Text Animation

[Andrew Henshaw]

Fazer wrote:

> Hello,
> 
> I was wondering if anyone has done any simple text-based animation?
> 
> I mean things such as text-based pre-loaders.  One example would be
> when you use the *nix utility called `wget.` You get that fancy "
> ====> " type of animation as you download a large file.  Or maybe even
> a rotating " | " that I have seen before in some installation
> programs.
> 
> Any ideas how these effects can be achieved?
> 
> Thanks a lot!
> 
> Faizan

I use this:

###################################
import sys

class Spinner:
    SYMBOLS = '|/-\\'
    def __init__(self):
        self.index = 0
        
    def __call__(self):
        sys.stdout.write(Spinner.SYMBOLS[self.index]+'\b')
        self.index = (self.index+1) % len(Spinner.SYMBOLS)

###################################

And call it like this:

###################################
if __name__ == '__main__':
    import time
    
    spin = Spinner()
    for i in range(100):
        spin()
        time.sleep(0.1)
###################################


This looks fine under the Win2K cmd window; but, as pointed out in another
reply, you may need to turn off the cursor.  I just tested it under Konsole
on Linux, and the block cursor doesn't allow the effect to show.

--Andy