Detect ANSI Escape support

[bob-u]

Even in 2026 windows sandbox starts power shell in a terminal that does not support escape codes. To lessen the confusion for new users, perhaps install script could let user know as it's simple to do from within install script:

PS C:\Windows\system32> # Check if ANSI output is enabled
PS C:\Windows\system32> $PSStyle.OutputRendering -eq 'ANSI'
False
PS C:\Windows\system32>

Btw, it's very difficult to find this project using google search. Even if I know what I'm looking for google insists I misspelled the words...

[capocasa]

Thank you for trying 3code, and taking the time to write!!!

That's good to know. How do you notice powershell without ansi? My windows test system looks fine- what happens on yours when ansi is off? Can I get a screenshot or description please? Thanks!!!

And thank you for the SEO comment. Working on it.

[bob-u]

I am running 3code within Windows Sandbox (WSB) on Windows 11 pro:

Had to install Windows Terminal for ANSI to work properly. shell command (see screenshot) returns false when ANSI is not supported.

[capocasa]

I see!

Note that 3code does have a ACL-based sandbox, that might be sufficient- it does use OS-level locking.

Would you do a quick writeup of what you needed to do for it to work in Windows sandbox? Just short steps- I'll use that as a first draft for a wiki, or I might be able to use it out of the box. However, I suspect 3code will always be dependent on ANSI- everything is written in it.

I should be able to detect non-ANSI and give a nice error message.

[bob-u]

Would you do a quick writeup of what you needed to do for it to work in Windows sandbox?

About that: I'm still working on a good solution. I copied 3code folder created with your install script (AppData is erases on exit) to host mapped c:\3code folder which persists. I have path set to git/bin and 3code/bin (C:\Windows\system32;C:\Windows;C:\Windows\System32\Wbem;C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\;C:\Users\WDAGUtilityAccount\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps;C:\3code\git\bin;C:\3code\bin; ) but 3code still insists that bash is not installed.

· bash tool disabled: no bash found. Install Git for Windows as your user: https://git-scm.com/download/win

I can access both from the terminal:

PS C:\Users\WDAGUtilityAccount> git --version
git version 2.55.0.windows.5
PS C:\Users\WDAGUtilityAccount> bash --version
GNU bash, version 5.3.15(2)-release (x86_64-pc-cygwin)
Copyright (C) 2025 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later <http://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>

This is free software; you are free to change and redistribute it.
There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.
PS C:\Users\WDAGUtilityAccount>

I think the problem may be with how 3code detects if bash is installed?

EDIT:

3code.exe also crashes right after model is done:
Faulting application name: 3code.exe, version: 0.0.0.0, time stamp: 0x6aafc894
Faulting module name: 3code.exe, version: 0.0.0.0, time stamp: 0x6aafc894
Exception code: 0xc0000005
Fault offset: 0x000000000040e205
Faulting process id: 0x1040
Faulting application start time: 0x1DD4ABE7275484F
Faulting application path: C:\3code\bin\3code.exe
Faulting module path: C:\3code\bin\3code.exe
Report Id: db371083-31e3-42bf-a48c-26ecff97cecc
Faulting package full name: 
Faulting package-relative application ID: 

[capocasa]

Oh- 3code only supports autodetecting the AppData/Local/3code and system locations for gfw bash and msys2.

If you want a custom location you have to specify the path in the config file:

bash_path = "C:\path\to\usr\bin\bash.exe"

Alternatively, you can install git-for-windows using the installer.

[capocasa]

For the windows sandbox crash- please kindly launch a debug build in the windows sandboxand reproduce the crash with it

https://3code.capocasa.dev/main/builds/3code-windows-amd64.zip

or

irm https://3code.capocasa.dev/main/install.ps1 | iex

You should get a stacktrace in the logs- post it. Thank you for your help making 3code more robust!!

[bob-u]

Docs say to use --config to point at config file, but it does not work:

3code: unknown option: --config
PS C:\3code\bin>

[capocasa]

Fixing!

Workaround:

Use XDG_CONFIG_HOME and XDG_DATA_HOME env vars to move directories to a location of your choice.