Terminal control/Cursor positioning

Move the cursor to column   3,   row   6,   and display the word   "Hello"   (without the quotes),   so that the letter   H   is in column   3   on row   6.

Terminal control/Cursor positioning
You are encouraged to solve this task according to the task description, using any language you may know.

Task

AArch64 Assembly

Works with: as version Raspberry Pi 3B version Buster 64 bits

/* ARM assembly AARCH64 Raspberry PI 3B */
/*  program cursorPos64.s   */
 
/*******************************************/
/* Constantes file                         */
/*******************************************/
/* for this file see task include a file in language AArch64 assembly*/
.include "../includeConstantesARM64.inc"
 
 /*******************************************/
/* Initialized data                         */
/*******************************************/
.data
szMessStartPgm:            .asciz "Program start \n"
szMessEndPgm:              .asciz "Program normal end.\n"
szMessMovePos:             .asciz "\033[6;3HHello\n"
szCarriageReturn:          .asciz "\n"
szCleax1:                  .byte 0x1B 
                           .byte 'c'           // other console clear
                           .byte 0
/*******************************************/
/* UnInitialized data                      */
/*******************************************/
.bss 
/*******************************************/
/*  code section                           */
/*******************************************/
.text
.global main 
main: 
 
    ldr x0,qAdrszMessStartPgm                   // display start message
    bl affichageMess
    ldr x0,qAdrszCleax1
    bl affichageMess
    ldr x0,qAdrszMessMovePos
    bl affichageMess
 
    ldr x0,qAdrszMessEndPgm                     // display end message
    bl affichageMess
 
100:                                            // standard end of the program
    mov x0,0                                    // return code
    mov x8,EXIT                                 // request to exit program
    svc 0                                       // perform system call
qAdrszMessStartPgm:        .quad szMessStartPgm
qAdrszMessEndPgm:          .quad szMessEndPgm
qAdrszCarriageReturn:      .quad szCarriageReturn
qAdrszCleax1:              .quad szCleax1
qAdrszMessMovePos:         .quad szMessMovePos
/********************************************************/
/*        File Include fonctions                        */
/********************************************************/
/* for this file see task include a file in language AArch64 assembly */
.include "../includeARM64.inc"

Action!

PROC Main()
  Position(3,6)
  Print("Hello")
RETURN

Output:

Screenshot from Atari 8-bit computer

Ada

with Ada.Text_IO;

procedure Cursor_Pos is

begin
   Ada.Text_IO.Set_Line(6);
   Ada.Text_IO.Set_Col(3);
   Ada.Text_IO.Put("Hello");
end Cursor_Pos;

ARM Assembly

Works with: as version Raspberry Pi

/* ARM assembly Raspberry PI  */
/*  program cursorPos.s   */

/* Constantes    */
.equ STDOUT, 1                           @ Linux output console
.equ EXIT,   1                           @ Linux syscall
.equ WRITE,  4                           @ Linux syscall


/* Initialized data */
.data
szMessStartPgm:            .asciz "Program start \n"
szMessEndPgm:              .asciz "Program normal end.\n"
szMessMovePos:             .asciz "\033[6;3HHello\n"
szCarriageReturn:          .asciz "\n"
szClear1:                  .byte 0x1B 
                           .byte 'c'           @ other console clear
                           .byte 0
/* UnInitialized data */
.bss 

/*  code section */
.text
.global main 
main: 

    ldr r0,iAdrszMessStartPgm                   @ display start message
    bl affichageMess
    ldr r0,iAdrszClear1
    bl affichageMess
    ldr r0,iAdrszMessMovePos
    bl affichageMess

    ldr r0,iAdrszMessEndPgm                     @ display end message
    bl affichageMess

100:                                            @ standard end of the program
    mov r0, #0                                  @ return code
    mov r7, #EXIT                               @ request to exit program
    svc 0                                       @ perform system call
iAdrszMessStartPgm:        .int szMessStartPgm
iAdrszMessEndPgm:          .int szMessEndPgm
iAdrszCarriageReturn:      .int szCarriageReturn
iAdrszClear1:              .int szClear1
iAdrszMessMovePos:         .int szMessMovePos

/******************************************************************/
/*     display text with size calculation                         */ 
/******************************************************************/
/* r0 contains the address of the message */
affichageMess:
    push {r0,r1,r2,r7,lr}                       @ save  registers 
    mov r2,#0                                   @ counter length */
1:                                              @ loop length calculation
    ldrb r1,[r0,r2]                             @ read octet start position + index 
    cmp r1,#0                                   @ if 0 its over
    addne r2,r2,#1                              @ else add 1 in the length
    bne 1b                                      @ and loop 
                                                @ so here r2 contains the length of the message 
    mov r1,r0                                   @ address message in r1 
    mov r0,#STDOUT                              @ code to write to the standard output Linux
    mov r7, #WRITE                              @ code call system "write" 
    svc #0                                      @ call system
    pop {r0,r1,r2,r7,lr}                        @ restaur registers
    bx lr                                       @ return

Arturo

goto 3 6
print "Hello"

AutoHotkey

Works with: AutoHotkey_L

Remember that AHK is not built for the console, so we must call the WinAPI directly.

DllCall( "AllocConsole" ) ; create a console if not launched from one
hConsole := DllCall( "GetStdHandle", int, STDOUT := -11 )

DllCall("SetConsoleCursorPosition", UPtr, hConsole, UInt, (6 << 16) | 3)
WriteConsole(hConsole, "Hello")

MsgBox

WriteConsole(hConsole, text){
	VarSetCapacity(out, 16)
	If DllCall( "WriteConsole", UPtr, hConsole, Str, text, UInt, StrLen(text)
				  , UPtrP, out, uint, 0 )
		return out
	return 0
}

Axe

Since the rows and columns are zero-indexed, we must subtract 1 from both.

Output(2,5,"HELLO")

BASIC

Applesoft BASIC

 10  VTAB 6: HTAB 3
 20  PRINT "HELLO"

ASIC

Rows have the range 0-24, columns have the range 0-79.

LOCATE 5, 2
PRINT "Hello"

BaCon

' Cursor positioning, requires ANSI compliant terminal
GOTOXY 3,6
PRINT "Hello"

The X Y in GOTOXY is Column Row order.

BBC BASIC

PRINT TAB(2,5);"Hello"

Commodore BASIC

Works with: Commodore BASIC version 3.5

10 CHAR ,2,5,"HELLO"

Works with: Commodore BASIC version 2.0

 100 print chr$(19) :rem change to lowercase set
 110 print chr$(14) :rem go to position 1,1
 120 print:print:print:print
 130 print tab(2) "Hello"

FreeBASIC

Locate 6, 3 : Print "Hello"
Sleep

GW-BASIC

Works with: BASICA

10 LOCATE 6, 3
20 PRINT "Hello"

IS-BASIC

100 PRINT AT 6,3:"Hello"

Liberty BASIC

locate 3, 6
print "Hello"

Locomotive Basic

 10 LOCATE 3,6
 20 PRINT "Hello"

MSX Basic

 10 LOCATE 2,5
 20 PRINT "Hello"

Nascom BASIC

Line 16 is at the top of the screen and is not scrolled. Line 1 is the next line down, and line 15 is at the bottom.

Works with: Nascom ROM BASIC version 4.7

10 SCREEN 3,5:PRINT "Hello"

NS-HUBASIC

10 LOCATE 3,6
20 PRINT "HELLO"

PureBasic

EnableGraphicalConsole(#True)
ConsoleLocate(3,6)
Print("Hello")

QuickBASIC

Works with: QBasic

Works with: RapidQ

LOCATE 6, 3
PRINT "Hello"

RapidQ

See QuickBASIC.

ZX Spectrum Basic

 10 REM The top left corner is at position 0,0
 20 REM So we subtract one from the coordinates
 30 PRINT AT 5,2 "Hello"

Befunge

Assuming a terminal with support for ANSI escape sequences.

0"olleHH3;6["39*>:#,_$@

Blast

# This will display a message at a specific position on the terminal screen
.begin
cursor 6,3
display "Hello!"
return
# This is the end of the script

C/C++

Using ANSI escape sequence, where ESC[y;xH moves curser to row y, col x:

#include <stdio.h>
int main()
{
	printf("\033[6;3HHello\n");
	return 0;
}

The C version of the minesweeper game uses curses. Minesweeper_game#C

On Windows, using console API:

#include <windows.h>

int main() {
    HANDLE hConsole = GetStdHandle(STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE);
    COORD pos = {3, 6};
    SetConsoleCursorPosition(hConsole, pos);
    WriteConsole(hConsole, "Hello", 5, NULL, NULL);
    return 0;
}

C#

Works with: Mono version 1.2

Works with: Visual C# version 2003

static void Main(string[] args)
{
    Console.SetCursorPosition(3, 6);
    Console.Write("Hello");
}

COBOL

       IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
       PROGRAM-ID. cursor-positioning.

       PROCEDURE DIVISION.
           DISPLAY "Hello" AT LINE 6, COL 3

           GOBACK
           .

Common Lisp

ncurses

To interface the ncurses C library from Lisp, the croatoan library is used.

(defun cursor-positioning ()
  (with-screen (scr :input-blocking t :input-echoing nil :cursor-visible nil)
      (move scr 5 2)
      (princ "Hello" scr)
      (refresh scr)
      ;; wait for keypress
      (get-char scr)))

D

ANSI escape sequences allow you to move the cursor anywhere on the screen. See more at: Bash Prompt HowTo - Chapter 6. ANSI Escape Sequences: Colours and Cursor Movement

Position the Cursor:
 \033[<L>;<C>H
    or
 \033[<L>;<C>f
puts the cursor at line L and column C.

import std.stdio;

void main()
{
  writef("\033[6;3fHello");
}

Output:

0123456789
1     
2
3
4
5
6  Hello
9
8
9

Elena

ELENA 4.x :

public program()
{
    console.setCursorPosition(3,6).write("Hello")
}

Euphoria

position(6,3)
puts(1,"Hello")

F#

open System

Console.SetCursorPosition(3, 6)
Console.Write("Hello")

Forth

2 5 at-xy ." Hello"

Fortran

Intel Fortran on Windows

program textposition
    use kernel32
    implicit none
    integer(HANDLE) :: hConsole
    integer(BOOL) :: q
    
    hConsole = GetStdHandle(STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE)
    q = SetConsoleCursorPosition(hConsole, T_COORD(3, 6))
    q = WriteConsole(hConsole, loc("Hello"), 5, NULL, NULL)
end program

Go

External command

package main

import (
    "bytes"
    "fmt"
    "os"
    "os/exec"
)

func main() {
    cmd := exec.Command("tput", "-S")
    cmd.Stdin = bytes.NewBufferString("clear\ncup 5 2")
    cmd.Stdout = os.Stdout
    cmd.Run()
    fmt.Println("Hello")
}

ANSI escape codes

package main

import "fmt"

func main() {
    fmt.Println("\033[2J\033[6;3HHello")
}

Ncurses

Library: curses

package main

import (
    "log"

    gc "code.google.com/p/goncurses"
)

func main() {
    s, err := gc.Init()
    if err != nil {
        log.Fatal("init:", err)
    }
    defer gc.End()
    s.Move(5, 2)
    s.Println("Hello")
    s.GetChar()
}

Icon and Unicon

If the OS has older termcap files, CUP is included with link ansi

procedure main()
    writes(CUP(6,3), "Hello")
end

procedure CUP(i,j)
    writes("\^[[",i,";",j,"H")
    return
end

J

Using terminal positioning verbs of Terminal_control/Coloured_text#J

'Hello',~move 6 3

jq

Works with: jq

Also works with gojq and jaq.

jq -nr '"\u001b[2J",         # clear the terminal
        "\u001b[6;3HHello"   # move to (6,3) and print Hello
'

Julia

const ESC = "\u001B"

gotoANSI(x, y) = print("$ESC[$(y);$(x)H")

gotoANSI(3, 6)
println("Hello")

Kotlin

Works with: Ubuntu version 14.04

// version 1.1.2

fun main(args: Array<String>) {
    print("\u001Bc") // clear screen first
    println("\u001B[6;3HHello")
}

Lasso

local(esc = decode_base64('Gw=='))

stdout( #esc + '[6;3HHello')

Logo

setcursor [2 5]
type "Hello

You can also draw positioned text on the turtle graphics window.

setpos [20 50]
setxy 20 30   ; alternate way to set position
label "Hello

M2000 Interpreter

M2000 has own console from M2000 Environment. Here we use a windows console, using Win32 Api.

Module Fix_Console_Window {
	// This Module:
	// a) move console window
	// b) disable console close window. Without it, a close console terminates the M2000 environment
	declare GetConsoleWindow Lib "Kernel32.GetConsoleWindow"
	declare SetWindowPos Lib "User32.SetWindowPos" {Long hwnd, Long hWnd, Long x, Long y , Long nWidth, Long nHeight, Long uFlags}
	declare GetSystemMenu  Lib "User32.GetSystemMenu" {Long hWnd, Long bRevert}
	const SC_CLOSE = 0xF060
	const MF_BYCOMMAND = 0
	declare DeleteMenu Lib "User32.DeleteMenu"  {Long hMenu, Long  uPosition, Long  uFlags}
	call Void DeleteMenu(GetSystemMenu(GetConsoleWindow(), 0), SC_CLOSE, MF_BYCOMMAND)
	// if we dont move the M2000 console window (which is full screen),
	// we can get the position and dimension of the current monitor
	// current monitor return the read only variable Window
	back {
		gradient 0  ' set black preserving cursors
		x=motion.x div twipsx  ' make x,y,w, h PIXELS
		y=motion.y div twipsy
		w=scale.x div twipsx
		h=scale.y div twipsy
	}
	// set console window 50px smaller form all sides from full screen
	call void  SetWindowPos(GetConsoleWindow(), -1, x+50, y+50, w-100, h-100, 0x0040)
}
declare SetCosnoleDispMode lib "Kernel32.SetConsoleDisplayMode" { Long cons, Long b, Long &opt}
declare GetMode lib "Kernel32.GetConsoleMode" {Long cons, long &a}
declare SetMode lib "kernel32.SetConsoleMode" {Long cons, long a}
declare GetConsole lib "Kernel32.AllocConsole"
declare FreeConsole lib "Kernel32.FreeConsole"
declare ConsoleCaption lib "Kernel32.SetConsoleTitleW" {a$}
declare GetHandle lib "Kernel32.GetStdHandle" {Long a}
declare CloseHandle lib "Kernel32.CloseHandle" {Long a}
// we use the W version (always M2000 need the W version for strings)
declare global WriteCons Lib "Kernel32.WriteConsoleW" {Long cons, a$,  Long n, Long  &p, Long u}
const CONSOLE_FULLSCREEN_MODE=1&, CONSOLE_WINDOWED_MODE=0&
const ENABLE_VIRTUAL_TERMINAL_PROCESSING=0x0004
// These are special sequences
const StopBlinking$=chr$(27)+"[?25l"
Def EscXY$(x,y)=chr$(27)+"["+str$(y,0)+";"+str$(x,0)+"H"

// Using Windows Console
// void make the call to drop return value, without this the call use non zero values as error number
// using R=GetConsole() we can get the return value. 
call void GetConsole()
call void ConsoleCaption("M2000 Windows Console")
// -11 for output
Long  m=-11, RetLong
m=GetHandle(m)
Call Fix_Console_Window
// you can skip SetCosnoleDispModet,
// it seems this mode CONSOLE_WINDOWED_MODE is by default.
// call void SetCosnoleDispMode(m, CONSOLE_WINDOWED_MODE, &RetLong)  ' 1 for fullscreen
wait 10 ' give 10ms time to OS
// Now we set the Virtual Terminal Processing (so we can send ESC codes)
Call Void GetMode(m, &RetLong)
Call Void SetMode(M,binary.or(Retlong, ENABLE_VIRTUAL_TERMINAL_PROCESSING))
// Stop Blinking and set cursor (we can't see) to  3rd column and 6th row
// window's console origin is at 1,1
PrintConsole(StopBlinking$+EscXY$(3, 6))
// Print RetLong
wait 1000
PrintConsole("Hello")
// Print RetLong
wait 12000
call void CloseHandle(m)
call void FreeConsole()
// Using M2000 console (not the window one)
cls 0, 0
// M2000 layer origin is 0,0
// Cursor 3-1, 6-1 ' statement to set cursor
Print @(3-1, 6-1), "Hello"

Sub PrintConsole(a$)
      RetLong=0&
      call Void WriteCons(m, a$, Len(a$), &RetLong, 0)
End Sub

Mathematica/Wolfram Language

Run["tput cup 6 3"]
Print["Hello"]

Nim

import terminal
setCursorPos(3, 6)
echo "Hello"

OCaml

Using the library ANSITerminal:

#load "unix.cma"
#directory "+ANSITerminal"
#load "ANSITerminal.cma"

module Trm = ANSITerminal

let () =
  Trm.erase Trm.Screen;
  Trm.set_cursor 3 6;
  Trm.print_string [] "Hello";
;;

Pascal

program cursor_pos;
uses crt;
begin
  gotoxy(6,3);
  write('Hello');
end.

Perl

Using the Term::Cap module:

use Term::Cap;

my $t = Term::Cap->Tgetent;
print $t->Tgoto("cm", 2, 5); # 0-based
print "Hello";

Phix

without js -- position
position(6,3)
puts(1,"Hello")

PHP

echo "\033[".$x.",".$y."H"; // Position line $y and column $x.
echo "\033[".$n."A"; // Up $n lines.
echo "\033[".$n."B"; // Down $n lines.
echo "\033[".$n."C"; // Forward $n columns.
echo "\033[".$n."D"; // Backward $n columns.
echo "\033[2J"; // Clear the screen, move to (0,0).

PicoLisp

(call 'tput "cup" 6 3)
(prin "Hello")

PowerShell

The following will only work in the PowerShell console host. Most notably it will not work in the PowerShell ISE.

$Host.UI.RawUI.CursorPosition = New-Object System.Management.Automation.Host.Coordinates 2,5
$Host.UI.Write('Hello')

Alternatively, in any PowerShell host that uses the Windows console, one can directly use the .NET Console class:

[Console]::SetCursorPosition(2,5)
[Console]::Write('Hello')

Python

Using ANSI escape sequence, where ESC[y;xH moves curser to row y, col x:

print("\033[6;3HHello")

On Windows it needs to import and init the colorama module first.

ANSI sequences are not recognized in Windows console, here is a program using Windows API:

from ctypes import *

STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE = -11

class COORD(Structure):
    pass
    
COORD._fields_ = [("X", c_short), ("Y", c_short)]

def print_at(r, c, s):
    h = windll.kernel32.GetStdHandle(STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE)
    windll.kernel32.SetConsoleCursorPosition(h, COORD(c, r))
    
    c = s.encode("windows-1252")
    windll.kernel32.WriteConsoleA(h, c_char_p(c), len(c), None, None)

print_at(6, 3, "Hello")

Quackery

  [ number$ swap number$ 
    $ 'print("\033[' rot join
    char ; join
    swap join
    $ 'H", end="")' join
    python ]                   is cursor-at ( x y --> )

  3 6 cursor-at say "Hello"

Racket

#lang racket
(require (planet neil/charterm:3:0))
(with-charterm
 (charterm-clear-screen)
 (charterm-cursor 3 6)
 (displayln "Hello World"))

Raku

(formerly Perl 6) Assuming an ANSI terminal:

print "\e[6;3H";
print 'Hello';

Retro

with console'
: hello 3 6 at-xy "Hello" puts ;

REXX

The REXX language doesn't have any cursor or screen management tools,   but some REXX interpreters have
added the functionality via different methods   (such as functions and/or subroutines).

Works with: PC/REXX, Personal REXX

/*REXX program demonstrates moving the cursor position and writing of text to same place*/

call cursor  3,6                                 /*move the cursor to  row 3, column 6. */
say 'Hello'                                      /*write the text at that location.     */



call scrwrite 30,50,'Hello.'                     /*another method,  different location. */

call scrwrite 40,60,'Hello.',,,14                /*another method  ...  in yellow.      */
exit 0                                           /*stick a fork in it,  we're all done. */

Ring

# Project : Terminal control/Cursor positioning

for n = 1 to 5
     see nl
next
see "  Hello"

Output:

   Hello

Ruby

Library: curses

require 'curses'

Curses.init_screen
begin
  Curses.setpos(6, 3)  # column 6, row 3
  Curses.addstr("Hello")

  Curses.getch  # Wait until user presses some key.
ensure
  Curses.close_screen
end

Scala

Works with: Ubuntu version 14.04

object Main extends App {
    print("\u001Bc") // clear screen first
    println("\u001B[6;3HHello")
}

Seed7

The function setPos is portable and positions the cursor on the console window. SetPos is based on terminfo respectively the Windows console API.

$ include "seed7_05.s7i";
  include "console.s7i";

const proc: main is func
  local
    var text: console is STD_NULL;
  begin
    console := open(CONSOLE);
    setPos(console, 6, 3);
    write(console, "Hello");
    # Terminal windows often restore the previous
    # content, when a program is terminated. Therefore
    # the program waits until Return/Enter is pressed.
    readln;
  end func;

Tcl

exec tput cup 5 2 >/dev/tty
puts "Hello"

UNIX Shell

# The tput utility numbers from zero, so we have subtracted 1 from row and column
# number to obtain correct positioning.
tput cup 5 2

Whitespace

Using ANSI escape sequence, where ESC[y;xH moves curser to row y, col x (see below):

This solution was generated from the following pseudo-Assembly.

push "Hello"	;The characters are pushed onto the stack in reverse order
push "[6;3H"
push 27		;ESC

push 11		;Number of characters to print
call 0		;Calls print-string function
exit

0:
  dup jumpz 1	;Return if counter is zero
  exch prtc	;Swap counter with the next character and print it
  push 1 sub	;Subtract one from counter
  jump 0	;Loop back to print next character

1:
  pop ret	;Pop counter and return

XPL0

include c:\cxpl\codes;  \intrinsic 'code' declarations

[Cursor(2, 5);          \3rd column, 6th row
Text(0, "Hello");       \upper-left corner is coordinate 0, 0
]

Wren

System.write("\e[2J")        // clear the terminal
System.print("\e[6;3HHello") // move to (6, 3) and print 'Hello'

Z80 Assembly

Uses Amstrad CPC, but other machines with similar terminal functions can do the job. (The BIOS calls will be different however.)

ld hl,&0603   ;6 = ROW, 3 = COLUMN
call &BB75              ;set text cursor according to HL

ld hl,Message
call PrintString

ret  ;return to basic

Message:
byte "Hello",0

PrintString:
ld a,(hl)   ;read a byte from the string
or a        ;check equality to zero
ret z       ;if equal to zero, we're done
call &BB5A  ;print accumulator as an ascii char to screen
inc hl      ;next char
jr PrintString

zkl

Translation of: C/C++

Using ANSI escape sequence, where ESC[y;xH moves curser to row y, col x:

print("\e[6;3H" "Hello");