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| author | cashmere <cashmere@autistici.org> | 2026-04-26 21:33:26 +0200 |
|---|---|---|
| committer | cashmere <cashmere@autistici.org> | 2026-04-26 21:33:26 +0200 |
| commit | 8d96906eda19ac94613323deac3c039f88d466e0 (patch) | |
| tree | 274cb1d5131a4a0c815cb3adb6b58bc65a14a04c /AGENTS.md | |
| parent | 15970781b5e3eafaac2fd7ed3730079fd4cfb451 (diff) | |
| download | kitty-graphics-8d96906eda19ac94613323deac3c039f88d466e0.tar.gz | |
docs(sixel): hard-state img2sixel as the recommended encoder + warn loudly when none is on PATH
Users hit a silent-failure mode where `kitty-gfx--sixel-detect' returned
true (terminal supports Sixel) but no encoder was on `PATH', so every
`sixel-place' logged `no encoder found' and produced no image. The
echo-area `message' from `sixel-encode' was easy to miss inside tmux,
which made the issue look like a refresh / tmux passthrough bug.
- README.org: Requirements section now explicitly lists a Sixel encoder
as required and recommends `img2sixel' (libsixel) over ImageMagick,
with the concrete numbers from PR #10's bench (~2.2x smaller payload,
~10x faster) and a note that this matters most inside tmux because
every refresh re-emits the full DCS payload. Known-Limitations
reworded: missing encoder = silent failure surfaced via the debug log.
- AGENTS.md: Dependencies block reorganised the same way; adds a
pointer to `just sixel-encoder' as the first step when diagnosing
Sixel rendering bugs.
- kitty-graphics.el: when the active backend is Sixel and
`kitty-gfx--sixel-resolve-encoder' returns nil at mode-enable time,
fire a `display-warning' (`*Warnings*' buffer + visible message)
pointing at img2sixel/ImageMagick, so the failure is no longer
buried in /tmp/kitty-gfx.log.
Diffstat (limited to 'AGENTS.md')
| -rw-r--r-- | AGENTS.md | 18 |
1 files changed, 14 insertions, 4 deletions
@@ -269,10 +269,20 @@ Key design differences from images: - **Required**: Emacs >= 27.1, a supported terminal (Kitty/WezTerm/Ghostty for Kitty backend; foot/Konsole/xterm/mlterm/mintty for Sixel) -- **Required for Sixel**: a Sixel encoder on PATH -- `img2sixel` - (libsixel, recommended) or ImageMagick (`magick`/`convert`). - Override via `kitty-gfx-sixel-encoder-program'; bound by - `kitty-gfx-sixel-encoder-timeout' (default 5s). +- **Required for Sixel**: a Sixel encoder on `PATH`. + - **Strongly recommended**: `img2sixel` from libsixel (~2.2x smaller + payload, ~10x faster than ImageMagick on the same input). Critical + inside tmux, where every refresh re-emits the full DCS payload -- + using ImageMagick there leads to visible flicker. + - **Fallback**: ImageMagick 7 (`magick`) or 6 (`convert`). Works, + just slower. + - Auto-detect order: `img2sixel` > `magick` > `convert`. Override + via `kitty-gfx-sixel-encoder-program' (nil = auto, string = pin). + - With **no** encoder on `PATH`, the Sixel backend silently produces + no output and logs `no encoder found` (set `kitty-gfx-debug' to + surface this). Always verify with `just sixel-encoder' before + diagnosing rendering bugs. + - Bounded by `kitty-gfx-sixel-encoder-timeout' (default 5s). - **Optional for Kitty**: ImageMagick for non-PNG formats and pixel-accurate sizing - **Optional for typst preview**: `typst` CLI on PATH (used by `kitty-gfx-typst-preview`) |
