http://redd.it/3104wu

Gradients.ahk

Input =
(LTrim0 C
60 30
 '"^+$
linear 30 30 0 0
)

Gui, Font,, Courier New
Gui, Add, Edit, w640 h480, % GenerateGradient(Input)
Gui, Show
return

GuiClose:
ExitApp
return

GenerateGradient(Input)
{
	Input := StrSplit(Input, "`n", "`r")
	Dimensions := StrSplit(Input[1], " ")
	Chars := StrSplit(Input[2], "", "")
	Params := StrSplit(Input[3], " ")
	
	CharLen := Chars.MaxIndex()
	
	if (Params[1] = "Radial") ; = is case insensitive
	{
		rx := Params[2]+1 ; 1 indexed
		ry := Params[3]+1
		r := Params[4]
		
		Loop, % Dimensions[2]
		{
			y := A_Index
			Loop, % Dimensions[1]
			{
				x := A_Index
				
				Distance := Sqrt((x-rx)**2 + (y-ry)**2)
				CharIndex := Floor(Distance/r*CharLen) + 1 ; 1 indexed
				
				Out .= CharIndex <= CharLen ? Chars[CharIndex] : Chars[CharLen]
			}
			Out .= "`n"
		}
	}
	else if (Params[1] = "Linear") ; Everything in this part is broken and I'm trying to fix it
	{
		x1 := Params[2], y1 := Params[3]
		x2 := Params[4], y2 := Params[5]
		
		Angle := (y2-y1)/(x2-x1) ; Rise over run, right? That's what I learned in basic geom?
		
		Loop, % Dimensions[2]
		{
			y := A_Index
			Loop, % Dimensions[1]
			{
				x := A_Index
				
				Distance := (x1-x) + (y1-y)*Angle
				CharIndex := Floor(Distance/) + 1
				
				; Oh how I long for a proper clamp(), or just max() and min()
				CharIndex := CharIndex>CharLen ? CharLen : CharIndex<1 ? 1 : CharIndex
				
				Out .= CharIndex ;<= CharLen ? Chars[CharIndex] : Chars[CharLen]
			}
			Out .= "`n"
		}
	}
	return Out
}