ConsoleTextFormat 1.3.0

dotnet add package ConsoleTextFormat --version 1.3.0                
NuGet\Install-Package ConsoleTextFormat -Version 1.3.0                
This command is intended to be used within the Package Manager Console in Visual Studio, as it uses the NuGet module's version of Install-Package.
<PackageReference Include="ConsoleTextFormat" Version="1.3.0" />                
For projects that support PackageReference, copy this XML node into the project file to reference the package.
paket add ConsoleTextFormat --version 1.3.0                
#r "nuget: ConsoleTextFormat, 1.3.0"                
#r directive can be used in F# Interactive and Polyglot Notebooks. Copy this into the interactive tool or source code of the script to reference the package.
// Install ConsoleTextFormat as a Cake Addin
#addin nuget:?package=ConsoleTextFormat&version=1.3.0

// Install ConsoleTextFormat as a Cake Tool
#tool nuget:?package=ConsoleTextFormat&version=1.3.0                

ConsoleTextFormat

Summary

A simple static class library facilitating .NET Console app text formatting in Console.Write() and Console.WriteLine() statements without explicitly using escape codes.

About

Whilst there are same Console class methods for setting text and background colors, there are no methods for setting text attributes such as bold, underline, etc. This library provides a simple way to do this. This library enables inline code (that is, with in a string) to change text format when writing to the console using Console.Write() and Console.WriteLine() methods.

The class entities have been made a cryptic as possible whilst maintaining interpretation upon inspection. The strings so used are not escaped, but are interpreted by the library.

String Interpolation is used to embed the format strings in the text to be written to the console.

The format strings are at 2 levels.

  • Quite explicit e.g. {Fmt.fg(Fmt.Col.yellow)}
  • Cryptic e.g. {F.fgYel}

Both of the code segments above will produce the same result. The cryptic version requires the using statements as in the following code to alias the class names.

Example Console Code

using B = ConsoleTextFormat.Fmt.Bold;
using F = ConsoleTextFormat.Fmt;
namespace ConsoleApp9
{
    using System;
    using ConsoleTextFormat;

    internal class Program
    {

        enum Animals { fox,cat,dog,zebra,lion,tiger, rat, bird, butterfly,fish, stingray,snake }
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {


            Layout.Heading("Hello, World!",Fmt.Col.yellow, Fmt.Col.blue);
            Layout.RainbowHeading("Hello, World!", Fmt.Col.yellow);
            Layout.Info("This is a topic:", "Information");
            Console.WriteLine($"{Fmt.bg(Fmt.Col.white)}Hello, {Fmt.b}World!{Fmt._b}{Fmt.clear}");
            Console.WriteLine($"{Fmt.fg(Fmt.Col.yellow)}Hello, {Fmt.b}World!{Fmt._b}{Fmt.clear}");
            Console.WriteLine($"{Fmt.fg(Fmt.Col.blue)}Hello, {Fmt.clear}World!");
            Console.WriteLine($"{B.fgRed}{B.bgCya}Hello, {Fmt.clear}World!");
            Console.WriteLine($"{F.fgRed}{F.bgCya}Hello, {Fmt.clear}World!");

            var lst = Layout.GenerateEnumMenuList<Animals>();
            foreach (var item in lst)
            {
                Console.WriteLine(item);
            }
            char ch = Layout.Prompt4Ch("Hello Joe", '2', new List<char> { '1', '2' });
            Console.WriteLine($"{ch} selected");
            int menuResp = Layout.Prompt4Num(2, 4, true);
            if (menuResp < 0)
                return; //Quit
            menuResp = Layout.Prompt4Num(2, 12, true);
            if (menuResp < 0)
                return; //Quit
            bool quit = false;
            //fish is hidden so won't show in next menu.
            Layout.AddHideMenuItems("fish");
            Animals vv = Layout.SelectEnum<Animals>(2, ref quit, true);
            if (quit)
                return;
            Console.WriteLine($"Selected: {vv}");
            Layout.Press2Continue();
            Layout.Press2Continue("Wait for completion");
            Layout.Press2Continue("","when ready.");
            Layout.Press2Continue("Wait for completion", "when ready.");
            var col = ConColors.SelevctaConsoleColor();
            var rgb = ConColors.GetRGBfromConsoleColor(col);
            Console.WriteLine($"{rgb.Item1},{rgb.Item2},{rgb.Item3}");
        }
    }
}

Image of running app
Console app output

Updates

  • 2024-09-07: Added Fmt.Heading() and Fmt.RainbowHeading() methods to format text as headings.
  • 2024-09-07: Added Fmt.Info(topic,info) method.
  • 2024-09-13: Added Press2Con "Press any key to continue" method. Optional messages to pre and post pend. Also, Info() 2nd parameter IS optional.
  • 2024-09-13: Added Prompt() added. As per Info() but no newline. Heading clears screen. And '_' in heading to blank.
  • 2024-11-06: Added HideMenu Items to Layout. So items on end of enum list can not appear in menu.
    Layout.AddHideMenuItems("MaxType");
    Layout.AddHideMenuItems("Undefined");
    Testtype = Layout.SelectEnum<ConsoleTestType>((int)Testtype + 1, ref quit, true);
    Layout.ClearHideMenuItems();
  • 2024-11-07: Added ConColors class:
    public static class ConColors
    {
        /// Menu to select a ConsoleColor
        public static ConsoleColor SelevctaConsoleColor()

        /// Menu to select a ConsoleColor and return the RGB values
        public static Tuple<byte, byte, byte> SelectRGB()

        /// Get RGB values from a ConsoleColor
        public static Tuple<byte, byte, byte> GetRGBfromConsoleColor(ConsoleColor col)

        /// Get a ConsoleColor from RGB values          
        public static ConsoleColor GetConsoleColorFromRGB(byte r, byte g, byte b)

    }
  • 2024-11-08 Bug Fix: DarkYellow returns (0,0,0) Reason: No DarkYellow in Color wheras is in ConsoleColors. Set to (139,128,0)
Product Compatible and additional computed target framework versions.
.NET net8.0 is compatible.  net8.0-android was computed.  net8.0-browser was computed.  net8.0-ios was computed.  net8.0-maccatalyst was computed.  net8.0-macos was computed.  net8.0-tvos was computed.  net8.0-windows was computed. 
Compatible target framework(s)
Included target framework(s) (in package)
Learn more about Target Frameworks and .NET Standard.
  • net8.0

    • No dependencies.

NuGet packages

This package is not used by any NuGet packages.

GitHub repositories

This package is not used by any popular GitHub repositories.

Version Downloads Last updated
1.3.0 67 12/22/2024
1.2.9 61 12/22/2024
1.2.8 61 12/22/2024
1.2.7 68 12/22/2024
1.2.6 79 12/16/2024
1.2.5 68 12/16/2024
1.2.4 72 12/15/2024
1.2.3 85 11/7/2024
1.2.1 82 11/7/2024
1.1.7 79 11/6/2024
1.1.0 83 10/17/2024
1.0.5 81 11/6/2024
1.0.4 96 10/13/2024
1.0.3.8 89 10/13/2024
1.0.3.7 101 10/13/2024
1.0.3.6 92 10/13/2024
1.0.3.5 98 10/13/2024
1.0.3.4 84 10/13/2024
1.0.3.2 93 10/11/2024
1.0.3 92 10/11/2024
1.0.2 103 10/10/2024
1.0.1 92 10/10/2024
1.0.0 88 10/10/2024

Added PromptWithDictionaryList() where key is returned rather than menu no.