line-drawing box-drawing in console

[astroannie]

I found this code in the archives (credit: andywestken):

// Hello World! in a Box (for Windows console)

#include <iostream>
#include <string>
using namespace std;

int main ()
{
	// Box edges and corners (all double thick line)
	// T for top, B for bottom, L for left, R for right
	const char TB = '\xCD'; // 205
	const char LR = '\xBA'; // 186
	const char TL = '\xC9'; // 201
	const char TR = '\xBB'; // 187
	const char BL = '\xC8'; // 200
	const char BR = '\xBC'; // 188

	string hello  = "Hello World!";
	string margin = "  ";
	string line(hello.length() + 2 * margin.length(), TB);

	cout << TL << line << TR << endl;
	cout << LR << margin << hello << margin << LR << endl;
	cout << BL << line << BR << endl;
	cout << endl;

	return 0;
}

I want this for single, rather than doubled lines, but cannot find where the "magic numbers" come from. I would appreciate any assistance.

[Chervil]

See Code page 437 (IBM PC)
http://www.ascii-codes.com/

Another way to approach this, display the characters in use on your system.

#include <iostream>
#include <iomanip>

using namespace std;

// Display Character Set
int main()
{
    for (int n = 0; n < 256; ++n)
    {
        char ch = (n<31) ? ' ' : n; // set non-printable to space
        cout << setw(6) << n << setw(3) << ch;
        
        if ((n+1) % 8 == 0)
            cout << '\n';
    }    
}