ANSI color attributes for VT Display sessions

The ANSI color attribute settings are listed under the heading ANSI Attributes on the left side of the Color (VT Display) configuration window.

Typically, you would not change the settings of these ANSI Attributes. The reason is that these ANSI Attributes do not affect the default colors with which Z and I Emulator for Web displays the text in the VT session window. (The default colors are controlled by the Normal selection under the Base Color heading.)

However, you would typically change the setting of one of these ANSI attributes under the following circumstances:

  • You know that the VT host application is going to send one or more ANSI color commands to the VT session; and
  • For one or more of the ANSI color commands, you want Z and I Emulator for Web to use a different color than the color named in the command.

The ANSI color command sets either a foreground color or a background color for text. The list below shows the colors that can be set by the ANSI color command:

  • Set foreground color to Black
  • Set foreground color to Red
  • Set foreground color to Green
  • Set foreground color to Yellow
  • Set foreground color to Blue
  • Set foreground color to Pink
  • Set foreground color to Turquoise
  • Set foreground color to White
  • Set background color to Black
  • Set background color to Red
  • Set background color to Green
  • Set background color to Yellow
  • Set background color to Blue
  • Set background color to Pink
  • Set background color to Turquoise
  • Set background color to White

By default, if Z and I Emulator for Web receives an ANSI color command, it displays the foreground or background color of subsequent text using the color named in the command. For example, if the VT host application sends the ANSI color command "Set background color to White", then by default Z and I Emulator for Web uses white to display the text background. Similarly, if the VT host application sends the command "Set foreground color to Blue", then by default Z and I Emulator for Web uses blue to display text characters.

However, you can customize your Z and I Emulator for Web VT session to have Z and I Emulator for Web display a different color than the color named in the ANSI color command. To have Z and I Emulator for Web display a different color, follow these steps:

  1. Select Edit > Preferences > Color.
  2. In the Color (VT Display) configuration window, on the left side under ANSI Attributes, select the color of the ANSI color command. For example, if you want Z and I Emulator for Web to display Dark Turquoise as the foreground color when the VT host application sends "Set foreground color to Blue", then select Blue.
  3. Expand the drop-down list for the ANSI color command, either the Foreground color drop-down list or the Background color drop-down list. For example, for the ANSI color command "Set foreground color to blue", expand the Foreground color drop-down list.
    • You can ignore the other drop-down list, unless you want to change the color for that ANSI color command also. For example, for the ANSI color command "Set foreground color to blue", you can ignore the Background color drop-down list, unless you want to change the color for "Set background color to blue" also.
  4. In the drop-down list, select the color that you want Z and I Emulator for Web to display when this ANSI color command is received. For example, if you want Z and I Emulator for Web to display Dark Turquoise as the foreground color when the VT host application sends "Set foreground color to Blue", then select Dark Turquoise in the drop-down list.

The standard replacement colors shown in the drop-down lists are:

  • Black
  • Blue
  • Brown
  • Dark Blue
  • Dark Green
  • Dark Turquoise
  • Green
  • Grey
  • Mustard
  • Orange
  • Pink
  • Purple
  • Red
  • Turquoise
  • White
  • Yellow

If you prefer some other color, click the color icon at the right of the Foreground color drop-down list or the Background color drop-down list and select from a wide selection of colors, or create a custom color.

Remember that some VT hosts and applications do not send ANSI color commands. When you customize a VT session to display a custom color (such as Dark Turquoise) in response to an ANSI color command (such as "Set foreground color to Blue"), the color in your VT session window does not change unless and until the VT host application sends the appropriate ANSI color command.

Z and I Emulator for Web does not support the following options of the ANSI color command:

  • Low intensity
  • End low intensity

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