Centering text inside char bax

[PhilOfPerth]

This looks much sharper!

Code: (Select All)

_Title "Centering text inside a box" ' b+ 2023-04-08
Screen _NewImage(800, 600, 32)
f& = _LoadFont("c:\WINDOWS\Fonts\arial.ttf", 24, "bold")
_Font f&
_PrintMode _KeepBackground

MessageBox "Centering text inside a box of X's, ...zzz", &HFF0000FF, &HFFFFFFFF
Sleep
Cls
' OK generalize this for any  meessage, character block and font size

f& = _LoadFont("c:\WINDOWS\Fonts\cambriab.ttf", 30, "Monospace")
f& = _LoadFont("c:\WINDOWS\Fonts\cambriab.ttf", 40)
_Font f&
MessageBox "bplus was here, ...zzz", &HFFFF0000, &HFFBBBBFF
Sleep

' assuming font is loaded and _font handle activated   AND  _PrintMode _KeepBackground
' assuming message will fit on one line inside screen plus 4 extra Box characters
Sub MessageBox (message$, boxColor~&, PrintColor~&)
    ' note: "X" was the original Box Character used
    pwMessage = _PrintWidth(message$) ' print width of message$
    pwX = _PrintWidth("X") '  print width of 1 X
    addxs = pwMessage + 4 * pwX '       width of X box
    fh = _FontHeight
    y = (_Height - 5 * fh) / 2 '        y start x's    top corner of box
    x = (_Width - addxs) / 2 '          x start x's    left side of box
    Line (x, y)-Step(addxs, 5 * fh), boxColor~&, BF
    Color PrintColor~&
    Line (x + 2, y + 2)-Step(addxs - 4, 5 * fh - 4), , B
    Line (x + 4, y + 4)-Step(addxs - 8, 5 * fh - 8), , B
    _PrintString (x + 2 * pwX, y + 2 * fh), message$ ' for perfect center, add .5*difference
End Sub

And less code!

Thanks bplus. You've hit the nail on the head! That's the exact function I needed! 
Now, I just have to digest it (yes, mixed metaphore: iron in my diet!), and adjust it for my prog. Thanks again.