Overview

BlitUtil offers a convenient way to handle colored text output in ComputerCraft. It simplifies working with blit codes and provides a writer interface for both terminals and monitors with automatic color code parsing.

Installation

Install the library using gfetch:

gfetch manaphoenix/CC-Code/main/lib/BlitUtil.lua
Alternative: Use wget
wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/manaphoenix/CC-Code/main/lib/BlitUtil.lua

Basic Usage

Create a writer for your terminal or monitor and start writing colored text using simple color codes.

lua Basic Usage 
local BlitUtil = require("BlitUtil")

-- For terminal
local writer = BlitUtil.forTerm()
writer.write("Hello {&e}World{&r}!")

-- For a monitor
local mon = peripheral.find("monitor")
local monWriter = BlitUtil.forMonitor(mon)
monWriter.write("Monitor {&a}ready{&r}!")

Methods

forTerm ( ) : BlitWriter

Creates a writer for the default terminal.

Example Code
lua 
local BlitUtil = require("BlitUtil")
local writer = BlitUtil.forTerm()
writer.writeLine("Terminal writer created!")

forMonitor ( monitor: table ) : BlitWriter

Creates a writer for a specific monitor peripheral.

Example Code
lua 
local BlitUtil = require("BlitUtil")
local mon = peripheral.find("monitor")
if mon then
    local writer = BlitUtil.forMonitor(mon)
    writer.writeLine("Monitor writer created!")
end

BlitWriter:write ( text: string, autoNewLine: boolean ) : void

Writes text with embedded color codes. Optional autoNewLine moves cursor down after writing.

Example Code
lua 
local writer = BlitUtil.forTerm()
writer.write("This is {&e}yellow{&r} text")
writer.write(" on the same line")
writer.write(" but this is on a new line", true)

BlitWriter:writeLine ( text: string ) : void

Writes text and moves to the next line.

Example Code
lua 
local writer = BlitUtil.forTerm()
writer.writeLine("This is a line")
writer.writeLine("This is another line")

BlitWriter:rewriteLine ( text: string ) : void

Rewrites the current line with new text.

Example Code
lua 
local writer = BlitUtil.forTerm()
writer.write("This will be replaced")
os.sleep(1)
writer.rewriteLine("New content!")

BlitWriter:resetColors ( ) : void

Resets text and background colors to their defaults.

Example Code
lua 
local writer = BlitUtil.forTerm()
writer.write("{&e}Yellow text")
writer.resetColors()
writer.write(" Back to normal")

BlitWriter:setPos ( x: integer, y: integer ) : void

Sets the cursor position.

Example Code
lua 
local writer = BlitUtil.forTerm()
writer.setPos(10, 5)
writer.write("This starts at (10,5)")

Examples

lua Basic Colored Output 
local BlitUtil = require("BlitUtil")
local writer = BlitUtil.forTerm()

writer.writeLine("Welcome to {&e}My Program{&r}!")
writer.writeLine("Status: {&a}OK{&r}")
writer.write("Processing")
for i = 1, 3 do
    writer.write(".")
    os.sleep(0.5)
end
writer.writeLine(" {&a}Done!{&r}")
lua Progress Bar 
local BlitUtil = require("BlitUtil")
local writer = BlitUtil.forTerm()

local function drawProgress(percent)
    local width = 20
    local filled = math.floor(percent * width)
    local bar = "["
    for i = 1, width do
        if i <= filled then
            bar = bar .. "="
        else
            bar = bar .. " "
        end
    end
    bar = bar .. "] " .. math.floor(percent * 100) .. "%"
    writer.rewriteLine("Progress: {&a}" .. bar .. "{&r}")
end

for i = 0, 10 do
    drawProgress(i / 10)
    os.sleep(0.5)
end

Advanced Usage

lua Color Code Reference 
-- Color codes for use in {&X} format:
-- {&0} White
-- {&1} Orange
-- {&2} Magenta
-- {&3} Light Blue
-- {&4} Yellow
-- {&5} Lime
-- {&6} Pink
-- {&7} Gray
-- {&8} Light Gray
-- {&9} Cyan
-- {&a} Purple
-- {&b} Blue
-- {&c} Brown
-- {&d} Green
-- {&e} Red
-- {&f} Black
-- {&r} Reset to default colors

-- Set both foreground and background:
-- {&f|0} White text on black background
-- {&0|f} Black text on white background

-- Example with background:
local writer = require("BlitUtil").forTerm()
writer.writeLine("{&0|e} Black on Red {&r} Normal text")
writer.writeLine("{&e|0} Red on Black {&r} Back to normal")
lua Creating a Status Display 
local BlitUtil = require("BlitUtil")

local function createStatusDisplay()
    local mon = peripheral.find("monitor")
    if not mon then return nil end
    
    mon.setTextScale(0.5)
    local writer = BlitUtil.forMonitor(mon)
    
    local function drawHeader()
        local width = mon.getSize()
        local title = " SYSTEM STATUS "
        local pad = string.rep("=", math.floor((width - #title) / 2))
        writer.writeLine("{&0|e}" .. pad .. title .. pad .. "{&r}")
    end
    
    local function drawSection(title, content)
        writer.writeLine("\n{&a}" .. title .. "{&r}")
        writer.writeLine("" .. content)
    end
    
    return {
        clear = function()
            mon.clear()
            mon.setCursorPos(1, 1)
            drawHeader()
        end,
        update = function()
            local time = textutils.formatTime(os.time("ingame"), true)
            local freeMem = math.floor(computer.freeMemory() / 1024)
            local usedMem = math.floor((computer.totalMemory() - computer.freeMemory()) / 1024)
            local uptime = os.clock()
            
            drawSection("TIME", time)
            drawSection("MEMORY", string.format("Used: %dK, Free: %dK", usedMem, freeMem))
            drawSection("UPTIME", string.format("%.1f seconds", uptime))
        end
    }
end

-- Usage:
local status = createStatusDisplay()
if status then
    while true do
        status.clear()
        status.update()
        os.sleep(1)
    end
else
    print("No monitor found!")
end