# block-print command

The block-print command produces a banner
by converting characters to a large block format, made up of rows
and columns of the character itself.

A character definition must consist of exactly nine attributes.
For example:

```
ID H
001 7 ;* # horizontal cells: 1234567
002 C2,3,2 ;* raster line 1: HH HH
003 C2,3,2 ;* raster line 2: HH HH
004 C2,3,2 ;* raster line 3: HH HH
005 C7 ;* raster line 4: HHHHHHH
006 C2,3,2 ;* raster line 5: HH HH
007 C2,3,2 ;* raster line 6: HH HH
008 C2,3,2 ;* raster line 7: HH HH
009 B7 ;* raster line 8:
```
where the raster is either:

```
cnn{,nn{,nn...}}
```
or

```
bnn{,nn{,nn...}}
```
such that:

| cnn | Indicates the ID character to be printed nn times. |
| --- | --- |
| bnn | Indicates a space to be printed nn times. |
| , | Indicates a switch from character to a space, or vice-versa. |
New items can be edited into the block-convert file to create new languages, or even typefaces (such as script
or italics). However, the height must remain at nine characters (attributes).

Each word or passage is centered on the output line according
to the width of the device to which it is being output. The device
width is determined by the most recently executed term command.

## Syntax

```
block-print text{(options}
```

## Parameter(s)

| text | Text entered. If the text contains too many characters, the text string is wrapped at a word boundary, if possible; otherwise, the text is wrapped after nine characters. Text enclosed within quotation marks attempts to print on the same line without breaking on the spaces between the words. The characters in the text string are defined in the dm,block-convert, file. | |
| --- | --- | --- |
| options | n | No pause (nopage) option suppresses pause at end of page on terminal display. |
| p | Directs output to system printer via the spooler. | |
| u | Uppercase option. If the banner character is lowercase, the block character is made up of the equivalent uppercase character. | |

## Example(s)

```
block-print "Eat At Joe’s" Bar & Grill (p
```
Note: Without the double quotation marks around the first
part of the banner, this command would fail with an uneven
number of delimiters messages. Also, the quotation marks around "Eat At Joe’s" passage forces the passage to display on
the same output line, side-by-side. Without the quotation marks around
a passage, each word displays by itself on the line.

```
block-print Hi
HH HH ii
HH HH
HH HH iii
HHHHHHH ii
HH HH ii
HH HH ii
HH HH iiii
```

## See also

- [block-convert file](https://d3codex.com/systemfiles/block-convert-file/)
- [Options (TCL)](https://d3codex.com/tcl/options-tcl/)
- [term command](https://d3codex.com/tcl/term-command/)
- [term-type command](https://d3codex.com/tcl/term-type-command/)
- [termp command](https://d3codex.com/tcl/termp-command/)

---
Source: https://d3codex.com/tcl/block-print-command/ - part of the D3Codex reference.