.ANS File Extension
ANSI Text File
| Developer | N/A |
| Popularity |
3.8 | 28 Votes |
What is an ANS file?
An ANS file is a text file that contains ANSI escape codes, which are special characters used to control text color, formatting, and cursor position in a text-mode screen. It contains plain text and may include text-based graphics, where characters and colors combine to form images. Although an ANS file is plain text, it only displays correctly in software that understands and interprets ANSI control codes.
More Information
ANSI formatting became common on DOS systems, bulletin board systems (BBSes), and early terminal programs, where it allowed colorful screens and structured layouts instead of plain monochrome text. People used ANS files to create BBS welcome screens, menus, logos, and simple artwork, while developers used ANSI codes to make console output easier to read and more organized. Today, ANS files are mostly used by retro computing enthusiasts, ANSI artists, and users working in terminal environments.
How to open an ANS file
You can open ANS files with a standard text editor to view its raw contents, but the colors and layout will not appear correctly. To see the file as intended, open it with an ANSI-capable terminal or viewer, such as DOSBox, modern terminal emulators with ANSI support, or dedicated ANSI art viewing tools.
Programs that open ANS files
HotDocs Binary Answer File
| Developer | HotDocs |
| Popularity |
2.3 | 4 Votes |
More Information
NOTE: ANS files were used primarily by older versions of HotDocs. However, recent versions still support saving and loading ANS files in addition to ANX files.