[Python-ideas] VT100 style escape codes in Windows

[Joseph Hackman]

The quick answer is that the MSDN doc indicates support from windows 2000
onward, with no notes for partial compatability:
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/ms686033(v=vs.85).aspx

I'll build a Windows 7 VM to test.

I believe Python 3.6 is only supported on Vista+ and 3.7 would be Windows
7+ only?

On 28 December 2016 at 18:06, Paul Moore <p.f.moore at gmail.com> wrote:

> Would this only apply to recent versions of Windows? (IIRC, the VT100
> support is Win10 only). If so, I'd be concerned about scripts that
> worked on *some* Windows versions but not others. And in particular,
> about scripts written on Unix using raw VT codes rather than using a
> portable solution like colorama.
>
> At the point where we can comfortably assume the majority of users are
> using a version of Windows that supports VT codes, I'd be OK with it
> being the default, but until then I'd prefer it were an opt-in option.
> Paul
>
> On 28 December 2016 at 23:00, Joseph Hackman <josephhackman at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> > Hey All!
> >
> > I propose that Windows CPython flip the bit for VT100 support (colors and
> > whatnot) for the stdout/stderr streams at startup time.
> >
> > I believe this behavior is worthwhile because ANSI escape codes are
> standard
> > across most of Python's install base, and the alternative for Windows
> (using
> > ctypes/win32 to alter the colors) is non-intuitive and well beyond the
> scope
> > of most users.
> >
> > Under Linux/Mac, the terminal always supports what it can, and it's up to
> > the application to verify escape codes are supported. Under Windows,
> > applications (Python) must specifically request that escape codes be
> > enabled. The flag lasts for the duration of the application, and must be
> > flipped on every launch. It seems many of the built-in windows commands
> now
> > operate in this mode.
> >
> > This change would not impede tools that use the win32 APIs for the
> console
> > (such as colorama), and is supported in windows 2000 and up.
> >
> > The only good alternatives I can see is adding colorized/special output
> as a
> > proper python feature that actually checks using the terminal
> information in
> > *nix and win32.
> >
> > For more info, please see the issue: http://bugs.python.org/issue29059
> >
> > Cheers,
> > Joseph
> >
> >
> >
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