choose files: Add default mappings to choose a file and insert it into the terminal

docs/kittens/choose-files.rst

@@ -30,6 +30,17 @@ press :kbd:`Enter`. You can change the current directory by instead selecting a
 directory and pressing the :kbd:`Tab` key. :kbd:`Shift+Tab` goes up one
 directory level.
 
+If you want to choose a file and insert it into your shell prompt at the
+current cursor position, press :sc:`insert_chosen_file` for files or
+:sc:`insert_chosen_directory` for directories. Similarly, to have a file
+chosen in a command line, use, or example::
+
+    some-command $(kitten choose-file)
+
+Note, that the above may not work in a complicated pipeline as it performs
+terminal I/O and needs exclusive access to the ttyy device while choosing a
+file.
+
 Creating shortcuts to favorite/frequently used directories
 ------------------------------------------------------------
 

kittens/choose_files/main.go

@@ -772,18 +772,22 @@ func main(_ *cli.Command, opts *Options, args []string) (rc int, err error) {
 			}
 			return
 		}
-		m := strings.Join(selections, "\n")
+		payload["paths"] = selections
-		if opts.OutputFormat == "json" {
+		if current_filter != "" {
-			payload["paths"] = selections
+			payload["current_filter"] = current_filter
-			if current_filter != "" {
-				payload["current_filter"] = current_filter
-			}
-			b, _ := json.MarshalIndent(payload, "", "  ")
-			m = string(b)
 		}
-		fmt.Print(m)
+		if tui.RunningAsUI() {
-		if opts.WriteOutputTo != "" {
+			fmt.Println(tui.KittenOutputSerializer()(payload))
-			os.WriteFile(opts.WriteOutputTo, []byte(m), 0600)
+		} else {
+			m := strings.Join(selections, "\n")
+			if opts.OutputFormat == "json" {
+				b, _ := json.MarshalIndent(payload, "", "  ")
+				m = string(b)
+			}
+			fmt.Print(m)
+			if opts.WriteOutputTo != "" {
+				os.WriteFile(opts.WriteOutputTo, []byte(m), 0600)
+			}
 		}
 	}
 

kittens/choose_files/main.py

@@ -2,10 +2,14 @@
 # License: GPLv3 Copyright: 2025, Kovid Goyal <kovid at kovidgoyal.net>
 
 import sys
+from typing import Any
 
 from kitty.conf.types import Definition
 from kitty.constants import appname
 from kitty.simple_cli_definitions import CONFIG_HELP, CompletionSpec
+from kitty.typing_compat import BossType
+
+from ..tui.handler import result_handler
 
 definition = Definition(
     '!kittens.choose_files',
@@ -123,6 +127,32 @@ egr()  # }}}
 def main(args: list[str]) -> None:
     raise SystemExit('This must be run as kitten choose-files')
 
+def relative_path_if_possible(path: str, base: str) -> str:
+    if not base or not path:
+        return path
+    from contextlib import suppress
+    from pathlib import Path
+    b = Path(base)
+    q = Path(path)
+    with suppress(ValueError):
+        return str(q.relative_to(b))
+    return path
+
+
+@result_handler(has_ready_notification=True)
+def handle_result(args: list[str], data: dict[str, Any], target_window_id: int, boss: BossType) -> None:
+    paths: list[str] = data.get('paths', [])
+    if not paths:
+        boss.ring_bell_if_allowed()
+        return
+    path = paths[0]
+    w = boss.window_id_map.get(target_window_id)
+    if w is not None:
+        cwd = w.cwd_of_child
+        if cwd:
+            path = relative_path_if_possible(path, cwd)
+        w.paste_text(path)
+
 
 usage = '[directory to start choosing files in]'
 

kittens/hints/main.py

@@ -407,9 +407,7 @@ def handle_result(args: list[str], data: dict[str, Any], target_window_id: int,
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     # Run with kitty +kitten hints
-    ans = main(sys.argv)
+    main(sys.argv)
-    if ans:
-        print(ans)
 elif __name__ == '__doc__':
     cd = sys.cli_docs  # type: ignore
     cd['usage'] = usage

kitty/options/definition.py

@@ -4363,6 +4363,23 @@ map('Open selected path',
     long_text='Select a path/filename and open it with the default open program.'
     )
 
+map('Insert chosen file',
+    'insert_chosen_file kitty_mod+p>c kitten choose-files',
+    long_text='''
+Select a file using the :doc:`choose-files </kittens/choose-files>` kitten and insert
+it into the terminal.
+'''
+    )
+
+map('Insert chosen directory',
+    'insert_chosen_directory kitty_mod+p>d kitten choose-files --mode=dir',
+    long_text='''
+Select a directory using the :doc:`choose-files </kittens/choose-files>` kitten and insert
+it into the terminal.
+'''
+    )
+
+
 map('Insert selected line',
     'insert_selected_line kitty_mod+p>l kitten hints --type line --program -',
     long_text='''

kitty/options/types.py

@@ -929,6 +929,10 @@ defaults.map = [
     KeyDefinition(is_sequence=True, trigger=SingleKey(mods=256, key=112), rest=(SingleKey(key=102),), definition='kitten hints --type path --program -'),
     # open_selected_path
     KeyDefinition(is_sequence=True, trigger=SingleKey(mods=256, key=112), rest=(SingleKey(mods=1, key=102),), definition='kitten hints --type path'),
+    # insert_chosen_file
+    KeyDefinition(is_sequence=True, trigger=SingleKey(mods=256, key=112), rest=(SingleKey(key=99),), definition='kitten choose-files'),
+    # insert_chosen_directory
+    KeyDefinition(is_sequence=True, trigger=SingleKey(mods=256, key=112), rest=(SingleKey(key=100),), definition='kitten choose-files --mode=dir'),
     # insert_selected_line
     KeyDefinition(is_sequence=True, trigger=SingleKey(mods=256, key=112), rest=(SingleKey(key=108),), definition='kitten hints --type line --program -'),
     # insert_selected_word

shell-integration/ssh/kitty

@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ exec_kitty() {
 
 
 is_wrapped_kitten() {
-    wrapped_kittens="clipboard icat hyperlinked_grep ask hints unicode_input ssh themes diff show_key transfer query_terminal"
+    wrapped_kittens="clipboard icat hyperlinked_grep ask hints unicode_input ssh themes diff show_key transfer query_terminal choose-files"
     [ -n "$1" ] && {
         case " $wrapped_kittens " in
             *" $1 "*) printf "%s" "$1" ;;