Install

If you don't have docker installed, install Redis and start server

% sudo apt-get install -y redis-server

or

% brew install redis
% brew services start redis

Install with pip

% pip3 install chloop

Optionally install ipython with pip3 install ipython to enable :ipython colon command on a GetCharLoop instance. Also pip3 install pdbpp for an improved debug experience when using :pdb colon command.

Usage

The GetCharLoop class is provided by the chloop package. Calling an instance of this class starts a REPL session, which the user can end by pressing Ctrl + d or Ctrl + c.

See the Example section below.

The first character you type at the REPL prompt is significant.

The colon

Hitting the : key at the prompt will allow you to enter a command and any arguments you need to pass to that command.

• :docstrings to view docstrings of methods defined on the class
• :errors to view colon commands that raised exceptions
• :history view colon commands issued
• :pdb to start a pdb session (debugging/inspection)
• :ipython to start ipython shell
• :shortcuts to view hotkey shortcuts

Any methods added to your sub-class of GetCharLoop are callable as colon commands, as long as they do not start with an underscore (_). Methods should only accept *args, if anything.

For any methods/commands that should not be logged to the history, append the method name to the end of the self._DONT_LOG_CMDS list.

The dash

Hitting the - key at the prompt will allow you to type a note.

The question mark

Hitting the ? key at the prompt will display the class docstring(s) and the startup message.

Other keys

Hitting any other key at the prompt will do one of the following:

• call a registered shortcut function bound to the key (use :shortcuts command to see what is available)
• display the character and its integer ordinal

A hotkey can be bound to any callable object that accepts no arguments.

Use functools.partial (if necessary) to create a callable accepting no arguments.

Adding hotkeys (simple)

• call the _add_hotkey method on your instance of GetCharLoop (or sub-class) with the following args
  • ch: character hotkey
  • func: callable object that accepts no arguments
  • help_string: a string containing short help text for hotkey

Adding hotkeys (when using callables on self)

• call the self._chfunc_dict_update method in the __init__ method of your subclass with a list of tuples or a dict.

  • the keys of the dict (or first items in list of tuples) are the hotkey characters

  • the values of the dict (or second items in list of tuples) are 2-item tuples

    • 1st item is a callable that accepts no arguments
    • 2nd item is a short help string

    Note: when passing a dict, the items will be inserted in the alphabetical order of the help string.

Basic example

% python3 -c 'from chloop import GetCharLoop; GetCharLoop()()'

> :docstrings
======================================================================
Loop forever, receiving character input from user and performing actions

    - ^d or ^c to break the loop
    - ':' to enter a command (and any arguments)
        - the name of the command should be monkeypatched on the GetCharLoop
          instance, or be a defined method on a GetCharLoop sub-class
        - the function bound to `:command` should accept `*args` only
    - '-' to receive an input line from user (a note)
    - '?' to show the class docstring(s) and the startup message

.:: docstrings ::.
Print/return the docstrings of methods defined on this class

.:: errors ::.
Print/return any colon commands that raised exceptions (w/ traceback)

.:: history ::.
Print/return colon commands used

.:: ipython ::.
Start ipython shell. To continue back to the input loop, use 'ctrl + d'

.:: pdb ::.
Start pdb (debugger). To continue back to the input loop, use 'c'

.:: shortcuts ::.
Print/return any hotkey shortcuts defined on this class



> :pdb
[10] > /tmp/ch/venv/lib/python3.5/site-packages/chloop/__init__.py(90)__call__()
-> continue
(Pdb++) l
 85                     cmd = user_input.split()[0]
 86                     args = user_input.split()[1:]
 87
 88                     if cmd == 'pdb':
 89                         import pdb; pdb.set_trace()
 90  ->                     continue
 91
 92                     if cmd == 'ipython':
 93                         from IPython import embed; embed()
 94                         continue
 95
(Pdb++) self._collection
Collection('chloop-log', 'default', index_fields='cmd,status,error_type', json_fields='args,value')
(Pdb++) self._collection.keyspace
[]
(Pdb++) c

> :ipython
Python 3.5.1+ (default, Mar 30 2016, 22:46:26)
Type "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.

IPython 5.2.2 -- An enhanced Interactive Python.
?         -> Introduction and overview of IPython's features.
%quickref -> Quick reference.
help      -> Python's own help system.
object?   -> Details about 'object', use 'object??' for extra details.


In [1]: self._collection
Out[1]: Collection('chloop-log', 'default', index_fields='cmd,status,error_type', json_fields='args,value')

In [2]: self.shortcuts
Out[2]: <bound method GetCharLoop.shortcuts of <chloop.GetCharLoop object at 0x7f9f8ff5f5f8>>

In [3]: self.docstrings
Out[3]: <bound method GetCharLoop.docstrings of <chloop.GetCharLoop object at 0x7f9f8ff5f5f8>>

In [4]:
Do you really want to exit ([y]/n)? y


> :shortcuts


> - there are no shortcuts defined by default

>

Sub-class example

• Import GetCharLoop and sub-class it
• Initialize the sub-class and call it

Save the following to mine.py

from functools import partial
from chloop import GetCharLoop


class Mine(GetCharLoop):
    """A sub-class of GetCharLoop"""
    def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
        # Process any extra/custom kwargs here and set some attributes
        self._mything = kwargs.pop('mything', 'some default value')

        super(Mine, self).__init__(*args, **kwargs)

        # Add some single-key shorcuts that call methods on `self`
        self._chfunc_dict_update([
            ('h', (self.history,
                  'display recent command history')),
            ('e', (self.errors,
                  'display recent errors')),
        ])


    def somefunc(self, *args):
        """Joins the args passed to it into a string"""
        args_as_one = ' '.join(args)
        print(repr(args_as_one))
        return args_as_one

    def lame(self):
        """raise exception"""
        return 1/0


if __name__ == '__main__':
    m = Mine(prompt='\nmyprompt> ')
    m._add_hotkey('a', lambda: print('hello'), 'say hello')
    m()

Interact with the REPL

Assuming the above code is in a file called mine.py

% python mine.py

myprompt> :somefunc here are some args
u'here are some args'

myprompt> :shortcuts
'e' -- display recent errors
'h' -- display recent command history
'a' -- say hello

myprompt> a
hello

myprompt> :lame
======================================================================
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/home/ken/chloop/chloop/__init__.py", line 232, in __call__
    value = cmd_func()
  File "main.py", line 33, in lame
    return 1/0
ZeroDivisionError: integer division or modulo by zero

cmd: u'lame'
args: []

myprompt> :pdb
...

myprompt> e
(errors output)

myprompt> - here is a note

myprompt> - here is another note

myprompt>