🎨 Palette: [UX improvement] Clarify TUI choices and prevent keyboard traps

Author: haseeb-heaven

.Jules/palette.md

@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+
+## 2025-01-23 - Prevent keyboard traps and clarify choices in TUI
+**Learning:** In terminal UI environments, web-specific UX concepts translate to explicit prompt choices, clear shortcut hints ('Esc/Ctrl-C to cancel'), and avoiding keyboard traps by mapping standard interrupt bytes (`\x03`) to exit actions.
+**Action:** Always map `\x03` to an exit action in raw mode, explicitly list valid input choices in prompt strings, and clearly communicate cancellation shortcuts to users.

libs/terminal_ui.py

@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ def _read_key(self):
                 return mapping.get(extended, extended)
             if key == '\r':
                 return 'enter'
-            if key == '\x1b':
+            if key in ('\x1b', '\x03'):
                 return 'escape'
             return key
 
@@ -37,6 +37,8 @@ def _read_key(self):
         try:
             tty.setraw(fd)
             key = sys.stdin.read(1)
+            if key == '\x03':
+                return 'escape'
             if key == '\x1b':
                 next_chars = sys.stdin.read(2)
                 mapping = {'[A': 'up', '[B': 'down', '[D': 'left', '[C': 'right'}
@@ -67,7 +69,7 @@ def _render_selector(self, title, options, selected_index, help_text, default):
             style = 'bold green' if index == selected_index else ''
             table.add_row(marker, label, style=style)
 
-        footer = help_text or 'Use Up/Down arrows and Enter to select.'
+        footer = help_text or 'Use Up/Down arrows and Enter to select. Esc/Ctrl-C to cancel.'
         self.console.print(Panel.fit(footer, title='Interpreter TUI', border_style='green'))
         self.console.print(f"[bold cyan]{title}[/bold cyan]")
         self.console.print(table)
@@ -76,7 +78,7 @@ def _render_selector(self, title, options, selected_index, help_text, default):
     def _select_option(self, title, options, default, help_text=None):
         if not sys.stdin.isatty():
             default_choice = default if default in options else options[0]
-            answer = Prompt.ask(f"{title}", default=default_choice).strip()
+            answer = Prompt.ask(f"{title} [{'|'.join(options)}]", default=default_choice).strip()
             if answer in options:
                 return answer
             for option in options:
@@ -110,7 +112,7 @@ def _select_option(self, title, options, default, help_text=None):
 
     def _select_boolean(self, title, default=False):
         default_choice = 'yes' if default else 'no'
-        choice = self._select_option(title, ['yes', 'no'], default_choice, 'Use Up/Down arrows and Enter to choose.')
+        choice = self._select_option(title, ['yes', 'no'], default_choice, 'Use Up/Down arrows and Enter to choose. Esc/Ctrl-C to cancel.')
         return choice == 'yes'
 
     def select_mode(self, default_mode='code'):
@@ -121,7 +123,7 @@ def select_model(self, default_model=None):
         default_model = default_model or self.utility_manager.get_default_model_name()
         if default_model not in models:
             default_model = models[0]
-        return self._select_option('Model', models, default_model, 'Use Up/Down arrows, Enter, or type the first letter to jump.')
+        return self._select_option('Model', models, default_model, 'Use Up/Down arrows, Enter, or type the first letter to jump. Esc/Ctrl-C to cancel.')
 
     def select_language(self, default_lang='python'):
         return self._select_option('Language', ['python', 'javascript'], default_lang)