[windows-] update windows-curses version to 2.4 #2119

[midichef]

windows-curses has released their version 2.4.0. They have updated the version of PDCurses they use, to fix problems inputting some keypresses. This version change should fix #1841, #2062, #2119, and #2267.

@daviewales could you see if installing windows_curses 2.4.0 works well with visidata? In particular, that visidata starts up as usual, without silently exiting immediately, and that the keypresses " and ] are detected?

[daviewales]

Tested with Python 3.12.
All of the above work. (starts, can use " and ].)
I noticed that it does not detect mouse clicks however.

[anjakefala]

@daviewales Does the trade-off feel worth it to you? Improving support of keystrokes, but losing mouseclicks? Saul and I don't use Windows, so this is up to the community that does.

[daviewales]

To add to the tradeoff: #2267

I'd say that launching on 3.12 is fairly essential!

[anjakefala]

Ah, good call!

[midichef]

windows_curses 2.4.0 does not support Python 3.13. It's possible that Windows users trying to install the visidata develop branch with Python 3.13 will get an error:

ERROR: Could not find a version that satisfies the requirement windows-curses (from versions: none)
ERROR: No matching distribution found for windows-curses

(seen in the windows_curses repo as Issues # 69 and # 70)

This will be fixed soon, as a fix has been submitted as PR # 71 in the windows_curses repo. I expect a 2.4.1 release of windows-curses to incorporate the fix. When it comes out, we should require it.

Until then, for any affected user, I'd recommend using Python 3.12.

--

EDIT to update, 2025-01-11:
windows-curses has released the version 2.4.1, and it does add support for Python 3.13

[mplattner]

Tested with Python 3.12. All of the above work. (starts, can use " and ].) I noticed that it does not detect mouse clicks however.

@daviewales, do you remember whether mouse clicks in visidata have ever worked on Windows? (I cannot.) If so, with which versions of visidata, Python, and windows_curses has it worked?

[daviewales]

I can't say for sure, but I believe mouse support worked at least with Python 3.10 on a previous version of Visidata in Windows Terminal. If my memory is correct, then the latest version of Visidata prior to this change had working mouse support. (Some v3 version?)

[mplattner]

I added a possible fix for the mouse not working in Windows 10: #2676 (comment)

[daviewales]

Thanks!