microsoft / microsoft/terminal
Bringing back the console graphics screen-buffers?
Nobody has claimed this yet.
- Dominant language
- C++
- Stars
- 105k
- Forks
- 9.6k
- Avg merge
- 3d 17h
- Merged PRs (30d)
- 29
Description
How hard would it be to bring back the console graphics screen-buffers functionality to conhost, which previously existed in Windows <= 2003 and was used by NTVDM to display the output of graphics DOS applications while being run in windowed mode? (see e.g. https://virtuallyfun.com/wordpress/2009/08/08/softpc-%e2%80%93at-version-3/ ) (hint: done using CreateConsoleScreenBuffer with special parameters.)
This feature could also be useful for those other applications (e.g. some Far-Manager plugins) that attempt through convoluted hacks (aka. giving the illusion) to display graphics contents (e.g. thumbnails of image files) in the console window.
Or for these 3rd-party emulators (DOS, etc...) that can start from the command-line, but are currently forced to create a separate window when starting a graphics app.
Contributor guide
First steps
- Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
- Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
- Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
- Open a pull request that references the issue number.
Research direction
Start by investigating conhost's handling of CreateConsoleScreenBuffer, including the special parameters associated with the former graphics screen-buffer behavior and its historical use by NTVDM. Done would mean defining and implementing a supported way for graphics applications and similar console clients to display graphics in the existing window, but the issue names no files or tests.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Assessment
- Tech stack
- cpp
- Domain
- cli, operating-systems
- Issue type
- Feature
- Difficulty
- 5/5
- Estimated time
- Over a week
- Activity status
- Stale
- Clarity
- Needs clarification
- Newbie friendliness
- 25/100