_sixel.py

import sys
import tempfile

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
from sixel.converter import SixelConverter


def render():
    # sixel is a terminal image protocol (supported by VS Code's integrated
    # terminal via "terminal.integrated.enableImages") — save the current
    # figure to a temp PNG, then have SixelConverter encode and print it as
    # escape codes instead of opening a separate plot window with plt.show()
    #
    # SixelWriter.draw() (the library's usual entry point) wraps the image in
    # a cursor save (ESC 7) / restore (ESC 8) pair, which snaps the cursor
    # back to its pre-image position afterward — so the next print() call
    # overwrites the same rows and the image appears to flash and vanish.
    # Calling SixelConverter directly skips that wrapping and leaves the
    # cursor wherever the image output naturally puts it.
    # delete=True (the default) removes the file on exit from this block,
    # including if savefig/write raises
    with tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile(suffix=".png") as f:
        plt.savefig(f.name)
        SixelConverter(f.name).write(sys.stdout)
    plt.close()