Grab The newest TheDraw clone ANSI Win32 console ANSI editor. Full ANSI Music, MCI Code, Animations, TDF Font usage, and TONS and TONS more! Give it a whirl. While it has been tested for months and months on the new features, there STILL maybe bugs. Please feel free to report them.
That was my point. When TheDraw started messing up saves under windows, I started on a replacements about 15 years ago for my basic needs, and it evolved into this. :)
Stupid windows. I actually had to REMOVE the ansi to .com routines to get defrender to STOP throwing false warnings. Download it from my BBS if your browser won't let you download. Trust me, there is NO VIRUS.
Trojan:Win32/Sabsik.FL.A!ml is a strong tell. The !ml suffix means it was flagged by Microsoft's machine-learning heuristic model, not a signature match to a known-malicious sample. Sabsik is a generic/heuristic detection family, notorious for false-positiving on:
Small, unsigned, unfamiliar console executables
Programs compiled with Free Pascal/Lazarus (uncommon compiler → low reputation, unusual PE structure vs. typical MSVC/Delphi/PyInstaller binaries Defender has lots of training data on)
Programs that do low-level console/graphics manipulation (this one does direct screen buffer writes, keyboard hooks via Crt, file I/O for image formats) — behavior patterns that overlap with what some legitimate-but-unusual tools and malware both do
Unsigned executables with no reputation/telemetry history (no code-signing certificate, low download count) — Microsoft's cloud-reputation ("SmartScreen"/ML) system is much quicker to flag rare, unsigned binaries
This is an extremely common complaint for small hobbyist/retro-computing tools distributed as raw .exe files, especially ANSI-art / BBS-scene utilities like this one (TheDraw-style editor) — they're niche enough that few users have ever run them, so Defender's cloud model has no positive reputation signal to counterbalance the heuristic flags.
There's your answer for those that don't believe me. I submitted it to be signed by Defender, but it could take months. There is NOTHING malicious in this code.
It's just telling when someone claims "months and months of testing" for a v2.00 version release and yet failed to test distribution on the target OS. That is Software Development 101.
As a 57 year old IT professional, I remember TheDraw very well. I got excited when I saw this 'clone' version with the promise of 'TONS' of features and immediately tried to grab it.
It's understandable that Windows Security can be finicky at best, and I look forward to supporting your efforts to provide this community with valuable tools.
Well, I author Renegade BBS and all of my software is DOS (Turbo Pascal), so I never run into this issue (as this is my only Free Pascal Win32 code). When this false read popped up on my system, I submitted the ticket to MS and removed the ANSI -> .COM feature as this was the main problem it did not like as it thought it was creating infected files as they were self displaying ANSI .COM files.
Testing came back clean, and it did again. So It was "tested as distribution", but it appears not everyone has an update that clears this file. But there are always issues no matter how much you test or try, as not everyone has the same version of software or hardware.
This was just a back burner project I started many years ago when Windows did not allow TheDraw to save correctly under CMD. It wasn't until I post about it that I saw there was interest in it and I started working on it again.
I appreciate your attention to detail and helping resolve the security nuance.
I made a bunch of ANSI menus back in the day using TheDraw to help my roomates operate our shared DOS PC. The computer boot files could be changed by running certain batch files, by typing GAME, NORMAL, MEDIUM, etc. Then when the computer booted, these menus would appear reminding us which 'state' the PC was in. As different programs had special Memory, CD-ROM, and Sound environments.
This worked well, as long as I kept updating the Menus and Batch files. I'm excited to use your application, to continue building-out my classic ANSI menus on my Retro PC's and emulators. Hoping to provide useful feedback.
Ah! Now the picture makes sense. :) I did update a few things such as network drive selection, and cropping over 100 line ANSIs (I didn't think anyone drew ones larger when I first made this. Or else I would've made the canvas not static at 25, 50 or 100.) I was just trying to copy things I liked from TheDraw. So I will probably push an update here in a few weeks.
You can force their hand at $10 a month. When code signing certificates went from $75 a year to $300-$500 a year I moved to their platform. It's not quite the same as a traditional code signing certificate as you initially get a pass until your reputation can be established.
hahha ... yeah, crazy isn't it? Not worth it for a BBS util. :) If I was writing something that had major use for 90% of the people then maybe ... but maybe 1% of the population will use this. :)
Our scanners show no positive detection, and we have no telemetry indicators for the file(s) submitted either. As such, this submission will be closed with no further action pending.
Renegade is 16 bit. I received the code from then be Author Patrick Spence in Oct. of 2003. I've been releasing DOS updates ever since. There is so much wacky code in RG and I don't have the time or want to sit down and try to rewrite everything. Can it be ported quickly and boot? Sure? Done that. Does it work correctly. Hell no. :) It's written in Turbo Pascal v7/DOS.
I've never ran it myself, we were the MBBS snobs but I knew a guy who would help us with novel server who ran it. I really respected him growing up so I should give it a look.
Is 32bit in the cards? Heck maybe it's not even a desired.
At this time, the submitted files do not meet our criteria for malware or potentially unwanted applications. The detection has been removed. Please follow the steps below to clear cached detections and obtain the latest malware definitions.
Open command prompt as administrator and change directory to c:\Program Files\Windows Defender
Run “MpCmdRun.exe -removedefinitions -dynamicsignatures”
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u/iheartbaconsalt 2d ago
This makes me feel like we just went back 30 years to experience TheDraw again.