print() outputs ASCII code + character instead of colored text

Question

I took the reference of How to make every character/line print in a random color? and changed the text to ghost ASCII art but the output is not printing the colored art but printing ascii code + the symbols used in the text.

import colorama
import random


    
text = """
     .-----.
   .' -   - '.
  /  .-. .-.  \
  |  | | | |  |
   \ \o/ \o/ /
  _/    ^    \_
 | \  '---'  / |
 / /`--. .--`\ \
/ /'---` `---'\ \
'.__.       .__.'
    `|     |`
     |     \
     \      '--.
      '.        `\
        `'---.   |
              ) /
              \/
      """        
colors = list(vars(colorama.Fore).values())
colored_chars = [random.choice(colors) + char for char in text]
print(''.join(colored_chars))

Output :

This works fine, *if* your terminal understands ANSI escape codes. The Windows command prompt is not such a terminal. — chepner, Mar 04 '22 at 18:38
It looks lke your terminal emulator isn't interpreting the `ESC` character correctly, it's displaying a left-arrow instead. — Barmar, Mar 04 '22 at 18:38
I think you need to call `colorama.init()` after importing it. — snakecharmerb, Mar 04 '22 at 19:01
@chepner: The latest versions of the Window command prompt *do* understand ANSI escape codes. See [How to make win32 console recognize ANSI/VT100 escape sequences?](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/16755142/how-to-make-win32-console-recognize-ansi-vt100-escape-sequences) — martineau, Mar 04 '22 at 20:22
I should have said "does not appear to be"; I don't use Windows myself. — chepner, Mar 04 '22 at 23:04

score 1 · Accepted Answer · edited Mar 04 '22 at 23:05

1

Try calling os.system('cls') before printing to the console with colors.

Also include r"" before your string to format it correctly (worked for me).

import colorama
import random
import os



text = r"""
     .-----.
   .' -   - '.
  /  .-. .-.  \
  |  | | | |  |
   \ \o/ \o/ /
  _/    ^    \_
 | \  '---'  / |
 / /`--. .--`\ \
/ /'---` `---'\ \
'.__.       .__.'
    `|     |`
     |     \
     \      '--.
      '.        `\
        `'---.   |
              ) /
              \/
      """

os.system("cls")
colors = list(vars(colorama.Fore).values())
colored_chars = [random.choice(colors) + char for char in text]
print(''.join(colored_chars))

edited Mar 04 '22 at 23:05

chepner

497,756
71
530
681

answered Mar 04 '22 at 18:37

Richard

416
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13

1

That shouldn't have any effect on the escape sequences to display colors. – Barmar Mar 04 '22 at 18:39
1

The point about using a raw string literal is valid, but nothing else here will fix the terminal's inability to understand ANSI escape codes. – chepner Mar 04 '22 at 18:39
1

It does for me, I have ran into this issue in the past on my own projects and clearing the screen works for some reason. – Richard Mar 04 '22 at 18:39
1

it works with this . i don't understand why few are saying no effect on escape sequences and terminals inability. Anyways the question is now closed with similar question which actually is not a similar question. Thank you. – AKSHAY ARJUN Mar 04 '22 at 18:54
1

Some are quick to jump to a conclusion based on their own understanding. In theory, just clearing the screen shouldn't work. But outside of my own understanding it just does and I'm not sure why. – Richard Mar 04 '22 at 18:58
1

Related [Colored text in command prompt after "cls" but not before "cls"](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/56792323/colored-text-in-command-prompt-after-cls-but-not-before-cls). – martineau Mar 04 '22 at 20:23

print() outputs ASCII code + character instead of colored text

1 Answers1