Enhance UI color handling for channel and node rows, and refactor refresh logic

Add emoji normalization utility and integrate into message rendering

contact/message_handlers/rx_handler.py

@@ -5,9 +5,10 @@ import shutil
 import time
 import subprocess
 import threading
+from typing import Any, Dict, Optional
  # Debounce notification sounds so a burst of queued messages only plays once.
 _SOUND_DEBOUNCE_SECONDS = 0.8
-_sound_timer: threading.Timer | None = None
+_sound_timer: Optional[threading.Timer] = None
 _sound_timer_lock = threading.Lock()
 _last_sound_request = 0.0
 
@@ -42,8 +43,6 @@ def schedule_notification_sound(delay: float = _SOUND_DEBOUNCE_SECONDS) -> None:
         _sound_timer = threading.Timer(delay, _fire, args=(now,))
         _sound_timer.daemon = True
         _sound_timer.start()
-from typing import Any, Dict
-
 from contact.utilities.utils import (
     refresh_node_list,
     add_new_message,

contact/ui/contact_ui.py

@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ from contact.ui.colors import get_color
 from contact.utilities.db_handler import get_name_from_database, update_node_info_in_db, is_chat_archived
 from contact.utilities.input_handlers import get_list_input
 from contact.utilities.i18n import t
+from contact.utilities.emoji_utils import normalize_message_text
 import contact.ui.default_config as config
 import contact.ui.dialog
 from contact.ui.nav_utils import move_main_highlight, draw_main_arrows, get_msg_window_lines, wrap_text
@@ -19,7 +20,9 @@ from contact.utilities.singleton import ui_state, interface_state, menu_state
 
 
 MIN_COL = 1  # "effectively zero" without breaking curses
+RESIZE_DEBOUNCE_MS = 250
 root_win = None
+nodes_pad = None
 
 
 # Draw arrows for a specific window id (0=channel,1=messages,2=nodes).
@@ -62,6 +65,48 @@ def paint_frame(win, selected: bool) -> None:
     win.refresh()
 
 
+def get_channel_row_color(index: int) -> int:
+    if index == ui_state.selected_channel:
+        if ui_state.current_window == 0:
+            return get_color("channel_list", reverse=True)
+        return get_color("channel_selected")
+    return get_color("channel_list")
+
+
+def get_node_row_color(index: int) -> int:
+    node_num = ui_state.node_list[index]
+    node = interface_state.interface.nodesByNum.get(node_num, {})
+    color = "node_list"
+    if node.get("isFavorite"):
+        color = "node_favorite"
+    if node.get("isIgnored"):
+        color = "node_ignored"
+    return get_color(color, reverse=index == ui_state.selected_node and ui_state.current_window == 2)
+
+
+def refresh_main_window(window_id: int, selected: bool) -> None:
+    if window_id == 0:
+        paint_frame(channel_win, selected=selected)
+        if ui_state.channel_list:
+            width = max(0, channel_pad.getmaxyx()[1] - 4)
+            channel_pad.chgat(ui_state.selected_channel, 1, width, get_channel_row_color(ui_state.selected_channel))
+        refresh_pad(0)
+    elif window_id == 1:
+        paint_frame(messages_win, selected=selected)
+        refresh_pad(1)
+    elif window_id == 2:
+        paint_frame(nodes_win, selected=selected)
+        if ui_state.node_list and nodes_pad is not None:
+            width = max(0, nodes_pad.getmaxyx()[1] - 4)
+            nodes_pad.chgat(ui_state.selected_node, 1, width, get_node_row_color(ui_state.selected_node))
+        refresh_pad(2)
+
+
+def get_node_display_name(node_num: int, node: dict) -> str:
+    user = node.get("user") or {}
+    return user.get("longName") or get_name_from_database(node_num, "long")
+
+
 def handle_resize(stdscr: curses.window, firstrun: bool) -> None:
     """Handle terminal resize events and redraw the UI accordingly."""
     global messages_pad, messages_win, nodes_pad, nodes_win, channel_pad, channel_win, packetlog_win, entry_win
@@ -161,6 +206,24 @@ def handle_resize(stdscr: curses.window, firstrun: bool) -> None:
         pass
 
 
+def drain_resize_events(input_win: curses.window) -> Union[str, int, None]:
+    """Wait for resize events to settle and preserve one queued non-resize key."""
+    input_win.timeout(RESIZE_DEBOUNCE_MS)
+    try:
+        while True:
+            try:
+                next_char = input_win.get_wch()
+            except curses.error:
+                return None
+
+            if next_char == curses.KEY_RESIZE:
+                continue
+
+            return next_char
+    finally:
+        input_win.timeout(-1)
+
+
 def main_ui(stdscr: curses.window) -> None:
     """Main UI loop for the curses interface."""
     global input_text
@@ -168,6 +231,7 @@ def main_ui(stdscr: curses.window) -> None:
 
     root_win = stdscr
     input_text = ""
+    queued_char = None
     stdscr.keypad(True)
     get_channels()
     handle_resize(stdscr, True)
@@ -176,7 +240,11 @@ def main_ui(stdscr: curses.window) -> None:
         draw_text_field(entry_win, f"Message: {(input_text or '')[-(stdscr.getmaxyx()[1] - 10):]}", get_color("input"))
 
         # Get user input from entry window
-        char = entry_win.get_wch()
+        if queued_char is None:
+            char = entry_win.get_wch()
+        else:
+            char = queued_char
+            queued_char = None
 
         # draw_debug(f"Keypress: {char}")
 
@@ -224,7 +292,9 @@ def main_ui(stdscr: curses.window) -> None:
 
         elif char == curses.KEY_RESIZE:
             input_text = ""
+            queued_char = drain_resize_events(entry_win)
             handle_resize(stdscr, False)
+            continue
 
         elif char == chr(4):  # Ctrl + D to delete current channel or node
             handle_ctrl_d()
@@ -333,31 +403,16 @@ def handle_leftright(char: int) -> None:
     delta = -1 if char == curses.KEY_LEFT else 1
     old_window = ui_state.current_window
     ui_state.current_window = (ui_state.current_window + delta) % 3
-    handle_resize(root_win, False)
+    if ui_state.single_pane_mode:
+        handle_resize(root_win, False)
+        return
 
-    if old_window == 0:
+    refresh_main_window(old_window, selected=False)
-        paint_frame(channel_win, selected=False)
-        refresh_pad(0)
-    if old_window == 1:
-        paint_frame(messages_win, selected=False)
-        refresh_pad(1)
-    elif old_window == 2:
-        paint_frame(nodes_win, selected=False)
-        refresh_pad(2)
 
     if not ui_state.single_pane_mode:
         draw_window_arrows(old_window)
 
-    if ui_state.current_window == 0:
+    refresh_main_window(ui_state.current_window, selected=True)
-        paint_frame(channel_win, selected=True)
-        refresh_pad(0)
-    elif ui_state.current_window == 1:
-        paint_frame(messages_win, selected=True)
-        refresh_pad(1)
-    elif ui_state.current_window == 2:
-        paint_frame(nodes_win, selected=True)
-        refresh_pad(2)
-
     draw_window_arrows(ui_state.current_window)
 
 
@@ -378,31 +433,16 @@ def handle_function_keys(char: int) -> None:
         return
 
     ui_state.current_window = target
-    handle_resize(root_win, False)
+    if ui_state.single_pane_mode:
+        handle_resize(root_win, False)
+        return
 
-    if old_window == 0:
+    refresh_main_window(old_window, selected=False)
-        paint_frame(channel_win, selected=False)
-        refresh_pad(0)
-    elif old_window == 1:
-        paint_frame(messages_win, selected=False)
-        refresh_pad(1)
-    elif old_window == 2:
-        paint_frame(nodes_win, selected=False)
-        refresh_pad(2)
 
     if not ui_state.single_pane_mode:
         draw_window_arrows(old_window)
 
-    if ui_state.current_window == 0:
+    refresh_main_window(ui_state.current_window, selected=True)
-        paint_frame(channel_win, selected=True)
-        refresh_pad(0)
-    elif ui_state.current_window == 1:
-        paint_frame(messages_win, selected=True)
-        refresh_pad(1)
-    elif ui_state.current_window == 2:
-        paint_frame(nodes_win, selected=True)
-        refresh_pad(2)
-
     draw_window_arrows(ui_state.current_window)
 
 
@@ -839,7 +879,7 @@ def draw_messages_window(scroll_to_bottom: bool = False) -> None:
 
         row = 0
         for prefix, message in messages:
-            full_message = f"{prefix}{message}"
+            full_message = normalize_message_text(f"{prefix}{message}")
             wrapped_lines = wrap_text(full_message, messages_win.getmaxyx()[1] - 2)
             msg_line_count += len(wrapped_lines)
             messages_pad.resize(msg_line_count, messages_win.getmaxyx()[1])
@@ -881,10 +921,8 @@ def draw_node_list() -> None:
     if ui_state.current_window != 2 and ui_state.single_pane_mode:
         return
 
-    # This didn't work, for some reason an error is thown on startup, so we just create the pad every time
+    if nodes_pad is None:
-    # if nodes_pad is None:
+        nodes_pad = curses.newpad(1, 1)
-    # nodes_pad = curses.newpad(1, 1)
-    nodes_pad = curses.newpad(1, 1)
 
     try:
         nodes_pad.erase()
@@ -898,28 +936,12 @@ def draw_node_list() -> None:
         node = interface_state.interface.nodesByNum[node_num]
         secure = "user" in node and "publicKey" in node["user"] and node["user"]["publicKey"]
         status_icon = "🔐" if secure else "🔓"
-        node_name = get_name_from_database(node_num, "long")
+        node_name = get_node_display_name(node_num, node)
-        user_name = node["user"]["shortName"]
-
-        uptime_str = ""
-        if "deviceMetrics" in node and "uptimeSeconds" in node["deviceMetrics"]:
-            uptime_str = f" / Up: {get_readable_duration(node['deviceMetrics']['uptimeSeconds'])}"
-
-        last_heard_str = f"  ■  {get_time_ago(node['lastHeard'])}" if node.get("lastHeard") else ""
-        hops_str = f"  ■  Hops: {node['hopsAway']}" if "hopsAway" in node else ""
-        snr_str = f"  ■  SNR: {node['snr']}dB" if node.get("hopsAway") == 0 and "snr" in node else ""
 
         # Future node name custom formatting possible
         node_str = f"{status_icon} {node_name}"
         node_str = node_str.ljust(box_width - 4)[: box_width - 2]
-        color = "node_list"
+        nodes_pad.addstr(i, 1, node_str, get_node_row_color(i))
-        if "isFavorite" in node and node["isFavorite"]:
-            color = "node_favorite"
-        if "isIgnored" in node and node["isIgnored"]:
-            color = "node_ignored"
-        nodes_pad.addstr(
-            i, 1, node_str, get_color(color, reverse=ui_state.selected_node == i and ui_state.current_window == 2)
-        )
 
     paint_frame(nodes_win, selected=(ui_state.current_window == 2))
     nodes_win.refresh()

contact/ui/control_ui.py

@@ -56,6 +56,13 @@ config_folder = os.path.abspath(config.node_configs_file_path)
 # Load translations
 field_mapping, help_text = parse_ini_file(translation_file)
 
+def _is_repeated_field(field_desc) -> bool:
+    """Return True if the protobuf field is repeated. 
+       Protobuf 6.31.0 and later use an is_repeated property, while older versions compare against the label field.
+       """
+    if hasattr(field_desc, "is_repeated"):
+        return bool(field_desc.is_repeated)
+    return field_desc.label == field_desc.LABEL_REPEATED
 
 def reload_translations() -> None:
     global translation_file, field_mapping, help_text
@@ -564,7 +571,7 @@ def settings_menu(stdscr: object, interface: object) -> None:
                         new_value = new_value == "True" or new_value is True
                     menu_state.start_index.pop()
 
-                elif field.label == field.LABEL_REPEATED:  # Handle repeated field - Not currently used
+                elif _is_repeated_field(field):  # Handle repeated field - Not currently used
                     new_value = get_repeated_input(current_value)
                     new_value = current_value if new_value is None else new_value.split(", ")
                     menu_state.start_index.pop()

contact/utilities/config_io.py

@@ -9,6 +9,17 @@ from meshtastic.util import camel_to_snake, snake_to_camel, fromStr
 # defs are from meshtastic/python/main
 
 
+def _is_repeated_field(field_desc) -> bool:
+    """Return True if the protobuf field is repeated.
+
+    Protobuf 6.31.0+ exposes `is_repeated`, while older versions require
+    checking `label == LABEL_REPEATED`.
+    """
+    if hasattr(field_desc, "is_repeated"):
+        return bool(field_desc.is_repeated)
+    return field_desc.label == field_desc.LABEL_REPEATED
+
+
 def traverseConfig(config_root, config, interface_config) -> bool:
     """Iterate through current config level preferences and either traverse deeper if preference is a dict or set preference"""
     snake_name = camel_to_snake(config_root)
@@ -89,7 +100,7 @@ def setPref(config, comp_name, raw_val) -> bool:
             return False
 
     # repeating fields need to be handled with append, not setattr
-    if pref.label != pref.LABEL_REPEATED:
+    if not _is_repeated_field(pref):
         try:
             if config_type.message_type is not None:
                 config_values = getattr(config_part, config_type.name)

contact/utilities/emoji_utils.py

@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+"""Helpers for normalizing emoji sequences in width-sensitive message rendering."""
+
+# Strip zero-width and presentation modifiers that make terminal cell width inconsistent.
+EMOJI_MODIFIER_REPLACEMENTS = {
+    "\u200d": "",
+    "\u20e3": "",
+    "\ufe0e": "",
+    "\ufe0f": "",
+    "\U0001F3FB": "",
+    "\U0001F3FC": "",
+    "\U0001F3FD": "",
+    "\U0001F3FE": "",
+    "\U0001F3FF": "",
+}
+
+_EMOJI_MODIFIER_TRANSLATION = str.maketrans(EMOJI_MODIFIER_REPLACEMENTS)
+_REGIONAL_INDICATOR_START = ord("\U0001F1E6")
+_REGIONAL_INDICATOR_END = ord("\U0001F1FF")
+
+
+def _regional_indicator_to_letter(char: str) -> str:
+    return chr(ord("A") + ord(char) - _REGIONAL_INDICATOR_START)
+
+
+def _normalize_flag_emoji(text: str) -> str:
+    """Convert flag emoji built from regional indicators into ASCII country codes."""
+    normalized = []
+    index = 0
+
+    while index < len(text):
+        current = text[index]
+        current_ord = ord(current)
+
+        if _REGIONAL_INDICATOR_START <= current_ord <= _REGIONAL_INDICATOR_END and index + 1 < len(text):
+            next_char = text[index + 1]
+            next_ord = ord(next_char)
+            if _REGIONAL_INDICATOR_START <= next_ord <= _REGIONAL_INDICATOR_END:
+                normalized.append(_regional_indicator_to_letter(current))
+                normalized.append(_regional_indicator_to_letter(next_char))
+                index += 2
+                continue
+
+        normalized.append(current)
+        index += 1
+
+    return "".join(normalized)
+
+
+def normalize_message_text(text: str) -> str:
+    """Strip modifiers and rewrite flag emoji into stable terminal-friendly text."""
+    if not text:
+        return text
+
+    return _normalize_flag_emoji(text.translate(_EMOJI_MODIFIER_TRANSLATION))

contact/utilities/telemetry_beautifier.py

@@ -68,19 +68,19 @@ def get_chunks(data):
                 # Leave it string as last resort
                 value = value
 
-        match key:
+        # Python 3.9-compatible alternative to match/case.
+        if key == "uptime_seconds":
             # convert seconds to hours, for our sanity
-            case "uptime_seconds":
+            value = round(value / 60 / 60, 1)
-                value = round(value / 60 / 60, 1)
+        elif key in ("longitude_i", "latitude_i"):
             # Convert position to degrees (humanize), as per Meshtastic protobuf comment for this telemetry
             # truncate to 6th digit after floating point, which would be still accurate
-            case "longitude_i" | "latitude_i":
+            value = round(value * 1e-7, 6)
-                value = round(value * 1e-7, 6)
+        elif key == "wind_direction":
             # Convert wind direction from degrees to abbreviation
-            case "wind_direction":
+            value = humanize_wind_direction(value)
-                value = humanize_wind_direction(value)
+        elif key == "time":
-            case "time":
+            value = datetime.datetime.fromtimestamp(int(value)).strftime("%d.%m.%Y %H:%m")
-                value = datetime.datetime.fromtimestamp(int(value)).strftime("%d.%m.%Y %H:%m")
 
         if key in sensors:
             parsed+= f"{sensors[key.strip()]['icon']}{value}{sensors[key]['unit']}  "

pyproject.toml

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [project]
 name = "contact"
-version = "1.4.14"
+version = "1.4.22"
 description = "This Python curses client for Meshtastic is a terminal-based client designed to manage device settings, enable mesh chat communication, and handle configuration backups and restores."
 authors = [
     {name = "Ben Lipsey",email = "ben@pdxlocations.com"}