# BBS ANSI Terminal Emulator with CP437

Source: https://wndsoftware.com/bbs-ansi-terminal-emulator

### BBS ANSI Terminal Emulator with CP437 in WND Terminal

Open PC-style bulletin board screens over Telnet with ANSI cursor and color controls and DOS CP437 box drawing.


### Supported terminals and connections

On a small screen, swipe the table to read all columns.


| System | Terminal | Connection | Where it runs | Current scope | Release |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [BBS ANSI with DOS CP437](https://wndsoftware.com/bbs-ansi-terminal-emulator) | BBS ANSI, DOS CP437 | Telnet | Windows, Mac, Linux | 80-column ANSI cursor, color and DOS CP437 box drawing over Telnet. | v1.0.319 |

Modem setup, DOS screen-mode changes, keyboard reassignment, RIPscrip, ANSI music and other code pages are outside this profile.


### What the sample does

The software BBS host draws an 80-column menu; a selection opens a bulletin message without a modem or live BBS.

[Download the compatibility lab](https://wndsoftware.com/downloads/wnd-model-samples.zip) (Python 3 and WND Terminal required)


### Connect to your host

Choose VT (Telnet), enter the host and port, and select BBS ANSI (DOS CP437). This profile advertises ANSI and uses CP437.

[Read the connection guide](https://wndsoftware.com/docs/vt-sessions)

The software-host examples let you try these workflows now. WND Software checks your application workflows during a proof of value and addresses compatibility differences found.


### Move an existing session

Bring the host address, port, terminal type, key assignments and macros used by your team. Create a WND Terminal connection with the settings above, then run the actual screens and keys your application uses. Check the [session import guide](https://wndsoftware.com/docs/import-other-emulators) for supported source formats; the connection type alone does not prove that an old profile or macro can be imported.


### Check BBS ANSI and DOS CP437 against your application

Keep a working session profile and a repeatable test case. Compare what the application receives as well as what the terminal draws. Use the software-host examples as a starting point, then record the results on the actual host before a rollout.

On a small screen, swipe the table to read all columns.


| Application check | What to verify |
| --- | --- |
| Choose the CP437 profile | The BBS ANSI profile advertises ANSI and uses DOS CP437. Do not assume a Unicode or a different legacy code-page setting draws the same box characters. |
| Test the actual menu | Open a bulletin and return to the menu. Compare cursor placement, colors and the complete frame, not just the welcome banner. |
| Include extended characters | Use a fictional screen containing box-drawing characters and the symbols your host displays. An ASCII-only sample cannot validate CP437 behavior. |
| Check transport expectations | The supplied software example uses Telnet without a modem or live BBS. Modem dialing and setup are separate requirements. |
| Record excluded extensions | DOS mode changes, keyboard reassignment, RIPscrip, ANSI music and other code pages are outside the current profile. Identify them before deployment. |

Bring the host address, selected terminal type, keyboard map and the steps that reproduce a problem to a [proof of value](https://wndsoftware.com/proof-of-value). Distinguish a simulated sample from a customer-host result in the test record. See [supported systems and profile limits](https://wndsoftware.com/supported-systems) for the current release scope.


### Keyboard and host workflow

Use the BBS ANSI profile when the application expects ANSI screen controls and DOS CP437 presentation. Include a page with box-drawing characters and a menu driven by ordinary typed input. Check cursor positioning, color changes and return to the preceding page. Do not substitute a generic Unicode shell screenshot for this test: the character mapping and the control sequences are part of what the application expects.


### When a screen or key behaves differently

For garbled borders or misplaced text, keep the selected profile and a fictional screen that reproduces the problem. Separate a character-set mismatch from a cursor-control or clear-screen issue. Capture the sequence of menu actions rather than only the final broken display. DOS mode changes, keyboard reassignment, RIPscrip, ANSI music and other code pages are outside this released profile, so an application that requires them needs a different compatibility assessment.


### Replacing an existing terminal client

A BBS-oriented client can include extensions beyond ANSI and CP437. List the extensions your actual service uses before replacing it. WND Terminal's software example is a bounded screen and input test; it is not evidence that every historical bulletin-board protocol is present. Prove a normal menu, an invalid choice and a return path with the real service, then record any missing extension before recommending a rollout.

[Keyboard-map documentation](https://wndsoftware.com/docs/keyboard-maps) · [Specialty terminal configuration and limits](https://wndsoftware.com/docs/other-terminals)


### Related terminal models

[SCO ANSI Terminal Emulator](https://wndsoftware.com/sco-ansi-terminal-emulator) · [AT386 Terminal Emulator: Partial Profile](https://wndsoftware.com/at386-terminal-emulator) · [VT Terminal Emulator for UNIX and Linux](https://wndsoftware.com/vt-terminal-emulator)

Use the [supported-systems index](https://wndsoftware.com/supported-systems) to compare released profiles and limits. The [emulator evaluation checklist](https://wndsoftware.com/emulator) covers the broader deployment decision.