pexpect-executor

Automate interactive CLI tools actions to create previews or tests in Python

Documentation: https://radiandevcore.gitlab.io/tools/pexpect-executor
Package: https://pypi.org/project/pexpect-executor/

Preview

CLI examples

pexpect-executor --help
pexpect-executor --down --down --down --down --down --space --enter -- gcil -H -B
pexpect-executor --press a --press a --enter -- gcil
pexpect-executor --ctrl c -- gcil

Python examples

#!/usr/bin/env python3

# Modules libraries
from pexpect_executor import Executor

# Configure
Executor.configure(host='previews', tool='pexpect-executor')

# List
Executor('ls -la', workdir='/').\
    finish()

# More
Executor('ls -la | more -5', delay_press=0.5, workdir='/').\
    read().\
    press('s').\
    read().\
    press('s').\
    read().\
    press('b').\
    read().\
    press('b').\
    read().\
    press(' ').\
    read().\
    wait(1).\
    press(Executor.KEY_ENTER).\
    read().\
    wait(1).\
    press('q').\
    finish()

# Prompt
Executor('').\
    finish()

Usage

usage: pexpect-executor [-h] [--version] [--no-color] [--update-check] [--settings] [--set GROUP KEY VAL]
                        [--delay-init SECS] [--delay-press SECS] [--delay-prompt SECS] [--hold-prompt] [--host HOST]
                        [--tool TOOL] [--mask STRINGS] [--workdir WORKDIR] [--up] [--down] [--left] [--right]
                        [--enter] [--space] [--press KEY] [--ctrl KEY] [--read] [--wait SECS] [--finish] [--]
                        [command ...]

pexpect-executor: Automate interactive CLI tools actions

internal arguments:
  -h, --help           # Show this help message
  --version            # Show the current version
  --no-color           # Disable colors outputs with 'NO_COLOR=1'
                       # (or default settings: [themes] > no_color)
  --update-check       # Check for newer package updates
  --settings           # Show the current settings path and contents
  --set GROUP KEY VAL  # Set settings specific 'VAL' value to [GROUP] > KEY
                       # or unset by using 'UNSET' as 'VAL'

configuration arguments:
  --delay-init SECS    # Delay the initial action execution (in s, default: 1.0)
  --delay-press SECS   # Delay the press actions execution (in s, default: 0.5)
  --delay-prompt SECS  # Delay the prompt actions execution (in s, default: 1.0)
  --hold-prompt        # Hold the prompt execution without a new line
  --host HOST          # Configure the host name (default: preview, env: EXECUTOR_HOST)
  --tool TOOL          # Configure the tool name (default: executor, env: EXECUTOR_TOOL)
  --mask STRINGS       # Mask specific strings from console outputs (credentials for example)
  --workdir WORKDIR    # Use a specific working directory path

actions arguments:
  --up                 # Press the <UP> key
  --down               # Press the <DOWN> key
  --left               # Press the <LEFT> key
  --right              # Press the <RIGHT> key
  --enter              # Press the <ENTER> key
  --space              # Press the <SPACE> key
  --press KEY          # Press the specified <KEY>
  --ctrl KEY           # Press the specified Ctrl+<KEY>
  --read               # Read the buffered data output (forced)
  --wait SECS          # Wait the specified time (in s, example: 1.0)
  --finish             # Finish the execution (forced)

positional arguments:
  --                   # Positional arguments separator (recommended)
  command              # Command arguments to execute (use -- to separate)

Userspace available settings

pexpect-executor creates a settings.ini configuration file in a userspace folder.

For example, it allows to disable the automated updates daily check ([updates] > enabled)

The settings.ini file location and contents can be shown with the following command:

pexpect-executor --settings

Supported systems

Environment available configurations

pexpect-executor uses colored for colors outputs.

If colors of both outputs types do not match the terminal's theme,
an environment variable NO_COLOR=1 can be defined to disable colors.

Dependencies

• colored: Terminal colors and styles
• pexpect: Interactive console applications controller
• setuptools: Build and manage Python packages
• update-checker: Check for package updates on PyPI
• wexpect-uv: Windows alternative of pexpect (uv rebuilt fork)

References

• commitizen: Simple commit conventions for internet citizens
• git-cliff: CHANGELOG generator
• gitlab-release: Utility for publishing on GitLab
• gcil: Launch .gitlab-ci.yml jobs locally
• mkdocs: Project documentation with Markdown
• mkdocs-coverage: Coverage plugin for mkdocs documentation
• mkdocs-exporter: Exporter plugin for mkdocs documentation
• mkdocs-material: Material theme for mkdocs documentation
• mypy: Optional static typing for Python
• pre-commit: A framework for managing and maintaining pre-commit hooks
• pre-commit-crocodile: Git hooks intended for developers using pre-commit
• PyPI: The Python Package Index
• termtosvg: Record terminal sessions as SVG animations
• twine: Utility for publishing on PyPI