Skip to content

Sweep

Demo

Quick Start

sweep.py
import terminaltexteffects as tte
from terminaltexteffects.effects.effect_sweep import Sweep

effect = Sweep("YourTextHere")
effect.effect_config.final_gradient_direction = tte.Gradient.Direction.HORIZONTAL
with effect.terminal_output() as terminal:
    for frame in effect:
        terminal.print(frame)

Sweep Directions and Sorts

New in 0.16.0

CharacterOrder directions, --travel-speed, and the reverse-direction options are available on development main and are not in the published 0.15.0 package.

--first-sweep-direction and --second-sweep-direction each accept every CharacterOrder. The first sweep reveals the text with a gray shimmer; the second colors it. You can choose a group direction for one phase and a sort for the other, or use separate sorts for both phases. The defaults remain column_right_to_left and column_left_to_right.

Group directions activate whole spatial bands. Sort directions activate individual characters in the exact order returned by Terminal.get_characters(). Both phases include inner and outer fill characters, so spiral sorts cover the canvas bounds, including blank space around the input.

See Spiral Sorting for the six spiral orders, their starting corners, and how multiple arms interleave.

Both grouped and sorted modes retain the same easing schedule; several characters may activate in one frame. Each phase starts its own sequence, and the final frame restores input symbols and clears the fill characters.

Travel Speed

--travel-speed advances both sweep phases by the specified number of easing steps per frame. It accepts a positive integer and defaults to 1, preserving the original pacing. Higher values activate more characters or complete spatial groups per frame while retaining the easing curve, selected order, and reversal. The exact activation count varies along the easing curve.

Each phase retains its 100-step schedule, so speed 4 finishes scheduling a phase in 25 frames. The second phase starts on the following frame, and active character animations still advance once per frame and finish normally. This differs from Waves, where travel speed counts ordered entries rather than easing steps.

tte sweep --first-sweep-direction spiral_clockwise --second-sweep-direction spiral_counter_clockwise
tte sweep --first-sweep-direction spiral_clockwise --second-sweep-direction spiral_counter_clockwise --travel-speed 8
tte sweep --first-sweep-direction column_right_to_left --second-sweep-direction spiral_clockwise_quad

Use --reverse-first-sweep-direction and --reverse-second-sweep-direction to reverse each phase independently. Group membership is preserved, and both flags default to off.

tte sweep --first-sweep-direction spiral_clockwise --reverse-first-sweep-direction \
  --second-sweep-direction circle_center_to_outside --reverse-second-sweep-direction

Configurations normalize to CharacterOrder. Existing CharacterGroup and CharacterSort values and their CLI spellings remain accepted as compatibility inputs.

For library use, assign native enums or their CLI spellings:

from terminaltexteffects.effects.effect_sweep import Sweep
from terminaltexteffects import CharacterOrder

effect = Sweep("YourTextHere")
effect.effect_config.first_sweep_direction = CharacterOrder.COLUMN_RIGHT_TO_LEFT
effect.effect_config.second_sweep_direction = CharacterOrder.SPIRAL_CLOCKWISE_DOUBLE
effect.effect_config.travel_speed = 8

Sweep across the canvas to reveal uncolored text, reverse sweep to color the text.

Classes:

Name Description
Sweep

Sweep across the canvas to reveal uncolored text, reverse sweep to color the text.
SweepConfig

Configuration for the Sweep effect.
SweepIterator

Iterator for the Sweep effect.

Sweep

Bases: BaseEffect[SweepConfig]

Sweep across the canvas to reveal uncolored text, reverse sweep to color the text.

Source code in terminaltexteffects/effects/effect_sweep.py 
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
class Sweep(BaseEffect[SweepConfig]):
    """Sweep across the canvas to reveal uncolored text, reverse sweep to color the text."""

    @property
    def _config_cls(self) -> type[SweepConfig]:
        return SweepConfig

    @property
    def _iterator_cls(self) -> type[SweepIterator]:
        return SweepIterator

SweepConfig dataclass

Bases: BaseConfig

Sweep effect configuration dataclass.

Source code in terminaltexteffects/effects/effect_sweep.py 
 37
 38
 39
 40
 41
 42
 43
 44
 45
 46
 47
 48
 49
 50
 51
 52
 53
 54
 55
 56
 57
 58
 59
 60
 61
 62
 63
 64
 65
 66
 67
 68
 69
 70
 71
 72
 73
 74
 75
 76
 77
 78
 79
 80
 81
 82
 83
 84
 85
 86
 87
 88
 89
 90
 91
 92
 93
 94
 95
 96
 97
 98
 99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
@dataclass
class SweepConfig(BaseConfig):
    """Sweep effect configuration dataclass."""

    parser_spec: argutils.ParserSpec = argutils.ParserSpec(
        name="sweep",
        help="Sweep across the canvas to reveal uncolored text, reverse sweep to color the text.",
        description="sweep | Sweep across the canvas to reveal uncolored text, reverse sweep to color the text.",
        epilog=(
            f"{argutils.EASING_EPILOG}Example: terminaltexteffects sweep --sweep-symbols 'â–ˆ' 'â–“' 'â–’' 'â–‘' "
            "--first-sweep-direction "
            "column_right_to_left --second-sweep-direction column_left_to_right --final-gradient-stops 8A008A "
            "00D1FF ffffff --final-gradient-steps 8 --final-gradient-direction vertical"
        ),
    )

    sweep_symbols: tuple[str, ...] = argutils.ArgSpec(
        name="--sweep-symbols",
        type=argutils.Symbol.type_parser,
        nargs="+",
        action=argutils.TupleAction,
        default=("â–ˆ", "â–“", "â–’", "â–‘"),
        metavar=argutils.Symbol.METAVAR,
        help="Space separated list of symbols to use for the sweep shimmer.",
    )  # pyright: ignore[reportAssignmentType]
    "tuple[str, ...] | str : Tuple of symbols to use for the sweep shimmer."

    first_sweep_direction: argutils.CharacterOrder | argutils.CharacterGroup | argutils.CharacterSort = (
        argutils.ArgSpec(
            name="--first-sweep-direction",
            default=argutils.CharacterOrder.COLUMN_RIGHT_TO_LEFT,
            type=argutils.CharacterOrderArg.type_parser,
            metavar=" ".join(argutils.CharacterOrderArg.METAVAR),
            help="Grouping or character sort order for the first sweep, revealing uncolored characters.",
        )
    )  # pyright: ignore[reportAssignmentType]
    "CharacterOrder : Order of the first sweep, revealing uncolored characters."

    reverse_first_sweep_direction: bool = argutils.ArgSpec(
        name="--reverse-first-sweep-direction",
        default=False,
        action="store_true",
        help="Reverse the complete first sweep direction traversal.",
    )  # pyright: ignore[reportAssignmentType]
    "bool : Reverse the complete traversal, preserving group membership."

    second_sweep_direction: argutils.CharacterOrder | argutils.CharacterGroup | argutils.CharacterSort = (
        argutils.ArgSpec(
            name="--second-sweep-direction",
            default=argutils.CharacterOrder.COLUMN_LEFT_TO_RIGHT,
            type=argutils.CharacterOrderArg.type_parser,
            metavar=" ".join(argutils.CharacterOrderArg.METAVAR),
            help="Grouping or character sort order for the second sweep, coloring the characters.",
        )
    )  # pyright: ignore[reportAssignmentType]
    "CharacterOrder : Order of the second sweep, coloring the characters."

    reverse_second_sweep_direction: bool = argutils.ArgSpec(
        name="--reverse-second-sweep-direction",
        default=False,
        action="store_true",
        help="Reverse the complete second sweep direction traversal.",
    )  # pyright: ignore[reportAssignmentType]
    "bool : Reverse the complete traversal, preserving group membership."

    travel_speed: int = argutils.ArgSpec(
        name="--travel-speed",
        type=argutils.PositiveInt.type_parser,
        default=1,
        metavar=argutils.PositiveInt.METAVAR,
        help="Number of sweep easing steps to advance per frame, for both phases. n > 0.",
    )  # pyright: ignore[reportAssignmentType]
    "int : Easing steps per frame for both sweeps; animations advance once per frame. Defaults to 1."

    final_gradient_stops: tuple[tte.Color, ...] = FinalGradientStopsArg(
        default=(tte.Color("#8A008A"), tte.Color("#00D1FF"), tte.Color("#ffffff")),
        help=(
            "Space separated, unquoted, list of colors for the character gradient (applied from bottom to top). "
            "If only one color is provided, the characters will be displayed in that color."
        ),
    )  # pyright: ignore[reportAssignmentType]
    "tuple[Color, ...]: Space separated, unquoted, list of colors for the character gradient "
    "(applied from bottom to top). If only one color is provided, the characters will be displayed in that color."

    final_gradient_steps: tuple[int, ...] | int = FinalGradientStepsArg(
        default=8,
    )  # pyright: ignore[reportAssignmentType]
    "tuple[int, ...] | int: Space separated, unquoted, list of the number of gradient steps to use. More steps will "
    "create a smoother and longer gradient animation."

    final_gradient_direction: tte.Gradient.Direction = FinalGradientDirectionArg(
        default=tte.Gradient.Direction.VERTICAL,
    )  # pyright: ignore[reportAssignmentType]
    "Gradient.Direction : Direction of the final gradient."

final_gradient_direction = FinalGradientDirectionArg(default=tte.Gradient.Direction.VERTICAL) class-attribute instance-attribute

Gradient.Direction : Direction of the final gradient.

final_gradient_steps = FinalGradientStepsArg(default=8) class-attribute instance-attribute

tuple[int, ...] | int: Space separated, unquoted, list of the number of gradient steps to use. More steps will

final_gradient_stops = FinalGradientStopsArg(default=(tte.Color('#8A008A'), tte.Color('#00D1FF'), tte.Color('#ffffff')), help='Space separated, unquoted, list of colors for the character gradient (applied from bottom to top). If only one color is provided, the characters will be displayed in that color.') class-attribute instance-attribute

tuple[Color, ...]: Space separated, unquoted, list of colors for the character gradient

first_sweep_direction = argutils.ArgSpec(name='--first-sweep-direction', default=argutils.CharacterOrder.COLUMN_RIGHT_TO_LEFT, type=argutils.CharacterOrderArg.type_parser, metavar=' '.join(argutils.CharacterOrderArg.METAVAR), help='Grouping or character sort order for the first sweep, revealing uncolored characters.') class-attribute instance-attribute

CharacterOrder : Order of the first sweep, revealing uncolored characters.

reverse_first_sweep_direction = argutils.ArgSpec(name='--reverse-first-sweep-direction', default=False, action='store_true', help='Reverse the complete first sweep direction traversal.') class-attribute instance-attribute

bool : Reverse the complete traversal, preserving group membership.

reverse_second_sweep_direction = argutils.ArgSpec(name='--reverse-second-sweep-direction', default=False, action='store_true', help='Reverse the complete second sweep direction traversal.') class-attribute instance-attribute

bool : Reverse the complete traversal, preserving group membership.

second_sweep_direction = argutils.ArgSpec(name='--second-sweep-direction', default=argutils.CharacterOrder.COLUMN_LEFT_TO_RIGHT, type=argutils.CharacterOrderArg.type_parser, metavar=' '.join(argutils.CharacterOrderArg.METAVAR), help='Grouping or character sort order for the second sweep, coloring the characters.') class-attribute instance-attribute

CharacterOrder : Order of the second sweep, coloring the characters.

sweep_symbols = argutils.ArgSpec(name='--sweep-symbols', type=argutils.Symbol.type_parser, nargs='+', action=argutils.TupleAction, default=('â–ˆ', 'â–“', 'â–’', 'â–‘'), metavar=argutils.Symbol.METAVAR, help='Space separated list of symbols to use for the sweep shimmer.') class-attribute instance-attribute

tuple[str, ...] | str : Tuple of symbols to use for the sweep shimmer.

travel_speed = argutils.ArgSpec(name='--travel-speed', type=argutils.PositiveInt.type_parser, default=1, metavar=argutils.PositiveInt.METAVAR, help='Number of sweep easing steps to advance per frame, for both phases. n > 0.') class-attribute instance-attribute

int : Easing steps per frame for both sweeps; animations advance once per frame. Defaults to 1.

SweepIterator

Bases: BaseEffectIterator[SweepConfig]

Iterator for the sweep effect.

Source code in terminaltexteffects/effects/effect_sweep.py 
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
class SweepIterator(BaseEffectIterator[SweepConfig]):
    """Iterator for the sweep effect."""

    def __init__(self, effect: Sweep) -> None:
        """Initialize the effect iterator."""
        super().__init__(effect)
        self.character_final_color_map: dict[tte.EffectCharacter, tte.ColorPair] = {}
        self.dynamic_second_sweep_palette: list[tte.Color] = []
        self.complete = False
        self.phase = "first sweep"
        self.easer: tte.easing.SequenceEaser
        self.build()

    def build(self) -> None:
        """Build the effect."""
        final_fg_gradient = tte.Gradient(
            *self.config.final_gradient_stops,
            steps=self.config.final_gradient_steps,
        )
        final_gradient_mapping = final_fg_gradient.build_coordinate_color_mapping(
            self.terminal.canvas.text_bottom,
            self.terminal.canvas.text_top,
            self.terminal.canvas.text_left,
            self.terminal.canvas.text_right,
            self.config.final_gradient_direction,
        )
        shades_of_gray = [
            tte.Color("#A0A0A0"),
            tte.Color("#808080"),
            tte.Color("#404040"),
            tte.Color("#202020"),
            tte.Color("#101010"),
        ]

        if self.terminal.config.existing_color_handling == "dynamic":
            for character in self.terminal.get_characters():
                if character.animation.input_fg_color is not None:
                    self.dynamic_second_sweep_palette.append(character.animation.input_fg_color)
                if character.animation.input_bg_color is not None:
                    self.dynamic_second_sweep_palette.append(character.animation.input_bg_color)
            if not self.dynamic_second_sweep_palette:
                self.dynamic_second_sweep_palette = list(final_fg_gradient.spectrum)

        for character in self.terminal.get_characters(inner_fill_chars=True, outer_fill_chars=True):
            if not character.is_fill_character:
                if self.terminal.config.existing_color_handling == "dynamic":
                    self.character_final_color_map[character] = tte.ColorPair(
                        fg=character.animation.input_fg_color,
                        bg=character.animation.input_bg_color,
                    )
                else:
                    self.character_final_color_map[character] = tte.ColorPair(
                        fg=final_gradient_mapping[character.input_coord],
                    )
            initial_sweep_scn = character.animation.new_scene(scene_id="initial_sweep")
            for char in self.config.sweep_symbols:
                initial_sweep_scn.add_frame(
                    char,
                    5,
                    colors=tte.ColorPair(fg=random.choice(shades_of_gray)),
                )
            initial_sweep_scn.add_frame(character.input_symbol, 1, colors=tte.ColorPair("#808080"))
            second_sweep_scn = character.animation.new_scene(scene_id="second_sweep")
            for char in self.config.sweep_symbols:
                second_sweep_scn.add_frame(
                    char,
                    5,
                    colors=tte.ColorPair(
                        fg=(
                            random.choice(self.dynamic_second_sweep_palette)
                            if self.terminal.config.existing_color_handling == "dynamic"
                            else random.choice(final_fg_gradient.spectrum)
                        ),
                    ),
                )
            second_sweep_scn.add_frame(
                character.input_symbol,
                1,
                colors=(
                    self.character_final_color_map[character]
                    if not character.is_fill_character
                    else (
                        tte.ColorPair()
                        if self.terminal.config.existing_color_handling == "dynamic"
                        else tte.ColorPair(fg="000000")
                    )
                ),
            )

        self.groups_first_sweep = self._get_sweep_groups(
            self.config.first_sweep_direction,
            reverse=self.config.reverse_first_sweep_direction,
        )
        self.easer = tte.easing.SequenceEaser(
            sequence=self.groups_first_sweep,
            easing_function=tte.easing.in_out_circ,
        )
        self.groups_second_sweep = self._get_sweep_groups(
            self.config.second_sweep_direction,
            reverse=self.config.reverse_second_sweep_direction,
        )

    def _get_sweep_groups(
        self,
        direction: argutils.CharacterOrder | argutils.CharacterGroup | argutils.CharacterSort,
        *,
        reverse: bool,
    ) -> list[list[tte.EffectCharacter]]:
        """Schedule ordered groups or singletons, including all canvas fill."""
        return self.terminal.get_characters_grouped(
            order=direction,
            reverse=reverse,
            inner_fill_chars=True,
            outer_fill_chars=True,
        )

    def __next__(self) -> str:
        """Return the next frame in the effect."""
        while self.active_characters or not self.complete:
            for _ in range(self.config.travel_speed):
                self.easer.step()
                group: list[tte.EffectCharacter]
                for group in self.easer.added:
                    for character in group:
                        if self.phase == "first sweep":
                            self.terminal.set_character_visibility(character, is_visible=True)
                        character.animation.activate_scene(
                            "initial_sweep" if self.phase == "first sweep" else "second_sweep",
                        )
                    self.active_characters.update(group)
                if self.easer.is_complete():
                    break
            if self.easer.is_complete() and self.phase == "first sweep":
                self.easer.sequence = self.groups_second_sweep
                self.easer.reset()
                self.phase = "second sweep"
            elif self.easer.is_complete() and self.phase == "second sweep":
                self.complete = True
            self.update()
            return self.frame
        raise StopIteration

__init__(effect)

Initialize the effect iterator.

Source code in terminaltexteffects/effects/effect_sweep.py 
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
def __init__(self, effect: Sweep) -> None:
    """Initialize the effect iterator."""
    super().__init__(effect)
    self.character_final_color_map: dict[tte.EffectCharacter, tte.ColorPair] = {}
    self.dynamic_second_sweep_palette: list[tte.Color] = []
    self.complete = False
    self.phase = "first sweep"
    self.easer: tte.easing.SequenceEaser
    self.build()

__next__()

Return the next frame in the effect.

Source code in terminaltexteffects/effects/effect_sweep.py 
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
def __next__(self) -> str:
    """Return the next frame in the effect."""
    while self.active_characters or not self.complete:
        for _ in range(self.config.travel_speed):
            self.easer.step()
            group: list[tte.EffectCharacter]
            for group in self.easer.added:
                for character in group:
                    if self.phase == "first sweep":
                        self.terminal.set_character_visibility(character, is_visible=True)
                    character.animation.activate_scene(
                        "initial_sweep" if self.phase == "first sweep" else "second_sweep",
                    )
                self.active_characters.update(group)
            if self.easer.is_complete():
                break
        if self.easer.is_complete() and self.phase == "first sweep":
            self.easer.sequence = self.groups_second_sweep
            self.easer.reset()
            self.phase = "second sweep"
        elif self.easer.is_complete() and self.phase == "second sweep":
            self.complete = True
        self.update()
        return self.frame
    raise StopIteration

build()

Build the effect.

Source code in terminaltexteffects/effects/effect_sweep.py 
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
def build(self) -> None:
    """Build the effect."""
    final_fg_gradient = tte.Gradient(
        *self.config.final_gradient_stops,
        steps=self.config.final_gradient_steps,
    )
    final_gradient_mapping = final_fg_gradient.build_coordinate_color_mapping(
        self.terminal.canvas.text_bottom,
        self.terminal.canvas.text_top,
        self.terminal.canvas.text_left,
        self.terminal.canvas.text_right,
        self.config.final_gradient_direction,
    )
    shades_of_gray = [
        tte.Color("#A0A0A0"),
        tte.Color("#808080"),
        tte.Color("#404040"),
        tte.Color("#202020"),
        tte.Color("#101010"),
    ]

    if self.terminal.config.existing_color_handling == "dynamic":
        for character in self.terminal.get_characters():
            if character.animation.input_fg_color is not None:
                self.dynamic_second_sweep_palette.append(character.animation.input_fg_color)
            if character.animation.input_bg_color is not None:
                self.dynamic_second_sweep_palette.append(character.animation.input_bg_color)
        if not self.dynamic_second_sweep_palette:
            self.dynamic_second_sweep_palette = list(final_fg_gradient.spectrum)

    for character in self.terminal.get_characters(inner_fill_chars=True, outer_fill_chars=True):
        if not character.is_fill_character:
            if self.terminal.config.existing_color_handling == "dynamic":
                self.character_final_color_map[character] = tte.ColorPair(
                    fg=character.animation.input_fg_color,
                    bg=character.animation.input_bg_color,
                )
            else:
                self.character_final_color_map[character] = tte.ColorPair(
                    fg=final_gradient_mapping[character.input_coord],
                )
        initial_sweep_scn = character.animation.new_scene(scene_id="initial_sweep")
        for char in self.config.sweep_symbols:
            initial_sweep_scn.add_frame(
                char,
                5,
                colors=tte.ColorPair(fg=random.choice(shades_of_gray)),
            )
        initial_sweep_scn.add_frame(character.input_symbol, 1, colors=tte.ColorPair("#808080"))
        second_sweep_scn = character.animation.new_scene(scene_id="second_sweep")
        for char in self.config.sweep_symbols:
            second_sweep_scn.add_frame(
                char,
                5,
                colors=tte.ColorPair(
                    fg=(
                        random.choice(self.dynamic_second_sweep_palette)
                        if self.terminal.config.existing_color_handling == "dynamic"
                        else random.choice(final_fg_gradient.spectrum)
                    ),
                ),
            )
        second_sweep_scn.add_frame(
            character.input_symbol,
            1,
            colors=(
                self.character_final_color_map[character]
                if not character.is_fill_character
                else (
                    tte.ColorPair()
                    if self.terminal.config.existing_color_handling == "dynamic"
                    else tte.ColorPair(fg="000000")
                )
            ),
        )

    self.groups_first_sweep = self._get_sweep_groups(
        self.config.first_sweep_direction,
        reverse=self.config.reverse_first_sweep_direction,
    )
    self.easer = tte.easing.SequenceEaser(
        sequence=self.groups_first_sweep,
        easing_function=tte.easing.in_out_circ,
    )
    self.groups_second_sweep = self._get_sweep_groups(
        self.config.second_sweep_direction,
        reverse=self.config.reverse_second_sweep_direction,
    )

get_effect_resources()

Get the command, effect class, and configuration class for the effect.

Returns:

Type Description
tuple[str, type[BaseEffect], type[BaseConfig]]

tuple[str, type[BaseEffect], type[BaseConfig]]: The command name, effect class, and configuration class.
Source code in terminaltexteffects/effects/effect_sweep.py 
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
def get_effect_resources() -> tuple[str, type[BaseEffect], type[BaseConfig]]:
    """Get the command, effect class, and configuration class for the effect.

    Returns:
        tuple[str, type[BaseEffect], type[BaseConfig]]: The command name, effect class, and configuration class.

    """
    return "sweep", Sweep, SweepConfig