// Example demonstrating the Prompt API for getting typed input from users
// NOTE: See https://github.com/tui-cs/clet that turns every Terminal.Gui View into a CLI command
// NOTE: typed inputs, a real file picker, a Markdown viewer with consistent JSON output,
// NOTE: predictable exit codes, and full keyboard/mouse support. Works for humans and AI agents alike.
using Terminal.Gui.App;
using Terminal.Gui.Configuration;
using Terminal.Gui.Drawing;
using Terminal.Gui.Drivers;
using Terminal.Gui.Editor;
using Terminal.Gui.Resources;
using Terminal.Gui.ViewBase;
using Terminal.Gui.Views;
using Color = Terminal.Gui.Drawing.Color;
// ReSharper disable AccessToDisposedClosure
var smokeTest = args.Length > 0 && args [0] == "--smoke-test";
if (smokeTest)
{
ConfigurationManager.Enable (ConfigLocations.All);
using IApplication smokeApp = Application.Create ().Init ();
Console.WriteLine ("Smoke test passed.");
return;
}
ConfigurationManager.Enable (ConfigLocations.All);
using IApplication app = Application.Create ().Init (DriverRegistry.Names.DOTNET);
// Create a main window to host the prompts
using Window mainWindow = new ();
mainWindow.Title = "Prompt API Examples (Esc to quit)";
mainWindow.Text =
"This example demonstrates various uses of the Prompt API.\nPress the buttons to try different prompt types.\nPress Esc to quit.";
mainWindow.TextAlignment = Alignment.Center;
// Initial Value TextField entered text is applied to prompt views via IValue.TrySetValueFromString
TextField initialValueField = new ()
{
Title = "Initial _Value (TrySetValueFromString)",
X = 0,
Y = 0,
Width = Dim.Fill (),
BorderStyle = LineStyle.Dotted
};
mainWindow.Add (initialValueField);
var buttonY = 2;
// Example 1: TextField with string result using auto-Text extraction
Button textFieldButton = new () { Title = "TextField (Auto-Text)", X = Pos.Center (), Y = buttonY++ };
textFieldButton.Accepting += (_, _) =>
{
var result = mainWindow.Prompt (beginInitHandler: prompt =>
{
prompt.Title = textFieldButton.Title;
prompt.GetWrappedView ().Width = 40;
prompt.GetWrappedView ().Text = "Default name";
if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty (initialValueField.Text))
{
((IValue)prompt.GetWrappedView ())
.TrySetValueFromString (initialValueField.Text);
}
});
MessageBox.Query (app, textFieldButton.Title, result is not null ? $"You entered: {result}" : "Canceled",
Strings.btnOk);
};
mainWindow.Add (textFieldButton);
// Example 1: TextField with string result using auto-Text extraction
Button editorButton = new () { Title = "Editor (Auto-Text)", X = Pos.Center (), Y = buttonY++ };
editorButton.Accepting += (_, _) =>
{
var result = mainWindow.Prompt (beginInitHandler: prompt =>
{
prompt.Title = editorButton.Title;
prompt.GetWrappedView ().Text = "Some text\nis nice.";
prompt.GetWrappedView ().Width = Dim.Fill (0, 40);
prompt.GetWrappedView ().Height = Dim.Fill (0, 8);
if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty (initialValueField.Text))
{
((IValue)prompt.GetWrappedView ())
.TrySetValueFromString (initialValueField.Text);
}
});
MessageBox.Query (app, editorButton.Title, result is not null ? $"You entered: {result}" : "Canceled",
Strings.btnOk);
};
mainWindow.Add (editorButton);
// Example 2: DatePicker with DateTime result
Button datePickerButton = new () { Title = "DatePicker (Typed Result)", X = Pos.Center (), Y = buttonY++ };
datePickerButton.Accepting += (_, _) =>
{
DateTime? result = mainWindow.Prompt (resultExtractor: dp => dp.Value,
beginInitHandler: prompt =>
{
prompt.Title = "Select a Date";
prompt.GetWrappedView ().Value = DateTime.Now;
if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty (initialValueField.Text))
{
((IValue)prompt.GetWrappedView ())
.TrySetValueFromString (initialValueField.Text);
}
});
if (result is { } selectedDate)
{
MessageBox.Query (app, datePickerButton.Title, $"You selected: {selectedDate:yyyy-MM-dd}", Strings.btnOk);
}
else
{
MessageBox.Query (app, datePickerButton.Title, "Canceled", Strings.btnOk);
}
};
mainWindow.Add (datePickerButton);
// Example 3: ColorPicker with Color result
Button colorPickerButton = new () { Title = "ColorPicker (Typed Result)", X = Pos.Center (), Y = buttonY++ };
colorPickerButton.Accepting += (_, _) =>
{
Color? result = mainWindow.Prompt (input: null,
beginInitHandler: prompt =>
{
prompt.Title = "Pick a Color";
if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty (initialValueField.Text))
{
((IValue)prompt.GetWrappedView ())
.TrySetValueFromString (initialValueField.Text);
}
});
if (result is { } selectedColor)
{
MessageBox.Query (app, colorPickerButton.Title, $"You selected: {selectedColor}", Strings.btnOk);
}
else
{
MessageBox.Query (app, colorPickerButton.Title, "Canceled", Strings.btnOk);
}
};
mainWindow.Add (colorPickerButton);
// Example 4: ColorPicker with auto-Text extraction
Button colorTextButton = new () { Title = "ColorPicker (Auto-Text)", X = Pos.Center (), Y = buttonY++ };
colorTextButton.Accepting += (_, _) =>
{
var result = mainWindow.Prompt (beginInitHandler: prompt =>
{
prompt.Title = "Pick a Color (as text)";
prompt.GetWrappedView ().SelectedColor = Color.Red;
if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty (initialValueField.Text))
{
((IValue)prompt.GetWrappedView ())
.TrySetValueFromString (initialValueField.Text);
}
});
MessageBox.Query (app, colorTextButton.Title, result is not null ? $"Color as text: {result}" : "Canceled",
Strings.btnOk);
};
mainWindow.Add (colorTextButton);
// Example 5: Pre-created view
Button preCreatedButton = new () { Title = "Pre-Created TextField", X = Pos.Center (), Y = buttonY++ };
preCreatedButton.Accepting += (_, _) =>
{
// Pre-create and configure the view
TextField textField = new () { Width = 50, Text = "Pre-configured text" };
var result = mainWindow.Prompt (textField,
field => field.Text,
beginInitHandler: prompt =>
{
prompt.Title = preCreatedButton.Title;
prompt.BorderStyle = LineStyle.Rounded;
});
if (result is not null)
{
MessageBox.Query (app, preCreatedButton.Title, $"You entered: {result}", Strings.btnOk);
}
};
mainWindow.Add (preCreatedButton);
// Example 6: Custom form with complex result extraction
Button customFormButton = new () { Title = "Custom Form", X = Pos.Center (), Y = buttonY++ };
customFormButton.Accepting += (_, _) =>
{
View formView = CreateCustomForm ();
FormData? result = mainWindow.Prompt (formView,
ExtractFormData,
beginInitHandler: prompt => { prompt.Title = "User Information Form"; });
if (result is not null)
{
MessageBox.Query (app,
customFormButton.Title,
$"Name: {result.Name}\nAge: {result.Age}\nAgreed: {result.Agreed}",
Strings.btnOk);
}
else
{
MessageBox.Query (app, "Form canceled", Strings.btnOk);
}
};
mainWindow.Add (customFormButton);
// Example 7: FlagSelector with enum result
Button flagSelectorButton = new () { Title = "FlagSelector (Enum Result)", X = Pos.Center (), Y = buttonY++ };
flagSelectorButton.Accepting += (_, _) =>
{
SelectorStyles? result =
mainWindow.Prompt (resultExtractor: fs => fs.Value!.Value,
beginInitHandler: prompt =>
{
prompt.Title = "Choose Selector Styles";
if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty (initialValueField
.Text))
{
((IValue)prompt.GetWrappedView ())
.TrySetValueFromString (initialValueField
.Text);
}
});
if (result is { } styles)
{
MessageBox.Query (app, flagSelectorButton.Title, $"Selected styles: {styles}", Strings.btnOk);
}
else
{
MessageBox.Query (app, flagSelectorButton.Title, "Canceled", Strings.btnOk);
}
};
mainWindow.Add (flagSelectorButton);
// Add a quit button
Button quitButton = new () { Title = "Quit", X = Pos.Center (), Y = Pos.AnchorEnd () };
quitButton.Accepting += (_, _) => app.RequestStop ();
mainWindow.Add (quitButton);
app.Run (mainWindow);
return;
// Helper method to create a custom form
View CreateCustomForm ()
{
View form = new () { Width = 50, Height = 10 };
TextField nameField = new () { Id = "nameField", X = 10, Y = 1, Width = 30 };
TextField ageField = new () { Id = "ageField", X = 10, Y = 3, Width = 10 };
CheckBox agreeCheckbox = new () { Id = "agreeCheckbox", Title = "I agree to terms", X = 10, Y = 5 };
form.Add (new Label { Text = "Name:", X = 2, Y = 1 });
form.Add (nameField);
form.Add (new Label { Text = "Age:", X = 2, Y = 3 });
form.Add (ageField);
form.Add (agreeCheckbox);
return form;
}
// Helper method to extract data from the custom form
FormData ExtractFormData (View form)
{
TextField? nameField = form.SubViews.FirstOrDefault (v => v.Id == "nameField") as TextField;
TextField? ageField = form.SubViews.FirstOrDefault (v => v.Id == "ageField") as TextField;
CheckBox? agreeCheckbox = form.SubViews.FirstOrDefault (v => v.Id == "agreeCheckbox") as CheckBox;
return new FormData
{
Name = nameField?.Text ?? string.Empty,
Age = int.TryParse (ageField?.Text, out var age) ? age : 0,
Agreed = agreeCheckbox?.Value == CheckState.Checked
};
}
// Result type for custom form
internal record FormData
{
public int Age { get; init; }
public bool Agreed { get; init; }
public string Name { get; init; } = string.Empty;
}