Linux Terminal Display and Python

Question

I am writing a Python script to print out displayable user interface. The problem is every Linux user would have their own unique terminal size. This will cause the hard-coded user interface to go out of format.

(If there is a lot of example below, the terminal looks Crazy!!!).

Example, in the script. I have print out:

print "+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++"

Format should goes well in my terminal: +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

When the terminal is smaller, the print out format will run out. Format become: ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

So I am thinking:

When the user run the script, can I auto change the Linux terminal size to my declare size
Can I get the Width and Length of the user terminal size using Python, so the terminal display can be flexible
I would like to hear any better solution around the world to solve the terminal display problem!

I would strongly prefer recommendation in Python

You might want to have a look at [this question](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/566746/how-to-get-console-window-width-in-python). — Petr Viktorin, Oct 03 '11 at 15:26
That question, get the terminal size. What would be most recommended? (Most probably, for future programming purposes) Get the terminal size or resize it? — Ezylryb, Oct 03 '11 at 15:28
Get the size. You can't resize terminals. (well, maybe some types, but even then users wouldn't like it) — Petr Viktorin, Oct 03 '11 at 15:37

score 8 · Accepted Answer · answered Oct 03 '11 at 15:19

8

I'd highly suggest using something like the Python Standard Library's curses module to do this.

Don't reinvent the wheel - using an existing library will both help you avoid corner cases and also save you time. Plus, the curses interface is a familiar one to *nix users, which will make them like you more.

answered Oct 03 '11 at 15:19

Amber

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Hm.. Interesting! So does the API auto change the terminal size or does it get the terminal size? – Ezylryb Oct 03 '11 at 15:24
`curses` is designed to work with whatever the user's existing terminal size is. (Most people do not like you forcing their terminals to resize, and some terminals may not even allow you to resize them.) – Amber Oct 03 '11 at 15:29
True, true! Some terminal can't be resize! – Ezylryb Oct 03 '11 at 15:30
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Sadly, no (at least by default). As stated at the top of the manual page, it's "Platforms: Unix". – Amber Oct 03 '11 at 15:33
Tsk! Thought I could kill two bird with a stone! =P – Ezylryb Oct 03 '11 at 15:35
Thanks for the recommendation @Amber . I will test it out! ^_^ – Ezylryb Oct 03 '11 at 15:35

score 1 · Answer 2 · edited May 23 '17 at 12:07

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As Amber suggested, you should use a library like curses.

Still, you could get the width of the terminal using something like this:

import subprocess
int(subprocess.Popen(['tput', 'cols'], stdout=subprocess.PIPE).stdout.read())

edited May 23 '17 at 12:07

Community

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answered Oct 03 '11 at 15:21

Attila O.

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score 0 · Answer 3 · edited May 23 '17 at 12:07

Based on the comments in Amber's solution, there is some desire to see a solution that works on Windows too. A simple cross platform solution is to use asciimatics. For example:

from asciimatics.screen import Screen

def demo(screen):
    screen.print_at('+' * screen.width, 0, 0)
    screen.refresh()
    sleep(10)

Screen.wrapper(demo)

This package also provides a whole load of higher level widgets to make full screen text UIs easier. See the contact list demo for an example.

Full disclosure: yes - I am the author of that package and so might be a little biased. :-)

Linux Terminal Display and Python

3 Answers3