python / python/cpython

A combining mark in a `Textbox`'s last cell loses the base character

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stdlib topic-curses type-bug
Dominant language
Python
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Description

Bug description:

Typing a combining mark into the lower-right cell of a curses.textpad.Textbox puts the mark in a cell of its own and pushes the character it should attach to off the window edge, so that character is lost. The same keystrokes one column earlier attach the mark correctly. Doc/library/curses.rst says of Textbox that "Entering and reading back the full Unicode range, including combining characters, is now supported when curses is built with wide-character support".

import curses, sys
from curses.textpad import Textbox

def typed(ncols):
    win = curses.newwin(1, ncols, 0, 0)
    box = Textbox(win)
    for ch in 'abe\u0301':      # COMBINING ACUTE ACCENT after the 'e'
        box.do_command(ch)
    return win.instr(0, 0, 40).decode()

out = curses.wrapper(lambda stdscr: (typed(3), typed(10)))
print('3 columns:  %a\n10 columns: %a' % out, file=sys.stderr)

Output:

3 columns:  'ab\u0301'
10 columns: 'abe\u0301       '

Expected 'abe\u0301' from both windows: the mark should join the e instead of taking its cell.

CPython versions tested on:

CPython main branch

Operating systems tested on:

Linux

Linked PRs
  • gh-157211

Contributor guide

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First steps

  1. Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
  2. Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
  3. Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
  4. Open a pull request that references the issue number.

Research direction

Start with curses.textpad.Textbox.do_command and reproduce the issue using the provided three-column and ten-column example on Linux. Check Doc/library/curses.rst for the stated Unicode behavior; done when both windows preserve the base character and combining mark as 'abe\u0301'.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
python
Domain
cli
Issue type
Bug
Difficulty
3/5
Estimated time
1-2 days
Activity status
Stale
Clarity
Clearly specified
Newbie friendliness
35/100

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