Text prompt

ITextPrompt collects a string from the user, with optional default value, validator, masking (passwords), and choices (autocomplete). For typed input (Integer, TDateTime, Boolean, enums...) use ITextPrompt<T> via AnsiConsole.Ask<T>.

When to use

• Any place you'd reach for Readln but want validation, defaults, or styled output.
• Password / secret entry (with WithSecret).
• Quick Ask and Confirm shortcuts for common cases.

Basic usage

The shortest form is AnsiConsole.Ask:

var
  name : string;
begin
  name := AnsiConsole.Ask('[bold]Name[/]', 'World');
  AnsiConsole.MarkupLine('Hello, [green]%s[/]!', [name]);
end;

Ask(prompt, default) creates a one-shot text prompt with the supplied default and returns the user's answer. The prompt string is markup.

Typed Ask:

var
  port : Integer;
begin
  port := AnsiConsole.Ask<Integer>('Port', 8080);
end;

Using a configurable prompt

For more control, build an ITextPrompt and call .Show(AnsiConsole.Console) or pass it to AnsiConsole.Prompt:

var
  prompt : ITextPrompt;
  email  : string;
begin
  prompt := AnsiConsole.TextPrompt
              .WithTitle('[yellow]Email[/]')
              .WithDefault('me@example.com')
              .WithValidator(
                function(const value : string) : TPromptValidationResult
                begin
                  if Pos('@', value) > 0 then
                    result := TPromptValidationResult.Valid
                  else
                    result := TPromptValidationResult.Invalid('Must contain @');
                end);

  email := AnsiConsole.Prompt(prompt);
end;

Configuration

Method	Purpose
WithTitle(value)	Markup title shown above the input.
WithDefault(value)	Default returned when the user presses Enter on empty input.
WithValidator(fn)	Validation function returning TPromptValidationResult.Valid or Invalid(message).
WithSecret(value)	Mask input with * (default mask).
WithMask(char)	Custom mask character.
WithChoices(values)	Restrict input to a fixed list (rejects other values).
WithChoiceCaseSensitive(value)	Case sensitivity for the choice match.
WithShowDefaultValue(value)	Hide the default annotation on the prompt line.
WithAllowEmpty(value)	Allow empty input even with no default.

Cancel handling

Cancelling (Esc / Ctrl-C) raises EPromptCancelled. Wrap in try / except when you need to clean up:

try
  name := AnsiConsole.Ask('Name');
except
  on EPromptCancelled do
    AnsiConsole.MarkupLine('[yellow]Cancelled.[/]');
end;

Typed prompts

AnsiConsole.Ask<T> supports any type the built-in RTTI parser handles (Integer, Int64, Double, TDateTime, Boolean, enum, string). For custom types, build an ITextPrompt<T> directly:

prompt := TextPrompt<TGuid>.Create
            .WithParser(function(const s : string; out v : TGuid) : Boolean
                        begin
                          // ... parse and set v
                        end);

API reference

• AnsiConsole.Ask / Ask<T> — convenience.
• AnsiConsole.TextPrompt — builder.
• AnsiConsole.Prompt(prompt) — show a configured prompt.
• ITextPrompt
• Demo: demos/snippets/Prompts.

See also

• Confirmation prompt — yes/no shortcut.
• Selection prompt — pick one from a list.