# "Text Sprite" extension
**URL:** https://forum.makecode.com/t/text-sprite-extension/2259
**Category:** Arcade
**Tags:** extension
**Created:** [May 29, 2020, 1:22am UTC](https://forum.makecode.com/t/text-sprite-extension/2259 "2020-05-29T01:22:58Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@darzu](https://forum.makecode.com/u/darzu)
#### Post date: [May 29, 2020, 1:22am UTC](https://forum.makecode.com/t/text-sprite-extension/2259/1 "2020-05-29T01:22:59Z")
Hello world,
I’m working on an extension that makes it easier to have text in your game. The big motivations for me are for creating custom UI and HUD elements as well as signage in games. Using this extension, you can basically duplicate the built-in life, score and countdown elements.
These are the blocks:
and the expandable blocks expanded:
This extension handles unicode. If non-ascii characters are entered, a unicode font will be used.
A maximum height for the text can be specified. Since our fonts in Arcade are limited, this will always be rounded down to a multiple of 5, 8, or 12. We try to use the most appropriate font for your size and whether or not unicode is present.
And of course since these are sprites all the other sprite functions work with these.
Here’s the extension:
> **[microsoft/arcade-text](https://github.com/microsoft/arcade-text)**
>
> Contribute to microsoft/arcade-text development by creating an account on GitHub.
Here’s a sample:
> **[test arcade-text](https://arcade.makecode.com/09733-61193-97488-18091)**
>
> Made with ❤️ in Microsoft MakeCode Arcade.
Future work:
- What about word wrapping?
- Likely answer: allow an optional “max width” and wrap appropriately
---
### Author:  [@richard](https://forum.makecode.com/u/richard)
#### Post date: [May 29, 2020, 4:43pm UTC](https://forum.makecode.com/t/text-sprite-extension/2259/2 "2020-05-29T16:43:23Z")
@darzu [here](https://github.com/riknoll/arcade-story/blob/master/text.ts#L46) is that word wrapping code I mentioned the other day. Looking at it now, it’s not complicated at all but at least I figured out the text ranges for punctuation!
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### Author:  [@reyhanPanci256](https://forum.makecode.com/u/reyhanPanci256)
#### Post date: [June 2, 2020, 7:41am UTC](https://forum.makecode.com/t/text-sprite-extension/2259/3 "2020-06-02T07:41:12Z")
is there a way to update the text i real time?
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### Author:  [@darzu](https://forum.makecode.com/u/darzu)
#### Post date: [June 2, 2020, 5:50pm UTC](https://forum.makecode.com/t/text-sprite-extension/2259/4 "2020-06-02T17:50:34Z")
Yes, the “set textSprite text (”")" block can be called as frequently as you like, perhaps in a “on game update” block if you want to report a frequently changing timer or score
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### Author:  [@Dreadmask197](https://forum.makecode.com/u/Dreadmask197)
#### Post date: [October 5, 2020, 10:32pm UTC](https://forum.makecode.com/t/text-sprite-extension/2259/5 "2020-10-05T22:32:01Z")
Is that the “Water” in Japanese? I knew that because… well I just know it.
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### Author:  [@UnsignedArduino](https://forum.makecode.com/u/UnsignedArduino)
#### Post date: [October 6, 2020, 1:20am UTC](https://forum.makecode.com/t/text-sprite-extension/2259/6 "2020-10-06T01:20:32Z")
Its water in Chinese.
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### Author:  [@LcAtonal](https://forum.makecode.com/u/LcAtonal)
#### Post date: [October 6, 2020, 7:57am UTC](https://forum.makecode.com/t/text-sprite-extension/2259/7 "2020-10-06T07:57:32Z")
Gonna speak some chinese.
我在进什么?
Just to prevent any racism.
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### Author:  [@Dreadmask197](https://forum.makecode.com/u/Dreadmask197)
#### Post date: [October 6, 2020, 12:26pm UTC](https://forum.makecode.com/t/text-sprite-extension/2259/8 "2020-10-06T12:26:42Z")
I am Asian. I know what that means. You said: What am I doing?
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### Author:  [@LcAtonal](https://forum.makecode.com/u/LcAtonal)
#### Post date: [October 6, 2020, 1:04pm UTC](https://forum.makecode.com/t/text-sprite-extension/2259/9 "2020-10-06T13:04:38Z")
Me too.
It actually means what did I say.
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### Author:  [@UnsignedArduino](https://forum.makecode.com/u/UnsignedArduino)
#### Post date: [October 6, 2020, 1:14pm UTC](https://forum.makecode.com/t/text-sprite-extension/2259/10 "2020-10-06T13:14:57Z")
I thought it meant what did I say too
This is getting offtopic 😅
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### Author:  [@darzu](https://forum.makecode.com/u/darzu)
#### Post date: [October 6, 2020, 5:07pm UTC](https://forum.makecode.com/t/text-sprite-extension/2259/11 "2020-10-06T17:07:32Z")
Looks like it might mean water in both Japanese and Chinese, so I think you’re both right?
Also, I updated the links in this forum post with new links now that the extension is officially being release and maintained by MakeCode. Going forward updates to the extension will happen to the microsoft/arcade-text repo not the darzu/arcade-text one.
On that note, there’s a new block:
that can be used for awesome outlines like:
---
### Author:  [@Dreadmask197](https://forum.makecode.com/u/Dreadmask197)
#### Post date: [October 6, 2020, 5:47pm UTC](https://forum.makecode.com/t/text-sprite-extension/2259/12 "2020-10-06T17:47:52Z")
WOW!!! That’s so cool
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### Author:  [@Dreadmask197](https://forum.makecode.com/u/Dreadmask197)
#### Post date: [October 6, 2020, 5:53pm UTC](https://forum.makecode.com/t/text-sprite-extension/2259/13 "2020-10-06T17:53:56Z")
I see it now
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### Author:  [@Japanjot](https://forum.makecode.com/u/Japanjot)
#### Post date: [March 13, 2023, 3:47pm UTC](https://forum.makecode.com/t/text-sprite-extension/2259/14 "2023-03-13T15:47:34Z")
overlap function is not working
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### Author:  [@Japanjot](https://forum.makecode.com/u/Japanjot)
#### Post date: [March 13, 2023, 3:47pm UTC](https://forum.makecode.com/t/text-sprite-extension/2259/15 "2023-03-13T15:47:35Z")
how can I show my text in squared box
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### Author:  [@Errorpixel](https://forum.makecode.com/u/Errorpixel)
#### Post date: [March 27, 2025, 8:59pm UTC](https://forum.makecode.com/t/text-sprite-extension/2259/16 "2025-03-27T20:59:27Z")
I have no clue on what’s going on but the extension seems to be gone from the extensions tab. I know that it was there a month or two before so did anything happen to it?
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### Author:  [@richard](https://forum.makecode.com/u/richard)
#### Post date: [March 27, 2025, 8:59pm UTC](https://forum.makecode.com/t/text-sprite-extension/2259/17 "2025-03-27T20:59:45Z")
oh hey, you’re right. i wonder when that happened… let me take a look
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### Author:  [@Josef](https://forum.makecode.com/u/Josef)
#### Post date: [March 28, 2025, 1:45am UTC](https://forum.makecode.com/t/text-sprite-extension/2259/18 "2025-03-28T01:45:54Z")
also only use this for other languages. use fancy text
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### Author:  [@Josef](https://forum.makecode.com/u/Josef)
#### Post date: [March 28, 2025, 1:45am UTC](https://forum.makecode.com/t/text-sprite-extension/2259/19 "2025-03-28T01:45:56Z")
and chinese
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### Author:  [@MakeCode](https://forum.makecode.com/u/MakeCode)
#### Post date: [March 28, 2025, 4:37pm UTC](https://forum.makecode.com/t/text-sprite-extension/2259/20 "2025-03-28T16:37:03Z")
@Errorpixel we fixed this issue yesterday, can you please verify?
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