Release Notes

Here you can find the release notes for each version of Sista since v0.1.0, with changelog since v0.7.0; these are listed in a bottom-up order.

Unreleased v<tt>3.0.0</tt>

Major release.

• Changed sista::Field to use std::shared_ptr<sista::Pawn> instead of raw pointers for memory safety and easier memory management
  • Removed Field::reset method as it is redundant with Field::clear in this context
• Updated demos to use std::shared_ptr<sista::Pawn> and std::make_shared<sista::Pawn> for creating and managing pawns
• Updated documentation to reflect changes in sista::Field and sista::Pawn usage
• Removed ANSI namespace and moved all ANSI-related functionality to sista::, among which ANSI::Settings->sista::ANSISettings
• Wrapped former _EFFECT constants into a scoped enum class Effect inside the sista namespace
• Changed enum types to enum class for better type safety and to avoid name clashes
  • Fixed Cursor::move overload using MoveCursorSCO, which was incorrectly using int instead of char
• Renamed ANSI-Settings.hpp and ANSI-Settings.cpp to ansi.hpp and ansi.cpp respectively for consistency with other filenames
• Removed overloads with non-const reference parameters and replaced them with overloads taking parameters by value or const reference
• Improved internal implementation of sista::ANSISettings::apply() for better readability and semantics with std::variant::holds_alternative
• Removed sista::Coord type alias of std::pair<unsigned short, unsigned short> to minimize the public surface area of the library
  • Removed all functions taking sista::Coord as parameter
  • Created static methods in sista::Coordinates to convert from and to std::pair<unsigned short, unsigned short>
• Removed y and x attributes from sista::Cursor, as they were not used outside the struct nor necessary for its functionality
• Renamed sista::Coordinates::set to goTo for better clarity (it moves the cursor to the coordinates)
• Using const qualifier for references where appropriate for better performance and semantics
• Added const qualifier to methods that do not modify the state of the object for better semantics and to allow calling them on const instances
• Moving sista::SwappableField::movingByCoordinates to sista::Field as it does not depend on SwappableField functionality
• Minimized includes in header files to reduce compilation dependencies and improve build times
• Added std::hash specialization for sista::Coordinates to allow its use in hash-based containers like std::unordered_map and std::unordered_set
• Optimized sista::SwappableField internal logic for better performance
• Improved encapsulation of sista::SwappableField by making internal methods private and exposing only necessary public methods
• Exposed C API for stable ABI that allows FFI bindings and easier integration with other programming languages
  • Added api.h header file with C API declarations
  • Added api.cpp implementation file with C API definitions
  • Updated Makefile to build the C API and link it with the C++ library
• Updated CI workflows to build and test the C API
• Added Python C extension module sista._sista loaded in the sista Python module
  • Added python/ directory with the C extension source code and setup.py for building and installing the Python module
  • Updated CI workflows to build and test the Python module
• Updated Makefile for hardcoding the rpath of the MacOS shared library to avoid issues with DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH
• Updated Makefile to reflect the new filenames and ensure correct compilation and linking
• Added files for .deb packaging under packageroot
• Testing on memory safety with valgrind, detected no memory leaks or invalid accesses
• Constructor and destructor of sista::Cursor only hide/show the cursor, but do not alter the ANSI settings nor clear the screen anymore

v<tt>2.2.1</tt>

Patch release.

• Adapted Makefile for MacOS install

v<tt>2.2.0</tt>

Minor release.

• Sista now available as a shared library on Windows via MinGW, MSYS2 or alternative toolchains

The previous state was that Sista was only available in source format on Windows, but now it can be installed on the system as a shared library.

MSVC support is not available, and it won't for the foreseeable future unless there is a demand for it and a volunteer to test it.

v<tt>2.1.2</tt>

• Added new demo shared-test-static to test static linking against the Sista library
• Updated demo/Makefile to include the new demo and to build it correctly
• Updated Makefile CI workflow to build all demos, including the new shared-test-static demo

v<tt>2.1.1</tt>

• Fixed the Makefile to correctly build the demos without the need for Sista to be installed
• Added documentation in the demo/README.md file
• Updated and refreshed the documentation on ReadTheDocs, under docs/

v<tt>2.1.0</tt>

Minor release.

• Changed path of the libSista.so shared library from {PREFIX}/lib64/libSista.so to {PREFIX}/lib/libSista.so for ld to find it correctly on most systems
• Added uninstall target to the Makefile to remove the installed files
• Added demo/shared-test.cpp and related Makefile target to test the shared library installation

v<tt>2.0.0</tt>

Major release.

• Sista now available as a shared library, libSista.so, which can be installed in the system library path

v<tt>1.1.8</tt>

Bug fix release.

• Fixed sista::Coordinates operator overload < to be a strict weak ordering relation

bool Coordinates::operator<(const Coordinates& other) const {
-    return (y + x) < (other.y + other.x);
+    if (y != other.y)
+        return y < other.y;
+    return x < other.x;
}

This change is necessary to ensure that constructs such as std::set<sista::Coordinates> work correctly, as it requires a strict weak ordering relation.

We don't plan to implement an hash function for sista::Coordinates at the moment as the direct comparison is more efficient and straightforward for the intended use cases.

v<tt>1.1.7</tt>

• Allow ANSI::Settings to be initialized with mixed ForegroundColor and RGBColor or RGBColor and BackgroundColor

This change has the purpose to allow more flexibility, especially when using a custom foreground color with a coded background color.

 ++
ANSI::Settings settings = {
    ANSI::RGBColor(42, 42, 42),
    ANSI::BackgroundColor::B_BLACK,
    ANSI::Attribute::BRIGHT
};

v<tt>1.1.6</tt>

• Added < comparison operator to sista::Coordinates

The purpose is to allow std::set<sista::Coordinates>. It is based solely on the distance from the origin.

 ++
bool Coordinates::operator<(const Coordinates& other) const {
    return (y + x) < (other.y + other.x);
}

v<tt>1.1.5</tt>

• Added RGBColor and support for it in the ANSI::Settings struct

It is now possible to initialize ANSI::Settings instances as follows. Even if in general using the constructor could be a bless for backwards compatibility of your code.

 ++
ANSI::Settings settings = {
    ANSI::RGBColor(42, 42, 42),
    ANSI::RGBColor(69, 69, 69),
    ANSI::Attribute::BRIGHT
};

The library does not enforce consistency across foreground and background indications, as in one of the two can be an RGBColor and the other one a ForegroundColor, for instance.

This change is backwards compatible, so the ForegroundColor/BackgroundColor based initialization is still functional and will always be supported.

v<tt>1.1.4</tt>

• Added sista::Field::removePawn(sista::Coordinates&) to remove a pawn from the field by coordinates without the need of a pointer to the pawn

 ++
void Field::removePawn(Coordinates& coordinates) { // Remove a pawn from the matrix
    pawns[coordinates.y][coordinates.x] = nullptr; // Set the pawn to nullptr
}

• Added sista::Field::erasePawn(sista::Coordinates&) to erase a pawn from the field by coordinates without the need of a pointer to the pawn

 ++
void Field::erasePawn(Coordinates& coordinates) { // Erase a pawn from the matrix
    removePawn(coordinates); // Remove the pawn from the matrix
    cursor.set(coordinates); // Set the cursor to the pawn's coordinates
    ANSI::reset(); // Reset the settings for that cell
    std::cout << ' '; // Print a space to clear the cell
}

v<tt>1.1.3</tt>

• Added sista::Field::rePrintPawn()
• Added operator for scalar multiplication for sista::Coordinates struct

 ++
void Field::rePrintPawn(Pawn* pawn) { // Print a pawn
    cursor.set(pawn->getCoordinates()); // Set the cursor to the pawn's coordinates
    pawn->print(); // Print the pawn
}

 ++
Coordinates operator*(const unsigned short int) const;

v<tt>1.1.2</tt>

• Added more operators for sista::Coordinates struct

 ++
Coordinates operator-(const Coordinates&) const;
Coordinates operator+=(const Coordinates&);
Coordinates operator-=(const Coordinates&);

v<tt>1.1.1</tt>

• Added sista::Field::erasePawn() to remove and erase Pawn from the screen

 ++
void Field::erasePawn(Pawn* pawn) { // Erase a pawn from the matrix
    removePawn(pawn); // Remove the pawn from the matrix
    cursor.set(pawn->getCoordinates()); // Set the cursor to the pawn's coordinates
    ANSI::reset(); // Reset the settings for that cell
    std::cout << ' '; // Print a space to clear the cell
}

v<tt>1.0.0</tt>

• Divided Sista in .hpp headers and .cpp sources

This should make it possible to use Sista in projects with multiple source files.

v<tt>0.9.4</tt>

• Added sista::Field::addPrintPawn() to add and print Pawn without reprint

 ++
void addPrintPawn(Pawn* pawn) { // Add a pawn to the matrix and print it
    addPawn(pawn); // Add the pawn to the matrix
    this->cursor.set(pawn->getCoordinates()); // Set the cursor to the pawn's coordinates
    pawn->print(); // Print the pawn
}

v<tt>0.9.3</tt>

• Fixed sista::Field::reset() which was resizing the field to 0x0

 ++
void reset() {
    for (auto& row: pawns) { // For each row
        for (auto& pawn: row) {
            if (pawn != nullptr) // If the pawn is not nullptr
                delete pawn; // Delete the pawn
            pawn = nullptr; // Set the pawn to nullptr
        }
    }        
}

v<tt>0.9.2</tt>

• Added ScreenMode management

 ++
enum ScreenMode {
    MONOCROME_TEXT_40_25 = 0,
    COLOR_TEXT_40_25 = 1,
    MONOCROME_TEXT_80_25 = 2,
    COLOR_TEXT_80_25 = 3,
    FOUR_COLORS_GRAPHICS_320_200 = 4,
    MONOCROME_GRAPHICS_320_200 = 5,
    MONOCROME_GRAPHICS_640_200 = 6,
    LINE_WRAPPING = 7,
    COLOR_GRAPHICS_320_200 = 13,
    COLOR_16_COLORS_GRAPHICS_640_200 = 14,
    MONOCROME_2_COLORS_GRAPHICS_640_350 = 15,
    COLOR_16_COLORS_GRAPHICS_640_350 = 16,
    MONOCROME_2_COLORS_GRAPHICS_640_480 = 17,
    COLOR_16_COLORS_GRAPHICS_640_480 = 18,
    COLOR_256_COLORS_GRAPHICS_320_200 = 19
};
 
void setScreenMode(ScreenMode mode) {
    std::cout << CSI << '=' << mode << 'h';
}
void unsetScreenMode(ScreenMode mode) {
    std::cout << CSI << '=' << mode << 'l';
}

• Added resetter for sista::Field instances, to empty the field from the sista::Pawns

 ++
void reset() {
    for (auto& row: pawns) // For each row
        for (auto& pawn: row) // For each pawn
            if (pawn != nullptr) // If the pawn is not nullptr
                delete pawn; // Delete the pawn
    pawns.clear(); // Clear the pawns
}

v<tt>0.9.0</tt>

• Added 256 color support

 ++
void setForegroundColor(unsigned short int color) {
    std::cout << CSI << "38;5;" << color << "m";
}
void setBackgroundColor(unsigned short int color) {
    std::cout << CSI << "48;5;" << color << "m";
}

• Added 24-biit RGB color support

 ++
void setForegroundColor(unsigned short int red, unsigned short int green, unsigned short int blue) {
    std::cout << CSI << "38;2;" << red << ";" << green << ";" << blue << "m";
}
void setBackgroundColor(unsigned short int red, unsigned short int green, unsigned short int blue) {
    std::cout << CSI << "48;2;" << red << ";" << green << ";" << blue << "m";
}

v<tt>0.8.0</tt>

• Added more ANSI cursor commands

 ++
enum EraseScreen {
    FROM_CURSOR_TO_END = 0,
    FROM_CURSOR_TO_BEGINNING = 1,
    ENTIRE_SCREEN = 2,
    ERASE_SAVED_LINES = 3,
};
enum EraseLine {
    LINE_FROM_CURSOR_TO_END = 0,
    LINE_FROM_CURSOR_TO_BEGINNING = 1,
    ENTIRE_LINE = 2,
};
enum MoveCursor {
    UP = (int)'A',
    DOWN = (int)'B',
    RIGHT = (int)'C',
    LEFT = (int)'D',
    BEGINNING_OF_NEXT_LINE = (int)'E',
    BEGINNING_OF_PREVIOUS_LINE = (int)'F',
    HORIZONTAL_ABSOLUTE = (int)'G'
};
enum MoveCursorDEC {
    SAVE_CURSOR_POSITION = 7,
    RESTORE_CURSOR_POSITION = 8
};
enum MoveCursorSCO {
    SCO_SAVE_CURSOR_POSITION = (int)'s',
    SCO_RESTORE_CURSOR_POSITION = (int)'u'
};
 
// In Cursor struct
void eraseScreen(EraseScreen eraseScreen_) {
    std::cout << CSI << eraseScreen_ << "J";
}
void eraseLine(EraseLine eraseLine_, bool moveCursor=true) {
    std::cout << CSI << eraseLine_ << "K";
    if (moveCursor) {
        this->set(this->y, 0);
        std::cout << '\r';
    }
}
 
void move(MoveCursor moveCursor_, unsigned short int n=1) {
    std::cout << CSI << n << (char)moveCursor_;
}
void move(MoveCursorDEC moveCursorDEC_) {
    std::cout << ESC << ' ' << moveCursorDEC_;
}
void move(MoveCursorSCO moveCursorSCO_) {
    std::cout << ESC << ' ' << moveCursorSCO_;
}

• Added ESC constant to ANSI-Settings.hpp

v<tt>0.7.1</tt>

• Added condition over the attribute reset function

 ++
void resetAttribute(Attribute attribute) {
    if (attribute == Attribute::BRIGHT) {
        std::cout << CSI << attribute + 21 << "m";
        return;
    }
    std::cout << CSI << attribute + 20 << "m";
}

I added the if statement to check if the attribute is BRIGHT or not, because the BRIGHT reset code is +21 (from set code) and the rest are +20.

v<tt>0.1.0</tt>

This is the first version of Sista and it is still in development.