This library provides a set of combinators for creating and manipulating two-dimensional text layouts, inspired by Box combinators. It's perfect for creating ASCII art, diagrams, charts, and other visual representations in text.
- Box: A rectangular area containing text data
- Combinators: Functions that combine boxes in various ways
- Alignment: Control how boxes are positioned relative to each other
// Create a single character box
let star = singleton('*')
// Create filled rectangles
let rect = fill('█', 3, 5) // 3 rows, 5 columns of █
// Create empty space
let gap = space(2, 4) // 2 rows, 4 columns of spaces// Place boxes side by side
let horizontal = box1.beside(box2)
// Stack boxes vertically
let vertical = box1.above(box2)
// Combine multiple boxes
let combined = hconcat([box1, box2, box3]) // horizontal
let stacked = vconcat([box1, box2, box3]) // verticalCreate fractal triangles:
fn sierpinski(n) {
guard n > 0 else { singleton('*') }
let s = sierpinski(n - 1)
s.above([s, singleton(' '), s] |> hconcat())
}
sierpinski(4)Output:
*
* *
* *
* * * *
* *
* * * *
* * * *
* * * * * * * *
Create diamond shapes:
fn diamond(size : Int) -> Box {
let lines = []
// Top half including middle
for i = 0; i <= size; i = i + 1 {
let spaces = size - i
let stars = 2 * i + 1
let line = space(1, spaces)
.beside(fill('*', 1, stars))
.beside(space(1, spaces))
lines.push(line)
}
// Bottom half
for i = size - 1; i >= 0; i = i - 1 {
let spaces = size - i
let stars = 2 * i + 1
let line = space(1, spaces)
.beside(fill('*', 1, stars))
.beside(space(1, spaces))
lines.push(line)
}
vconcat(lines)
}Sample output:
*
***
*****
*******
**********
*******
*****
***
*
Create visual data representations:
fn bar_chart(values : Array[Int]) -> Box {
let max_val = values.fold(init=0, fn(a, b) { if b > a { b } else { a } })
let bars = values.map(fn(v) {
let height = v * 10 / max_val + 1
fill('█', height, 3).above(
v.to_string().iter().map(singleton).to_array() |> hconcat(),
)
})
hconcat(bars, align=Bottom)
}Create nested rectangular spirals:
fn spiral(n : Int) -> Box {
if n <= 0 {
singleton('+')
} else {
let s = spiral(n - 1)
let (h, w) = s.dimensions()
let vbar = fill('|', h, 1)
grid([
[
singleton('|').beside(singleton(' ')).beside(singleton('+')),
fill('-', 1, w),
singleton('+'),
],
[vbar, singleton(' '), s, singleton(' '), vbar],
[singleton('+'), fill('-', 1, w + 2), singleton('+')],
])
}
}Output:
| +-------------------------------------+
| | +---------------------------------+ |
| | | +-----------------------------+ | |
| | | | +-------------------------+ | | |
| | | | | +---------------------+ | | | |
| | | | | | +-----------------+ | | | | |
| | | | | | | +-------------+ | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | +---------+ | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | +-----+ | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | +-+ | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | + | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | +---+ | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | +-------+ | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | +-----------+ | | | | | | |
| | | | | | +---------------+ | | | | | |
| | | | | +-------------------+ | | | | |
| | | | +-----------------------+ | | | |
| | | +---------------------------+ | | |
| | +-------------------------------+ | |
| +-----------------------------------+ |
+---------------------------------------+
Create tree structures:
fn binary_tree(depth : Int) -> Box {
if depth <= 0 {
singleton('*')
} else {
let left = binary_tree(depth - 1)
let right = binary_tree(depth - 1)
let root = singleton('*')
let branches = [left, space(1, 3), right] |> hconcat()
root.above(branches)
}
}Output:
*
* *
* * * *
* * * * * * * *
Box: The main type representing a rectangular text areaVertical: Alignment enum (Top, Center, Bottom)Horizontal: Alignment enum (Left, Center, Right)
singleton(c): Create a 1x1 box with charactercfill(c, h, w): Create anh×wbox filled with charactercspace(h, w): Create anh×wbox filled with spacesempty(): Create an empty box
beside(other, align~): Place boxes horizontallyabove(other, align~): Stack boxes verticallyhconcat(boxes, align~): Combine array of boxes horizontallyvconcat(boxes, align~): Combine array of boxes verticallygrid(matrix): Arrange boxes in a 2D grid
dimensions(): Get (height, width) of a boxheight(): Get height of a boxwidth(): Get width of a boxwiden(w, align~): Expand box wi 547F dthheighten(h, align~): Expand box heightframed(): Add a border around a box
The library can create complex patterns including:
- Cantor Set: Mathematical fractal dust patterns
- Julia Set: Complex number fractals
- Tree Fractals: Recursive branching structures
- Square Spirals: Nested square patterns with Unicode box-drawing characters
See the test cases in examples.mbt for complete implementations of these patterns.