Console Control Strings

A library of cross-platform tested terminal/console command strings for doing things like color and cursor positioning. This is a subset of both ansi and vt100. All control codes included work on both Windows & Unix-like OSes, except where noted.

Usage

var consoleControl = require('console-control-strings')

console.log(consoleControl.color('blue','bgRed', 'bold') + 'hi there' + consoleControl.color('reset'))
process.stdout.write(consoleControl.goto(75, 10))

Why Another?

There are tons of libraries similar to this one. I wanted one that was:

1. Very clear about compatibility goals.
2. Could emit, for instance, a start color code without an end one.
3. Returned strings w/o writing to streams.
4. Was not weighed down with other unrelated baggage.

Functions

var code = consoleControl.up(num = 1)

Returns the escape sequence to move num lines up.

var code = consoleControl.down(num = 1)

Returns the escape sequence to move num lines down.

var code = consoleControl.forward(num = 1)

Returns the escape sequence to move num lines righ.

var code = consoleControl.back(num = 1)

Returns the escape sequence to move num lines left.

var code = consoleControl.nextLine(num = 1)

Returns the escape sequence to move num lines down and to the beginning of the line.

var code = consoleControl.previousLine(num = 1)

Returns the escape sequence to move num lines up and to the beginning of the line.

var code = consoleControl.eraseData()

Returns the escape sequence to erase everything from the current cursor position to the bottom right of the screen. This is line based, so it erases the remainder of the current line and all following lines.

var code = consoleControl.eraseLine()

Returns the escape sequence to erase to the end of the current line.

var code = consoleControl.goto(x, y)

Returns the escape sequence to move the cursor to the designated position. Note that the origin is 1, 1 not 0, 0.

var code = consoleControl.gotoSOL()

Returns the escape sequence to move the cursor to the beginning of the current line. (That is, it returns a carriage return, \r.)

var code = consoleControl.beep()

Returns the escape sequence to cause the termianl to beep. (That is, it returns unicode character \x0007, a Control-G.)

var code = consoleControl.hideCursor()

Returns the escape sequence to hide the cursor.

var code = consoleControl.showCursor()

Returns the escape sequence to show the cursor.

var code = consoleControl.color(colors = [])

var code = consoleControl.color(color1, color2, …, colorn)

Returns the escape sequence to set the current terminal display attributes (mostly colors). Arguments can either be a list of attributes or an array of attributes. The difference between passing in an array or list of colors and calling .color separately for each one, is that in the former case a single escape sequence will be produced where as in the latter each change will have its own distinct escape sequence. Each attribute can be one of:

• Reset:
  • reset – Reset all attributes to the terminal default.
• Styles:
  • bold – Display text as bold. In some terminals this means using a bold font, in others this means changing the color. In some it means both.
  • italic – Display text as italic. This is not available in most Windows terminals.
  • underline – Underline text. This is not available in most Windows Terminals.
  • inverse – Invert the foreground and background colors.
  • stopBold – Do not display text as bold.
  • stopItalic – Do not display text as italic.
  • stopUnderline – Do not underline text.
  • stopInverse – Do not invert foreground and background.
• Colors:
  • white
  • black
  • blue
  • cyan
  • green
  • magenta
  • red
  • yellow
  • grey / brightBlack
  • brightRed
  • brightGreen
  • brightYellow
  • brightBlue
  • brightMagenta
  • brightCyan
  • brightWhite
• Background Colors:
  • bgWhite
  • bgBlack
  • bgBlue
  • bgCyan
  • bgGreen
  • bgMagenta
  • bgRed
  • bgYellow
  • bgGrey / bgBrightBlack
  • bgBrightRed
  • bgBrightGreen
  • bgBrightYellow
  • bgBrightBlue
  • bgBrightMagenta
  • bgBrightCyan
  • bgBrightWhite