ASCII-based Lightweight Browser with Clippy-Style Helper in Python [duplicate]

Note that this is the original version which has not been formatted to comply to PEP-8 and contains an error in the code. Please visit the updated version instead to post answers, comments and/or cast your votes.

Why I made it

A friend and I wanted to make a lightweight browser, since our Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W couldn’t handle popular browsers like Chromium. We also wanted to bring back our own version of Clippit, aka Clippy, for those who remember the annoying helper in Microsoft Word from the early 2000s. We named our version Mano, and the browser itself is titled ManoSearch.

What it does

When you run the script, an ASCII window fills your screen with my friend’s version of Clippy in the top-right corner. You can:

1. Open URLs by entering + then the URL you want.
2. Navigate tabs on top of the screen by entering the tab number you want.
3. Scroll websites with u and d (you can also get back to the top by using U)
4. Open links in new tabs by entering them (links look like [a b c] and can be entered partially as long as it contains a [ or a ])
5. Closing a tab by entering x
6. Enter video or vid to use ytdlp to download a video from the current website and save it under vid.mp4
7. Delete a previousely downloaded video by entering rm vid
8. Rename a video to be able to download some more using mv vid
9. Find all occurences of something by entering lookup Find this and highlight it

It does not support javascript or input interaction. To mimic how annoying the original Clippy was, whenever Mano speaks, the current tab’s content disappears. Occasionally, a chicken crosses the browser—you just have to wait for it to cross the screen before you get to continue. And no, you cannot get rid of either of them :)

Problems

Three main issues concern me:

1. My code is a bit sloppy, I'm still relatively new to PEP rules, so if you spot anything that could be better please tell me in the comments.
2. Sometimes, when a link opens in a new tab, links clicked there search on the original tab instead. It only searches on the last manually opened tab (enter +), not via link (enter [Link name here]).
3. I’d love to add javascript support, but I don’t know how.

Code

Here is the Python script:

""" ManoSearch An ultra-light web browser with the ultra-annoying cousin of Clippy, MANO! """ import os import time import random import threading import subprocess import requests from bs4 import BeautifulSoup import html2text # Global Variables values_list = [] # All opened tabs current_tab = 0 # Currently selected tab XP = 0 lock = threading.Lock() content = "" elapsed_time = 0 # Global variable to hold the elapsed time chicken_show_time = 300 # Global variable for when to show the chicken chicken_showed = False # If the chicken has appeared you_shall_not_pass = True chicken_egg = random.randint(8, os.get_terminal_size().columns - 8) chicken_egg_layer = 0 def draw_frame(content, hat=0): """Draws the frame around the content.""" global chicken_show_time global chicken_egg_layer global chicken_showed global you_shall_not_pass global XP drewegg = False os.system('clear' if os.name == 'posix' else 'cls') width = os.get_terminal_size().columns height = os.get_terminal_size().lines - 1 print(f"+" + "-" * (width - 2) + "+", end="\n") width_left = width print(f"|", end="") for i in range(1, len(values_list) + 1): if i == current_tab: print(f"<{i}>|", end="") else: print(f" {i} |", end="") width_left -= 4 print(f" (+) ", end="") width_left -= 5 print(" " * (width_left - 2) + "|") print("|" + "-" * (width - 2) + "|") content_lines = content.splitlines() for i in range(height - 10): if i < len(content_lines): if hat == 1 and i == 1: print("|" + content_lines[i][:width - 2].ljust(width - 9) + " _/-\\_ |") elif hat == 2 and i == 1: print("|" + content_lines[i][:width - 2].ljust(width - 9) + " /\ /\ |") elif i == 1: print("|" + content_lines[i][:width - 2].ljust(width - 9) + " ___ |") elif i == 2: print("|" + content_lines[i][:width - 2].ljust(width - 9) + " (o-o) |") elif i == 3 and hat == 1: print("|" + content_lines[i][:width - 2].ljust(width - 9) + "0(/ \\)0|") elif i == 3: print("|" + content_lines[i][:width - 2].ljust(width - 9) + "0(i i)0|") elif i == 4: print("|" + content_lines[i][:width - 2].ljust(width - 9) + " 0-0 |") elif i == 5 and elapsed_time > chicken_show_time and elapsed_time < chicken_show_time + width - 10 and not you_shall_not_pass: print("|" + content_lines[i][:width - 2].ljust(width - (11 + (elapsed_time - chicken_show_time))) + " ___ " + (elapsed_time - chicken_show_time) * " " + "|") elif i == 6 and elapsed_time > chicken_show_time and elapsed_time < chicken_show_time + width - 10 and not you_shall_not_pass: print("|" + content_lines[i][:width - 2].ljust(width - (11 + (elapsed_time - chicken_show_time))) + " <(^ ) " + (elapsed_time - chicken_show_time) * " " + "|") elif i == 7 and elapsed_time > chicken_show_time and elapsed_time < chicken_show_time + width - 10 and not you_shall_not_pass: print("|" + content_lines[i][:width - 2].ljust(width - (11 + (elapsed_time - chicken_show_time))) + " ( D )k" + (elapsed_time - chicken_show_time) * " " + "|") elif i == 8 and elapsed_time > chicken_show_time and elapsed_time < chicken_show_time + width - 10 and not you_shall_not_pass: print("|" + content_lines[i][:width - 2].ljust(width - (11 + (elapsed_time - chicken_show_time))) + " | | " + ((elapsed_time - chicken_show_time) * " " if chicken_egg > elapsed_time - chicken_show_time else (abs(chicken_egg - (elapsed_time - chicken_show_time)) * " ") + ("🥚" if elapsed_time - chicken_show_time < chicken_egg + 3 else "+10") + ((abs(width - (width - (chicken_egg - (1 if elapsed_time - chicken_show_time < chicken_egg + 3 else 3)))) * " "))) + "|") if chicken_egg < elapsed_time - chicken_show_time: chicken_showed = True elif height - 11 == i: print("|" + content_lines[i][:width - 2].ljust(width - 11) + "XP:" + str(XP)) else: print("|" + content_lines[i][:width - 2].ljust(width - 2) + "|") else: print("|" + " " * (width - 2) + "|") drewegg = False print("+" + "-" * (width - 2) + "+") print("\nEnter command (X to exit, + to fetch URL, x to close tab, ? for help): ", end='') def timer(): """Runs a background timer.""" global content global elapsed_time start = time.time() elapsed_time = 0 while True: elapsed_time += 1 time.sleep(0.05) # Start the timer in a background thread timer_thread = threading.Thread(target=timer, daemon=True) timer_thread.start() def incomplete_brackets(lines): """Fixes incomplete brackets in the provided lines.""" merged_lines = [] buffer = "" extra = [] for i in range(len(lines.splitlines())): line = lines.splitlines()[i] if "[" in line and "]" not in line: buffer = line while "]" not in buffer: i += 1 buffer += " " + lines.splitlines()[i] extra.append(i) merged_lines.append("\n") merged_lines.append(buffer) else: merged_lines.append("\n") merged_lines.append(line) for a in extra: merged_lines[(a * 2) + 1] = "" return ''.join(merged_lines) def fetch_website(url): """Fetches the website content.""" try: result = requests.get(url) return result.text except Exception as e: return str(e) def add_to_list(value): """Adds a value to the list of open tabs.""" values_list.append(value) def open_vid(url): """Fetches and opens a video using yt-dlp.""" os.system(f'yt-dlp -F "{url}" --age-limit 99') port = input("Enter chosen port: ") os.system(f'yt-dlp --ignore-errors -f {port} -o "vid.mp4" "{url}"') os.system('open vid.mp4') time.sleep(5) def main(): """Main function that drives the application.""" global current_tab global elapsed_time global content content = "Welcome to Mano's web browser!".replace('\n', '') content = ((os.get_terminal_size().columns - 12) - (len(content) + 2)) * " " + (len(content) + 2) * "-" + "\n" + ((os.get_terminal_size().columns - 12) - (len(content) + 3)) * " " + "( " + content + " )\n" + ((os.get_terminal_size().columns - 12) - (len(content) + 2)) * " " + (len(content) + 3) * "-" + "\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n" draw_frame(content, 0) scroll = 0 last_up = False last_down = False global chicken_show_time global chicken_showed global XP global chicken_egg global you_shall_not_pass url = "https://theuselessweb.com/" while True: if elapsed_time <= chicken_show_time and elapsed_time >= chicken_show_time - 15: you_shall_not_pass = False chicken_showed = False while elapsed_time < chicken_show_time: time.sleep(0.1) while elapsed_time <= chicken_show_time + os.get_terminal_size().columns - 10: draw_frame(content + "\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n", 1) time.sleep(0.1) elapsed_time = 0 chicken_egg = random.randint(7, os.get_terminal_size().columns - 7) XP += 10 else: you_shall_not_pass = True if elapsed_time > chicken_show_time: elapsed_time = 0 before = elapsed_time command = input().strip() if elapsed_time >= chicken_show_time and before < chicken_show_time and not chicken_showed: elapsed_time = before - 10 if command == 'X': break elif command == 'x': if current_tab >= 1: values_list.remove(values_list[current_tab - 1]) current_tab -= 1 if current_tab == 0: try: content = values_list[0] current_tab = 1 except IndexError: content = "Closed all tabs!" content = ((os.get_terminal_size().columns - 12) - (len(content) + 2)) * " " + (len(content) + 2) * "-" + "\n" + ((os.get_terminal_size().columns - 12) - (len(content) + 3)) * " " + "( " + content + " )\n" + ((os.get_terminal_size().columns - 12) - (len(content) + 2)) * " " + (len(content) + 3) * "-" + "\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n" draw_frame(content, 0) time.sleep(1) content = "Welcome back to Mano's web browser!" content = ((os.get_terminal_size().columns - 12) - (len(content) + 2)) * " " + (len(content) + 2) * "-" + "\n" + ((os.get_terminal_size().columns - 12) - (len(content) + 3)) * " " + "( " + content + " )\n" + ((os.get_terminal_size().columns - 12) - (len(content) + 2)) * " " + (len(content) + 3) * "-" + "\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n" else: content = values_list[current_tab - 1] else: content = "No tabs opened!" draw_frame(content, 0) time.sleep(1) content = "Welcome back" elif command == '+': url = input("Enter URL: ") content = fetch_website(url) print("Loading...") text_maker = html2text.HTML2Text() ascii_view = text_maker.handle(content) content = ascii_view.replace(')[', ')\n[').replace(']', ']\n').replace(' [', '\n[').replace(') |', ')') content = incomplete_brackets(content) add_to_list(content) current_tab = len(values_list) elif 'video' == command: open_vid(url) elif 'rm vid' in command or 'remove vid' in command: os.system('rm vid.mp4') elif 'save vid' in command or 'mv vid' in command or 'move vid' in command: vid_num = input("Enter desired saved video name without suffix: ").replace(' ', '-').replace('.', '_') os.system(f'touch {vid_num}.mp4') os.system(f'mv vid.mp4 {vid_num}.mp4') before = content content = f"Most recent video got moved to destination {vid_num}.mp4." content = ((os.get_terminal_size().columns - 12) - (len(content) + 2)) * " " + (len(content) + 2) * "-" + "\n" + ((os.get_terminal_size().columns - 12) - (len(content) + 3)) * " " + "( " + content + " )\n" + ((os.get_terminal_size().columns - 12) - (len(content) + 2)) * " " + (len(content) + 3) * "-" + "\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n" draw_frame(content, 0) time.sleep(4) content = "You may now download other videos!" content = ((os.get_terminal_size().columns - 12) - (len(content) + 2)) * " " + (len(content) + 2) * "-" + "\n" + ((os.get_terminal_size().columns - 12) - (len(content) + 3)) * " " + "( " + content + " )\n" + ((os.get_terminal_size().columns - 12) - (len(content) + 2)) * " " + (len(content) + 3) * "-" + "\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n" draw_frame(content, 0) time.sleep(2.7) content = before elif command == '?': before = content content = ( "Commands: (TIP:ENTER ? MANY TIMES BEFORE THIS CLOSES)\n" "+ : Fetch and display a website\n" "? : Show this help screen\n" "X : Exit the program\n" "x : Exit the current tab\n" "# : Switch to another tab (by number)\n" "[example] : Open link in a new tab\n(Enter help[] for more details on how to use)\n" "up (u) or down (d) : Scroll web content in entered direction\n" "U : Scroll back to top\n" "video : Try to extract and download the main video from the current website (and ask to open)\n" "rm video : Shortcut to remove the video (nothing happens if no video was installed)\n" "url : (was for dev purposes) Show last opened url and ask to open in default web browser\n" "? : No need to wonder what this does :)" ) draw_frame(content, 0) time.sleep(5) content = before elif command == 'help[]': before = content content = ( "About links:\n" "To open a link in a new tab, first locate the link. \nIt should look like this:\n" "[Example]\n" "Enter the link as it is,\nincluding the capital\nletters and the brackets,\neven if one is missing.\n" "IMPORTANT:\nIf the link spans over \nmultiple newlines, like this:\n[This\nis an\nexample]\n, then make sure to only \nenter the last line as it is.\n(In this case, 'example]' should be entered.)\nETA20s\n" ) elif command == 'url': print(url) open_or_not = input("Open url? Y/N : ") if open_or_not == "Y" or open_or_not == "y": os.system(f'open {url}') time.sleep(2) elif 'lookup ' in command: command = command.replace('lookup ', '') find_this = command before = content content = f"All occurrences of {find_this} are now obvious." draw_frame(content, 0) time.sleep(3) content = before elif command == '' or command == '0' or command == '\n' or command == ' ': if last_up: command = 'up' # To keep going if scroll > 1: scroll -= 2 else: before = content content = "Already at the top!" content = ((os.get_terminal_size().columns - 12) - (len(content) + 2)) * " " + (len(content) + 2) * "-" + "\n" + ((os.get_terminal_size().columns - 12) - (len(content) + 3)) * " " + "( " + content + " )\n" + ((os.get_terminal_size().columns - 12) - (len(content) + 2)) * " " + (len(content) + 3) * "-" + "\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n" draw_frame(content, 0) time.sleep(0.5) content = before elif last_down: command = 'down' # To keep going scroll += 2 else: before = content content = "Nothing has been entered." content = ((os.get_terminal_size().columns - 12) - (len(content) + 2)) * " " + (len(content) + 2) * "-" + "\n" + ((os.get_terminal_size().columns - 12) - (len(content) + 3)) * " " + "( " + content + " )\n" + ((os.get_terminal_size().columns - 12) - (len(content) + 2)) * " " + (len(content) + 3) * "-" + "\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n" draw_frame(content, 0) time.sleep(0.7) content = before elif command == 'up' or command == 'u': if scroll > 1: scroll -= 2 else: before = content content = "Already at the top!" content = ((os.get_terminal_size().columns - 12) - (len(content) + 2)) * " " + (len(content) + 2) * "-" + "\n" + ((os.get_terminal_size().columns - 12) - (len(content) + 3)) * " " + "( " + content + " )\n" + ((os.get_terminal_size().columns - 12) - (len(content) + 2)) * " " + (len(content) + 3) * "-" + "\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n" draw_frame(content, 0) time.sleep(0.5) content = before elif command == 'down' or command == 'd': scroll += 2 elif command.lower() == 'up' or command.lower() == 'u': scroll = 0 elif '[' in command or ']' in command: input_string = content for i in range(len(input_string.splitlines())): # Find the link (URL) if command in input_string.splitlines()[i]: URL = input_string.splitlines()[i + 1] # Experimental. sometimes the link is across multiple lines. counter = 1 while (len(input_string.splitlines()) - i) > counter: counter += 1 if ')' not in URL: URL += input_string.splitlines()[i + counter] URL = URL.replace('\n', '') else: break if URL not in ['http://', 'https://']: # Some local links bring you to a different subfolder of the current website # For example, "/index.html" # This if statement binds both the current website URL (url) and the destination URL (URL) # Since you cant just request "/index.html" as it is # Three valid examples: print(url) # https://google.com https://yahoo.org/ http://uh.com/oh print(URL) # (/search/) (/about-us) (um) time.sleep(0.05) url = url + ' ' url = url.replace('/ ', '').replace(' ', '') print(url) # https://google.com https://yahoo.org http://uh.com/oh print(URL) # (/search/) (/about-us) (um) time.sleep(0.05) URL = URL.replace('(', '').replace(')', '').replace(' ', '') print(url) # https://google.com https://yahoo.org http://uh.com/oh print(URL) # /search/ /about-us um time.sleep(0.05) URL = ' ' + URL URL = URL.replace(' /', '/').replace(' ', '/') print(url) # https://google.com https://yahoo.org http://uh.com/oh print(URL) # /search/ /about-us /um time.sleep(0.05) if url.startswith("https://"): url = url.replace('https://', '') at_first_slash = False new_url = [] for a in url: if not at_first_slash: if a == "/": at_first_slash = True else: new_url.append(a) url = 'https://' + ''.join(new_url) print(url) time.sleep(0.05) elif url.startswith('http://'): url = url.replace('http://', '') at_first_slash = False new_url = [] for a in url: if not at_first_slash: if a == "/": at_first_slash = True else: new_url.append(a) url = 'http://' + ''.join(new_url) print(url) time.sleep(0.05) print(f"Finished binding: {url}{URL}") if 1 == 2: # not url.startswith("http"): print(f"Uh oh! HTTP not found in url!") url = "https:" + url if "https://" not in url: url = "https://" + url.replace("https:", "") print(f"url: {url}") time.sleep(0.05) URL = URL.replace(url.replace('https:', '').replace('http:', ''), '') print(f'\n\n\nOpening {url}{URL}') time.sleep(0.1) url = url + URL # For further link pressing, full link is needed content = fetch_website(url) else: url = URL.replace('(', '').replace(')', '').replace(' ', '') content = fetch_website(url) text_maker = html2text.HTML2Text() ascii_view = text_maker.handle(content) content = ascii_view.replace(')[', ')\n[').replace(']', ']\n').replace(' "', ')') content = incomplete_brackets(content) add_to_list(content) current_tab = len(values_list) else: previous_tab = current_tab try: content = values_list[int(command) - 1] current_tab = int(command) except (IndexError, ValueError): before = content content = "Invalid command.\nFor help, enter ?" content = ((os.get_terminal_size().columns - 12) - (len(content) + 2)) * " " + (len(content) + 2) * "-" + "\n" + ((os.get_terminal_size().columns - 12) - (len(content) + 3)) * " " + "( " + content + " )\n" + ((os.get_terminal_size().columns - 12) - (len(content) + 2)) * " " + (len(content) + 3) * "-" + "\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n" draw_frame(content, 0) time.sleep(2) content = before current_tab = previous_tab if command == 'up' or command == 'u': last_up = True else: last_up = False if command == 'down' or command == 'd': last_down = True else: last_down = False before = content # Also removes those lines I get sometimes that have no more than a single char, like [ or ] # Took off [ or ] ----------- content = "\n".join(line for line in content.splitlines() if not line.startswith("(/") and not line.startswith("(../") and not line.startswith("(http") and not line == "[" and not line == "]" and not line == " ") + "\n \n \n \n**END**" draw_frame(("\n".join((lines := content.split("\n"))[max(0, min(scroll, max(0, len(lines) - (height - 3)))): max(0, min(scroll, max(0, len(lines) - (height - 3)))) + (height - 3)])).replace(find_this, '<<<<' + find_this + '>>>>')) content = before if __name__ == "__main__": main()