textual_kitty_images.py

"""
Attempt to display an image in Textual using the kitty graphics protocol.

This currently does not work, even though render_kitty() itself works and
printing the resulting Text will display it in console.
"""

import asyncio

from asyncio.subprocess import PIPE
from rich.text import Text
from textual.app import App
from textual.widgets import Static

IMAGE_URL = "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Textualize/textual/main/imgs/textual.png"


async def render_kitty(url: str) -> Text:
    cmd = ["kitty", "icat", "--unicode-placeholder", url]
    proc = await asyncio.create_subprocess_exec(*cmd, stdout=PIPE, stderr=PIPE)
    stdout, stderr = await proc.communicate()

    if proc.returncode != 0:
        raise ValueError(stderr.decode())

    return Text(stdout.decode())


class ImageApp(App):
    DEFAULT_CSS = "Static { border: solid white; }"

    def compose(self):
        yield Static("Loading...")

    def on_mount(self):
        self.run_worker(self.load())

    async def load(self):
        image = await render_kitty(IMAGE_URL)
        self.query_one(Static).update(image)


if __name__ == "__main__":
    # Attempt to show the image in a textual app (does not work)
    ImageApp().run()