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Getting Started

This guide covers the essentials of using PyRePrint.

Installation

Install PyRePrint using pip:

pip install pyreprint

For development, clone the repository and install with dev dependencies:

git clone https://github.com/colinconwell/PyRePrint.git
cd PyRePrint
pip install -e ".[dev]"

Basic Usage

The reprint Function

The main function in PyRePrint is reprint(), which works exactly like Python's built-in print() but with additional parameters:

from pyreprint import reprint

# Works just like print()
reprint("Hello, World!")
reprint("Multiple", "values", sep=", ")

Adding Decorators

Use the before, after, or surround parameters to add decorators:

# Add a line before the text
reprint("Title", before="=", width=40)

# Add a line after the text
reprint("Title", after="-", width=40)

# Add lines both before and after
reprint("Section", surround="=", width=40)

Using Named Styles

Apply pre-defined styles with the style parameter:

reprint("Header", style="header")
reprint("Boxed Content", style="box")
reprint("Important", style="banner", width=50)
reprint("Notice", style="warning")

Built-in styles include:

  • section - Lines above and below
  • header - Text with underline
  • divider - Softer divider style
  • box - Text in a box
  • banner - Full-width centered text
  • title - Prominent title format
  • quote - Blockquote style
  • highlight - Attention markers
  • warning, error, success, info - Status messages

Decorator Classes

For more control, use the decorator classes directly:

Line

from pyreprint import Line, line

# Using the class
my_line = Line(char="=", width=60)
print(my_line)

# Using the convenience function
print(line("=", 60))

from pyreprint import Header, header

# With underline only
print(header("My Section", char="="))

# With line above and below
print(header("My Section", char="=", above=True))

Box

from pyreprint import Box, box

# Basic box
print(box("Hello World"))

# Custom box characters
print(box("Content", char="|", corner="+", horizontal="-"))

from pyreprint import Banner, banner

# Full-width banner
print(banner("WELCOME"))

# Fixed-width banner with padding
print(banner("TITLE", width=40, padding_lines=1))

Capturing Output

Use capture_output() to capture stdout and stderr:

from pyreprint import capture_output
import sys

with capture_output() as captured:
    print("Standard output")
    print("Error output", file=sys.stderr)

print(f"stdout: {captured.stdout}")
print(f"stderr: {captured.stderr}")

Redirecting to File

from pyreprint import redirect_to_file

with redirect_to_file("output.txt"):
    print("This goes to the file")

Output Tee

Write to multiple destinations:

from pyreprint import OutputTee

with open("log.txt", "w") as f:
    tee = OutputTee(f, include_stdout=True)
    with tee.activate():
        print("Goes to both console and file")

Custom Styles

Registering Styles

Define custom styles using the @register_style decorator:

from pyreprint import register_style, reprint

@register_style("custom")
def my_custom_style(text, width=60, **kwargs):
    border = "#" * width
    centered = text.center(width - 4)
    return f"{border}\n# {centered} #\n{border}"

reprint("Custom Style!", style="custom")

Loading Styles from Files

Load styles from YAML or TOML files:

from pyreprint import load_styles_from_file

# styles.yaml:
# styles:
#   mydivider:
#     before:
#       char: "-"
#       width: 40
#     after:
#       char: "-"
#       width: 40

load_styles_from_file("styles.yaml")
reprint("Text", style="mydivider")

Rich Integration

PyRePrint includes Rich library integration:

from pyreprint import rprint, rule, panel

# Rich-formatted print
rprint("[bold blue]Title[/bold blue]")
rprint("[italic]Emphasized text[/italic]")

# Horizontal rule
rule("Section")

# Panel
panel("Important content", title="Notice")

Replacing Built-in Print

Optionally replace the built-in print:

from pyreprint import install_print, uninstall_print

# Replace built-in print
original = install_print()

# Now print() uses reprint
print("Hello", before="=")

# Restore original
uninstall_print(original)

Next Steps