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creating a command line?

Started by Drizzt DoUrden Feb 28, 2008 at 9:13 PM 5 replies 2.1k views

Original Post

Feb 28, 2008 at 9:13 PM

I'm trying to figure out how to implement a program with a command line interface, sort of like old style DOS programs. What I need from this program goes beyond Windows PowerShell (I believe, unless there is some custimization I am unaware of). I need color codes - different color symbols, blinking symbols, highlighted backgrounds. What I need is more like the BIOS user interface. Yet I still need this to be text based. I've been doing some searches but my results are very far from what I am trying to achieve, which leads me to believe I need to find some new vocab to describe my query ;) Can anyone provide me with some information/articles/links regarding the creation of a command line ?

Drizzt DoUrden

Feb 28, 2008 at 10:42 PM

Some things I have found to clarify what I am asking:

Text terminals on Wikipedia

It looks like an implementation of what I might be trying to do could be achieved by using a .txt file that is constantly being read and written through streams

System consoles

"text entry and display" sound right up my alley here.

Bump

Hollower

Feb 28, 2008 at 11:38 PM

I checked your post history to see what languages you are familiar with, and I saw Python. In that case you'll want to read Curses Programming with Python.

edit: changed link to the version at the official Python site

Oluseyi

Feb 28, 2008 at 11:41 PM

You want something like ncurses. Alternatively, you can implement most of what you mentioned using the Win32 console APIs.

Trapper Zoid

Feb 28, 2008 at 11:49 PM

I'm seconding curses; I'm currently learning Python by playing around with its curses module, and it's got everything you need to make text-based interfaces. curses is used in several rogue-likes, so it's probably what you're looking for.

SiCrane

Feb 29, 2008 at 7:23 AM

Of course, Python's curses module doesn't work on default windows installs.

Hollower

Feb 29, 2008 at 7:14 PM

Quote:
Original post by SiCrane
Of course, Python's curses module doesn't work on default windows installs.

Oops, my bad. I was not aware of this.

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