txt now takes a Text value, str takes a String

programs/Main.hs

@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ import Brick.AttrMap
 import Brick.Markup
 import Data.Text.Markup
 
-styles :: [(String, BorderStyle)]
+styles :: [(T.Text, BorderStyle)]
 styles =
     [ ("ascii", ascii)
     , ("uni", unicode)
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ listDrawElem :: Bool -> Int -> Render
 listDrawElem sel i =
     let selStr s = if sel then "<" <> s <> ">" else s
     in hCenterWith (Just ' ') $ vBox $ for [1..i+1] $ \j ->
-        (txt $ "Item " <> (selStr $ show i) <> " L" <> show j, High)
+        (str $ "Item " <> (selStr $ show i) <> " L" <> show j, High)
 
 theAttrMap :: AttrMap
 theAttrMap = attrMap defAttr

programs/Rogue.hs

@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 {-# LANGUAGE TemplateHaskell #-}
+{-# LANGUAGE OverloadedStrings #-}
 module Main where
 
 import Graphics.Vty

src/Brick/Border.hs

@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ module Brick.Border
 where
 
 import Data.Monoid ((<>))
+import qualified Data.Text as T
 
 import Brick.Render
 import Brick.AttrMap
@@ -52,18 +53,18 @@ brCornerAttr = borderAttr <> "corner" <> "br"
 border :: Render -> Render
 border = border_ Nothing
 
-borderWithLabel :: String -> Render -> Render
+borderWithLabel :: T.Text -> Render -> Render
 borderWithLabel label = border_ (Just label)
 
-border_ :: Maybe String -> Render -> Render
+border_ :: Maybe T.Text -> Render -> Render
 border_ label wrapped = do
     bs <- getActiveBorderStyle
-    let top = (withAttrName tlCornerAttr $ txt [bsCornerTL bs])
+    let top = (withAttrName tlCornerAttr $ str [bsCornerTL bs])
               <<+ hBorder_ label +>>
-              (withAttrName trCornerAttr $ txt [bsCornerTR bs])
-        bottom = (withAttrName blCornerAttr $ txt [bsCornerBL bs])
+              (withAttrName trCornerAttr $ str [bsCornerTR bs])
+        bottom = (withAttrName blCornerAttr $ str [bsCornerBL bs])
                  <<+ hBorder +>>
-                 (withAttrName brCornerAttr $ txt [bsCornerBR bs])
+                 (withAttrName brCornerAttr $ str [bsCornerBR bs])
         middle = vBorder +>> wrapped <<+ vBorder
         total = top =>> middle <<= bottom
     total
@@ -71,10 +72,10 @@ border_ label wrapped = do
 hBorder :: Render
 hBorder = hBorder_ Nothing
 
-hBorderWithLabel :: String -> Render
+hBorderWithLabel :: T.Text -> Render
 hBorderWithLabel label = hBorder_ (Just label)
 
-hBorder_ :: Maybe String -> Render
+hBorder_ :: Maybe T.Text -> Render
 hBorder_ label = do
     bs <- getActiveBorderStyle
     withAttrName hBorderAttr $ hCenterWith (Just $ bsHorizontal bs) msg

src/Brick/Render.hs

@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ module Brick.Render
   , Direction(..)
 
   , txt
+  , str
   , hPad
   , vPad
   , hFill

src/Brick/Render/Internal.hs

@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ module Brick.Render.Internal
   , ViewportType(..)
 
   , txt
+  , str
   , hPad
   , vPad
   , hFill
@@ -67,6 +68,7 @@ import Control.Monad (when)
 import Control.Monad.Trans.State.Lazy
 import Control.Monad.Trans.Reader
 import Control.Monad.Trans.Class (lift)
+import qualified Data.Text as T
 import Data.Default
 import Data.Functor.Contravariant
 import Data.Monoid ((<>), mempty)
@@ -138,7 +140,7 @@ makeLenses ''Viewport
 makeLenses ''RenderState
 
 instance IsString Render where
-    fromString = txt
+    fromString = str
 
 instance Default Result where
     def = Result V.emptyImage [] []
@@ -186,11 +188,14 @@ lookupAttrName n = do
     c <- getContext
     return $ attrMapLookup n (c^.ctxAttrs)
 
-txt :: String -> Render
-txt s = do
+str :: String -> Render
+str s = do
     c <- getContext
     return $ def & image .~ (V.string (c^.attr) s)
 
+txt :: T.Text -> Render
+txt = str . T.unpack
+
 hPad :: Char -> Render
 hPad ch = do
     c <- getContext