Python nonblocking console input
Question: I am trying to make a simple IRC client in Python (as kind of a project while
I learn the language).

I have a loop that I use to receive and parse what the IRC server sends me,
but if I use `raw_input` to input stuff, it stops the loop dead in its tracks
until I input something (obviously).

How can I input something without the loop stopping?

Thanks in advance.

(I don't think I need to post the code, I just want to input something without
the _while 1_ loop stopping.)

EDIT: I'm on Windows.


Answer: For Windows, console only, use the
[`msvcrt`](http://www.python.org/doc/2.5.2/lib/msvcrt-console.html) module:

    
    
    import msvcrt
    
    num = 0
    done = False
    while not done:
        print num
        num += 1
    
        if msvcrt.kbhit():
            print "you pressed",msvcrt.getch(),"so now i will quit"
            done = True
    

For Linux, this [article](http://www.darkcoding.net/software/non-blocking-
console-io-is-not-possible/) describes the following solution, it requires the
`termios` module:

    
    
    import sys
    import select
    import tty
    import termios
    
    def isData():
        return select.select([sys.stdin], [], [], 0) == ([sys.stdin], [], [])
    
    old_settings = termios.tcgetattr(sys.stdin)
    try:
        tty.setcbreak(sys.stdin.fileno())
    
        i = 0
        while 1:
            print i
            i += 1
    
            if isData():
                c = sys.stdin.read(1)
                if c == '\x1b':         # x1b is ESC
                    break
    
    finally:
        termios.tcsetattr(sys.stdin, termios.TCSADRAIN, old_settings)
    

For cross platform, or in case you want a GUI as well, you can use Pygame:

    
    
    import pygame
    from pygame.locals import *
    
    def display(str):
        text = font.render(str, True, (255, 255, 255), (159, 182, 205))
        textRect = text.get_rect()
        textRect.centerx = screen.get_rect().centerx
        textRect.centery = screen.get_rect().centery
    
        screen.blit(text, textRect)
        pygame.display.update()
    
    pygame.init()
    screen = pygame.display.set_mode( (640,480) )
    pygame.display.set_caption('Python numbers')
    screen.fill((159, 182, 205))
    
    font = pygame.font.Font(None, 17)
    
    num = 0
    done = False
    while not done:
        display( str(num) )
        num += 1
    
        pygame.event.pump()
        keys = pygame.key.get_pressed()
        if keys[K_ESCAPE]:
            done = True
    

