• ANSI Ad

    From IB Joe@1:396/4 to All on Tuesday, March 08, 2022 20:30:33
    From: nospam.IB.Joe@f200.n342.z1.fidonet.org (IB Joe)

    I have a question, g00r00 can answer, or anyone for that matter... Is there any
    reason why in the year 2022 other BBSes cannot support ANSI in the message bases/readers. Mystic handles ANSI in the message areas fine, it displays as should be when reading the messages. Whereas if you post a message with ANSI in it, like an Ad, other systems choke on the message.

    Is it that difficult to code the message readers to handle ANSI in the messages?? Not Mystic of course, it deals with it!!

    IB Joe
    AKA Joe Schweier
    SysOp of Joe's BBS
    -=JoesBBS.com=-

    .... A .GIF is worth a thousand .TXT.

    --- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2
    * Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4)
  • From IB Joe@1:396/4 to All on Wednesday, March 09, 2022 00:06:45
    From: nospam.IB.Joe@f200.n342.z1.fidonet.org (IB Joe)

    On 08 Mar 2022, Jay Harris said the following...

    On 08 Mar 2022, IB Joe said the following...

    I have a question, g00r00 can answer, or anyone for that matter... Is there any reason why in the year 2022 other BBSes cannot support ANSI the message bases/readers.

    Modern BBS packages support ANSI in the message bases. Even some
    "legacy" BBS packages support ANSI in the message bases (some with more success than others) while other BBS packages won't display ANSI at all (showing nothing but garbly goop).

    Since this is a federated network and we can't control who sees what on which system we tend to cater to the lowest common denominator.

    Some message networks allow ANSI in certain bases only (BBS ads for example) while others encourage adding an [ANSI] tag in the subject so those that can't display ANSI can skip those messages.


    Jay


    Interesting... I still run a copy of WINServer and any time I read ANSI on that
    BBS it's messed up, pushes the header up. Recently MRO, a Synchronet SysOp was
    complaining that there was a hidden clear screen code within my ANSI ad... This
    could explain the headers disappearing... I have finally had that come to Jesus
    moment with WINServer... May delete it forever... But Synchronet puzzles me So... Rob et. al. actively works on that project and you'd think that's where I
    wouldn't have an issue. I don't think about things, because Mystic handles this flawlessly...


    :) , thanx for your response ...

    IB Joe
    AKA Joe Schweier
    SysOp of Joe's BBS
    -=JoesBBS.com=-

    .... What do you mean, QWK? It took me over an hour to read!

    --- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2
    * Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4)
  • From Jay Harris@1:396/4 to All on Wednesday, March 09, 2022 01:30:47
    From: nospam.Jay.Harris@f664.n229.z1.fidonet.org (Jay Harris)

    On 08 Mar 2022, IB Joe said the following...

    I have a question, g00r00 can answer, or anyone for that matter... Is there any reason why in the year 2022 other BBSes cannot support ANSI in the message bases/readers.

    Modern BBS packages support ANSI in the message bases. Even some "legacy" BBS packages support ANSI in the message bases (some with more success than others)
    while other BBS packages won't display ANSI at all (showing nothing but garbly goop).

    Since this is a federated network and we can't control who sees what on which system we tend to cater to the lowest common denominator.

    Some message networks allow ANSI in certain bases only (BBS ads for example) while others encourage adding an [ANSI] tag in the subject so those that can't display ANSI can skip those messages.


    Jay

    .... By the time most of us have money to burn, our fire's gone out.

    --- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2
    * Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4)
  • From Jay Harris@1:396/4 to All on Wednesday, March 09, 2022 03:49:27
    From: nospam.Jay.Harris@f664.n229.z1.fidonet.org (Jay Harris)

    On 08 Mar 2022, g00r00 said the following...

    Some legacy software accidentally supports ANSI in messages because it spits out data to the terminal as its saved.

    Mystic renders everything server-side and in the case of the message reader it presents it to you in a scrollable reading window.

    I have a feeling Telegard may have fallen into the accidental category. It would split out ANSI and it sometimes looked ok, other times it would clear the
    screen and the terminal would beep over and over again while displaying a jumbled mess in fragments.

    Mystic does it much better! :)


    Jay

    .... Everybody is somebody else's weirdo.

    --- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2
    * Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4)
  • From g00r00@1:396/4 to All on Wednesday, March 09, 2022 03:06:48
    From: nospam.g00r00@f215.n129.z1.fidonet.org (g00r00)

    Modern BBS packages support ANSI in the message bases. Even some
    "legacy" BBS packages support ANSI in the message bases (some with more

    Some legacy software accidentally supports ANSI in messages because it spits out data to the terminal as its saved.

    Mystic renders everything server-side and in the case of the message reader it presents it to you in a scrollable reading window. You can even upload ANSI files directly into the editor and it renders properly right in the editor. You
    can also switch to a "TheDraw-like" draw mode.

    I don't think any other BBS has the same awareness/server-side imaging that Mystic does. Even offline readers don't. Its a feature that started in Mystic
    in the early 2000s and others just haven't found worth implementing, I guess?

    .... Fer sell cheep: BBS spel chekker. Wurks grate.

    --- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2
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  • From g00r00@1:396/4 to All on Wednesday, March 09, 2022 03:21:56
    From: nospam.g00r00@f215.n129.z1.fidonet.org (g00r00)

    I have a question, g00r00 can answer, or anyone for that matter... Is

    I think the way Mystic handles this is just something no one else has felt the need to support? I don't really have a reason why.

    .... Tech support is just a busy signal away

    --- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2
    * Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4)
  • From IB Joe@1:396/4 to All on Wednesday, March 09, 2022 11:43:53
    From: nospam.IB.Joe@f200.n342.z1.fidonet.org (IB Joe)

    On 08 Mar 2022, g00r00 said the following...

    I have a question, g00r00 can answer, or anyone for that matter... Is

    I think the way Mystic handles this is just something no one else has
    felt the need to support? I don't really have a reason why.


    This is what I was thinking all along.

    Keep up the good work!!

    IB Joe
    AKA Joe Schweier
    SysOp of Joe's BBS
    -=JoesBBS.com=-

    .... The dog ate my .REP packet

    --- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2
    * Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4)
  • From Rob Swindell@1:396/4 to All on Friday, March 25, 2022 19:49:23
    From: nospam.Rob.Swindell@f1.n770.z7695.fidonet.org (Rob Swindell)

    Re: Re: ANSI Ad
    By: IB Joe to Jay Harris on Tue Mar 08 2022 06:06 pm

    Synchronet puzzles me So... Rob et. al. actively works on that project and you'd think that's where I wouldn't have an issue. I don't think about things, because Mystic handles this flawlessly...

    So Mystic ignores or strips your clear-screen sequence (while Synchronet does not)? Please clarify what "handles flawlessly" means in this context.
    --
    digital man (rob)

    Sling Blade quote #21:
    Karl: Coffee makes me nervous when I drink it. Mmm.
    Norco, CA WX: 81.8 F, 28.0% humidity, 7 mph SE wind, 0.00 inches rain/24hrs
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  • From IB Joe@1:396/4 to All on Saturday, March 26, 2022 05:47:39
    From: nospam.IB.Joe@f200.n342.z1.fidonet.org (IB Joe)

    On 25 Mar 2022, Rob Swindell said the following...

    Re: Re: ANSI Ad
    By: IB Joe to Jay Harris on Tue Mar 08 2022 06:06 pm

    Synchronet puzzles me So... Rob et. al. actively works on that project you'd think that's where I wouldn't have an issue. I don't think about things, because Mystic handles this flawlessly...

    So Mystic ignores or strips your clear-screen sequence (while Synchronet does not)? Please clarify what "handles flawlessly" means in this
    context. --

    Sorry... if someone post an ad, or any message with ANSI in it, Mystic reads the message as it is posted and meant to be viewed. When Mystic reads a message with plain text or ANSI it displays both of them, the ANSI in the message has no affect to the reader.

    It seems though, with other BBS packages... Yours isn't the only one... The same happens with WINServer and other packages. If there is ANSI in the message it affects how the messages are displayed to the user.

    I post ANSI ads, as others do, and I never really thought too much about things
    because when I'm on my mystic system they display nicely... If I logon to a SynchroNET or my WINServer system the message is not displayed nicely... message header gets pushed up...

    You can see this anytime you want... Logon to any Mystic BBS and read BBS ads section... then go do that with your package and you'll see the difference.

    Rob, I'm just an end user and had questions as to why other systems weren't handling ANSI with their message readers like Mystic does.

    I didn't mean to come across the wrong way... I just had questions... I was half hoping that it was something to do with how messages are stored...

    Thanx

    IB Joe
    AKA Joe Schweier
    SysOp of Joe's BBS
    -=JoesBBS.com=-

    .... If a pig loses its voice, is it disgruntled?

    --- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2
    * Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4)
  • From Rob Swindell@1:396/4 to All on Saturday, March 26, 2022 19:37:11
    From: nospam.Rob.Swindell@f1.n770.z7702.fidonet.org (Rob Swindell)

    Re: Re: ANSI Ad
    By: IB Joe to Rob Swindell on Fri Mar 25 2022 10:47 pm

    On 25 Mar 2022, Rob Swindell said the following...

    Re: Re: ANSI Ad
    By: IB Joe to Jay Harris on Tue Mar 08 2022 06:06 pm

    Synchronet puzzles me So... Rob et. al. actively works on that project you'd think that's where I wouldn't have an issue. I don't think about things, because Mystic handles this flawlessly...

    So Mystic ignores or strips your clear-screen sequence (while Synchronet does not)? Please clarify what "handles flawlessly" means in this
    context. --

    Sorry... if someone post an ad, or any message with ANSI in it, Mystic reads the message as it is posted and meant to be viewed. When Mystic reads a message with plain text or ANSI it displays both of them, the ANSI in the message has no affect to the reader.

    Then what's the purpose of having the ANSI in the message if it has no affect? The whole point of ANSI is to affect the text output (give it color or cursor movement or other screen control, e.g. clearing the screen). That's what ANSI *is*: text/screen affects.

    It seems though, with other BBS packages... Yours isn't the only one... The same happens with WINServer and other packages. If there is ANSI in the message it affects how the messages are displayed to the user.

    Right. And how is that flawed exactly?

    I post ANSI ads, as others do, and I never really thought too much about things because when I'm on my mystic system they display nicely... If I logon to a SynchroNET or my WINServer system the message is not displayed nicely... message header gets pushed up...

    That depends on the message reader. Synchronet's default/built-in message reader uses a "scrolling" interface, so everthing, even plain text, can "push the header up". That's how a traditional terminal works. Other message readers for Synchronet could do other stuff to keep a message header visible at all times (e.g. my msglist module does), but they'd have to strip ANSI "clear screen" sequences to prevent them from actually clearing the screen and possibly strip ANSI cursor positioning sequences to keep the ANSI text from over-writing the message header.

    You can see this anytime you want... Logon to any Mystic BBS and read BBS ads section... then go do that with your package and you'll see the difference.

    It sounds like Mystic is not actually rendering your ANSI as you entered it, i.e. your clear-screen sequence isn't actually clearing the user's screen. I'd be curious to know how Mystic renders animated ANSI messages in that case.

    Rob, I'm just an end user and had questions as to why other systems weren't handling ANSI with their message readers like Mystic does.

    It sounds like Mystic does some preprocesing (or server-side rendering) of the embedded ANSI and then sending the rendered result to the user, not the ANSI as
    it was entered by the message's author.

    I didn't mean to come across the wrong way... I just had questions... I was half hoping that it was something to do with how messages are stored...

    I think the root issue was that the ANSI that was posted to a message network was not examined closely or tested first to understand its contents. It contained a "clear screen" sequence which was stripped/ignored by the environment in which it was tested (i.e. a/the Mystic message reader), so it went undetected. Even if a Synchronet message reader similarly stripped/ignored
    that clear screen sequence, that wouldn't help you with all the other BBS software out there that just sends ANSI sequences to the terminal user as-is, assuming that's what the author intended.
    --
    digital man (rob)

    Synchronet/BBS Terminology Definition #5:
    ATASCII = ATARI Standard Code for Information Interchange
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  • From Rob Swindell@1:396/4 to All on Saturday, March 26, 2022 20:37:54
    From: nospam.Rob.Swindell@f1.n770.z7705.fidonet.org (Rob Swindell)

    Re: Re: ANSI Ad
    By: g00r00 to Rob Swindell on Sat Mar 26 2022 04:07 pm

    It sounds like Mystic is not actually rendering your ANSI as you entered it, i.e. your clear-screen sequence isn't actually clearing the user's screen.

    Mystic renders ANSI in message content in the context of the message viewport. In other words, Mystic knows that a clear screen in an uploaded ANSI message should clear only the message viewport not the entire user's terminal, and it acts accordingly.

    The same holds true for all ANSI commands, cursor movements, clear screen/lines, etc. They are rendered in the context of the message viewport, not the entire user's terminal.

    You can mix and match ANSI and text inline with the message editor that has TheDraw-like features, and Mystic will save and render it WYSIWYG in your message bases. This was something I originally did in the early 2000s so that people could co-create ANSI art within actual message bases and then download the completed ANSIs...

    But these days its mostly just a factor when people post ANSI BBS ads lol

    Mystic applies a similar methodology to ANSI file descriptions too when using things like FILE_ID.ANS.

    I just strip all but the minimal sequences from ANSI file descriptions. I could
    do something similar for ANSI in message bodies too, but I suppose someone might be wanting to post animated ANSIs and want them to display as intended.

    Anyway, thats why a clear screen in a traditional BBS will clear the entire screen but Mystic it only clears the "message viewport".

    Do you translate the ANSI clearing and cursor movement sequence to a different set of ANSI sequences or are you actually using the ANSI region definition sequences to define this "message viewport" and letting the terminal handle that?

    I'm curious how absolute cursor positioning works when the coordinates are outside of this "message viewport". Sounds like a lot of work and opportunity for wonkiness. :-)

    Hope that helps clear things up.

    Cool. So animated ANSIs actually display as intended (with the animation)? And you can scroll up and down the message too? That'd I'd like to see. :-)

    I'd up-vote your message, but... FidoNet. :-)
    --
    digital man (rob)

    This Is Spinal Tap quote #37:
    David St. Hubbins: We are Spinal Tap from the UK - you must be the USA!
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  • From g00r00@1:396/4 to All on Saturday, March 26, 2022 23:07:16
    From: nospam.g00r00@f215.n129.z1.fidonet.org (g00r00)

    It sounds like Mystic is not actually rendering your ANSI as you entered it, i.e. your clear-screen sequence isn't actually clearing the user's screen.

    Mystic renders ANSI in message content in the context of the message viewport. In other words, Mystic knows that a clear screen in an uploaded ANSI message should clear only the message viewport not the entire user's terminal, and it acts accordingly.

    The same holds true for all ANSI commands, cursor movements, clear screen/lines, etc. They are rendered in the context of the message viewport, not the entire user's terminal.

    You can mix and match ANSI and text inline with the message editor that has TheDraw-like features, and Mystic will save and render it WYSIWYG in your message bases. This was something I originally did in the early 2000s so that people could co-create ANSI art within actual message bases and then download the completed ANSIs...

    But these days its mostly just a factor when people post ANSI BBS ads lol

    Mystic applies a similar methodology to ANSI file descriptions too when using things like FILE_ID.ANS.

    Anyway, thats why a clear screen in a traditional BBS will clear the entire screen but Mystic it only clears the "message viewport".

    Hope that helps clear things up.

    --- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2
    * Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4)
  • From g00r00@1:396/4 to All on Monday, March 28, 2022 18:17:13
    From: nospam.g00r00@f215.n129.z1.fidonet.org (g00r00)

    I just strip all but the minimal sequences from ANSI file descriptions.
    I could do something similar for ANSI in message bodies too, but I
    suppose someone might be wanting to post animated ANSIs and want them to display as intended.

    That is a concern for sure. My take on that at the time was that there have probably been maybe 10 animated ANSIs worth viewing in the history of ANSI art and that modern buffering on TCP/IP and terminals could also make ANSImation inconsistant. I felt the benefits far outweighed the ANSImation issue.

    I do have an "undocumented" command that will do a raw message dump to the screen without any pre-processing which would allow ANSImation in those rare cases, but so far no one has ever brought this up.

    Do you translate the ANSI clearing and cursor movement sequence to a different set of ANSI sequences or are you actually using the ANSI
    region definition sequences to define this "message viewport" and
    letting the terminal handle that?

    I am adjusting it. So a 1;1H would translate to the top of the message view and not actually the first row and first column of the user's terminal, and then any cursor movements are offset like that as well.

    It doesn't use any terminal-based boundaries/scroll regions but the end result is about the same as if it did.

    I'm curious how absolute cursor positioning works when the coordinates
    are outside of this "message viewport". Sounds like a lot of work and opportunity for wonkiness. :-)

    It was a lot of work. At the time I was driven by some cooler ideas like the art collaboration through message bases. None of that was ever used though, so at the end of the day it is probably most noticed when someone posts an ANSI with a clear screen lol.

    I don't think the effort to build something like that is worth it if its just for that clear screen "use-case" (if you can call it that).

    .... Evil triumphs when good people do nothing. - Einstein

    --- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2
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  • From Rob Swindell@1:396/4 to All on Monday, March 28, 2022 19:13:35
    From: nospam.Rob.Swindell@f1.n770.z7724.fidonet.org (Rob Swindell)

    Re: Re: ANSI Ad
    By: g00r00 to Rob Swindell on Mon Mar 28 2022 11:17 am

    I just strip all but the minimal sequences from ANSI file descriptions. I could do something similar for ANSI in message bodies too, but I suppose someone might be wanting to post animated ANSIs and want them to display as intended.

    That is a concern for sure. My take on that at the time was that there have probably been maybe 10 animated ANSIs worth viewing in the history of ANSI art and that modern buffering on TCP/IP and terminals could also make ANSImation inconsistant. I felt the benefits far outweighed the ANSImation issue.

    Oh, I've seen some awesome animated ANSIs. I assume you've seen the Star Wars one (wasn't that ANSI?), but yeah, posting them to message bases has always been pretty uncommon. And with today's transfer rates, the result is usually not what was intended (especially those written back in the 2400-9600bps days).

    I do have an "undocumented" command that will do a raw message dump to the screen without any pre-processing which would allow ANSImation in those rare cases, but so far no one has ever brought this up.

    Do you translate the ANSI clearing and cursor movement sequence to a different set of ANSI sequences or are you actually using the ANSI region definition sequences to define this "message viewport" and letting the terminal handle that?

    I am adjusting it. So a 1;1H would translate to the top of the message view and not actually the first row and first column of the user's terminal, and then any cursor movements are offset like that as well.

    It doesn't use any terminal-based boundaries/scroll regions but the end result is about the same as if it did.

    Okay, I'm doing the same/similar in my msglist module. I just render the ANSI to a virtual CGA-style screen buffer and then send the relevant portions of that buffer to the user as they scroll the message body. So if there's any overwriting or clearing in the ANSI, they only get/see the final result. This discussion inspired that enhancement, so thanks to Joe!

    I'm curious how absolute cursor positioning works when the coordinates are outside of this "message viewport". Sounds like a lot of work and opportunity for wonkiness. :-)

    It was a lot of work. At the time I was driven by some cooler ideas like the art collaboration through message bases. None of that was ever used though, so at the end of the day it is probably most noticed when someone posts an ANSI with a clear screen lol.

    I don't think the effort to build something like that is worth it if its just for that clear screen "use-case" (if you can call it that).

    I see ANSIs BBS ads posted that use a lot of vertical cursor movement too. Not just screen clears.

    Filtering out the old "ANSI bombs" (keyboard remapping via ANSI.SYS) is a good idea too. Remember those?
    --
    digital man (rob)

    This Is Spinal Tap quote #44:
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  • From g00r00@1:396/4 to All on Monday, March 28, 2022 22:25:07
    From: nospam.g00r00@f215.n129.z1.fidonet.org (g00r00)

    Okay, I'm doing the same/similar in my msglist module. I just render the ANSI to a virtual CGA-style screen buffer and then send the relevant portions of that buffer to the user as they scroll the message body. So
    if there's any overwriting or clearing in the ANSI, they only get/see
    the final result. This discussion inspired that enhancement, so thanks
    to Joe!

    Cool stuff. Thats basically what Mystic does. It pre-processes everything and
    works along the lines of something like curses.

    I do the same thing for importing FILE_ID.ANS format which is something I made up at some point over the years...

    Mystic will render the ANSI to a local buffer to get the final result, and then
    convert that buffer into pipe codes internally before storing it (so that it shows as non-color to those who don't have it or full color for those that do using existing display system)...

    It can then easily be stripped of pipe codes for things like .TIC files, file list compilers or whatever else may be required to not have color/codes in them. And people who create the FILE_ID.ANS don't have to worry about stripping codes or doing really anything extra to make it work, it just shows up the same as it does when they save it in their ANSI editor.

    .... No one knows what's next, but everybody does it.

    --- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2
    * Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4)
  • From Rob Swindell@1:396/4 to All on Tuesday, March 29, 2022 01:30:06
    From: nospam.Rob.Swindell@f1.n770.z7731.fidonet.org (Rob Swindell)

    Re: Re: ANSI Ad
    By: g00r00 to Rob Swindell on Mon Mar 28 2022 03:25 pm

    Okay, I'm doing the same/similar in my msglist module. I just render the ANSI to a virtual CGA-style screen buffer and then send the relevant portions of that buffer to the user as they scroll the message body. So
    if there's any overwriting or clearing in the ANSI, they only get/see the final result. This discussion inspired that enhancement, so thanks to Joe!

    Cool stuff. Thats basically what Mystic does. It pre-processes everything and works along the lines of something like curses.

    Yeah, we've had this "graphic.js" library for a long time for doing that kind of stuff (ANSI viewers/editors, etc.) and I just needed to make proper use of it in my message lister/viewer.

    I do the same thing for importing FILE_ID.ANS format which is something I made up at some point over the years...

    Ah, I didn't know that. I priorize importing FILE_ID.ANS over .DIZ. I do wish that they'd stick to a reasonable maximum column width however. The Blocktronics artpacks have some pretty wide ones. Good for testing things with though.

    Mystic will render the ANSI to a local buffer to get the final result, and then convert that buffer into pipe codes internally before storing it (so that it shows as non-color to those who don't have it or full color for those that do using existing display system)...

    Yup, I do something very similar but with Ctrl-A codes. I really try not to store/use raw ANSI anywhere in Synchronet unless the sysop insists on it. :-)

    It can then easily be stripped of pipe codes for things like .TIC files, file list compilers or whatever else may be required to not have color/codes in them. And people who create the FILE_ID.ANS don't have to worry about stripping codes or doing really anything extra to make it work, it just shows up the same as it does when they save it in their ANSI editor.

    Hopefully. ANSI editors can do all kinds of crazy stuff with cursor positioning, etc., but yeah, for basic color/attribute control, the results should be the same. I hadn't yet thought about the stripping of color codes when hatching files. That's a good idea.
    --
    digital man (rob)

    Sling Blade quote #18:
    Karl Childers: Some folks call it Hell, I call it Hades.
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  • From IB Joe@1:396/4 to All on Tuesday, March 29, 2022 16:26:29
    From: nospam.IB.Joe@f200.n342.z1.fidonet.org (IB Joe)

    On 28 Mar 2022, Rob Swindell said the following...

    the final result. This discussion inspired that enhancement, so thanks
    to Joe!


    Rob, I love what you are doing for our community...

    <insert thumbs up emoji>

    IB Joe
    AKA Joe Schweier
    SysOp of Joe's BBS
    -=JoesBBS.com=-

    .... Error 3032 - Recursion error. See error 3032.

    --- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2
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  • From g00r00@1:396/4 to All on Tuesday, March 29, 2022 19:27:25
    From: nospam.g00r00@f215.n129.z1.fidonet.org (g00r00)

    Ah, I didn't know that. I priorize importing FILE_ID.ANS over .DIZ. I do wish that they'd stick to a reasonable maximum column width however. The Blocktronics artpacks have some pretty wide ones. Good for testing
    things with though.

    I was suggesting using a FILE_ID.ANS which was a 50 column limit (and Mystic will truncate lines at 50s) and a FILE_ID.NFO which allowed for a larger size.

    Yeah, we've had this "graphic.js" library

    Great, quick turn around time then to support it!

    Yup, I do something very similar but with Ctrl-A codes. I really try not to store/use raw ANSI anywhere in Synchronet unless the sysop insists on it. :-)

    I do the same! :)

    .... Do device drivers need a chauffeur's license?

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    * Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4)
  • From Craig Hendricks@1:396/4 to All on Sunday, April 17, 2022 15:51:36
    From: nospam.Craig.Hendricks@f1.n770.z1280.fidonet.org (Craig Hendricks)

    Re: Re: ANSI Ad
    By: Rob Swindell to g00r00 on Mon Mar 28 2022 12:13 pm

    Okay, I'm doing the same/similar in my msglist module. I just render the ANSI to a virtual CGA-style screen buffer and then send the relevant portions of that buffer to the user as they scroll the message body. So if there's any overwriting or clearing in the ANSI, they only get/see the final result. This discussion inspired that enhancement, so thanks to Joe!

    And the enhancement is working excellently. Using it here, and all messages containing ANSI look great now.
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    * Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4)