# Session 2025-10-25: Help System & Keybindings Refactor

## Summary

Major refactoring of the curses UI help system and keybinding management. Fixed bugs with dialog closing, centralized keybinding definitions, and integrated a full interactive help browser with markdown documentation.

## Work Completed

### 1. Fixed Keybinding Conflicts

**Problem:** Ctrl+M (menu) and Ctrl+H (help) were mapped to Return and Backspace respectively.

**Solution:**
- Changed Ctrl+M → **Ctrl+U** for menu (U for "UI menu")
- Changed Ctrl+H → **Ctrl+A** for help (A for "Assist/About")
- Updated all documentation and test files

**Files Changed:**
- `src/ui/curses_ui.py` - keybinding handlers
- `docs/user/URWID_UI.md` - user documentation
- `docs/dev/TK_UI_ENHANCEMENT_PLAN.md` - development docs
- All test files in `utils/test_curses_*.py`

**Commits:**
- `0e9fb8a` - Fix curses UI help system keybindings

### 2. Centralized Keybinding Definitions

**Problem:** Keybindings were hardcoded throughout the codebase as strings like `'ctrl a'`, making changes difficult.

**Solution:** Created `src/ui/keybindings.py` with:
- Constants for all keybindings (HELP_KEY, MENU_KEY, etc.)
- Three forms per key: key_name (urwid), char_code (ASCII), display_name (user-facing)
- Organized by category (Global, Program Management, Editing, Debugger, Navigation)
- Pre-built status bar messages
- `KEYBINDINGS_BY_CATEGORY` for help display

**Benefits:**
- Single source of truth for all keybindings
- Easy to change keybindings without hunting through code
- Self-documenting with display names
- Consistent across UI and tests

**Files Changed:**
- Created `src/ui/keybindings.py`
- Updated `src/ui/curses_ui.py` to import and use constants
- Updated all test files to use keybinding constants

**Commits:**
- `c09a34a` - Centralize keybindings in dedicated module

### 3. Shortened Status Bar Text

**Problem:** Status bar text too long to fit on one line.

**Solution:**
- Removed "5.21" version number
- Removed "Press" prefix
- Changed "variables" to "vars"
- Shortened other messages for brevity

**Before:**
```
MBASIC 5.21 - Press Ctrl+A for help, Ctrl+U for menu, Ctrl+W for variables, Ctrl+K for stack, Ctrl+Q to quit
```

**After:**
```
MBASIC - Ctrl+A help, Ctrl+U menu, Ctrl+W vars, Ctrl+K stack, Ctrl+Q quit
```

**Commits:**
- `7e4cbe5` - Shorten status bar text to fit on one line

### 4. Fixed Help/Menu Dialog Close Bug

**Problem:** Help and menu dialogs said "Press ESC to close" but no keys would close them.

**Root Cause:** Code stored `main_widget = self.loop.widget.base_widget` AFTER setting `self.loop.widget = overlay`, so it captured the overlay instead of the original widget.

**Solution:**
- Store main_widget BEFORE replacing self.loop.widget
- Applied fix to both `_show_help()` and `_show_menu()`

**Commits:**
- `d00bf8a` - Fix help and menu dialogs not closing on keypress

### 5. Updated Dialog Close Messages

**Problem:** Users searching for the "ANY" key (classic tech support issue).

**Solution:** Changed "Press any key to close" to "Press ESC to close" while still accepting any key.

**Commits:**
- `ee3d73f` - Change dialog close messages to "Press ESC" instead of "any key"

### 6. Integrated Help System with Markdown Files

**Problem:** Help content was hardcoded in curses_ui.py, making it hard to update and inconsistent with help architecture.

**Solution:**
- Created `docs/help/ui/curses/quick-reference.md` with all keyboard shortcuts
- Updated `_show_help()` to load and render markdown file using `MarkdownRenderer`
- Falls back to error message if file not found

**Benefits:**
- Help content now in single markdown file
- Easy to update without touching code
- Consistent with help system architecture
- Foundation for full help browser

**Commits:**
- `f109bc1` - Integrate help system: Ctrl+A loads quick-reference.md

### 7. Full Interactive Help Browser

**Problem:** Help markdown files had links but no way to navigate them.

**Solution:** Created `src/ui/help_widget.py` - urwid-based help browser with:
- Up/Down scrolling through help content
- Tab to move between links
- Enter to follow links
- U to go back in history
- ESC/Q to exit help
- Loads and renders markdown files with MarkdownRenderer
- Smart relative path resolution

**Features:**
- Navigate from quick-reference.md to detailed help topics
- Browse keyboard-commands.md, editing.md, running.md, files.md
- Navigate to language reference (../../common/language.md)
- Back button (U) returns to previous topic
- 90% screen coverage for better readability

**Commits:**
- `58604d4` - Add interactive help browser with link navigation

### 8. Cleanup: Removed Unused Code

**Problem:** `src/ui/help_browser.py` used direct curses API but was never integrated.

**Solution:** Removed the file - it was replaced by `help_widget.py` which uses urwid.

**Commits:**
- `1edb62a` - Remove unused help_browser.py

### 9. Help Table of Contents

**Problem:** Help system opened directly to quick-reference.md, making other topics less discoverable.

**Solution:**
- Created `docs/help/ui/curses/index.md` as table of contents
- Organized links by category (Getting Started, Editor, Running, Language)
- Includes help navigation instructions
- Updated help system to open index.md first

**Benefits:**
- Easier to find specific help topics
- Clear organization of help content
- Quick Reference still available via link
- Better discoverability

**Commits:**
- `b190eb2` - Add table of contents for help system

## Current State

### Keybindings (Ctrl+Key)

| Key | Action | Category |
|-----|--------|----------|
| A | Help browser (table of contents) | Global |
| B | Toggle breakpoint | Editing |
| C | Quit (alternative) | Global |
| D | Delete current line | Editing |
| E | Renumber lines (RENUM) | Editing |
| G | Continue execution (Go) | Debugger |
| K | Toggle execution stack window | Global |
| L | List program | Program Management |
| N | New program | Program Management |
| O | Open/Load program | Program Management |
| Q | Quit | Global |
| R | Run program | Program Management |
| S | Save program | Program Management |
| T | Step - execute one line | Debugger |
| U | Show menu | Global |
| W | Toggle variables watch window | Global |
| X | Stop execution | Debugger |

### Help System Structure

```
docs/help/
├── ui/curses/
│   ├── index.md                 # Table of contents (Ctrl+A opens here)
│   ├── quick-reference.md       # All keyboard shortcuts
│   ├── keyboard-commands.md     # Complete keyboard reference
│   ├── editing.md              # How to edit programs
│   ├── running.md              # Execute and debug
│   ├── files.md                # Save and load
│   ├── getting-started.md      # First time guide
│   └── help-navigation.md      # Using help system
└── common/
    ├── index.md                # Common help TOC
    ├── language.md             # BASIC language reference
    ├── examples.md             # Sample programs
    └── language/statements/    # Individual statement docs
```

### Help Navigation

- **Ctrl+A** → Opens table of contents (index.md)
- **↑/↓** → Scroll through current page
- **Tab** → Move between links
- **Enter** → Follow highlighted link
- **U** → Go back to previous page
- **ESC/Q** → Close help and return to editor

## Files Modified

### Created
- `src/ui/keybindings.py` - Centralized keybinding definitions
- `src/ui/help_widget.py` - Urwid-based help browser widget
- `docs/help/ui/curses/quick-reference.md` - Keyboard shortcuts reference
- `docs/help/ui/curses/index.md` - Help table of contents

### Deleted
- `src/ui/help_browser.py` - Unused curses-based help browser

### Modified
- `src/ui/curses_ui.py` - Keybindings, help system integration, bug fixes
- `docs/user/URWID_UI.md` - Updated keybinding documentation
- `docs/dev/TK_UI_ENHANCEMENT_PLAN.md` - Updated development docs
- `docs/dev/URWID_COMPLETION.md` - Updated completion checklist
- `docs/dev/URWID_MIGRATION.md` - Updated migration docs
- All test files in `utils/` - Updated to use keybinding constants
- `tests/test_popup_directly.py` - Updated keybinding constants

## Technical Details

### Keybinding Module Design

Each keybinding has three forms:
```python
# Key name (urwid format)
HELP_KEY = 'ctrl a'

# Character code (for sending to processes)
HELP_CHAR = '\x01'

# Display name (for UI/docs)
HELP_DISPLAY = 'Ctrl+A'
```

### Help Widget Design

- Extends `urwid.WidgetWrap` for integration with urwid UI
- Uses `MarkdownRenderer` to convert markdown to plain text
- Extracts links as (line_num, text, target) tuples
- Maintains navigation history stack
- Resolves relative paths correctly (handles `../../common/language.md`)

### Remaining Direct Curses Usage

All legitimate and necessary:
- `src/iohandler/curses_io.py` - Interpreter I/O (PRINT/INPUT statements)
- `tests/test_menu.py` - Test file
- `tests/test_mouse_debug.py` - Test file

The curses UI itself (`src/ui/curses_ui.py`) is 100% urwid-based.

## Commits (chronological)

1. `0e9fb8a` - Fix curses UI help system keybindings
2. `c09a34a` - Centralize keybindings in dedicated module
3. `7e4cbe5` - Shorten status bar text to fit on one line
4. `d00bf8a` - Fix help and menu dialogs not closing on keypress
5. `ee3d73f` - Change dialog close messages to "Press ESC" instead of "any key"
6. `f109bc1` - Integrate help system: Ctrl+A loads quick-reference.md
7. `58604d4` - Add interactive help browser with link navigation
8. `1edb62a` - Remove unused help_browser.py
9. `b190eb2` - Add table of contents for help system

## Next Steps

User indicated we're starting a big sub-project, so this session's work is being documented and committed before switching context.

## Notes

- All keybindings now avoid conflicts with terminal control codes
- Help system follows established docs/help/ architecture
- Markdown renderer handles links correctly
- No more "Where's the ANY key?" support questions!
- Clean separation between keybinding definition and usage
