NAME

Data::Format::Pretty::Console - Pretty-print data structure for console output

VERSION

This document describes version 0.392 of Data::Format::Pretty::Console (from Perl distribution Data-Format-Pretty-Console), released on 2023-08-07.

SYNOPSIS

In your program:

 use Data::Format::Pretty::Console qw(format_pretty);
 ...
 print format_pretty($result);

Some example output:

Scalar, format_pretty("foo"):

 foo

List, format_pretty([1..21]):

 .------------------------------------------------------.
 |  1 |  3 |  5 |  7 |  9 | 11 | 13 | 15 | 17 | 19 | 21 |
 |  2 |  4 |  6 |  8 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 20 |    |
 '----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----'

The same list, when program output is being piped (that is, (-t STDOUT) is false):

 1
 2
 3
 4
 5
 6
 7
 8
 9
 10
 11
 12
 14
 15
 16
 17
 18
 19
 20
 21

Hash, format_pretty({foo=>"data",bar=>"format",baz=>"pretty",qux=>"console"}):

 +-----+---------+
 | bar | format  |
 | baz | pretty  |
 | foo | data    |
 | qux | console |
 '-----+---------'

2-dimensional array, format_pretty([ [1, 2, ""], [28, "bar", 3], ["foo", 3, undef] ]):

 +---------+---------+---------+
 |       1 |       2 |         |
 |      28 | bar     |       3 |
 | foo     |       3 |         |
 '---------+---------+---------'

An array of hashrefs, such as commonly found if you use DBI's fetchrow_hashref() and friends, format_pretty([ {a=>1, b=>2}, {b=>2, c=>3}, {c=>4} ]):

 .-----------.
 | a | b | c |
 +---+---+---+
 | 1 | 2 |   |
 |   | 2 | 3 |
 |   |   | 4 |
 '---+---+---'

Some more complex data, format_pretty({summary => "Blah...", users => [{name=>"budi", domains=>["foo.com", "bar.com"], quota=>"1000"}, {name=>"arif", domains=>["baz.com"], quota=>"2000"}], verified => 0}):

 summary:
 Blah...

 users:
 .---------------------------------.
 | domains          | name | quota |
 +------------------+------+-------+
 | foo.com, bar.com | budi |  1000 |
 | baz.com          | arif |  2000 |
 '------------------+------+-------'

 verified:
 0

Structures which can't be handled yet will simply be output as YAML, format_pretty({a {b=>1}}):

 ---
 a:
   b: 1

DESCRIPTION

This module is meant to output data structure in a "pretty" or "nice" format, suitable for console programs. The idea of this module is that for you to just merrily dump data structure to the console, and this module will figure out how to best display your data to the end-user.

Currently this module tries to display the data mostly as a nice text table (or a series of text tables), and failing that, display it as YAML.

This module takes piping into consideration, and will output a simpler, more suitable format when your user pipes your program's output into some other program.

Most of the time, you don't have to configure anything, but some options are provided to tweak the output.

FUNCTIONS

format_pretty($data, \%opts)

Return formatted data structure. Options:

  • interactive => BOOL (optional, default undef)

    If set, will override interactive terminal detection (-t STDOUT). Simpler formatting will be done if terminal is non-interactive (e.g. when output is piped). Using this option will force simpler/full formatting.

  • list_max_columns => INT

    When displaying list as columns, specify maximum number of columns. This can be used to force fewer columns (for example, single column) instead of using the whole available terminal width.

  • table_column_orders => [[COLNAME1, COLNAME2], ...]

    Specify column orders when drawing a table. If a table has all the columns, then the column names will be ordered according to the specification. For example, when table_column_orders is [[qw/foo bar baz/]], this table's columns will not be reordered because it doesn't have all the mentioned columns:

     |foo|quux|

    But this table will:

     |apple|bar|baz|foo|quux|

    into:

     |apple|foo|bar|baz|quux|
  • table_column_formats => [{COLNAME=>FMT, ...}, ...]

    Specify formats for columns. Each table format specification is a hashref {COLNAME=>FMT, COLNAME2=>FMT2, ...}. It will be applied to a table if the table has all the columns. FMT is a format specification according to Data::Unixish::Apply, it's basically either a name of a dux function (e.g. "date") or an array of function name + arguments (e.g. [['date', [align => {align=>'middle'}]]). This will be fed to Text::ANSITable's formats column style.

  • table_column_types => [{COLNAME=>TYPE, ...}, ...]

    Specify types for columns. Each table format specification is a hashref {COLNAME=>TYPE, COLNAME2=>TYPE2, ...}. It will be applied to a table if the table has all the columns. TYPE is type name according to Sah schema. This will be fed to Text::ANSITable's type column style to give hints on how to format the column. Sometimes this is the simpler alternative to table_column_formats.

ENVIRONMENT

  • INTERACTIVE => BOOL

    To set default for interactive option (overrides automatic detection).

  • FORMAT_PRETTY_LIST_MAX_COLUMNS => INT

    To set list_max_columns option.

  • FORMAT_PRETTY_TABLE_COLUMN_FORMATS => ARRAY (JSON)

    To set table_column_formats option, interpreted as JSON.

  • FORMAT_PRETTY_TABLE_COLUMN_TYPES => ARRAY (JSON)

    To set table_column_types option, interpreted as JSON.

  • FORMAT_PRETTY_TABLE_COLUMN_ORDERS => ARRAY (JSON)

    To set table_column_orders option, interpreted as JSON.

  • COLUMNS => INT

    To override terminal width detection.

HOMEPAGE

Please visit the project's homepage at https://metacpan.org/release/Data-Format-Pretty-Console.

SOURCE

Source repository is at https://github.com/perlancar/perl-Data-Format-Pretty-Console.

SEE ALSO

Modules used for formatting: Text::ANSITable, YAML.

Data::Format::Pretty

AUTHOR

perlancar <perlancar@cpan.org>

CONTRIBUTOR

Steven Haryanto <stevenharyanto@gmail.com>

CONTRIBUTING

To contribute, you can send patches by email/via RT, or send pull requests on GitHub.

Most of the time, you don't need to build the distribution yourself. You can simply modify the code, then test via:

 % prove -l

If you want to build the distribution (e.g. to try to install it locally on your system), you can install Dist::Zilla, Dist::Zilla::PluginBundle::Author::PERLANCAR, Pod::Weaver::PluginBundle::Author::PERLANCAR, and sometimes one or two other Dist::Zilla- and/or Pod::Weaver plugins. Any additional steps required beyond that are considered a bug and can be reported to me.

COPYRIGHT AND LICENSE

This software is copyright (c) 2023, 2021, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010 by perlancar <perlancar@cpan.org>.

This is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as the Perl 5 programming language system itself.

BUGS

Please report any bugs or feature requests on the bugtracker website https://rt.cpan.org/Public/Dist/Display.html?Name=Data-Format-Pretty-Console

When submitting a bug or request, please include a test-file or a patch to an existing test-file that illustrates the bug or desired feature.