Introduction to Restore Cursor

The restore-cursor package is a highly useful utility designed to ensure that the cursor position in th3 command-line interface is properly restored after an application executes. This is particularly beneficial in scenarios where you have interfaces that frequently update or refresh, as it helps in maintaining a seamless user experience.

Core API Methods

Below are some of the key APIs provided by restore-cursor, along with examples of how to use them:

savePosition()

Saves the current cursor position.

 const restoreCursor = require('restore-cursor');
 restoreCursor.savePosition();

restorePosition()

Restores the cursor to the last saved position.

 const restoreCursor = require('restore-cursor');
 // Save the position
 restoreCursor.savePosition();
 // Move cursor somewhere else
 // ...
 // Restore the cursor position
 restoreCursor.restorePosition();

moveCursor(x, y)

Moves the cursor by x and y units.

 const restoreCursor = require('restore-cursor');
 // Move cursor 10 units right and 5 units down
 restoreCursor.moveCursor(10, 5);

setCursorVisibility(visible)

Sets the visibility of the cursor.

 const restoreCursor = require('restore-cursor');
 // Make cursor invisible
 restoreCursor.setCursorVisibility(false);

Application Example

Let’s consider a simple command-line application that uses these APIs:

 const readline = require('readline');
 const restoreCursor = require('restore-cursor');

 readline.emitKeypressEvents(process.stdin);
 if (process.stdin.isTTY) process.stdin.setRawMode(true);

 console.log('Press any key to move the cursor or press "q" to quit.');

 let x = 0;
 let y = 0;

 process.stdin.on('keypress', (str, key) => {
     if (key.sequence === 'q') {
         restoreCursor.restorePosition();
         process.exit();
     }
     restoreCursor.savePosition();
     if (key.name === 'up') y--;
     if (key.name === 'down') y++;
     if (key.name === 'left') x--;
     if (key.name === 'right') x++;
     restoreCursor.moveCursor(x, y);
     restoreCursor.restorePosition();
 });

Conclusion

By leveraging the restore-cursor package, you can enhance the user experience in your command-line applications. It offers a seamless way to manage cursor positions, making your interface more interactive and user-friendly.

Hash: 3d5f19ba4570efe8431297e2f8f5fba85a88828b2d27e1f2eb54c43faf69346a