Lscd - simple ranger implementation in POSIX shell

Question

I've been casually working on a file browser that has a similar interface like ranger, but takes a different approach, in that it is written in bash POSIX shell.
I wanted to combine the elegance, portability and simplicity of a short bash shell script with the ability to get me whereever I want ASAP without the "cd TAB TAB TAB" boilerplate.  Additionally, it can use ranger's file opener "rifle" to execute files just the way ranger does.
I'm not finished yet, but there is a working alpha version at github:
https://github.com/hut/lscd
It uses the basic h/j/k/l vim type movement control keys. Check the source for more key bindings, it makes no sense to write a complete list at this stage of development.
And the obligatory screen shot:
As you can see, there are no miller columns like in ranger. That may or may not change in the future. I suspect it would be too slow in shell script.
Pro tip: if you run lscd with the command ". lscd", it will run in the current bash environment, rather than in a new one. Only this way the directory will actually change after you close lscd.
Last edited by hut (2014-09-11 12:13:45)

Answer 1

Really cool.
falconindy wrote:Aliasing ls will break (e.g. alias ls='ls --color') this. You shouldn't be using ls at all, but rather glob expansion....
In case you source it it will use the alias/function, so indeed, be careful with that.
Here's a template I always use for adding cursor movement:
(starting with line 147)
(adjust to posix shell yourself)
(the -t 0.01 newinput is "beatable" like if you hold the cursor newinput will get larger. That's why there's a "$newinput" =~ [~A-Da-d] for cursor keys and shift+cursor keys)
read -n 1 -s input
if [[ "$input" == $'\e' ]]; then
input=ESC
while true; do
read -n 1 -s -t 0.01 newinput < /dev/tty
[[ "$newinput" == $'\e' ]] && newinput=ESC
input=${input}${newinput}
[[ -z "$newinput" || "$newinput" =~ [~A-Da-d] ]] && break
done
fi
case "$input" in
'ESC[A') "code for up, etc"
;; #Up
'ESC[B')
;; #Down
'ESC[6~')
;; #Page Down
'ESC[5~')
;; #Page Up
'ESC[4~'|'ESC[F'|'ESC[8~'|'ESCOF')
;; #End
'ESC[1~'|'ESC[H'|'ESC[7~'|'ESCOH')
;; #Home
'ESC[D')
;; #Left
'ESC[C')
;; #Right
'ESC[3~')
;; #Delete