How to get Linux console window width in Python

Question

Is there a way in python to programmatically determine the width of the console? I mean the number of characters that fits in one line without wrapping, not the pixel width

Answer 1

I searched around and found a solution for windows at :

http://code.activestate.com/recipes/440694-determine-size-of-console-window-on-windows/

and a solution for linux here.

So here is a version which works both on linux, os x and windows/cygwin :

""" getTerminalSize()
 - get width and height of console
 - works on linux,os x,windows,cygwin(windows)
"""

__all__=['getTerminalSize']


def getTerminalSize():
   import platform
   current_os = platform.system()
   tuple_xy=None
   if current_os == 'Windows':
       tuple_xy = _getTerminalSize_windows()
       if tuple_xy is None:
          tuple_xy = _getTerminalSize_tput()
          # needed for window's python in cygwin's xterm!
   if current_os == 'Linux' or current_os == 'Darwin' or  current_os.startswith('CYGWIN'):
       tuple_xy = _getTerminalSize_linux()
   if tuple_xy is None:
       print "default"
       tuple_xy = (80, 25)      # default value
   return tuple_xy

def _getTerminalSize_windows():
    res=None
    try:
        from ctypes import windll, create_string_buffer

        # stdin handle is -10
        # stdout handle is -11
        # stderr handle is -12

        h = windll.kernel32.GetStdHandle(-12)
        csbi = create_string_buffer(22)
        res = windll.kernel32.GetConsoleScreenBufferInfo(h, csbi)
    except:
        return None
    if res:
        import struct
        (bufx, bufy, curx, cury, wattr,
         left, top, right, bottom, maxx, maxy) = struct.unpack("hhhhHhhhhhh", csbi.raw)
        sizex = right - left + 1
        sizey = bottom - top + 1
        return sizex, sizey
    else:
        return None

def _getTerminalSize_tput():
    # get terminal width
    # src: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/263890/how-do-i-find-the-width-height-of-a-terminal-window
    try:
       import subprocess
       proc=subprocess.Popen(["tput", "cols"],stdin=subprocess.PIPE,stdout=subprocess.PIPE)
       output=proc.communicate(input=None)
       cols=int(output[0])
       proc=subprocess.Popen(["tput", "lines"],stdin=subprocess.PIPE,stdout=subprocess.PIPE)
       output=proc.communicate(input=None)
       rows=int(output[0])
       return (cols,rows)
    except:
       return None


def _getTerminalSize_linux():
    def ioctl_GWINSZ(fd):
        try:
            import fcntl, termios, struct, os
            cr = struct.unpack('hh', fcntl.ioctl(fd, termios.TIOCGWINSZ,'1234'))
        except:
            return None
        return cr
    cr = ioctl_GWINSZ(0) or ioctl_GWINSZ(1) or ioctl_GWINSZ(2)
    if not cr:
        try:
            fd = os.open(os.ctermid(), os.O_RDONLY)
            cr = ioctl_GWINSZ(fd)
            os.close(fd)
        except:
            pass
    if not cr:
        try:
            cr = (env['LINES'], env['COLUMNS'])
        except:
            return None
    return int(cr[1]), int(cr[0])

if __name__ == "__main__":
    sizex,sizey=getTerminalSize()
    print  'width =',sizex,'height =',sizey

Answer 2

Starting at Python 3.3 it is straight forward: https://docs.python.org/3/library/os.html#querying-the-size-of-a-terminal

>>> import os
>>> ts = os.get_terminal_size()
>>> ts.lines
24
>>> ts.columns
80