Removed TextGroup's dependency on a specific parser instance.

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -81,6 +81,9 @@ prompt is displayed.
     - `cmd2` no longer sets a default title for a subparsers group. If you desire a title, you will
       need to pass one in like this `parser.add_subparsers(title="subcommands")`. This is standard
       `argparse` behavior.
+    - `TextGroup` is now a standalone Rich renderable.
+        - Removed `formatter_creator` parameter from `TextGroup.__init__()`.
+        - Removed `Cmd2ArgumentParser.create_text_group()` method.
 - Enhancements
     - New `cmd2.Cmd` parameters
         - **auto_suggest**: (boolean) if `True`, provide fish shell style auto-suggestions. These

cmd2/__init__.py

@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 from .argparse_completer import set_default_ap_completer_type
 from .argparse_custom import (
     Cmd2ArgumentParser,
+    TextGroup,
     register_argparse_argument_parameter,
     set_default_argument_parser_type,
 )
@@ -59,6 +60,7 @@
     'DEFAULT_SHORTCUTS',
     # Argparse Exports
     'Cmd2ArgumentParser',
+    'TextGroup',
     'register_argparse_argument_parameter',
     'set_default_ap_completer_type',
     'set_default_argument_parser_type',
@@ -68,7 +70,7 @@
     'CommandSet',
     'Statement',
     # Colors
-    "Color",
+    'Color',
     # Completion
     'Choices',
     'CompletionItem',

cmd2/argparse_custom.py

@@ -243,8 +243,11 @@ def get_choices(self) -> Choices:
 )
 
 from rich.console import (
+    Console,
+    ConsoleOptions,
     Group,
     RenderableType,
+    RenderResult,
 )
 from rich.table import Column
 from rich.text import Text
@@ -506,7 +509,7 @@ def _ActionsContainer_add_argument(  # noqa: N802
 
 
 # Overwrite _ActionsContainer.add_argument with our patch
-setattr(argparse._ActionsContainer, 'add_argument', _ActionsContainer_add_argument)
+argparse._ActionsContainer.add_argument = _ActionsContainer_add_argument  # type: ignore[method-assign]
 
 
 ############################################################################################################
@@ -560,6 +563,20 @@ def console(self, console: Cmd2RichArgparseConsole) -> None:
         """Set our console instance."""
         self._console = console
 
+    def __rich_console__(self, console: Console, options: ConsoleOptions) -> RenderResult:
+        """Provide this help formatter to renderables via the console."""
+        if isinstance(console, Cmd2RichArgparseConsole):
+            old_formatter = console.help_formatter
+            console.help_formatter = self
+            try:
+                yield from super().__rich_console__(console, options)
+            finally:
+                console.help_formatter = old_formatter
+        else:
+            # Handle rendering on a console type other than Cmd2RichArgparseConsole.
+            # In this case, we don't set the help_formatter on the console.
+            yield from super().__rich_console__(console, options)
+
     def _set_color(self, color: bool, **kwargs: Any) -> None:
         """Set the color for the help output.
 
@@ -680,25 +697,33 @@ def __init__(
         self,
         title: str,
         text: RenderableType,
-        formatter_creator: Callable[..., Cmd2HelpFormatter],
     ) -> None:
         """TextGroup initializer.
 
         :param title: the group's title
         :param text: the group's text (string or object that may be rendered by Rich)
-        :param formatter_creator: callable which returns a Cmd2HelpFormatter instance
         """
         self.title = title
         self.text = text
-        self.formatter_creator = formatter_creator
 
-    def __rich__(self) -> Group:
+    def __rich_console__(self, console: Console, options: ConsoleOptions) -> RenderResult:
         """Return a renderable Rich Group object for the class instance.
 
         This method formats the title and indents the text to match argparse
         group styling, making the object displayable by a Rich console.
         """
-        formatter = self.formatter_creator()
+        formatter: Cmd2HelpFormatter | None = None
+        if isinstance(console, Cmd2RichArgparseConsole):
+            formatter = console.help_formatter
+
+        # This occurs if the console is not a Cmd2RichArgparseConsole or if the
+        # TextGroup is printed directly instead of as part of an argparse help message.
+        if formatter is None:
+            # If console is the wrong type, then have Cmd2HelpFormatter create its own.
+            formatter = Cmd2HelpFormatter(
+                prog="",
+                console=console if isinstance(console, Cmd2RichArgparseConsole) else None,
+            )
 
         styled_title = Text(
             type(formatter).group_name_formatter(f"{self.title}:"),
@@ -708,7 +733,7 @@ def __rich__(self) -> Group:
         # Indent text like an argparse argument group does
         indented_text = ru.indent(self.text, formatter._indent_increment)
 
-        return Group(styled_title, indented_text)
+        yield Group(styled_title, indented_text)
 
 
 class Cmd2ArgumentParser(argparse.ArgumentParser):
@@ -762,7 +787,7 @@ def __init__(
             add_help=add_help,
             allow_abbrev=allow_abbrev,
             exit_on_error=exit_on_error,
-            **kwargs,  # added in Python 3.14
+            **kwargs,
         )
 
         self.ap_completer_type = ap_completer_type
@@ -995,10 +1020,6 @@ def format_help(self) -> str:
         """Override to add a newline."""
         return super().format_help() + '\n'
 
-    def create_text_group(self, title: str, text: RenderableType) -> TextGroup:
-        """Create a TextGroup using this parser's formatter creator."""
-        return TextGroup(title, text, self._get_formatter)
-
     def _get_nargs_pattern(self, action: argparse.Action) -> str:
         """Override to support nargs ranges."""
         nargs_range = action.get_nargs_range()  # type: ignore[attr-defined]

cmd2/cmd2.py

@@ -108,7 +108,10 @@
 )
 from . import rich_utils as ru
 from . import string_utils as su
-from .argparse_custom import Cmd2ArgumentParser
+from .argparse_custom import (
+    Cmd2ArgumentParser,
+    TextGroup,
+)
 from .clipboard import (
     get_paste_buffer,
     write_to_paste_buffer,
@@ -3725,7 +3728,7 @@ def _build_alias_parser() -> Cmd2ArgumentParser:
             "An alias is a command that enables replacement of a word by another string.",
         )
         alias_parser = argparse_custom.DEFAULT_ARGUMENT_PARSER(description=alias_description)
-        alias_parser.epilog = alias_parser.create_text_group(
+        alias_parser.epilog = TextGroup(
             "See Also",
             "macro",
         )
@@ -3757,7 +3760,7 @@ def _build_alias_create_parser(cls) -> Cmd2ArgumentParser:
                 "for the actual command the alias resolves to."
             ),
         )
-        alias_create_parser.epilog = alias_create_parser.create_text_group("Notes", alias_create_notes)
+        alias_create_parser.epilog = TextGroup("Notes", alias_create_notes)
 
         # Add arguments
         alias_create_parser.add_argument('name', help='name of this alias')
@@ -3941,7 +3944,7 @@ def _build_macro_parser() -> Cmd2ArgumentParser:
             "A macro is similar to an alias, but it can contain argument placeholders.",
         )
         macro_parser = argparse_custom.DEFAULT_ARGUMENT_PARSER(description=macro_description)
-        macro_parser.epilog = macro_parser.create_text_group(
+        macro_parser.epilog = TextGroup(
             "See Also",
             "alias",
         )
@@ -4004,7 +4007,7 @@ def _build_macro_create_parser(cls) -> Cmd2ArgumentParser:
                 "This default behavior changes if custom completion for macro arguments has been implemented."
             ),
         )
-        macro_create_parser.epilog = macro_create_parser.create_text_group("Notes", macro_create_notes)
+        macro_create_parser.epilog = TextGroup("Notes", macro_create_notes)
 
         # Add arguments
         macro_create_parser.add_argument('name', help='name of this macro')
@@ -4511,7 +4514,7 @@ def do_shortcuts(self, _: argparse.Namespace) -> None:
     @staticmethod
     def _build__eof_parser() -> Cmd2ArgumentParser:
         _eof_parser = argparse_custom.DEFAULT_ARGUMENT_PARSER(description="Called when Ctrl-D is pressed.")
-        _eof_parser.epilog = _eof_parser.create_text_group(
+        _eof_parser.epilog = TextGroup(
             "Note",
             "This command is for internal use and is not intended to be called from the command line.",
         )
@@ -5388,7 +5391,7 @@ def _persist_history(self) -> None:
     def _build_edit_parser(cls) -> Cmd2ArgumentParser:
         edit_description = "Run a text editor and optionally open a file with it."
         edit_parser = argparse_custom.DEFAULT_ARGUMENT_PARSER(description=edit_description)
-        edit_parser.epilog = edit_parser.create_text_group(
+        edit_parser.epilog = TextGroup(
             "Note",
             Text.assemble(
                 "To set a new editor, run: ",
@@ -5519,7 +5522,7 @@ def _build__relative_run_script_parser(cls) -> Cmd2ArgumentParser:
             ),
         )
 
-        _relative_run_script_parser.epilog = _relative_run_script_parser.create_text_group(
+        _relative_run_script_parser.epilog = TextGroup(
             "Note",
             "This command is intended to be used from within a text script.",
         )

cmd2/rich_utils.py

@@ -1,14 +1,19 @@
 """Provides common utilities to support Rich in cmd2-based applications."""
 
 import re
+import threading
 from collections.abc import Mapping
 from enum import Enum
 from typing import (
     IO,
+    TYPE_CHECKING,
     Any,
     TypedDict,
 )
 
+if TYPE_CHECKING:
+    from .argparse_custom import Cmd2HelpFormatter
+
 from rich.box import SIMPLE_HEAD
 from rich.console import (
     Console,
@@ -345,6 +350,9 @@ class Cmd2RichArgparseConsole(Cmd2BaseConsole):
     and highlighting. Because rich-argparse does markup and highlighting without
     involving the console, disabling these settings does not affect the library's
     internal functionality.
+
+    Additionally, this console serves as a context carrier for the active help formatter,
+    allowing renderables to access formatting settings during help generation.
     """
 
     def __init__(self, *, file: IO[str] | None = None) -> None:
@@ -360,6 +368,17 @@ def __init__(self, *, file: IO[str] | None = None) -> None:
             emoji=False,
             highlight=False,
         )
+        self._thread_local = threading.local()
+
+    @property
+    def help_formatter(self) -> 'Cmd2HelpFormatter | None':
+        """Return the active help formatter for this thread."""
+        return getattr(self._thread_local, 'help_formatter', None)
+
+    @help_formatter.setter
+    def help_formatter(self, value: 'Cmd2HelpFormatter | None') -> None:
+        """Set the active help formatter for this thread."""
+        self._thread_local.help_formatter = value
 
 
 class Cmd2ExceptionConsole(Cmd2BaseConsole):

ruff.toml

@@ -138,9 +138,6 @@ dummy-variable-rgx = "^(_+|(_+[a-zA-Z0-9_]*[a-zA-Z0-9]+?))$"
 mccabe.max-complexity = 49
 
 [lint.per-file-ignores]
-# Do not call setattr with constant attribute value
-"cmd2/argparse_custom.py" = ["B010"]
-
 # Ignore various warnings in examples/ directory
 "examples/*.py" = [
     "ANN",     # Ignore all type annotation rules in examples folder

tests/test_argparse_custom.py

@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 import sys
 
 import pytest
+from rich.console import Console
 
 import cmd2
 from cmd2 import (
@@ -22,6 +23,68 @@
 from .conftest import run_cmd
 
 
+def test_text_group_direct_cmd2() -> None:
+    """Print a TextGroup directly using a Cmd2RichArgparseConsole."""
+    title = "Notes"
+    content = "Some text"
+    text_group = argparse_custom.TextGroup(title, content)
+    console = Cmd2RichArgparseConsole()
+    with console.capture() as capture:
+        console.print(text_group)
+    output = capture.get()
+    assert "Notes:" in output
+    assert "  Some text" in output
+
+
+def test_text_group_direct_plain() -> None:
+    """Print a TextGroup directly not using a Cmd2RichArgparseConsole."""
+    title = "Notes"
+    content = "Some text"
+    text_group = argparse_custom.TextGroup(title, content)
+    console = Console()
+    with console.capture() as capture:
+        console.print(text_group)
+    output = capture.get()
+    assert "Notes:" in output
+    assert "  Some text" in output
+
+
+def test_text_group_in_parser_cmd2(capsys) -> None:
+    """Print a TextGroup with argparse using a Cmd2RichArgparseConsole."""
+    parser = Cmd2ArgumentParser(prog="test")
+    parser.epilog = argparse_custom.TextGroup("Notes", "Some text")
+
+    # Render help
+    parser.print_help()
+    out, _ = capsys.readouterr()
+
+    assert "Notes:" in out
+    assert "  Some text" in out
+
+
+def test_text_group_in_parser_plain(capsys) -> None:
+    """Print a TextGroup with argparse not using a Cmd2RichArgparseConsole."""
+
+    class CustomParser(Cmd2ArgumentParser):
+        from typing import Any
+
+        def _get_formatter(self, **kwargs: Any) -> Cmd2HelpFormatter:
+            """Overwrite the formatter's console with a plain one."""
+            formatter = super()._get_formatter(**kwargs)
+            formatter.console = Console()
+            return formatter
+
+    parser = CustomParser(prog="test")
+    parser.epilog = argparse_custom.TextGroup("Notes", "Some text")
+
+    # Render help
+    parser.print_help()
+    out, _ = capsys.readouterr()
+
+    assert "Notes:" in out
+    assert "  Some text" in out
+
+
 class ApCustomTestApp(cmd2.Cmd):
     """Test app for cmd2's argparse customization"""