blink// attributes | | |Normal | ''N'' |No Special Attributes (Normal, e.g. light-gray) - resets both //High// and //Blink// attributes | |
| |Optimized Normal | ''-'' |Only changes to //normal// if High Intensity, Blinking, or Background attribute is set (or pop attributes if pushed)| | |Optimized Normal | ''-'' |Only changes to //normal// if High Intensity, Blinking, or Background attribute is set (or pop attributes if pushed)| |
| |Optimized Normal | ''_'' |Only changes to //normal// if the Blinking or Background attribute is set | | |Optimized Normal | ''_'' |Only changes to //normal// if the Blinking or Background attribute is set | |
| | |Rainbow, wrapped | ''X'' |Alternating attributes, wrapping the pattern for longer strings | |
| | |Rainbow | ''x'' |Alternating attributes, repeating the last attribute for longer strings | |
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| | ==== Rainbows ==== |
| | The rainbow attribute (Ctrl-AX or Ctrl-Ax code) enables an alternating attribute pattern that is configurable by the sysop in their ''[[dir:ctrl]]/[[config:attr.ini]]'' file or by using the ''RAINBOW'' [[custom:atcodes|@-code]]. |
| | * If you wish to start with an attribute offset from the beginning of the configured rainbow attribute pattern (i.e. don't start with the first attribute of the pattern), include multiple consecutive Ctrl-AX or Ctrl-Ax codes before the first text character that's to be colorized. |
| | * If you wish for the last rainbow attribute to be repeated (rather than wrapping back to the first attribute) when the end of the attribute pattern is reached, use Ctrl-Ax (lowercase ''x'') instead of Ctrl-AX |
| ==== High Intensity and Blink ==== | ==== High Intensity and Blink ==== |
| The //High Intensity// console attribute behaves as it does with ANSI terminals: that is, once enabled, the current color and any subsequent new colors will be rendered in their "high intensity" (bright) version. To revert to normal/dark colors, a //Normal// (or //Optimized Normal//) Ctrl-A code must be specified. The //Normal// attribute code will reset both the //High Intensity// and the current color - back to the default, "light gray". | The //High Intensity// console attribute behaves as it does with ANSI terminals: that is, once enabled, the current color and any subsequent new colors will be rendered in their "high intensity" (bright) version. To revert to normal/dark colors, a //Normal// (or //Optimized Normal//) Ctrl-A code must be specified. The //Normal// attribute code will reset both the //High Intensity// and the current color - back to the default, "light gray". |
