TUI: add argument to enable arrows + Enter to choose items: Assisted by AI

Author: Andersson007

.config/pydoclint-baseline.txt

@@ -333,7 +333,6 @@ src/ansible_navigator/ui_framework/ui.py
 --------------------
 src/ansible_navigator/ui_framework/ui_config.py
     DOC601: Class `UIConfig`: Class docstring contains fewer class attributes than actual class attributes.  (Please read https://jsh9.github.io/pydoclint/checking_class_attributes.html on how to correctly document class attributes.)
-    DOC603: Class `UIConfig`: Class docstring attributes are different from actual class attributes. (Or could be other formatting issues: https://jsh9.github.io/pydoclint/violation_codes.html#notes-on-doc103 ). Attributes in the class definition but not in the docstring: [color: bool, colors_initialized: bool, grammar_dir: Traversable, osc4: bool, terminal_colors_path: Traversable, theme_path: Traversable]. (Please read https://jsh9.github.io/pydoclint/checking_class_attributes.html on how to correctly document class attributes.)
 --------------------
 src/ansible_navigator/ui_framework/ui_constants.py
     DOC601: Class `Color`: Class docstring contains fewer class attributes than actual class attributes.  (Please read https://jsh9.github.io/pydoclint/checking_class_attributes.html on how to correctly document class attributes.)

src/ansible_navigator/action_runner.py

@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ def initialize_ui(self, refresh: int) -> None:
             osc4=self._args.osc4,
             terminal_colors_path=TERMINAL_COLORS_PATH,
             theme_path=THEME_PATH,
+            cursor_navigation=bool(getattr(self._args, "cursor_navigation", False)),
         )
         self._logger.debug("grammar path = %s", config.grammar_dir)
         self._logger.debug("theme path = %s", config.theme_path)

src/ansible_navigator/configuration_subsystem/navigator_configuration.py

@@ -316,6 +316,15 @@ class Internals:
             value=SettingsEntryValue(),
             version_added="v2.0",
         ),
+        SettingsEntry(
+            name="cursor_navigation",
+            choices=[True, False],
+            cli_parameters=CliParameters(short="--cn", action="store_true"),
+            settings_file_path_override="ui.cursor-navigation",
+            short_description="Enable arrow-key cursor navigation and Enter selection in menus",
+            value=SettingsEntryValue(default=False),
+            version_added="v2.5",
+        ),
         SettingsEntry(
             name="display_color",
             change_after_initial=False,

src/ansible_navigator/data/ansible-navigator.json

@@ -518,14 +518,29 @@
                     "default": "UTC",
                     "description": "Specify the IANA time zone to use or 'local' to use the system time zone",
                     "type": "string"
+                },
+                "ui": {
+                    "additionalProperties": false,
+                    "properties": {
+                        "cursor-navigation": {
+                            "default": false,
+                            "description": "Enable arrow-key cursor navigation and Enter selection in menus",
+                            "enum": [
+                                true,
+                                false
+                            ],
+                            "type": "boolean"
+                        }
+                    },
+                    "type": "object"
                 }
             }
         }
     },
     "required": [
         "ansible-navigator"
     ],
-    "title": "ansible-navigator settings v25",
+    "title": "ansible-navigator settings v24",
     "type": "object",
-    "version": "25"
+    "version": "24"
 }

src/ansible_navigator/data/help.md

@@ -33,12 +33,15 @@
 - `[0-9]`                                         Go to menu item
 - `:<number> `                                    Go to menu item
 - `:{{ n|filter }} `                              Template the menu item
+- `arrow up, arrow down`                          Move cursor (when cursor navigation enabled)
+- `enter`                                         Select highlighted item (when cursor navigation enabled)
 
 # Content and tasks
 
 - `[0-9]`                                         Go to task number
 - `:<number>`                                     Go to task number
 - `+, - `                                         Next/Previous task
+- `arrow up, arrow down`                          Next/Previous task (when cursor navigation enabled)
 - `_, :_`                                         Toggle hidden keys
 - `:{{ key|filter }}`                             Template the key's value
 - `:d, :doc`                                      Show the doc for the current task's module

src/ansible_navigator/data/settings-sample.template.yml

@@ -63,6 +63,9 @@ ansible-navigator:
     enable: True
     # {{ color.osc4 }}
     osc4: True
+  ui:
+    # {{ ui.cursor-navigation }}
+    cursor-navigation: False
   editor:
     # {{ editor.command }}
     command: vim_from_setting

src/ansible_navigator/data/settings-schema.partial.json

@@ -284,6 +284,15 @@
         "time-zone": {
           "type": "string"
         },
+        "ui": {
+          "additionalProperties": false,
+          "properties": {
+            "cursor-navigation": {
+              "type": "boolean"
+            }
+          },
+          "type": "object"
+        },
         "settings": {
           "additionalProperties": false,
           "properties": {

src/ansible_navigator/ui_framework/ui.py

@@ -199,7 +199,12 @@ def __init__(
         self._status_color = 0
         self._screen: Window = curses.initscr()
         self._screen.timeout(refresh)
+        self._screen.keypad(True)  # Enable keypad mode for proper key handling
         self._one_line_input = FormHandlerText(screen=self._screen, ui_config=self._ui_config)
+        # When cursor navigation is enabled, this tracks which visible row to highlight
+        self._highlight_line_offset: int | None = None
+        # When cursor navigation is enabled, this tracks the cursor position in menus
+        self._menu_cursor_pos: int = 0
 
     def clear(self) -> None:
         """Clear the screen."""
@@ -464,7 +469,7 @@ def _display(
         index_width = len(str(count))
 
         keypad = {str(x) for x in range(10)}
-        other_valid_keys = ["+", "-", "_", "KEY_F(5)", "^[", "\x1b"]
+        other_valid_keys = ["+", "-", "_", "KEY_F(5)", "^[", "\x1b", "CURSOR_ENTER"]
 
         while True:
             self._screen.erase()
@@ -479,10 +484,26 @@ def _display(
                 line_index = line_numbers[idx]
                 line_index_str = str(line_index).rjust(index_width)
                 prefix = f"{line_index_str}\u2502"
+                # Apply highlight decoration when enabled and this is the selected row
+                if (indent_heading and self._ui_config.cursor_navigation and
+                    self._highlight_line_offset is not None and idx == self._highlight_line_offset):
+                    # Rebuild the line with reverse-video decoration added
+                    highlighted_parts = tuple(
+                        CursesLinePart(
+                            column=lp.column,
+                            string=lp.string,
+                            color=lp.color,
+                            decoration=lp.decoration | curses.A_REVERSE,
+                        )
+                        for lp in line
+                    )
+                    line_to_draw = CursesLine(highlighted_parts)
+                else:
+                    line_to_draw = line
                 self._add_line(
                     window=self._screen,
                     lineno=idx + len(heading),
-                    line=line,
+                    line=line_to_draw,
                     prefix=prefix,
                 )
 
@@ -504,6 +525,16 @@ def _display(
             if await_input:
                 char = self._screen.getch()
                 key = "KEY_F(5)" if char == -1 else curses.keyname(char).decode()
+                # Debug: log the raw char and converted key for troubleshooting
+                if self._ui_config.cursor_navigation:
+                    self._logger.debug("Raw char: %s, Converted key: '%s'", char, key)
+                # Check for Enter key codes and return a special value for cursor navigation
+                if (self._ui_config.cursor_navigation and
+                    char in [10, 13]):  # Enter key codes: 10=LF, 13=CR
+                    self._logger.debug(
+                        "Enter key detected! Raw char: %s, setting key to CURSOR_ENTER", char
+                    )
+                    key = "CURSOR_ENTER"
             else:
                 key = "KEY_F(5)"
 
@@ -915,6 +946,17 @@ def _show_menu(
                 showing_indices,
             )
 
+            # Determine which row to highlight, if enabled
+            self._highlight_line_offset = None
+            if self._ui_config.cursor_navigation and self._menu_indices:
+                self._menu_cursor_pos = max(0, min(self._menu_cursor_pos,
+                                                   len(self._menu_indices) - 1))
+                selected_global_index = self._menu_indices[self._menu_cursor_pos]
+                try:
+                    self._highlight_line_offset = showing_indices.index(selected_global_index)
+                except ValueError:
+                    self._highlight_line_offset = None
+
             entry = self._display(
                 lines=menu_lines,
                 line_numbers=line_numbers,
@@ -925,9 +967,45 @@ def _show_menu(
                 await_input=await_input,
             )
 
+            # Debug: log what entry we received
+            if self._ui_config.cursor_navigation:
+                self._logger.debug("Received entry: '%s'", entry)
+
+            # Handle arrow navigation for menus when enabled
             if entry in ["KEY_RESIZE", "KEY_DOWN", "KEY_UP", "KEY_NPAGE", "KEY_PPAGE", "^F", "^B"]:
+                if (entry in ["KEY_DOWN", "KEY_UP"] and self._ui_config.cursor_navigation and
+                    self._menu_indices):
+                    # Move the cursor position
+                    if entry == "KEY_DOWN" and self._menu_cursor_pos < len(self._menu_indices) - 1:
+                        self._menu_cursor_pos += 1
+                        # If moved past the last visible item, scroll down one
+                        if (self._highlight_line_offset is None or
+                            self._highlight_line_offset >= len(showing_indices) - 1):
+                            # Mimic _display scroll down
+                            viewport_height = self._screen_height - len(menu_heading) - 1
+                            self.scroll(max(min(self.scroll() + 1, len(self._menu_indices)),
+                                           viewport_height))
+                    elif entry == "KEY_UP" and self._menu_cursor_pos > 0:
+                        self._menu_cursor_pos -= 1
+                        # If moved before the first visible item, scroll up one
+                        if self._highlight_line_offset is None or self._highlight_line_offset <= 0:
+                            viewport_height = self._screen_height - len(menu_heading) - 1
+                            self.scroll(max(self.scroll() - 1, viewport_height))
+                    # Re-render with updated highlight
+                    continue
+                # Otherwise, preserve prior behavior
                 continue
 
+            # Enter key should select the highlighted item when cursor nav is enabled
+            if (self._ui_config.cursor_navigation and
+                    (entry == "CURSOR_ENTER" or entry in ["^J", "^M", "KEY_ENTER", "KEY_RETURN"]) and
+                    self._menu_indices):
+                self._logger.debug("Enter key selection triggered! Entry: '%s', Selecting index %s",
+                                  entry, self._menu_cursor_pos)
+                index_to_select = self._menu_indices[self._menu_cursor_pos]
+                entry = str(index_to_select)
+                self._logger.debug("Changed entry to: '%s'", entry)
+
             name, action = self._template_match_action(entry, current)
             if name and action:
                 if name == "select":

src/ansible_navigator/ui_framework/ui_config.py

@@ -7,22 +7,29 @@
 
 @dataclass
 class UIConfig:
-    """Object to hold basic UI settings.
+    """The UI configuration.
 
-    Used to determine properties about rendering things. An instance of this
-    class gets threaded throughout most of the UI system, so it can be used for
-    fairly global things, such as "should we render color, ever?"
+    Args:
+        color: Enable the use of color for mode interactive and stdout
+        colors_initialized: Whether colors have been initialized
+        cursor_navigation: Enable arrow-key cursor navigation and Enter selection in menus
+        grammar_dir: The path to the grammar directory
+        osc4: Enable or disable terminal color changing support with OSC 4
+        terminal_colors_path: The path to the terminal colors file
+        theme_path: The path to the theme file
     """
 
-    #: Indicates coloring is enabled or disabled
+    #: Enable the use of color for mode interactive and stdout
     color: bool
-    #: Indicates if the curses colors have been initialized
+    #: Whether colors have been initialized
     colors_initialized: bool
     #: The path to the grammar directory
     grammar_dir: Traversable
-    #: Indicates if terminal support for OSC4 is enabled
+    #: Enable or disable terminal color changing support with OSC 4
     osc4: bool
-    #: The path to the 16 terminal color map
+    #: The path to the terminal colors file
     terminal_colors_path: Traversable
     #: The path to the theme file
     theme_path: Traversable
+    #: Enable arrow-key cursor navigation and Enter selection in menus
+    cursor_navigation: bool = False

tests/fixtures/unit/configuration_subsystem/ansible-navigator.yml

@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@ ansible-navigator:
   color:
     enable: False
     osc4: False
+  ui:
+    cursor-navigation: true
   editor:
     command: vim_from_setting
     console: False