Python curse show clock example refresh data

Question

This code work once, show current datetime and wait user input 'q' to quit:

#!/usr/bin/python
import curses
import datetime
import traceback
from curses import wrapper
def schermo(scr, *args):
 try:

  stdscr = curses.initscr()
  stdscr.clear()
  curses.cbreak()
  stdscr.addstr(3, 2, f'{datetime.datetime.now()}',  curses.A_NORMAL)
  while True:
   ch = stdscr.getch()
   if ch == ord('q'):
    break

  stdscr.refresh()

 except:
  traceback.print_exc()
 finally:
  curses.echo()
  curses.nocbreak()
  curses.endwin()


curses.wrapper(schermo)

What is the best practice to make data on the screen change each second?

Answer 1

Best practice uses timeout. The format in the question is odd, but using that gives this solution:

#!/usr/bin/python
import curses
import datetime
import traceback
from curses import wrapper
import time
def schermo(scr, *args):
 try:
  ch = ''
  stdscr = curses.initscr()
  curses.cbreak()
  stdscr.timeout(100)
  while ch != ord('q'):
   stdscr.addstr(3, 2, f'{datetime.datetime.now()}',  curses.A_NORMAL)
   stdscr.clrtobot()
   ch = stdscr.getch()

 except:
  traceback.print_exc()
 finally:
  curses.endwin()

curses.wrapper(schermo)

However, the question asked for updating once per second. That's done by changing the format:

#!/usr/bin/python
import curses
import datetime
import traceback
from curses import wrapper
import time
def schermo(scr, *args):
 try:
  ch = ''
  stdscr = curses.initscr()
  curses.cbreak()
  stdscr.timeout(100)
  while ch != ord('q'):
   stdscr.addstr(3, 2, f'{datetime.datetime.now().strftime("%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S")}',  curses.A_NORMAL)
   stdscr.clrtobot()
   ch = stdscr.getch()

 except:
  traceback.print_exc()
 finally:
  curses.endwin()

curses.wrapper(schermo)

Either way, the timeout used here limits the time spent in the script, and allows the user to quit "immediately" (within a tenth of a second).