Readme
======

====================
Software Description
====================

This script provides a very simple CLI based ping visualization script by utilizing either `hipsterplot`_ or `gnuplot`_/`asciiplotlib`_.

The `hipsterplot`_ backend is a very simple and lightweight backend, meant to allow easier install and wider operating system reach. However, it is nowhere near as easy to read & understand as the `gnuplot`_/`asciiplotlib`_ backend. It is highly recommended you make use of that backend if you can.

----------------------
Why should you use it?
----------------------

.. *Right, but why would I use it?*

The long and short is that ``pingstats`` provides a simple and stable method to visualize average ping over time from the command line. Aside from that, it provides the following features:

- Provides a highly modular dynamic UI layout selector, allowing the user to modify the way the software presents data.

- Provides a simple API for implementing unique and new UI behaviour

- Automatically resizes and stays aware of viewport size

- Stays under a megabyte of total size

============
Installation
============

To install the base package (and use the simple backend, `hipsterplot`_), installation has been made easy via ``pip``. ::

  pip3 install pingstats

If however, you are using Linux and can install the `gnuplot`_ library, first obtain the binary from ``apt``: ::

  sudo apt-get install gnuplot

.. note:: The pingstats package will automatically use gnuplot if it is available.

----

----------------------
Installing from source
----------------------

Installing from source can be achieved relatively simply by first cloning the
repository and moving into the subsequent directory:
::

  git clone https://git.eclecticmedia.space/public/pingstats.git && cd pingstats


.. note:: To checkout the newest, experimental changes ensure you are on the
          ``master`` branch

Once the repository is cloned, you can run the ``setup.py`` script to install
the local files:
::

  python3 setup.py install

=====
Usage
=====

This software was implemented with simplicity in mind, and only provides one point of access:
::

  pingstats google.ca


----------------------
Command Line Arguments
----------------------

The software also has a variety of command line arguments avaialable:
::

  usage: pingstats [-h] [-l LAYOUT] [--list-widgets] [-V] address

  positional arguments:
    address               The address to ping. This could be either a web
                          address (i.e, "google.ca") or an IP address.

  optional arguments:
    -h, --help            show this help message and exit
    -l LAYOUT, --layout LAYOUT
                          Specify a UI layout by listing ui elements in a comma
                          separated list where
                          'realtimepane,progstatus,averagepane' displays the
                          default layout. See the docs for more information.
    --list-widgets        Output a list of available widgets for '-l'
    -V, --version         show program's version number and exit

===========================
Examples of software in use
===========================

.. image:: http://i64.tinypic.com/33mv6ud.png


In this image, we can see two separate outputs. The top display is a display of the most recent actual return times, whereas the bottom display is the average return time for each sequence.

This display automatically scales to whatever window you have open, adding more lines and columns as necessary.


=================
Running the tests
=================

To run the tests, clone the repository:
::

  git clone https://git.eclecticmedia.space/public/pingstats.git

Then simply run:
::

  python3 setup.py test


.. include:: CONTRIBUTION.rst


.. _`hipsterplot`: https://github.com/imh/hipsterplot
.. _`gnuplot`: http://www.gnuplot.info/
.. _`asciiplotlib`: https://pypi.org/project/asciiplotlib/
.. _PingStats: https://github.com/eclectickmedia/pingstats