Terminaltexteffects
TerminalTextEffects (TTE) is a terminal visual effects engine, application, and Python library.
Install / Use
/learn @ChrisBuilds/TerminaltexteffectsREADME
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<img src="https://github.com/ChrisBuilds/terminaltexteffects/assets/57874186/66388e57-e95e-4619-b804-1d8d7ebd124f" alt="TTE" width="80" height="80">
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<h3 align="center">Terminal Text Effects</h3>
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Inline Visual Effects in the Terminal
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Table Of Contents
- About
- Requirements
- Installation
- Usage (Application)
- Usage (Library)
- Effect Showcase
- In-Development Preview
- Latest Release Notes
- License
TTE
TerminalTextEffects (TTE) is a terminal visual effects engine. TTE can be installed as a system application to produce effects in your terminal, or as a Python library to enable effects within your Python scripts/applications. TTE includes a growing library of built-in effects which showcase the engine's features. These features include:
- Xterm 256 / RGB hex color support
- Complex character movement via Paths, Waypoints, and motion easing, with support for bezier curves.
- Complex animations via Scenes with symbol/color changes, layers, easing, and Path synced progression.
- Variable stop/step color gradient generation.
- Event handling for Path/Scene state changes with custom callback support and many pre-defined actions.
- Effect customization exposed through a typed effect configuration dataclass that is automatically handled as CLI arguments.
- Runs inline, preserving terminal state and workflow.
Requirements
TerminalTextEffects is written in Python and does not require any 3rd party modules. Terminal interactions use standard ANSI terminal sequences and should work in most modern terminals.
Installation
<details> <summary>UV Install</summary>Tool Run
uv tool run terminaltexteffects -h
Application Install
uv tool install terminaltexteffects
Library Install
uv install terminaltexteffects
Application Install
pipx install terminaltexteffects
Library Install
pip install terminaltexteffects
Add it as an input to a flake:
inputs = {
terminaltexteffects.url = "github:ChrisBuilds/terminaltexteffects/<optional-ref>"
}
Create a shell with it:
nix shell github:ChrisBuilds/terminaltexteffects/<optional-ref>
Or run it directly:
echo 'terminaltexteffects is awesome' | nix run github:ChrisBuilds/terminaltexteffects/<optional-ref> -- beams
Fetch the source and add it to, e.g. your shell:
let
pkgs = import <nixpkgs> {};
tte = pkgs.callPackage (pkgs.fetchFromGitHub {
owner = "ChrisBuilds";
repo = "terminaltexteffects";
rev = "<revision, e.g. main/v0.13.0/etc.>";
hash = ""; # Build first, put proper hash in place
}) {};
in
pkgs.mkShell {
packages = [tte];
}
Usage
View the Documentation for a full installation and usage guide.
Application Quickstart
Options
<details> <summary>TTE Command Line Options</summary> options:
-h, --help show this help message and exit
--input-file, -i INPUT_FILE
File to read input from
--version, -v show program's version number and exit
--random-effect, -R Randomly select an effect to apply
--include-effects INCLUDE_EFFECTS [INCLUDE_EFFECTS ...]
Space-separated list of Effects to include when randomly selecting an effect
--exclude-effects EXCLUDE_EFFECTS [EXCLUDE_EFFECTS ...]
Space-separated list of Effects to exclude when randomly selecting an effect
--tab-width (int > 0)
Number of spaces to use for a tab character.
--xterm-colors Convert any colors specified in 24-bit RBG hex to the closest 8-bit XTerm-256 color.
--no-color Disable all colors in the effect.
--terminal-background-color (XTerm [0-255] OR RGB Hex [000000-ffffff])
The background color of you terminal. Used to determine the appropriate color for fade-in/out within effects.
--existing-color-handling {always,dynamic,ignore}
Specify handling of existing 8-bit and 24-bit ANSI color sequences in the input data. 3-bit and 4-bit sequences are not supported. 'always' will always use the
input colors, ignoring any effect specific colors. 'dynamic' will leave it to the effect implementation to apply input colors. 'ignore' will ignore the colors in
the input data. Default is 'ignore'.
--wrap-text Wrap text wider than the canvas width.
--frame-rate FRAME_RATE
Target frame rate for the animation in frames per second. Set to 0 to disable frame rate limiting. Defaults to 60.
--canvas-width int >= -1
Canvas width, set to an integer > 0 to use a specific dimension, use 0 to match the terminal width, or use -1 to match the input text width. Defaults to -1.
--canvas-height int >= -1
Canvas height, set to an integer > 0 to use a specific dimension, use 0 to match the terminal height, or use -1 to match the input text height. Defaults to -1.
--anchor-canvas {sw,s,se,e,ne,n,nw,w,c}
Anchor point for the canvas. The canvas will be anchored in the terminal to the location corresponding to the cardinal/diagonal direction. Defaults to 'sw'.
--anchor-text {n,ne,e,se,s,sw,w,nw,c}
Anchor point for the text within the Canvas. Input text will anchored in the Canvas to the location corresponding to the cardinal/diagonal direction. Defaults to
'sw'.
--ignore-terminal-dimensions
Ignore the terminal dimensions and utilize the full Canvas beyond the extents of the terminal. Useful for sending frames to another output handler.
--reuse-canvas Do not create new rows at the start of the effect. The cursor will be moved up the number of rows present in the input text in an attempt to re-use the canvas.
This option works best when used in a shell script. If used interactively with prompts between runs, the result is unpredictable.
--no-eol Suppress the trailing newline emitted when an effect animation completes.
--no-restore-cursor Do not restore cursor visibility after the effect.
Effect:
Name of the effect to apply. Use <effect> -h for effect specific help.
{beams,binarypath,blackhole,bouncyballs,bubbles,burn,colorshift,crumble,decrypt,errorcorrect,expand,fireworks,highlight,laseretch,matrix,middleout,orbittingvolley,overflow,pour,print,rain,randomsequence,rings,scattered,slice,slide,smoke,spotlights,spray,swarm,sweep,synthgrid,thunderstorm,unstable,vhstape,waves,wipe}
Available Effects
beams Create beams which travel over the canvas illuminating the characters behind them.
binarypath Binary representations of each character move towards the home coordinate of the character.
blackhole Characters are consumed by a black hole and explode outwards.
bouncyballs Characters are bouncy balls falling from the top of the canvas.
bubbles Characters are formed into bubbles that float down and pop.
burn Burns vertically in the canvas.
colorshift Display a gradient that shifts colors across the terminal.
crumble Characters lose color and crumble into dust, vacuumed up, and reformed.
decrypt Display a movie style decryption effect.
errorcorrect Some characters start in the wrong position and are corrected in sequence.
expand Expands the text from a single point.
fireworks Characters launch and explode like fireworks and fall into place.
highlight Run a specular highlight across the text.
laseretch A laser etches characters onto the terminal.
matrix Matrix digital rain effect.
middleout Text expands in a single row or column in the middle of the canvas then out.
orbittingvolley Four launchers orbit the canvas firing volleys of characters inward to build the input text from the center out.
overflow Input text overflows and scrolls the terminal in a random order until eventually appearing ordered.
pour Pours the characters into position from the given direction.
print Lines are printed one at a time following a print head. Print head performs line feed, carriage return.
rain Rain characters from the top of the canvas.
randomsequence Prints the input data in a random sequence.
rings Characters are dispersed and form into spinning rings.
scattered Text is scattered across the canvas and moves into position.
slice Slices
