tvision

Turbo Vision is a modern, cross-platform port of the classic Turbo Vision 2.0 framework for building text-based user interfaces. Originally created by Borland in the early 1990s, this revival brings the proven framework into the modern era with full Unicode support, Linux/Windows compatibility, and zero platform-specific code needed.

The framework eliminates common frustrations when developing terminal applications. Instead of wrestling with terminal capabilities and platform-specific I/O, developers focus purely on application behavior and appearance. Turbo Vision handles the complexity—from event dispatching to fullwidth Unicode character rendering—automatically across all supported environments.

Key capabilities include:

• Comprehensive widget library with resizable windows, pull-down menus, dialog boxes, buttons, scroll bars, input fields, checkboxes, and radio buttons
• True cross-platform development without conditional compilation or platform-specific workarounds
• Native Unicode support integrated into the existing architecture
• Backward compatibility with legacy Turbo Vision applications
• Support for extended color modes and clipboard interaction
• Works on Linux, Windows, and DOS environments

The project maintains minimal alterations to the original codebase while extending functionality for contemporary use cases. Built with CMake and supporting GCC, Clang, MSVC, and Borland C++, it provides both static library compilation and ready-to-use demo applications. Whether you're maintaining legacy code or building new terminal interfaces, Turbo Vision offers a mature, battle-tested foundation that abstracts away platform differences and lets you concentrate on creating responsive, visually consistent applications.