event docs

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Will McGugan
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We've used event handler methods in many of the examples in this guide. This chapter explores events and messages (see below) in more detail.
!!! tip
See [events](../events/index.md) for a comprehensive reference on the events Textual sends.
## Messages
Events are a particular kind of *message* which is sent by Textual in response to input and other state changes. Events are reserved for use by Textual but you can also create custom messages for the purpose of coordinating between widgets in your app.
Events are a particular kind of *message* sent by Textual in response to input and other state changes. Events are reserved for use by Textual but you can also create custom messages for the purpose of coordinating between widgets in your app.
More on that later, but for now keep in mind that events are also messages, and anything that is true of messages is true of events.
@@ -36,29 +40,23 @@ When the `on_key` method returns, Textual will get the next event off the the qu
--8<-- "docs/images/events/queue2.excalidraw.svg"
</div>
## Creating Messages
## Handlers
### Naming
Let's explore how Textual decides what method to call for a given event.
- Start with `"on_"`.
- Add the messages namespace (if any) converted from CamelCase to snake_case plus an underscore `"_"`
- Add the name of the class converted from CamelCase to snake_case.
### Default behaviors
## Default behaviors
You may be familiar with Python's [super](https://docs.python.org/3/library/functions.html#super) function to call a function defined in a base class. You will not have to do this for Textual event handlers as Textual will automatically call any handler methods defined in the base class.
For instance if you define a custom widget, Textual will call its `on_key` handler when you hit a key. Textual will also run any `on_key` methods found in the widget's base classes, including `Widget.on_key` where key bindings are processed. Without this behavior, you would have to remember to call `super().on_key(event)` or key bindings would break.
For instance if you define a custom widget, Textual will call its `on_key` handler when you hit a key. Textual will also run any `on_key` methods found in the widget's base classes, including `Widget.on_key` where key bindings are processed. Without this behavior, you would have to remember to call `super().on_key(event)` on all key handlers or key bindings would break.
### Preventing default behaviors
If you don't want this behavior you can call [prevent_default()][textual.message.Message.prevent_default] on the event object. This tells Textual not to call any handlers on base classes.
!!! warning
### Bubbling
Don't call `prevent_default` lightly. It *may* break some of Textual's standard features.
## Bubbling
Messages have a `bubble` attribute. If this is set to `True` then events will be sent to their parent widget. Input events typically bubble so that a widget will have the opportunity to process events after its children.
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After Textual calls `Button.on_key` it _bubbles_ the event to its parent and call `Container.on_key` (if it exists).
After Textual calls `Button.on_key` the event _bubbles_ to the buttons parent and will call `Container.on_key` (if it exists).
<div class="excalidraw">
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</div>
Then it will bubble to the container's parent (the App class).
As before, the event bubbles to it's parent (the App class).
<div class="excalidraw">
--8<-- "docs/images/events/bubble3.excalidraw.svg"
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The App class is always the root of the DOM, so there is no where for the event to bubble to.
#### Stopping bubbling
### Stopping bubbling
Event handlers may stop this bubble behavior by calling the [stop()][textual.message.Message.stop] method on the event or message. You might want to do this if a widget has responded to the event in an authoritative way. For instance if a text input widget as responded to a key event you probably do not want it to also invoke a key binding.
Event handlers may stop this bubble behavior by calling the [stop()][textual.message.Message.stop] method on the event or message. You might want to do this if a widget has responded to the event in an authoritative way. For instance if a text input widget responded to a key event you probably do not want it to also invoke a key binding.
## Custom messages
You can create custom messages for your application that may be used in the same way as events (recall that events are simply messages reserved for use by Textual).
The most common reason to do this is if you are building a custom widget and you need to inform a parent widget about a state change.
Let's look at an example which defines a custom message. The following example creates color buttons which, when clicked, send a custom message.
=== "custom01.py"
```python title="custom01.py" hl_lines="10-15 27-29 42-43"
--8<-- "docs/examples/events/custom01.py"
```
=== "Output"
```{.textual path="docs/examples/events/custom01.py"}
```
Note the custom message class which extends [Message][textual.message.Message]. The constructor stores a [color][textual.color.Color] object which handler methods will be able to inspect.
<hr>
TODO: events docs
The message class is defined within the widget class itself. This is not strictly required but recommended.
- If reduces the amount of imports. If you were to import ColorButton, you have access to the message class via `ColorButton.Selected`.
- It creates a namespace for the handler. So rather than `on_selected`, the handler name becomes `on_color_button_selected`. This makes it less likely that your chosen name will clash with another message.
### Handler naming
Let's recap on the scheme that Textual uses to map messages classes on to a Python method name.
- Start with `"on_"`.
- Add the messages namespace (if any) converted from CamelCase to snake_case plus an underscore `"_"`
- Add the name of the class converted from CamelCase to snake_case.
<div class="excalidraw">
--8<-- "docs/images/events/naming.excalidraw.svg"
</div>
### Sending events
In the previous example we used [emit()][textual.message_pump.MessagePump.emit] to send an event to it's parent. We could also have used [emit_no_wait()][textual.message_pump.MessagePump.emit_no_wait] for non async code. Sending messages in this way allows you to write custom widgets without needing to know in what context they will be used.
There are other ways of sending (posting) messages, which you may need to use less frequently.
- [post_message][textual.message_pump.MessagePump.post_message] To post a message to a particular event.
- [post_message_no_wait][textual.message_pump.MessagePump.post_message_no_wait] The non-async version of `post_message`.
- What are events
- Handling events
- Auto calling base classes
- Event bubbling
- Posting / emitting events