text_console

A customizable Tkinter-based text console widget with support for command history and interactive execution, in which a user types in commands to be sent to the Python interpreter.

It includes options for overriding specific variables through subclassing, by extending the TextConsole class.

The package is installable via pip.

Features

• Tkinter-based package
• Customizable history file.
• Context menu with options for Cut, Copy, Paste, and Clear.
• Extendable for additional functionality.

The package provides flexibility to customize:

• history_file: Change the location of the history file
• console_locals: Add custom variables and functions to the console's namespace
• context_menu_items: Modify the right-click context menu
• show_about_message: Customize the about dialog content
• show_help_content: Customize the help window content
• create_menu: Override to completely customize the menu bar

Each of these can be customized by subclassing TextConsole and overriding the appropriate attributes or methods.

Installation

From pypi

pip install text-console

From sources

Navigate to the directory containing setup.py. Run:

pip install .

Usage

Basic usage with default settings

import tkinter as tk
from text_console import TextConsole

class TkConsole(tk.Tk):
    def __init__(self):
        super().__init__()
        self.title("Python Console")
        self.geometry("800x400")

        # Initialize the TextConsole widget
        console = TextConsole(self, self)
        console.pack(fill='both', expand=True)

        # Configure grid resizing for the main window
        self.grid_rowconfigure(0, weight=1)
        self.grid_columnconfigure(0, weight=1)


app = TkConsole()
app.mainloop()

Invoking TextConsole from a Master widget

import tkinter as tk
from text_console import TextConsole

class TkConsole(tk.Tk):
    def __init__(self):
        super().__init__()
        self.title("Python Console")
        self.geometry("100x70")

        # Add a button to launch the TextConsole
        run_console_button = tk.Button(
            self, 
            text="Debug Console", 
            command=self.run_text_console
        )
        run_console_button.pack(pady=20)  # Add some spacing around the button

        # Configure grid resizing for the main window
        self.grid_rowconfigure(0, weight=1)
        self.grid_columnconfigure(0, weight=1)

    def run_text_console(self):
        """Launches the TextConsole in a new Toplevel window."""
        console_window = tk.Toplevel(self)
        console_window.title("Debug Console")
        console_window.geometry("800x400")

        # Initialize the TextConsole widget
        console = TextConsole(self, console_window)
        console.pack(fill='both', expand=True)

app = TkConsole()
app.mainloop()

Customized console through subclassing

from text_console import TextConsole

class MyCustomConsole(TextConsole):

    # Override class attributes
    history_file = "my_custom_history.txt"

    console_locals = {
        "my_var": 42,
        "my_function": lambda x: x * 2
    }

    context_menu_items = [
        ("Custom Action", "custom_action"),
        "-",  # separator
        ("Clear", "clear")
    ]

    show_about_message = "My Custom Console v1.0"
    show_help_content = "This is my custom console help content"
    
    def custom_action(self):
        print("Custom action executed!")
    
    def create_menu(self, master):
        # Override to create a custom menu
        super().create_menu(main, master)
        
        # Add "Web Site" to the Help menu
        menu_bar = master.nametowidget(master.cget('menu'))  # Get the menu widget
        help_menu = list(menu_bar.children.values())[2]  # Access the Help menu (third = 2)
        help_menu.insert_command(
            help_menu.index("end"),
            label="Web Site",
            command=self.new_action
        )

        # Override to create a custom menu
        menu_bar = Menu(master)
        master.config(menu=menu_bar)
        
        # Custom menu items
        custom_menu = Menu(menu_bar, tearoff=0)
        custom_menu.add_command(label="My Action", command=self.custom_action)
        menu_bar.add_cascade(label="Custom", menu=custom_menu)

    def new_action(self):
        pass

    """ Alternatively, override create_menu:
    def create_menu(self, master):
        # Override to create a custom menu
        menu_bar = Menu(master)
        master.config(menu=menu_bar)
        
        # Custom menu items
        custom_menu = Menu(menu_bar, tearoff=0)
        custom_menu.add_command(label="My Action", command=self.custom_action)
        menu_bar.add_cascade(label="Custom", menu=custom_menu)
    """


# Use the custom console
text_console = MyCustomConsole(main, master)

Key bindings

The text_console module provides the following key bindings for efficient navigation and interaction:

• Ctrl + Enter (<Control-Return>)

  Submit a command while keeping the current context open.

• Shift + Enter (<Shift-Return>)

  Insert a newline without triggering a default submission action.

• Tab (<Tab>)

  Indent input.

• Down Arrow (<Down>)

  Next command from the history.

• Up Arrow (<Up>)

  Previous command from the history.

• Right-Click (<Button-3>)

  Displays the context menu.