pythoninput

How to read a single character from the user?


Is there a way of reading one single character from the user input? For instance, they press one key at the terminal and it is returned (sort of like getch()). I know there's a function in Windows for it, but I'd like something that is cross-platform.


Solution

  • Here's a link to the ActiveState Recipes site that says how you can read a single character in Windows, Linux and OSX:

        getch()-like unbuffered character reading from stdin on both Windows and Unix

    class _Getch:
        """Gets a single character from standard input.  Does not echo to the
    screen."""
        def __init__(self):
            try:
                self.impl = _GetchWindows()
            except ImportError:
                self.impl = _GetchUnix()
    
        def __call__(self): return self.impl()
    
    
    class _GetchUnix:
        def __init__(self):
            import tty, sys
    
        def __call__(self):
            import sys, tty, termios
            fd = sys.stdin.fileno()
            old_settings = termios.tcgetattr(fd)
            try:
                tty.setraw(sys.stdin.fileno())
                ch = sys.stdin.read(1)
            finally:
                termios.tcsetattr(fd, termios.TCSADRAIN, old_settings)
            return ch
    
    
    class _GetchWindows:
        def __init__(self):
            import msvcrt
    
        def __call__(self):
            import msvcrt
            return msvcrt.getch()
    
    
    getch = _Getch()