get environment_metrics from payload

Added information about enabling single pane mode for smaller displays.

README.md

@@ -32,6 +32,10 @@ All messages will saved in a SQLite DB and restored upon relaunch of the app.  Y
 
 By navigating to Settings -> App Settings, you may customize your UI's icons, colors, and more!
 
+For smaller displays you may wish to enable `single_pane_mode`:
+
+<img width="486" height="194" alt="Screenshot 2025-08-22 at 11 15 54 PM" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/447c5d30-0850-4a4f-b0d4-976e4c5e329d" />
+
 ## Commands
 
 - `↑→↓←` = Navigate around the UI.

contact/ui/contact_ui.py

@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ from typing import Union
 from contact.utilities.utils import get_channels, get_readable_duration, get_time_ago, refresh_node_list
 from contact.settings import settings_menu
 from contact.message_handlers.tx_handler import send_message, send_traceroute
+from contact.utilities.utils import parse_protobuf
 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
@@ -15,6 +16,7 @@ import contact.ui.dialog
 from contact.ui.nav_utils import move_main_highlight, draw_main_arrows, get_msg_window_lines, wrap_text
 from contact.utilities.singleton import ui_state, interface_state, menu_state
 
+
 MIN_COL = 1  # "effectively zero" without breaking curses
 root_win = None  # set in main_ui
 
@@ -832,14 +834,14 @@ def draw_packetlog_win() -> None:
                 else get_name_from_database(packet["to"], "short").ljust(columns[1])
             )
             if "decoded" in packet:
-                port = packet["decoded"]["portnum"].ljust(columns[2])
-                payload = (packet["decoded"]["payload"]).ljust(columns[3])
+                port = str(packet["decoded"].get("portnum", "")).ljust(columns[2])
+                parsed_payload = parse_protobuf(packet)
             else:
                 port = "NO KEY".ljust(columns[2])
-                payload = "NO KEY".ljust(columns[3])
+                parsed_payload = "NO KEY"
 
             # Combine and truncate if necessary
-            logString = f"{from_id} {to_id} {port} {payload}"
+            logString = f"{from_id} {to_id} {port} {parsed_payload}"
             logString = logString[: width - 3]
 
             # Add to the window

contact/utilities/utils.py

@@ -1,8 +1,11 @@
 import datetime
 import time
-from meshtastic.protobuf import config_pb2
-import contact.ui.default_config as config
+from typing import Optional, Union
+from google.protobuf.message import DecodeError
 
+from meshtastic import protocols
+from meshtastic.protobuf import config_pb2, mesh_pb2, portnums_pb2
+import contact.ui.default_config as config
 from contact.utilities.singleton import ui_state, interface_state
 
 
@@ -136,6 +139,7 @@ def get_time_ago(timestamp):
         return f"{value} {unit} ago"
     return "now"
 
+
 def add_new_message(channel_id, prefix, message):
     if channel_id not in ui_state.all_messages:
         ui_state.all_messages[channel_id] = []
@@ -162,4 +166,33 @@ def add_new_message(channel_id, prefix, message):
         ui_state.all_messages[channel_id].append((f"-- {current_hour} --", ""))
 
     # Add the message
-    ui_state.all_messages[channel_id].append((prefix,message))
+    ui_state.all_messages[channel_id].append((prefix, message))
+
+
+def parse_protobuf(packet: dict) -> Union[str, dict]:
+    """Attempt to parse a decoded payload using the registered protobuf handler."""
+    try:
+        decoded = packet.get("decoded") or {}
+        portnum = decoded.get("portnum")
+        payload = decoded.get("payload")
+
+        if isinstance(payload, str):
+            return payload
+
+        handler = protocols.get(portnums_pb2.PortNum.Value(portnum)) if portnum is not None else None
+        if handler is not None and handler.protobufFactory is not None:
+            try:
+                pb = handler.protobufFactory()
+                pb.ParseFromString(bytes(payload))
+                if hasattr(pb, "device_metrics") and pb.HasField("device_metrics"):
+                    return str(pb.device_metrics).replace("\n", " ").replace("\r", " ").strip()
+                if hasattr(pb, "environment_metrics") and pb.HasField("environment_metrics"):
+                    return str(pb.environment_metrics).replace("\n", " ").replace("\r", " ").strip()
+                return str(pb).replace("\n", " ").replace("\r", " ").strip()
+            except DecodeError:
+                return payload
+
+        return payload
+
+    except Exception:
+        return payload

pyproject.toml

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [project]
 name = "contact"
-version = "1.3.17"
+version = "1.4.0"
 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"}