PyTput

TL;DR: You can format your message with {message:bold,underline,purple}

Simple executable and Python3 API to format messages using colors and styles from tput:

• pytput executable to be used in any shell-like script
• Python3 module to format messages directly in any python application

Install

Install via pip:

# Install pip for python3
$ sudo apt install python3 python3-pip python3-setuptools
# Install from PyPI
$ pip3 install --user pytput
# ... Or directly from the sources
$ pip3 install --user git+https://github.com/essembeh/pytput

To setup a development environment:

$ git clone https://github.com/essembeh/pytput
$ cd pytput
$ make venv
$ make install
$ source venv/bin/activate
(venv) $ pytput --help

Usage

Using tput_format and tput_print

tput_format allow to format messages using colors and styles. This is nothing more than a shortcut to use TputFormatter.

tput_print simply prints the message after formatting it.

from pytput import tput_format, tput_print
# Create a format message
fmt = "Hello {who:red,bold}"
# You can print it
print(fmt)
# When formatting, styles are applied
a = tput_format(fmt, who="World")
print(a)
# Equivalent to
tput_print(fmt, who="World")
# And you can also use *constant* like {'today':bold} will be the string "today" with bold style applied
fmt += ", how are you {'today':green,underline}"
tput_print(fmt, who="User")

Styles can be combined with ',' like {message:underline,bold,yellow}

You can also reuse string.Formatter format specification like {myint:05d,underline,bold,yellow} or {mystr:.10,underline,dim,red}

You can apply a style to constant strings with {'today':bold} or {"today":bold}

Using a TputFormatter class

You can use the TputFormatter class to decorate variables with styles.

from pytput import TputFormatter
tf = TputFormatter()
# Build a colored string and print it
print(tf.format("{'Hello':bg_yellow,bold} {who:cyan,underline}!", who="World"))
# You can combine multiple styles and common str.format spec
print(tf.format("{'Hello':.2,bg_yellow,underline} {myvalue:04d,cyan}!", myvalue=42))

Here is the list of available styles

Formatter keyword	tput command
bold	tput bold
dim	tput dim
underline	tput smul
blink	tput blink
standout	tput smso
reverse	tput rev
reset	tput sgr0
black	tput setaf 0
red	tput setaf 1
green	tput setaf 2
yellow	tput setaf 3
blue	tput setaf 4
purple	tput setaf 5
cyan	tput setaf 6
white	tput setaf 7
bg_black	tput setab 0
bg_red	tput setab 1
bg_green	tput setab 2
bg_yellow	tput setab 3
bg_blue	tput setab 4
bg_purple	tput setab 5
bg_cyan	tput setab 6
bg_white	tput setab 7

Directly use Style

from pytput import Style
print(Style.RED.apply("Hello"), Style.GREEN.apply("World"))

Using pytput executable

PyTput comes with an handy executable to use colors and styles directly from the command line. This is usefull to customize messages in shell scripts for example.

$ pytput '{"Hello":red} {0:green}!' 'World'
$ pytput "{'This is':bold,red} {0:underline,dim,yellow} {1:bg_purple,yellow,bold}" "a message" "with styles ;)"
$ pytput "{0:red,bold,underline}" "Simple error message"
$ pytput "{'Another message':bg_purple,white,bold}"

See pytput --help for more details.

Disabling pytput

By default, pytput API is disabled if sys.stdout.isatty() is False, so you won't write any color nor style if you pipe the output or redirect it in a file.

Using pytput executable, you can force colors and styles using the --force argument.

# You get colors by default
$ pytput '{0:red} {"World":green}!' 'Hello'
# Colors will be disabled
$ pytput '{0:red} {"World":green}!' 'Hello' | cat 
$ pytput '{0:red} {"World":green}!' 'Hello' > /tmp/pytput.txt
$ cat /tmp/pytput.txt
# Colors will be enabled
$ pytput --force '{0:red} {"World":green}!' 'Hello' | cat 
$ pytput --force '{0:red} {"World":green}!' 'Hello' > /tmp/pytput.txt
$ cat /tmp/pytput.txt

Using pytput python3 API, you can force styles and colors even if sys.stdout is not a TTY using TputFormatter:

from pytput import TputFormatter, tput_print

# These lines won't have colors if you redirect stdout to a file
print(TputFormatter().format("{0:red} {'World':green}!", "Hello"))
tput_print("{0:red} {'World':green}!", "Hello"))

# These line will have colors even if stdout is redirected 
print(TputFormatter(check_tty=False).format("{0:red} {'World':green}!", "Hello"))
tput_print("{0:red} {'World':green}!", "Hello", check_tty=False))

You can totally disable pytput by setting PYTPUT_DISABLE variable in environment.

# Colors will be enabled
$ pytput '{0:red} {"World":green}!' 'Hello'
# Colors will be disabled
$ PYTPUT_DISABLE=1 pytput '{0:red} {"World":green}!' 'Hello'

Note: When using pytput API (tput_print, TputFormatter ...), setting the environment variable PYTPUT_DISABLE=1 will also disable all colors and styles.