dx provides sophisticated command execution capabilities with full terminal emulation, interactive input, and safe process management.

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Execution Modes

Internal Mode

Commands run inside dx TUI with full output capture and control

External Mode

Commands run in your shell, then return to dx interface

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Internal Mode (Default)

[[items]]
name = "Build Project"
cmd = "cargo build --release"
external = false  # Default behavior
  • Full PTY integration for terminal apps
  • Real-time ANSI color output
  • Interactive stdin support
  • Process control with confirmations

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External Mode

[[items]]
name = "Open Editor"
cmd = "code ."
external = true   # Drops to shell temporarily
  • Runs in your native shell environment
  • Full TTY access for complex applications
  • Automatic return to dx interface
  • Pause prompt for short-running commands

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Real-Time Output Features

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Visual Indicators

  • Animated spinners during command execution
  • Live timers showing execution duration
  • Process status with colored exit codes
  • Progress feedback for long-running tasks

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ANSI Support

dx preserves full ANSI color sequences and terminal formatting: 
# Colors, bold, italic, underline all preserved
echo -e "\033[31mError:\033[0m \033[1mBold text\033[0m"

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Interactive Input

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Standard Input
feature
Full stdin support for interactive commands like prompts, passwords, and user input
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Terminal Emulation
feature
PTY integration automatically detects and handles TUI applications
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Signal Handling
feature
Proper forwarding of Ctrl+C, Ctrl+Z, and other terminal signals

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Process Control & Safety

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Safe Kill Confirmation

When you press Ctrl+C during command execution:
  1. dx shows a confirmation modal
  2. Press Enter to kill the process
  3. Press Esc to cancel and continue

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Exit Status Handling

Commands complete with clear status indicators:
  • 🟢 Success - Exit code 0 with green indicator
  • 🔴 Error - Non-zero exit with red indicator
  • 🟡 Terminated - Process killed with yellow indicator

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Advanced Features

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Environment Variables

Commands inherit your shell environment plus dx-specific variables: 
# Available in all commands
echo "Menu: $DX_MENU_NAME"
echo "Item: $DX_ITEM_NAME"

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Working Directory

Commands execute in the directory where dx was launched, with full access to:
  • Project files and directories
  • Git repository context
  • Local configurations

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Output Capture

All command output is captured and can be:
  • Scrolled through with full history
  • Searched and filtered
  • Exported or shared via recordings
Use external = true for commands that need full shell features like job control, complex piping, or shell-specific syntax.
Interactive password prompts work best with external = false mode for security and proper terminal handling.