dramatic

The dramatic module includes utilities to cause cause all text output to display character-by-character (it prints dramatically).

Note: This project is based on a Python Morsels exercise. If you're working on that exercise right now, please don't look at the source code for this! 😉

Usage

The dramatic module is available on PyPI. You can install it with pip:

$ python3 -m pip install dramatic

There are four primary ways to use the utilities in the dramatic module:

1. As a context manager that temporarily makes output display dramatically
2. As a decorator that temporarily makes output display dramatically
3. Using a dramatic.start() function that makes output display dramatically
4. Using a dramatic.print function to display specific text dramatically

Dramatic Context Manager

The dramatic.output context manager will temporarily cause all standard output and standard error to display dramatically:

import dramatic

def main():
    print("This function prints")

with dramatic.output:
    main()

To change the printing speed from the default of 75 characters per second to another value (30 characters per minute in this case) use the at_speed method:

import dramatic

def main():
    print("This function prints")

with dramatic.output.at_speed(30):
    main()

Dramatic Decorator

The dramatic.output decorator will cause all standard output and standard error to display dramatically while the decorated function is running:

import dramatic

@dramatic.output
def main():
    print("This function prints")

main()

The at_speed method works as a decorator as well:

import dramatic

@dramatic.output.at_speed(30)
def main():
    print("This function prints")

main()

Manually Starting and Stopping

Instead of enabling dramatic printing temporarily with a context manager or decorator, the dramatic.start function may be used to enable dramatic printing:

import dramatic

def main():
    print("This function prints")

dramatic.start()
main()

The speed keyword argument may be used to change the printing speed:

import dramatic

def main():
    print("This function prints")

dramatic.start(speed=30)
main()

To make only standard output dramatic (but not standard error) pass stderr=False to start:

import dramatic

def main():
    print("This function prints")

dramatic.start(stderr=False)
main()

To disable dramatic printing, the dramatic.stop function may be used:

import dramatic


class CustomContextManager:
    def __enter__(self):
        print("Printing will become dramatic now")
        dramatic.start()
    def __exit__(self):
        dramatic.stop()
        print("Dramatic printing has stopped")

Dramatic Print

The dramatic.print function acts just like the built-in print function, but it prints dramatically:

import dramatic
dramatic.print("This will print some text dramatically")

Other Features

Pressing Ctrl-C while text prints dramatically will cause the remaining text-to-be-printed to print immediately.

To start a dramatic Python REPL:

$ python3 -m dramatic
>>>

To dramatically run a Python module:

$ python3 -m dramatic -m this

To dramatically run a Python file:

$ python3 -m dramatic hello_world.py

Credits

This package was inspired by the dramatic print Python Morsels exercise, which was partially inspired by Brandon Rhodes' adventure Python port (which displays its text at 1200 baud).