Commands Reference

Embers Text API provides three main commands for creating and managing text overlays. This page covers all available commands with detailed examples.

Command Overview

Command	Purpose	Permission Level
`/emberstextapi test`	Demo built-in effects	Operator (Level 2)
`/emberstextapi send`	Send basic messages	Operator (Level 2)
`/emberstextapi sendcustom`	Send messages with full NBT control	Operator (Level 2)

`/emberstextapi test`

Test the mod’s functionality by displaying one of nine built-in demo effects.

Syntax

/emberstextapi test <id>

Parameters

<id> - Integer from 1 to 9, each showcasing different features

Examples

/emberstextapi test 1
/emberstextapi test 5
/emberstextapi test 9

Demo Effects

Each test ID demonstrates different capabilities:

Test 1 - Basic centered text
Test 2 - Gradient effects
Test 3 - Typewriter animation
Test 4 - Shake effects
Test 5 - Background styling
Test 6 - Custom positioning
Test 7 - Obfuscation effects
Test 8 - Combined animations
Test 9 - Advanced styling

`/emberstextapi send`

Send a basic text message to one or more players with optional fade effects.

Syntax

/emberstextapi send <player> <duration> [fadeIn] [fadeOut] <text>

Parameters

<player> - Target selector or player name
- Examples: @p, @a, @r, PlayerName
<duration> - How long the message displays (in ticks)
- 20 ticks = 1 second
[fadeIn] - Optional fade-in duration (in ticks)
[fadeOut] - Optional fade-out duration (in ticks)
<text> - The message to display
- Supports formatting codes (§, &)
- Use quotes for multi-word messages

Examples

Basic Message

/emberstextapi send @p 100 "Hello, World!"

Displays “Hello, World!” to the nearest player for 5 seconds.

With Fade Effects

/emberstextapi send @a 200 20 20 "Welcome to the server!"

Shows message to all players
Displays for 10 seconds
Fades in over 1 second
Fades out over 1 second

Targeting Specific Players

/emberstextapi send Steve 60 "Quest completed!"

Shows message to player “Steve” for 3 seconds.

Longer Duration

/emberstextapi send @p 600 40 40 "This is an important announcement"

30-second display duration
2-second fade-in
2-second fade-out

Using Formatting Codes

/emberstextapi send @p 100 "§6Gold Text §r§bBlue Text"

Displays text with Minecraft color codes.

`/emberstextapi sendcustom`

Send a message with full control using NBT data. This is the most powerful command, allowing you to configure every aspect of the text display.

Syntax

/emberstextapi sendcustom <player> <nbt> <duration> <text>

Parameters

<player> - Target selector or player name
<nbt> - NBT compound containing configuration
<duration> - Display duration in ticks
<text> - The message to display

NBT Configuration Options

All available NBT tags are documented in the NBT Configuration page. Common options include:

fadeIn / fadeOut - Fade durations
color / gradient - Text colors
anchor - Screen position
align - Text alignment
typewriter - Typewriter animation speed
shake* - Shake effects
background - Background settings
font - Custom font

Examples

Gradient Text

/emberstextapi sendcustom @p {gradient:[0xFF0000,0x0000FF]} 100 "Rainbow Text"

Creates text with a red-to-blue gradient.

Centered with Typewriter Effect

/emberstextapi sendcustom @p {anchor:"CENTER_CENTER",typewriter:2.0f,typewriterCenter:1b} 150 "Dramatic entrance..."

Centers text on screen
Types out at 2 characters per tick
Re-centers as it types

With Background

/emberstextapi sendcustom @p {bgColor:0x000000,bgGradient:[0x330000,0x003300]} 100 "Styled Message"

Adds a black background with red-to-green gradient border.

Shake Animation

/emberstextapi sendcustom @p {shakeWave:1.5f} 80 "Wobbly Text!"

Applies a wave shake effect with 1.5 intensity.

Complex Configuration

/emberstextapi sendcustom @p {
  anchor:"TOP_CENTER",
  align:"CENTER",
  gradient:[0xFF6B6B,0x4ECDC4,0x45B7D1],
  typewriter:1.5f,
  fadeIn:30,
  fadeOut:30,
  shadow:1b,
  bgColor:0x000000
} 200 "Welcome to the Adventure!"

This creates:

Top-center positioned text
Three-color gradient
Typewriter animation
Fade effects
Drop shadow
Black background

Character-Level Shake

/emberstextapi sendcustom @p {charShakeRandom:2.0f} 100 "Chaotic Energy!"

Each character shakes independently with random movement.

Obfuscation with Reveal

/emberstextapi sendcustom @p {obfuscate:1b,obfuscateReveal:"LEFT_TO_RIGHT"} 120 "Secret Message"

Text starts obfuscated and reveals from left to right.

Custom Font and Wrapping

/emberstextapi sendcustom @p {
  font:"minecraft:uniform",
  wrap:200,
  anchor:"CENTER_LEFT"
} 150 "This is a longer message that will wrap to multiple lines"

Uses uniform font, wraps at 200 pixels width.

Target Selectors

All commands support Minecraft’s target selector system:

Selector	Targets
`@p`	Nearest player
`@a`	All players
`@r`	Random player
`@s`	Command executor
`PlayerName`	Specific player by name

Selector Arguments

You can also use selector arguments:

/emberstextapi send @a[team=red] 100 "Red team message!"

/emberstextapi send @p[distance=..10] 60 "You're close!"

Duration Guidelines

Here are recommended durations for different message types:

Message Type	Suggested Duration	Notes
Quick notification	40-60 ticks (2-3s)	Brief alerts
Standard message	100-120 ticks (5-6s)	Normal reading speed
Important announcement	200-300 ticks (10-15s)	Ensure players see it
Cinematic text	400+ ticks (20s+)	Story sequences
With typewriter	+duration for animation	Add time for typing effect

Command Permissions

By default, all Embers Text API commands require operator level 2. Configure permissions using your server’s permission management system:

Permission Nodes

emberstextapi.command.test
emberstextapi.command.send
emberstextapi.command.sendcustom

Common Issues

Message Not Appearing

Check that the player is online
Verify duration is sufficient (minimum 20 ticks recommended)
Ensure no typos in target selector
Check if another message is currently displaying

Formatting Not Working

Use proper formatting code syntax (§ or &)
For complex formatting, use sendcustom with NBT
Reset formatting with §r when needed

NBT Errors

Validate NBT syntax (proper brackets and quotes)
Check data types (e.g., 1.5f for floats, 1b for booleans)
Reference the NBT Configuration page for correct tag names