From 9140e3bd560bf4898388cb15652680c60192d46b Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Jason Hood <jadoxa@yahoo.com.au>
Date: Sat, 23 Dec 2017 22:04:44 +1000
Subject: [PATCH] Update documentation
Expand the install section, adding a note about using the Startup group.
Add a brief "How it Works" section to `readme.md`.
---
readme.md | 19 ++++++++++++++++
readme.txt | 65 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++---------------------------
2 files changed, 52 insertions(+), 32 deletions(-)
diff --git a/readme.md b/readme.md
index 3ec9d9f..ff874bb 100644
--- a/readme.md
+++ b/readme.md
@@ -7,3 +7,22 @@ provides much the same functionality as `ANSI.SYS` does for MS-DOS.
* 32-bit: Windows 2000 Professional and later (it won't work with NT or 9X).
* 64-bit: AMD64 (it won't work with IA64).
+
+## How it Works
+
+ANSICON *injects* a DLL into a process, *hooking* its functions.
+
+### Injection
+
+One of three methods is used to inject the DLL.
+
+* `LoadLibrary` via `CreateRemoteThread` for a running process.
+
+* `LdrLoadDll` via `CreateRemoteThread` for a 64-bit .NET AnyCPU process.
+
+* Adding the DLL directly to the import table, otherwise.
+
+### Hooking
+
+Hooking is achieved by modifying import addresses, or the return value of
+`GetProcAddress`.
diff --git a/readme.txt b/readme.txt
index d268035..9a35199 100644
--- a/readme.txt
+++ b/readme.txt
@@ -23,23 +23,27 @@ Requirements
Installation
============
- Add "x86" (if your OS is 32-bit) or "x64" (if 64-bit) to your PATH, or copy
- the relevant files to a directory already on the PATH (but NOT System32).
- Alternatively, use option '-i' (or '-I', if permitted) to install it
- permanently, by adding an entry to CMD.EXE's AutoRun registry value
- (current user or local machine, respectively).
+ There are three ways to install, depending on your usage.
- Uninstall simply involves closing any programs that are currently using it;
- running with '-u' (and/or '-U') to remove it from AutoRun; removing the
- directory from PATH; and deleting the files. No other changes are made
- (although you may have also created environment variables).
+ * Add "x86" (if your OS is 32-bit) or "x64" (if 64-bit) to your PATH, or
+ copy the relevant files to a directory already on the PATH (but NOT to
+ "System32" on a 64-bit system). This means you explicitly run 'ansicon'
+ whenever you want to use it.
-Upgrading
----------
+ * Use option '-i' (or '-I', if permitted) to add an entry to CMD.EXE's
+ AutoRun registry value (current user or local machine, respectively).
+ This means "Command Prompt" and any program started by CMD.EXE will
+ automatically have sequences.
- Delete ANSI.dll, it has been replaced with ANSI32.dll.
- Delete ANSI-LLA.exe and ANSI-LLW.exe, they are no longer used.
- Uninstall a pre-1.50 version and reinstall with this version.
+ * Add "d:\path\to\ansicon.exe -p" to your Startup group (run minimized to
+ avoid the console window flashing). This means any console program
+ started by Explorer will automatically have sequences.
+
+ Uninstall involves closing any programs that are currently using it; using
+ the Run dialog to run "d:\path\to\ansicon.exe -pu" to remove it from
+ Explorer; running with '-u' (and/or '-U') to remove it from AutoRun; remov-
+ ing the directory from PATH; and deleting the files. No other changes are
+ made (unless you created environment variables).
Usage
@@ -84,7 +88,7 @@ Usage
If you experience trouble with certain programs, the log may help in find-
ing the cause; it can be found at "%TEMP%\ansicon.log". A number should
- follow the 'l':
+ immediately follow the 'l':
0 No logging
1 Log process start and end
@@ -112,8 +116,8 @@ Usage
The variable is updated whenever a program reads it directly (i.e. as an
individual request, not as part of the entire environment block). For
example, 'set an' will not update it, but 'echo %ansicon%' will. Also
- created are ANSICON_VER, which contains the version without the point (1.50
- becomes "150"), and CLICOLOR (see http://bixense.com/clicolors/), which
+ created are ANSICON_VER, which contains the version without the point (1.80
+ becomes "180"), and CLICOLOR (see http://bixense.com/clicolors/), which
contains "1". These variables do not exist as part of the environment
block (e.g. 'set an' will not show ANSICON_VER).
@@ -123,7 +127,8 @@ Usage
Using 'ansicon' after install will always start with the default attrib-
utes, restoring the originals on exit; all other programs will use the cur-
- rent attributes. The shift state is always reset for a new process.
+ rent attributes. The shift state and insert mode are always reset for a
+ new process.
My version of WriteConsoleA will always set the number of characters writt-
en, not the number of bytes. This means writing a double-byte character as
@@ -234,8 +239,8 @@ Sequences Recognised
perform its function; an unrecognised character will preserve the escape.
SO will select the G1 character set; SI will select the G0 set. The G0
- character set is set by SCS; the G1 character set is always the DEC
- Special Graphics Character Set.
+ character set is set by SCS; the G1 character set is always the DEC Special
+ Graphics Character Set.
I make a distinction between '\e[m' and '\e[0;...m'. Both will restore the
original foreground/background colors (and so '0' should be the first para-
@@ -334,6 +339,7 @@ Version History
- fix explicit zero parameters not defaulting to 1;
- set color by index (also setting bold/underline);
- fix processes that start without a window;
+ * use the system default sound for the bell;
* limit parameters to a maximum value of 32767;
* go back to saving the buffer cursor position;
* preserve escape that isn't part of a sequence;
@@ -341,26 +347,21 @@ Version History
* change the graphics SCAN characters to their Unicode equivalents;
* BS/CUB/HVP after wrap will move back to the previous line(s);
* improve speed by only flushing when necessary, adding a mode to restore
- flushing immediately.
- + use the system default sound for the bell;
- + added Play Sound DECPS;
+ flushing immediately;
+ + added DA, DECCOLM, DECNCSM, DECOM, DECPS, DECRC, DECSC, DECST8C, DECSTBM,
+ DECSTR, HT, HTS, IND, IRM, NEL, RI, RIS, SCS (only G0 as Special/ASCII),
+ SD, SU and TBC;
+ added '+' intermediate byte to use the buffer, rather than the window;
- + added palette sequences;
+ + added set/get palette sequences;
+ added the bright SGR colors;
- + added -pu to unload from the parent;
- + added IND, NEL, RI, DA, DECCOLM, DECNCSM, DECSC & DECRC;
- + added SCS, but only for special/ASCII (same as Win10);
- + added tab handling (HT, HTS, TBC & DECST8C);
- + added IRM;
- + added DECOM, DECSTBM, SD & SU;
- + added DECSTR & RIS.
+ + added -pu to unload from the parent.
1.72 - 24 December, 2015:
- handle STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE & STD_ERROR_HANDLE in WriteFile;
- better handling of unusual PE files;
* cache GetConsoleMode for an improvement in speed;
* files writing to the console always succeed (should mostly remove the
- need for ANSICON_API);
+ need for ANSICON_API);
* log: add a blank line between processes;
remove the separate line for WriteFile & _lwrite;
write byte strings as-is, wide strings using the current code page;