Some webclient suggestions and practice committing to evennia.

text2html.py and webclient.css
* Remove inline formatting and place in CSS file. This frees up
  the client to change the basic color scheme without modifying
  the server file.
* Added a target="_blank" to links that are created to force a
  new tab (or window) to be opened in lieu of leaving the web
  client when a link is clicked.

webclient.html
* Added a void action to the form, just in case.

evennia_webclient.js
* Added code to move the caret to the end of the input box when
  the history is changed (up or down arrow listeners).

src/utils/text2html.py

@@ -41,24 +41,25 @@ class TextToHTMLparser(object):
                            re.S|re.M|re.I)
 
     def re_color(self, text):
-        "Replace ansi colors with html color tags"
+        """Replace ansi colors with html color class names.
+        Let the client choose how it will display colors, if it wishes to."""
         for colorname, code in self.colorcodes:
             regexp = "(?:%s)(.*?)(?:%s)" % (code, self.normalcode)
             regexp = regexp.replace('[', r'\[')
-            text = re.sub(regexp, r'''<span style="color: %s">\1</span>''' % colorname, text)
+            text = re.sub(regexp, r'''<span class="%s">\1</span>''' % colorname, text)
         return text
 
     def re_bold(self, text):
-        "Replace ansi hilight with bold text"
+        "Replace ansi hilight with strong text element."
         regexp = "(?:%s)(.*?)(?:%s)" % ('\033[1m', self.normalcode)
         regexp = regexp.replace('[', r'\[')
-        return re.sub(regexp, r'<span style="font-weight:bold">\1</span>', text)
+        return re.sub(regexp, r'<strong>\1</strong>', text)
 
     def re_underline(self, text):
-        "Replace ansi underline with html equivalent"
+        "Replace ansi underline with html underline class name."
         regexp = "(?:%s)(.*?)(?:%s)" % ('\033[4m', self.normalcode)
         regexp = regexp.replace('[', r'\[')
-        return re.sub(regexp, r'<span style="text-decoration: underline">\1</span>', text)
+        return re.sub(regexp, r'<span class="underline">\1</span>', text)
 
     def remove_bells(self, text):
         "Remove ansi specials"
@@ -79,7 +80,9 @@ class TextToHTMLparser(object):
     def convert_urls(self, text):
         "Replace urls (http://...) by valid HTML"
         regexp = r"((ftp|www|http)(\W+\S+[^).,:;?\]\}(\<span\>) \r\n$]+))"
-        return re.sub(regexp, r'<a href="\1">\1</a> ', text)
+        # -> added target to output prevent the web browser from attempting to 
+        # change pages (and losing our webclient session).
+        return re.sub(regexp, r'<a href="\1" target="_blank">\1</a>', text)
 
     def do_sub(self, m):
         "Helper method to be passed to re.sub."

src/web/media/css/webclient.css

@@ -39,6 +39,23 @@ a:hover, a:active { color: #ccc }
 /* Error messages (red) */
 .err { color: #f00 }
 
+/* Style specific classes corresponding to formatted, narative text. */
+.white { color: white; } 
+.cyan { color: #00FFFF; }
+.blue { color: blue; }
+.red { color: red; }
+.magenta { color: #FF00FF; }
+.lime { color: lime; } 
+.yellow { color: yellow; }
+.gray { color: gray; }
+.teal { color: teal; } 
+.navy { color: navy; }
+.maroon { color: maroon; }
+.purple { color: purple; }
+.green { color: green; }
+.olive { color: olive; }
+.underline { text-decoration: underline; }
+
 /* Container surrounding entire chat */
 #wrapper {
   position: relative;

src/web/media/javascript/evennia_webclient.js

@@ -34,6 +34,46 @@ contain the 'mode' of the request to be handled by the protocol:
 
 // jQuery must be imported by the calling html page before this script
 // There are plenty of help on using the jQuery library on http://jquery.com/
+/**
+ * jQuery extension that will forward the caret to the end of the input, and
+ * won't harm other elements (although calling this on multiple inputs might
+ * not have the expectec consequences).
+ * 
+ * Thank you
+ * http://stackoverflow.com/questions/499126/jquery-set-cursor-position-in-text-area
+ * for the good starting point.
+ */
+$.fn.appendCaret = function() {
+    return this.each(function() {
+        var range,
+            // Index at where to place the caret.
+            end,
+            self = this;
+
+        if (self.setSelectionRange) {
+            // other browsers
+            end = self.value.length;
+            self.focus();
+            // NOTE: Need to delay the caret movement until after the callstack.
+            setTimeout(function() {
+                self.setSelectionRange(end, end);
+            }, 0);
+        } 
+        else if (self.createTextRange) {
+            // IE
+            end = self.value.length - 1;
+            range = self.createTextRange();
+            range.collapse(true);
+            range.moveEnd('character', end);
+            range.moveStart('character', end);
+            // NOTE: I haven't tested to see if IE has the same problem as
+            // W3C browsers seem to have in this context (needing to fire
+            // select after callstack).
+            range.select();
+        }
+    });
+};
+
 
 // Server communications
 
@@ -192,10 +232,12 @@ function history_add(input) {
 // Catching keyboard shortcuts
 
 $(document).keydown( function(event) {
-    // Get the pressed key 
-    var code = event.keyCode ? event.keyCode : event.which;    
+    // Get the pressed key (normalized by jQuery)
+    var code = event.which,
+        inputField = $("#inputfield");
+        
     // always focus input field no matter which key is pressed
-    $("#inputfield")[0].focus();
+    inputField.focus();
 
     // Special keys recognized by client
 
@@ -204,18 +246,13 @@ $(document).keydown( function(event) {
     if (code == 13) { // Enter Key
         webclient_input();
         event.preventDefault();
-        return false;
     }
     else {
         if (code == 38) { // arrow up 38
-            $("#inputfield").val(function(index, value){                
-                return history_step_back();
-            });
+            inputField.val(history_step_back()).appendCaret();
         }
         else if (code == 40) { // arrow down 40
-            $("#inputfield").val(function(index, value){
-                return history_step_fwd();
-            });
+            inputField.val(history_step_fwd()).appendCaret();
         }
     }
 });

src/web/templates/prosimii/webclient.html

@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
           to the local copy.</p>
         </div>
       </div>
-      <form id="inputform">
+      <form id="inputform" action="javascript:void(0);">
         <div id="playercount">Logged in Players: {{num_players_connected}}</div>
         <div id="inputcontrol"><input type="text" id="inputfield" autocomplete="off"><input id="inputsend" type="button" value="send" onClick="webclient_input()" /></div>
       </form>