fountain-tools

fountain-tools is a set of libraries for parsing the Fountain script-writing language. These libraries are written in C++, Javascript, Python, and C#.

INT. DAVE'S APARTMENT - DAY

Dave is standing in the open window looking out at the pouring rain.

            DAVE
        (cheerfully)
    Nice day for it!

            CUT TO:

Fountain is a simple plaintext format for movie and TV scripts. It's also used as an export and import format by multiple script-writing apps, such as Fade In, Highland, Final Draft, Slugline and others.

Other parsers exist, but I needed (for reasons which might someday become obvious) an incremental parser that can take line-by-line of a Fountain script. You don't need to use these libraries in that mode, you can just parse an entire script at once.

The main Parser class turns the raw Fountain files into intermediate Script objects which you can do what you want with. An alternative parser, CallbackParser, triggers methods as the script is parsed. Maybe you could use it to drive dialogue for a computer game! :-)

onSceneHeading: { text: "INT. DAVE'S APARTMENT - DAY" }

onAction: { text: "Dave is standing in the open window looking out at the pouring rain." }

onDialogue: { character: "DAVE", parenthetical:  "cheerfully", line: "Nice day for it!" }

This should all be UTF-8 compatible!

Contents

• The Basics
• Source Code
• Releases
• Usage
  • Overview
  • Parsing a file
  • Parsing from a set of lines
  • Parsing a line at a time
  • Tags
  • Javascript as an ES6 module
  • Javascript in a browser
  • Python
  • C#
  • C++
• API
  • Fountain.Parser
  • Fountain.Script
  • Fountain.Element
  • (Fountain.Elements)
  • Fountain.CallbackParser
  • Fountain.Writer
  • Fountain.FormatHelper
• Contributors
• License

The Basics

The Fountain.Parser supplied in the tools will take this:

INT. DAVE'S APARTMENT - DAY

Dave is standing in the open window looking out at the pouring rain.

            DAVE
        (cheerfully)
    Nice day for it!

            CUT TO:

INT. SPACE STATION - EARTHDAWN #1a#

Jennifer is upside down, looking out through a round porthole of a window, at the sun rising over Earth.

            JENNIFER
        (bitter)
    Nice day for it.

            COLIN (O.S.)
    Oh no. Not again.

and break it into objects like this:

HEADING: { text: "INT. DAVE'S APARTMENT - DAY" }

ACTION: { text: "Dave is standing in the open window looking out at the pouring rain." }

CHARACTER: { name: "DAVE" }

PARENTHETICAL: { text: "cheerfully" }

DIALOGUE: { text: "Nice day for it!" }

TRANSITION: { text: "CUT TO:" }

HEADING: { text: "INT. SPACE STATION - EARTHDAWN", sceneNumber: "1a"}

ACTION: { text: "Jennifer is upside down, looking out through a round porthole of a window, at the sun rising over Earth." }

CHARACTER: { name: "JENNIFER" }

PARENTHETICAL: { text: "bitter" }

DIALOGUE: { text: "Nice day for it." }

CHARACTER: { name: "COLIN", extension: "O.S." }

DIALOGUE: { text: "Oh no. Not again." }

You can then do what you like with the objects.

An alternative parser, Fountain.CallbackParser, will gather up material and call back using your supplied functions during parsing. In particular, it gathers dialogue lines together with characters, which is often more useful if you want to display dialogue on-screen for some reason.

onSceneHeading: { text: "INT. DAVE'S APARTMENT - DAY" }

onAction: { text: "Dave is standing in the open window looking out at the pouring rain." }

onDialogue: { character: "DAVE", parenthetical:  "cheerfully", line: "Nice day for it!" }

onTransition: { text: "CUT TO:" }

onSceneHeading: { text: "INT. SPACE STATION - EARTHDAWN", sceneNumber: "1a"}

onAction: { text: "Jennifer is upside down, looking out through a round porthole of a window, at the sun rising over Earth." }

onDialogue: { character: "JENNIFER" , parenthetical: "bitter", line: "Nice day for it." }

onDialogue: { character: "COLIN", extension: "O.S." line: "Oh no. Not again." }

Source Code

The source can be found on Github, and is available under the MIT license.

Releases

Releases are available in the releases area in Github and are available for multiple platforms:

• Javascript - a JS file for use in ESM modules, and a minified JS file for use in a browser.
• Python - a Python package for import into other Python files.
• C# - a DotNET DLL for use in any C# project
• C++ - a set of source files for you to compile yourself

Usage

Overview

• The Fountain.Parser will parse a Fountain file incremementally - using methods like addText().
• As the parsing continues, the script member of Fountain.Parser will contain the parsed information in a Fountain.Script
• A Fountain.Script consists of:
  • A set of titleEntries which are information from the script's title page.
  • A set of elements which are line-by-line parts of the script e.g. an Action line, a Character line or a line of Dialogue.
  • Some Notes and Boneyard material which you can probably ignore.
• Fountain.Writer can write the script out again in a standard Fountain format.
• Fountain.FormatHelper can split Fountain bold/italic/underline markup into standard HTML markup.
• Fountain.CallbackParser is a different version of the parser which calls you back as the script is parsed, and aggregates things like character and dialogue lines together. You can use it to call you with a line of dialogue with the right character and directions attached to it.

Here are some examples in different languages:

Parsing a file

// Javascript
import {FountainParser} from "fountainTools.js";

const filePath = '../examples/Test.fountain';
const fileContent = readFileSync(filePath, 'utf-8');

let fp = new FountainParser();

// Expects a file full of UTF8 script
fp.addText(fileContent);

// Dump a debug version of the script
console.log(fp.script.dump());

Parsing from a set of lines

// C#
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using Fountain; 

class Program
{
    static void Main(string[] args)
    {
        Parser fp = new Parser();

        // Example lines from the script
        List<string> lines = new List<string>
        {
            "EXT. MY BASEMENT",
            "DAVE",
            "",
            "(Shouting)",
            "Hey, anyone home?"
        };

        // Add a whole set of lines to the parser
        fp.AddLines(lines);

        // Dump a debug version of the script
        Console.WriteLine(fp.Script.Dump());
    }
}

Parsing a line at a time

# Python
from fountain_tools.parser import FountainParser

# Create an instance of FountainParser
fp = FountainParser()

# Add individual lines to the parser
fp.add_line("EXT. MY BASEMENT")
fp.add_line("")
fp.add_line("DAVE")
fp.add_line("(Shouting)")
fp.add_line("Hey, anyone home?")

# Need to use finalize() after individual lines
# as some lines care about what gets added next.
fp.finalize()

# Dump the parsed script
print(fp.script.dump())

Tags

I've extended the definition of Fountain files to introduce the concept of tagging a line: that is, being able to attach a number of data items to a line. This concept is stolen from Inkle's Ink markup language, and is useful for embedding information in a script.

An example is like so

INT. DAVE'S APARTMENT - DAY #slow_load

Dave is standing in the open window looking out at the pouring rain.

            DAVE
        (cheerfully)
    Nice day for it! #color:blue #useAnim

In here, some of the lines have tags attached. A tag is always at the end of a normal line, starts with the #character, and then can contain any other character until it hits whitespace. You can have more than one tag.

(If the first character on a line is a # character it will be treated as a Section as per the Fountain spec, not as a tag.)

To parse this, you can pass useTags=true to your Parser class. Then each Element's tags property will be populated with the tags for that particular script element. The parse works like so:

HEADING: { text: "INT. DAVE'S APARTMENT - DAY", tags:["slow_load"]}

ACTION: { text: "Dave is standing in the open window looking out at the pouring rain." }

CHARACTER: { name: "DAVE" }

PARENTHETICAL: { text: "cheerfully" }

DIALOGUE: { text: "Nice day for it!", tags:["color:blue", "useAnim"]}

Extended Sections

BirdCatcherGames has extended the code to allow up to six levels of Fountain's section format i.e.

### This is a section
###### And this is a much lower section.

Rather than Fountain's usual 3.

Javascript as an ES6 module

import { FountainParser } from './fountainTools.js';

const parser = new FountainParser();
parser.addText("INT. SCENE HEADER\n\nDAVE\nHello, fellow kids!");

console.log(parser.script.dump());

Javascript in a browser

Either you can use the same module / ESM format (fountainTools.js):

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
    <meta charset="UTF-8">
    <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
    <title>Fountain Tools</title>
</head>
<body>
    <script type="module">
        import { FountainParser } from './fountainTools.js';

        const parser = new FountainParser();
        parser.addText("INT. SCENE HEADER\n\nDAVE\nHello, fellow kids!");

        console.log(parser.script.dump());
    </script>
</body>
</html>

Or you can use a minified IIFE version (fountainTools.min.js):

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
    <meta charset="UTF-8">
    <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
    <title>Fountain Tools</title>
    <script src="fountainTools.min.js"></script>
</head>
<body>
    <script>
        // Access the global FountainTools object
        const parser = new FountainTools.FountainParser();
        parser.addText("INT. SCENE HEADER\n\nDAVE\nHello, fellow kids!");

        // Use the imported function
        console.log(parser.script.dump());
    </script>
</body>
</html>

Python

from fountain_tools.parser import FountainParser
from fountain_tools.writer import FountainWriter

script_text = """
INT. ROOM - DAY
        DAVE
    (loudly)
Hello, fellow kids!
"""

# Initialize parser and writer
parser = FountainParser()
writer = FountainWriter()

# Parse the script
parser.add_text(script_text)

# Write the script back to text
formatted_script = writer.write(parser.script)

print(formatted_script)

C#

Install the DLL in your project, and use it like so:

using System; 
using Fountain;

class Program
{
    static void Main(string[] args)
    {
        Parser parser = new Parser();
        parser.AddText("INT. SCENE HEADER\n\nDAVE\nHello, fellow kids!");

        Console.WriteLine(parser.Script.Dump());
    }
}

C++

I haven't supplied any built libs (because building multiplatform libs is outside my scope right now). Instead I have supplied source code in the zip - you should be able to build and use it with your project.

#include "fountain_tools/parser.h"
#include "fountain_tools/fountain.h"
#include <iostream>
#include <string>

int main() {
    // Create an instance of Fountain::Parser
    Fountain::Parser parser;

    // Example Fountain script text
    std::string scriptText = R"(Title: Example Script
Author: Test Author

INT. ROOM - DAY

A description of the scene.

CHARACTER
Dialogue line.)";

    // Add text to the parser
    parser.addText(scriptText);

    // Assuming the parser has a way to get the parsed script (e.g., via a 'getScript()' method)
    const auto& script = parser.getScript();

    // Dump the parsed script to the console
    std::cout << script.dump() << std::endl;

    return 0;
}

API

Parser

JS: FountainParser
Python: fountain_tools.parser.Parser
C#: Fountain.Parser
C++: Fountain::Parser

The normal incremental parser. It stores the parsed script in the script property. Consider CallbackParser if you want something which bundles up the dialogue in a more useful way.

mergeActions:bool / mergeDialogue:bool

Default: True

These variables control whether multiple dialogue or action lines get merged together into one script element, or if you get called with a list of separate elements instead.

Merging can be unhelpful if using an incremental parse.

useTags:bool

Default: False

If True, extracts and parses tags from the Fountain file. See Tags above.

addText(text:string)

Split UTF-8 text into lines and parse them.

addLines(lines:list)

Parse an array of UTF-8 text lines.

addLine(line:string)

Parse a single UTF-8 text line.

script / getScript()

Parsed script. Grows as more lines are parsed!

Script

JS: FountainScript
Python: fountain_tools.fountain.Script
C#: Fountain.Script
C++: Fountain::Script

The parsed script.

titleEntries / getTitleEntries()

Return a list of the information from the title page of the script, as TitleEntry objects.

elements / getElements()

Returns a list of the parsed elements in the script as Element objects. Determine the element type using element.getType()

notes / getNotes()

Returns a list of embedded notes as Note objects. This isn't much use in parsing, and is merely to preserve info read from the original Fountain file.

boneyards / getBoneyards()

Returns a list of commented-out chunks of text as Boneyard objects. This isn't much use in parsing, and is merely to preserve info read from the original Fountain file.

Element

JS: FountainElement
Python: fountain_tools.fountain.Element
C#: Fountain.Element
C++: Fountain::Element

Superclass of all the elements in the script. Use type/getType() to figure out what type it can be downcast to.

type / getType()

Returns an ElementType enum which will give the type of script element.

text / getText()

Gives the main text element of the asset but doesn't include other parsed information.

Elements

Take a look at the Fountain syntax to understand what these all are.

TitleEntry

JS: FountainTitleEntry
Python: fountain_tools.fountain.TitleEntry
C#: Fountain.TitleEntry
C++: Fountain::TitleEntry

https://fountain.io/syntax/#title-page

Entry on the title page. Consists of a key and text. This element will only be found inside the getTitleEntries() section of the script.

Author: Dave Smith

Action

JS: FountainAction
Python: fountain_tools.fountain.Action
C#: Fountain.Action
C++: Fountain::Action

https://fountain.io/syntax/#action

Single line of action in text. If centered is true, the text is intended to be center-justified.

He runs upstairs and eviscerates the wombat.

> Centered <

Scene Heading

JS: FountainSceneHeading
Python: fountain_tools.fountain.SceneHeading
C#: Fountain.SceneHeading
C++: Fountain::SceneHeading

https://fountain.io/syntax/#scene-headings

Heading for a scene as text. Optional sceneNumber.

INT. BATHROOM - DAY - text

INT. BATHROOM - DAY #1-a# - text #sceneNumber#

Character

JS: FountainCharacter
Python: fountain_tools.fountain.Character
C#: Fountain.Character
C++: Fountain::Character

https://fountain.io/syntax/#charater

Character header. Consists of name, optional extension, and isDualDialogue can be true.

DAVE - name

DAVE (V.O.) - name, (extension)

DAVE (V.O.) ^ - name, (extension), isDualDialogue=true

Dialogue

JS: FountainDialogue
Python: fountain_tools.fountain.Dialogue
C#: Fountain.Dialogue
C++: Fountain::Dialogue

https://fountain.io/syntax/#dialogue

Line of dialogue as text.

Hello everyone!

Parenthetical

JS: FountainParenthetical
Python: fountain_tools.fountain.Parenthetical
C#: Fountain.Parenthetical
C++: Fountain::Parenthetical

https://fountain.io/syntax/#parenthetical

Direction in parenthesis before a line of dialogue. Doesn't include the parenthesis in the text.

(underhandedly)

Lyrics

JS: FountainLyric
Python: fountain_tools.fountain.Lyric
C#: Fountain.Lyric
C++: Fountain::Lyric

https://fountain.io/syntax/#lyrics

Line of lyrics, as text.

~ These are some song lyrics.

Transition

JS: FountainTransition
Python: fountain_tools.fountain.Transition
C#: Fountain.Transition
C++: Fountain::Transition

https://fountain.io/syntax/#transition

Transition line, as text.

CUT TO:

Page Break

JS: FountainPageBreak
Python: fountain_tools.fountain.PageBreak
C#: Fountain.PageBreak
C++: Fountain::PageBreak

https://fountain.io/syntax/#page-breaks

Uh, a page break.

===

Section

JS: FountainSection
Python: fountain_tools.fountain.Section
C#: Fountain.Section
C++: Fountain::Section

https://fountain.io/syntax/#sections-synopses

A section header as text and a number level.

# This is a section

## This is a level 2 section

Synopsis

JS: FountainSynopsis
Python: fountain_tools.fountain.Synopsis
C#: Fountain.Synopsis
C++: Fountain::Synopsis

https://fountain.io/syntax/#sections-synopses

A synopsis in text.

= Synopsis of this section

Note

JS: FountainNote
Python: fountain_tools.fountain.Note
C#: Fountain.Note
C++: Fountain::Note

https://fountain.io/syntax/#notes

The content of a parsed note, as text.

This element will only be found inside the getNotes() section of the script.

Here is a normal line [[This is a note though]].

Boneyard

JS: FountainBoneyard
Python: fountain_tools.fountain.Boneyard
C#: Fountain.Boneyard
C++: Fountain::Boneyard

https://fountain.io/syntax/#boneyard

The content of a boneyard, also known as a commented-out section, as text.

This element will only be found inside the getBoneyards() section of the script.

Here is a normal line /*This is a boneyard*/.

CallbackParser

JS: FountainCallbackParser
Python: fountain_tools.callback_parser.CallbackParser
C#: Fountain.CallbackParser
C++: Fountain::CallbackParser

A version of the parser which lets you set up callbacks which will be called as lines are parsed.

onTitlePage

• entries - a list of key/values for the title page.

onDialogue

• character - the character name in the script
• extension - optional bracketed exension e.g. DAVE (V.O.)
• parenthetical - optional parenthetical before the dialogue line e.g. (loudly) or (angrily)
• line - line of dialogue,
• isDualDialogue - True if the caret ^ is present indicating dual dialogue in the script

onAction

• text

onSceneHeading

• text
• sceneNumber - optional

onLyrics

• text

onTransition

• text

onSection

• text
• level - number

onSynopsis

• text

onPageBreak

ignoreBlanks: bool

Set to false if you want empty dialogue and actions.

Writer

JS: FountainWriter
Python: fountain_tools.writer.Writer
C#: Fountain.Writer
C++: Fountain::Writer

A simpler writer to write a script as UTF-8 text.

prettyPrint

Set to false if you don't want indents in the output.

write(script)

Pass in a FountainScript, get back a UTF-8 string.

FormatHelper

JS: Fountain
Python: fountain_tools.formatHelper.FormatHelper
C#: Fountain.FormatHelper
C++: Fountain::FormatHelper

fountainToHtml

Convert Fountain markup (italic, bold, bolditalic underline) to HTML.

Contributors

• wildwinter - original author
• BirdCatcherGames - extending Fountain spec to allow 6-deep sections

License

MIT License

Copyright (c) 2024 Ian Thomas

Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:

The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
copies or substantial portions of the Software.

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
SOFTWARE.