How to get the last key pressed in python?

Question

First I want to say that I know that there is a solution with curses.
My programm is a while loop that is run every second. Every second I want to get the last key that was or is pressed. So in case you press a key while the loop sleeps I want that the key is saved so I can get the key that was pressed last even when it isnt pressed anymore. I dont want the saved key to be "deleted" after getting it. So when the user pressed the "a" key I want to get it every second until he pressed another key. If a specific key was pressed i want to print text. This text i want to write in a file using the redirection of stdout:

 ./test.py > file.txt

My python programm solved with curses looks like this:

import curses from time import sleep stdscr=curses.initscr() stdscr.nodelay(1) curses.noecho() curses.cbreak() while True: char=stdscr.getch() if char == 111: #111 = "o" key print("test") break elif char == 97 #97 = "a" key #code that have to be run every second #if the a key is the last pressed key! sleep(1) curses.nocbreak() curses.echo() curses.endwin()

The problem obout this solution is that curses gives me crazy output. I only press one time the "o" key and after the programm stopped file.txt looks like this:

^[[?1049h^[[1;30r^[(B^[[m^[[4l^[[?7h^[[H^[[2Jtest ^[[30;1H^[[?1049l^M^[[?1l^[>

But it should look like this:

test

I would be very greatful if someone writes an answer. I know that python isnt the best choice for programms using keypress events. But i have reasons why i use python for this.

Thank you very much in advance for your answers.

If you wrote directly to your file instead of redirecting stdout - then you wouldn't have the "crazy output" from curses in your file... — Jon Clements
– Jon Clements, Commented May 6, 2014 at 19:20
I have some other programms writing in a .fifo and i always use the redirection. I want to keep this "format" that i can handle them easily. — timakro
– timakro, Commented May 7, 2014 at 8:13

shx2 · Accepted Answer · 2014-05-06 18:32:56Z

3

You can install and use the getch package.

import getch from time import sleep while True: char = getch.getch() if char == 111: print("test") break sleep(1)

(you might need to use getch.getche instead of getch.getch. It's not completely clear from your question)

edited May 6, 2014 at 18:32

answered May 6, 2014 at 18:23

shx2

64.8k17 gold badges139 silver badges166 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

2 Comments

timakro Over a year ago

If you use getch you have to do: if char == "o"

timakro Over a year ago

I want code in the loop that runs every second and uses the key input.

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

How to get the last key pressed in python?

1 Answer 1

2 Comments

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

1 Answer 1

2 Comments

Related