pickpack is a small python library based on wong2's pick which allows you to create a curses-based interactive selection tree in the terminal.

It was made with installation processes in mind, so that a user can select a parent node and get all children elements included. Different configurations allow for different outputs.

$ pip install pickpack

• options: a RenderTree (anytree) or a list of options (if using list, options_map_func MUST be included)
• title: (optional) a title displayed above the options list
• root_name: (optional) name of root ("select all") node; defaults to root-node's value
• multiselect: (optional) if true, it is possible to select multiple values by hitting SPACE; defaults to False
• singleselect_output_include_children: (optional) if true, output in singleselect will include all children of the selected node, as well as the node itself; defaults to False
• output_leaves_only: (optional) if true, only leaf (childless) nodes will be returned; for singleselect mode, singleselect_output_include_children MUST be True; defaults to False
• output_format: (optional) allows for customising output format. 'nodeindex' = [(Node('name'), index)]; 'nameindex' = [('name', index)]; 'nodeonly' = [Node('name')]; 'nameonly' = ['name']; default is 'nodeindex'
• indicator: (optional) custom the selection indicator
• indicator_parentheses: (optional) include/remove parentheses around selection indicator; defaults to True
• default_index: (optional) defines at which line the indicator will be placed when the program is started; default is 0 (first line)
• options_map_func: (optional for multiselect) a mapping function to pass each option through before displaying. Must return Node

pickpack can be used by creating a tree and passing it into pickpack:

from anytree import Node, RenderTree
from pickpack import pickpack

title = 'Please choose one: '

c1 = Node('child1')
c2 = Node('child2')
p1 = Node('parent', children=[c1,c2])

options = RenderTree(p1)
option, index = pickpack(options, title)
print(option, index)

outputs:

Node('/parent/child1', index=1)
1

pickpack multiselect example returning node-name and index:

from anytree import Node, RenderTree
from pickpack import pickpack

title = 'Please choose one: '

c1 = Node('child1')
c2 = Node('child2')
p1 = Node('parent', children=[c1,c2])

options = RenderTree(p1)
option, index = pickpack(options, title, multiselect=True, min_selection_count=1, output_format='nameindex')
print(option, index)

outputs:

[('child1', 1), ('child2', 2)]

To register custom handlers for specific keyboard keypresses, you can use the register_custom_handler property:

from anytree import Node, RenderTree
from pickpack import PickPacker

title = 'Please choose one: '
c1 = Node('child1')
c2 = Node('child2')
p1 = Node('parent', children=[c1,c2])
options = RenderTree(p1)

picker = PickPacker(options, title)
def go_back(picker):
     return None, -1
picker.register_custom_handler(ord('h'),  go_back)
option, index = picker.start()

• the custom handler will be called with the picker instance as its parameter.
• the custom handler should either return a two-element tuple or None.
• if None is returned, the picker would continue to run; otherwise the picker will stop and return the tuple.

If your options are not a RenderTree, you can pass in a mapping function through which each option will be run. ¹

The function must take in elements of the type you passed into the options (Node if you passed a RenderTree, T if you passed a list[T]) and return a Node.

You may also store any additional information as a custom property within the node.

pickpack options map function example:

from anytree import Node, RenderTree
from pickpack import pickpack

title = 'Please choose an option: '
options = [
    {'label': 'option1', 'abbreviation': 'op1'},
    {'label': 'option2', 'abbreviation': 'op2'},
    {'label': 'option3', 'abbreviation': 'op3'}
]

def get_node(option):
    return Node(option.get('label'), abbreviation=option.get('abbreviation'))

picker = PickPacker(options, title, indicator='*', options_map_func=get_node, output_format='nameindex')

displays:

Please choose an option:

(*) Select all
( )    └── option1
( )    └── option2
( )    └── option3

outputs:

>>> ({ 'label': 'option1' }, 0)

pickpack options map function example for lists with nesting:

from anytree import Node, RenderTree
from pickpack import pickpack

title = 'Please choose an option: '
options = [
    {'label': 'option1', 'abbreviation': 'op1', 'children':
        [{'label': 'option1.1', 'abbreviation': 'op1.1',}]
    },
    {'label': 'option2', 'abbreviation': 'op2'},
    {'label': 'option3', 'abbreviation': 'op3'}
]

def get_node(option):
    children = option.get('children')
    if children is not None:
        children_list: list[Node] = []
        for child in children:
            children_list.append(get_nodes(child))
        return Node(option.get('label'), children=children_list, abbreviation=option.get('abbreviation'))
    else:
        return Node(option.get('label'), children=None, abbreviation=option.get('abbreviation'))

picker = PickPacker(options, title, indicator='*', options_map_func=get_node, output_format='nameindex')

displays:

Please choose an option:

(*) Select all
( )    └── option1
( )           └── option1.1
( )    └── option2
( )    └── option3