How Can I Implement Non-Blocking User Input in Python Console Applications?

Non-Blocking User Input in Console Applications

When building console applications that require user input simultaneously with other processes, it's essential to have non-blocking input to prevent the program from freezing while waiting for input.

Using msvcrt Module (Windows)

For Windows-exclusive console applications, the msvcrt module provides a simple solution:

import msvcrt

# Define variables
num = 0
done = False

# Infinite loop
while not done:
    # Print and increment number
    print(num)
    num += 1

    # Check for keyboard input
    if msvcrt.kbhit():
        # Display pressed key and quit
        pressed_key = msvcrt.getch()
        print("You pressed", pressed_key, "so now I will quit")
        done = True

Using termios Module (Linux)

For Linux-based console applications, the termios module can be utilized:

import sys, select, tty, termios

# Define utility function to check for keyboard input
def isData():
    return select.select([sys.stdin], [], [], 0) == ([sys.stdin], [], [])

# Configure terminal settings for non-blocking input
old_settings = termios.tcgetattr(sys.stdin)
tty.setcbreak(sys.stdin.fileno())

# Infinite loop
num = 0
while 1:
    # Print and increment number
    print(num)
    num += 1

    # Check for keyboard input
    if isData():
        # Read single character from keyboard
        c = sys.stdin.read(1)
        # Check for escape key to quit
        if c == '\x1b':
            break

# Restore terminal settings
termios.tcsetattr(sys.stdin, termios.TCSADRAIN, old_settings)

Using Pygame Module (Cross-Platform)

If you require non-blocking input across multiple platforms or want a graphical user interface, Pygame offers a cross-platform solution:

import pygame
from pygame.locals import *

# Define variables
num = 0
done = False

# Initialize Pygame
pygame.init()
screen = pygame.display.set_mode((640, 480))
pygame.display.set_caption('Python numbers')
screen.fill((159, 182, 205))
font = pygame.font.Font(None, 17)

# Infinite loop
while not done:
    # Display number
    display(str(num))
    num += 1

    # Check for events (e.g., keyboard input)
    pygame.event.pump()
    keys = pygame.key.get_pressed()

    # Check for escape key to quit
    if keys[K_ESCAPE]:
        done = True

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