So, this is really a question of "do you know a resource." I want to learn a little more for graphical formatting in DOS. I know "color" and that's it. LOL! I'd like to know how it is that your can various colors on-screen at the same time, using various ASCII design chars and all that other fun stuff.

Also, I have seen it where there's an actual text field. How does that work. I'd like to put a little something together possibly, but this is SOOO antiquated I couldn't find anything that helped with Google alone... so yeah.So the only graphical things that are built into batch are color, echo off, echo., and 0>nul set /p=.

color changes all text and background. there are a couple of work arounds to c change colors involving
findstr that i will post tomarrow when i have access to my notes.

echo off stops the displaying of the command before it is executed.

echo. makes a blank line.

0>nul set /p= will WRITE without ending the line.
eg: cout >> "hello world"
vs. cout >>"hello world \n"

(if my c++ hasn't failed me yet.)Here is a routine by carlos on dostips.com

Code: [Select]@Echo Off
Call :Color A "######" \n E "" C " 21 " E "!" \n B "######" \n
Pause >Nul
Exit /B

:Color
:: v21
:: Arguments: hexColor text [\n] ...
:: \n -> newline ... -> repeat
:: Supported in windows XP, 7, 8.
:: In XP extended ascii characters are printed as dots.
:: For print quotes, use empty text.
SetLocal EnableExtensions EnableDelayedExpansion
Subst `: "!Temp!" >Nul &`: &Cd \
SetLocal DisableDelayedExpansion
If Not Exist `.7 (
Echo(|(Pause >Nul &Findstr "^" >`)
Set /P "=." >>` <Nul
For /F "delims=;" %%# In (
'"Prompt $H;&For %%_ In (_) Do Rem"') Do (
Set /P "=%%#%%#%%#" <Nul >`.3
Set /P "=%%#%%#%%#%%#%%#" <Nul >`.5
Set /P "=%%#%%#%%#%%#%%#%%#%%#" <Nul >`.7))
:__Color
Set "Text=%~2"
If Not Defined Text (Set Text=^")
SetLocal EnableDelayedExpansion
Set /P "LF=" <` &Set "LF=!LF:~0,1!"
For %%# in ("!LF!") Do For %%_ In (
\ / :) Do Set "Text=!Text:%%_=%%~#%%_%%~#!"
For /F delims^=^ EOL^= %%# in ("!Text!") Do (
If #==#! EndLocal
If \==%%# (Findstr /A:%~1 . \` Nul
Type `.3) Else If /==%%# (Findstr /A:%~1 . /.\` Nul
Type `.5) Else (Echo %%#\..\`>`.dat
Findstr /F:`.dat /A:%~1 .
Type `.7))
If "\n"=="%~3" (Shift
Echo()
Shift
Shift
If ""=="%~1" Goto :Eof
Goto :__Color
@echo off
color 07
mode 80, 58
setlocal disableDelayedExpansion
set q=^"
echo(
call :c 04 " "&call :c 40 " " /n
call :c 04 " "&call :c 40 " #"&call :c 40 " "&call :c 40 "# " /n
call :c 04 " "&call :c 40 " # # " /n
call :c 04 " "&call :c 40 "### # # ###" /n
call :c 04 " "&call :c 40 "## # # ##" /n
call :c 04 " "&call :c 40 "## ##################### ##" /n
call :c 04 " "&call :c 40 "## # # # # ##" /n
call :c 04 " "&call :c 40 "# # # # # #" /n
call :c 04 " "&call :c 40 "# # "&call :c 60 "###"&call :c 40 "# #"&call :c 60 "###"&call :c 40 " # #" /n
call :c 04 " "&call :c 40 "# "&call :c 60 "#### "&call :c 40 "# #"&call :c 60 " ####"&call :c 40 " #" /n
call :c 04 " "&call :c 40 "# "&call :c 60 "#### "&call :c 40 "###################"&call :c 60 " ####"&call :c 40 " #" /n
call :c 04 " "&call :c 40 "# #"&call :c 60 "# #"&call :c 40 " ########### "&call :c 60 "# #"&call :c 40 "# #" /n
call :c 04 " "&call :c 40 "# #"&call :c 60 " # #"&call :c 40 " # # "&call :c 60 "# # "&call :c 40 "# #" /n
call :c 04 " "&call :c 40 "# #"&call :c 60 " # #"&call :c 40 " # # "&call :c 60 "# # "&call :c 40 "# #" /n
call :c 04 " "&call :c 40 "# #"&call :c 60 " # #"&call :c 40 " # # "&call :c 60 "# # "&call :c 40 "# #" /n
call :c 04 " "&call :c 40 "# #"&call :c 60 " # #"&call :c 40 " # # "&call :c 60 "# # "&call :c 40 "# #" /n
call :c 04 " "&call :c 40 "## #"&call :c 60 " # #"&call :c 40 " # # "&call :c 60 "# # "&call :c 40 "# ##" /n
call :c 04 " "&call :c 40 "# # #"&call :c 60 " # #"&call :c 40 "# #"&call :c 60 "# # "&call :c 40 "# # #" /n
call :c 04 " "&call :c 40 "# # #"&call :c 60 " # #"&call :c 40 "# #"&call :c 60 "# # "&call :c 40 "# # #" /n
call :c 04 " "&call :c 40 "# # #"&call :c 60 " # #"&call :c 40 "## ##"&call :c 60 "# # "&call :c 40 "# # #" /n
call :c 04 " "&call :c 40 "# # #"&call :c 60 " # "&call :c 40 "#######"&call :c 60 " # "&call :c 40 "# # #" /n
call :c 04 " "&call :c 40 "# # #"&call :c 60 " # # "&call :c 40 "# # #" /n
call :c 04 " "&call :c 40 "# # #"&call :c 60 " # # "&call :c 40 "# # #" /n
call :c 04 " "&call :c 40 "# # #"&call :c 60 " # # "&call :c 40 "# # #" /n
call :c 04 " "&call :c 40 "# # #"&call :c 60 " "&call :c 6f "##"&call :c 60 " "&call :c 6f "##"&call :c 60 " "&call :c 40 "# # #" /n
call :c 04 " "&call :c 40 "# # #"&call :c 60 " "&call :c 6f "#"&call :c fb "##"&call :c 6f "###"&call :c 60 " "&call :c 6f "###"&call :c fb "##"&call :c 6f "#"&call :c 60 " "&call :c 40 "# # #" /n
call :c 04 " "&call :c 40 "# # #"&call :c 60 " "&call :c 6f "#"&call :c fb "# ###"&call :c 6f "#####"&call :c 60 " "&call :c 6f "#####"&call :c fb "### #"&call :c 6f "#"&call :c 60 " "&call :c 40 "# # #" /n
call :c 04 " "&call :c 40 "###"&call :c 60 " "&call :c 6f "#"&call :c fb "# #####"&call :c 6f "#####"&call :c 60 " "&call :c 6f "#####"&call :c fb "##### #"&call :c 6f "#"&call :c 60 " "&call :c 40 "###" /n
call :c 04 " "&call :c 40 "#"&call :c 60 " #"&call :c 6f "#"&call :c fb "# #####"&call :c 6f "#"&call :c 60 " "&call :c 6f "#"&call :c fb "##### #"&call :c 6f "#"&call :c 60 "# "&call :c 40 "#" /n
call :c 04 " "&call :c 40 "#"&call :c 60 " #"&call :c 6f "#"&call :c fb "# #"&call :c 60 "#######"&call :c fb "# #"&call :c 6f "#"&call :c 60 "# "&call :c 40 "#" /n
call :c 04 " "&call :c 40 "#"&call :c 60 "# # "&call :c 6f "#"&call :c fb "###### #"&call :c 60 "#######"&call :c fb "# ######"&call :c 6f "#"&call :c 60 " # #"&call :c 40 "#" /n
call :c 04 " "&call :c 40 "#"&call :c 60 "# # "&call :c 6f "######"&call :c fb "#########"&call :c 6f "#"&call :c 60 " "&call :c 6f "#"&call :c fb "#########"&call :c 6f "######"&call :c 60 " # #"&call :c 40 "#" /n
call :c 04 " "&call :c 40 "# "&call :c 60 "# # "&call :c 6f "#########"&call :c 60 " "&call :c 6f "#########"&call :c 60 " # #"&call :c 40 " #" /n
call :c 04 " "&call :c 40 "# #"&call :c 60 "# # # #"&call :c 40 "# #" /n
call :c 04 " "&call :c 40 "# #"&call :c 04 " "&call :c 60 "# # # #"&call :c 04 " "&call :c 40 "# #" /n
call :c 04 " "&call :c 40 "# #"&call :c 04 " "&call :c 60 "# # # #"&call :c 04 " "&call :c 40 "# #" /n
call :c 04 " "&call :c 40 "# # "&call :c 04 " "&call :c 60 "# # # #"&call :c 04 " "&call :c 40 " # #" /n
call :c 04 " "&call :c 40 "# # "&call :c 04 " "&call :c 60 "# # # #"&call :c 04 " "&call :c 40 " # #" /n
call :c 04 " "&call :c 40 "# # "&call :c 04 " "&call :c 60 "# # # #"&call :c 04 " "&call :c 40 " # #" /n
call :c 04 " "&call :c 40 "# # "&call :c 04 " "&call :c 60 "# # # #"&call :c 04 " "&call :c 40 " # #" /n
call :c 04 " "&call :c 40 "# # "&call :c 04 " "&call :c 60 "# # # #"&call :c 04 " "&call :c 40 " # #" /n
call :c 04 " "&call :c 40 "# # "&call :c 04 " "&call :c 60 "# # # #"&call :c 04 " "&call :c 40 " # #" /n
call :c 04 " "&call :c 40 "# # "&call :c 04 " "&call :c 60 "# # # #"&call :c 04 " "&call :c 40 " # #" /n
call :c 04 " "&call :c 40 "# # "&call :c 04 " "&call :c 60 "# # # #"&call :c 04 " "&call :c 40 " # #" /n
call :c 04 " "&call :c 40 "# # "&call :c 04 " "&call :c 60 "# # # #"&call :c 04 " "&call :c 40 " # #" /n
call :c 04 " "&call :c 40 "# # "&call :c 04 " "&call :c 60 "# # # #"&call :c 04 " "&call :c 40 " # #" /n
call :c 04 " "&call :c 40 "# # "&call :c 04 " "&call :c 60 "# # # #"&call :c 04 " "&call :c 40 " # #" /n
call :c 04 " "&call :c 40 "# # #"&call :c 60 "## # # ##"&call :c 40 "# # #" /n
call :c 04 " "&call :c 40 "# # #"&call :c 60 " # "&call :c 04 " "&call :c 60 " # "&call :c 40 "# # #" /n
call :c 04 " "&call :c 40 "# # #"&call :c 60 " # ## ## # "&call :c 40 "# # #" /n
call :c 04 " "&call :c 40 "# #"&call :c 60 " ## # # ## "&call :c 40 "# #" /n
call :c 04 " "&call :c 40 "# #"&call :c 60 " # "&call :c 40 "###"&call :c 60 " # "&call :c 40 "# #" /n
call :c 04 " "&call :c 40 "# #"&call :c 60 " "&call :c 40 "###### ######"&call :c 60 " "&call :c 40 "# #" /n
call :c 04 " "&call :c 40 "# ## # # ## #" /n
call :c 04 " "&call :c 40 "# ############# #" /n
call :c 04 " "&call :c 40 "# ## ## #" /n
call :c 04 " "&call :c 40 "# # # #" /n
call :c 04 " "&call :c 40 "#####################"


ping -n 99 localhost >NUL

:c
setlocal enableDelayedExpansion
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

:colorPrint Color Str [/n]
setlocal
set "s=%~2"
call :colorPrintVar %1 s %3
exit /b

:colorPrintVar Color StrVar [/n]
if not defined DEL call :initColorPrint
setlocal enableDelayedExpansion
pushd .
':
cd \
set "s=!%~2!"
:: The single blank line within the following IN() clause is critical - DO NOT REMOVE
for %%n in (^"^

^") do (
set "s=!s:\=%%~n\%%~n!"
set "s=!s:/=%%~n/%%~n!"
set "s=!s::=%%~n:%%~n!"
)
for /f delims^=^ eol^= %%s in ("!s!") do (
if "!" equ "" setlocal disableDelayedExpansion
if %%s==\ (
findstr /a:%~1 "." "\'" nul
) else if %%s==/ (
findstr /a:%~1 "." "/.\'" nul
) else (
>colorPrint.txt (echo %%s\..\')
findstr /a:%~1 /f:colorPrint.txt "."
)
)
if /i "%~3"=="/n" echo(
popd
exit /b


:initColorPrint
for /f %%A in ('"prompt $H&for %%B in (1) do rem"') do set "DEL=%%A %%A"
"%temp%\'" set /p "=."
subst ': "%temp%" >nul
exit /b


:cleanupColorPrint
2>nul del "%temp%\'"
2>nul del "%temp%\colorPrint.txt"
>nul subst ': /d
exit /b

Fro reference:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ANSI.SYS
many older DOS programs use ANSII as a foundation for color PRESENTATIONS of text.
Quote

Once LOADED, ANSI.SYS enabled code sequences that changed the colors of the cursor and characters on the screen, or enabled software programs to move the cursor up or down lines, enabled blinking text, and similar text graphics features. Using this driver, text could be displayed in 16 different colors ("foreground" colors), with 8 optional background colors. It also allowed for the changing of the video mode from standard 80x25 text mode to a number of different graphics modes (for EXAMPLE, 320x200, 640x200, 40-column text mode) depending on which video graphics card was installed.