CODEWITHSUNDEEP
pythonpython-2.7curses
463035818_is_not_an_ai
463035818_is_not_an_ai

Reputation: 122458

Is it possible to use curses only to read a keypress but nothing else?

I have some python code that is not using curses. Maybe at some point I will change that and use curses throughout all the code. However, now this is not an option.

I was looking for how to read a single keypress in linux and the only feasible solution I found was using curses. However, I don't know if it is possible to use curses only to read a key, but otherwise not interfere with my terminal.

I tried this

def get_key_via_ncurses_impl(win):
    return win.getkey()         
def get_key_via_ncurses():
    x = curses.wrapper(get_key_via_ncurses_impl)
    print(x)
    return x

..but when called it clears the screen and only after the key was pressed I get to see the original screen again (with the output for which I didnt use curses).

I also tried this:

def get_key_via_ncurses():
    stdscr = curses.initscr()
    x = get_key_via_ncurses_impl(stdscr)
    print(x)
    return x

in the hope that curses.initscr() will not clear the screen, but it does and of course not properly cleaning up will leave my terminal in a messy state.

Is it possible to use curses to read a single key, but keep the rest of the output "uncursed"? If yes, what am I doing wrong?

Upvotes: 2

Views: 652

Answers (1)

Thomas Dickey
Thomas Dickey

Reputation: 54515

The filter function (called before initscr) tells curses to limit its updates to a single line. The python binding includes filter.

Here's an example:

import curses

curses.filter()
stdscr = curses.initscr()
curses.noecho()
foo = stdscr.getkey()
print("result:" + foo)

Upvotes: 3

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