Boxes command is a text filter and a little known tool that can draw any kind of ASCII art box around its input text or code for fun and profit. You can quickly create email signatures, or create regional comments in any programming language. This command was intended to be used with the vim text editor, but can be used with any text editor which supports filters, as well as from the command line as a standalone tool.
Install boxes for text mode ASCII-art box and comment drawing
Use the apt-get command or apt command to install boxes under a Debian / Ubuntu Linux:
$ sudo apt-get install boxes
Sample outputs:
[sudo] password for vivek: Reading package lists... Done Building dependency tree Reading state information... Done The following NEW packages will be installed: boxes 0 upgraded, 1 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded. Need to get 60.4 kB of archives. After this operation, 259 kB of additional disk space will be used. Get:1 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu eoan/universe amd64 boxes amd64 1.3-1 [60.4 kB] Fetched 60.4 kB in 1s (43.1 kB/s) Selecting previously unselected package boxes. (Reading database ... 239154 files and directories currently installed.) Preparing to unpack .../archives/boxes_1.3-1_amd64.deb ... Unpacking boxes (1.3-1) ... Setting up boxes (1.3-1) ... Processing triggers for man-db (2.8.7-3) ...
A note about CentOS/RHEL/Fedora users
RHEL or CentOS Linux users, use the yum command to install boxes (first enable EPEL repo as described here on a CentOS/RHEL 6.x, if you are using a CentOS/RHEL 7.x see this page to enable EPEL repo and if you are using a CentOS/RHEL 8 see this page to enable epel repo):
# yum install boxes
Sample outputs:
Loaded plugins: fastestmirror Loading mirror speeds from cached hostfile * base: ftp.iitm.ac.in * epel: repo.ugm.ac.id * extras: ftp.iitm.ac.in * updates: ftp.iitm.ac.in Resolving Dependencies --> Running transaction check ---> Package boxes.x86_64 0:1.1.1-4.el7 will be installed --> Finished Dependency Resolution Dependencies Resolved =============================================================================== Package Arch Version Repository Size =============================================================================== Installing: boxes x86_64 1.1.1-4.el7 epel 66 k Transaction Summary =============================================================================== Install 1 Package Total download size: 66 k Installed size: 157 k Is this ok [y/d/N]: y Downloading packages: boxes-1.1.1-4.el7.x86_64.rpm | 66 kB 00:02 Running transaction check Running transaction test Transaction test succeeded Running transaction Installing : boxes-1.1.1-4.el7.x86_64 1/1 Verifying : boxes-1.1.1-4.el7.x86_64 1/1 Installed: boxes.x86_64 0:1.1.1-4.el7 Complete!
Fedora Linux user try dnf command:
$ sudo dnf install boxes
FreeBSD install boxes
FreeBSD user can use the port as follows:
# cd /usr/ports/misc/boxes/ && make install clean
Or, add the binary package using the pkg_add command:
# pkg install boxes
Install boxes on Mac OSX
Use the brew command:
brew install boxes
Windows installation
If you have choco (chocolatey package), you can now simply run the following command on Windows operating system:
choco install boxes.portable
Draw any kind of box around some given text
Type the following command:
echo "This is a test" | boxes
Of course we can specify the name of the design to use:
echo -e "\n\tVivek Gite\n\tvivek@nixcraft.com\n\twww.cyberciti.biz" | boxes -d dog
How do I list all boxes designs?
The syntax is:
boxes option pipe | boxes options echo "text" | boxes -d foo boxes -l
The -d design option sets the name of the design to use. The syntax is:
echo "Text" | boxes -d design pipe | boxes -d design
The -l option list designs. It produces a listing of all available box designs in the config file, along with a sample box and information about it’s creator:
boxes -l boxes -l | more boxes -l | less
Sample outputs:
65 Available Styles in "/etc/boxes/boxes-config": ------------------------------------------------- ada-box (Neil Bird ): --------------- -- -- -- -- --------------- ada-cmt (Neil Bird ): -- -- regular Ada -- comments -- boy (Joan G. Stark ): .-"""-. / .===. \ \/ 6 6 \/ ( \___/ ) _________ooo__\_____/______________ / \ | joan stark spunk1111@juno.com | | VISIT MY ASCII ART GALLERY: | | http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/7373/ | \_______________________ooo_________/ jgs | | | |_ | _| | | | |__|__| /-'Y'-\ (__/ \__) .... ... output truncated .. \>\>\> \> \> \> \> \> \> \> \> \>\> jgs \>\>\>
Positioning of text inside box
Try:
echo -n "This is a test" | boxes -d scroll-akn -a hcvc
The hcvc means “horizontally centered, vertically centered”. You can try the following options using bash for loop
# l - left alignment # r - right alignment # c - center alignment for alignment in l r c do echo "This is a test. I love pizza" | boxes -d dog -a $alignment echo "" done
Boxes size specification
The syntax is
# set box box size (width w and/or height h) using the -s option echo "The fool who knows he is a fool is that much wiser" | boxes -d dog -s 80 # set w to 90 and h to 11 # echo "There is no fear for one whose mind is not filled with desires." | boxes -d peek -a c -s 90x11
How do I filter text via boxes while using vi/vim text editor?
You can use any external command with vi or vim. In this example, insert current date and time, enter:
!!date
OR
:r !date
You need to type above command in Vim to read the output from the date command. This will insert the date and time after the current line:
Tue Jun 12 00:05:38 IST 2012
You can do the same with boxes command. Create a sample shell script or a c program as follows:
#!/bin/bash Purpose: Backup mysql database to remote server. Author: Vivek Gite Last updated on: Tue Jun, 12 2012
Now type the following (move cursor to the second line i.e. line which starts with “Purpose: …”)
3!!boxes
And voila you will get the output as follows:
#!/bin/bash /****************************************************/ /* Purpose: Backup mysql database to remote server. */ /* Author: Vivek Gite */ /* Last updated on: Tue Jun, 12 2012 */ /****************************************************/
This video will give you an introduction to boxes command:
Getting more info about the command:
$ boxes --help
Sample outputs:
boxes - draws any kind of box around your text (and removes it) (c) Thomas Jensen <boxes@thomasjensen.com> Web page: http://boxes.thomasjensen.com/ Usage: boxes [options] [infile [outfile]] -a fmt alignment/positioning of text inside box [default: hlvt] -c str use single shape box design where str is the W shape -d name box design [default: first one in file] -f file configuration file -h print usage information -i mode indentation mode [default: box] -k bool leading/trailing blank line retention on removal -l list available box designs w/ samples -m mend box, i.e. remove it and redraw it afterwards -p fmt padding [default: none] -r remove box -s wxh box size (width w and/or height h) -t str tab stop distance and expansion [default: 8e] -v print version information
Conclusion
And there you have it, text mode ASCII-art box which can draw any kind of box around its input text when using the CLI or vim text editor. See boxes man page for more info by typing the man command:
man boxes
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Hello sir.
How to use the command?
can it be used in vim editor?
please i want to know.
Try piping the output of figlet to boxes:
echo "abc" | figlet | boxes
produces
@beparas
Thats funny 🙂
Thanks for the sample outputs in the articles you write here. Great idea.
Try this,
$ apt-get install sl
$ sl
after installing ‘sl’ packet, run ‘LS’ (type sl) command, It display animated train running on your terminal. 🙂
@indu
It was just a demo. Not a real script 😛 Also, I’m too lazy to create and upload updated video.
@all, yes cowsay rocks, but this tool offer other options too.
Appreciate all comments.
Thak you for sharing with me boxes
but +1 for cowsay – I’ve used that magic cow for a years and next entry is one of first when I bring-up a new machine
a C comment in a bash script? Happy debugging.
Hi,
This is very good as well as funny information. 🙂
Thanks
Nice tool to greet on server login by adding it to Banner.
Great
rmalek@moil:~$ cowsay Your boxes are no match for my cow power!
rmalek@moil:~$