[Settable] description argument can now be rich text

Author: neoniobium

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+## (TBA)
+
+- Enhancements
+    - Added possibility to use rich Text objects to set the description argument of a `Settanble`
+
 ## 4.1.1 (July 9, 2026)
 
 - Bug Fixes

cmd2/cmd2.py

@@ -1382,7 +1382,7 @@ def allow_style_type(value: str) -> ru.AllowStyle:
             Settable(
                 "allow_style",
                 allow_style_type,
-                ru.rich_text_to_string(settable_description),
+                settable_description,
                 self,
                 choices_provider=get_allow_style_choices,
             )
@@ -1399,7 +1399,7 @@ def allow_style_type(value: str) -> ru.AllowStyle:
             Settable(
                 "editor",
                 str,
-                ru.rich_text_to_string(editor_description),
+                editor_description,
                 self,
             )
         )
@@ -1434,7 +1434,7 @@ def allow_style_type(value: str) -> ru.AllowStyle:
             Settable(
                 "traceback_width",
                 utils.optional_int,
-                ru.rich_text_to_string(traceback_width_description),
+                traceback_width_description,
                 self,
             )
         )

cmd2/utils.py

@@ -25,7 +25,10 @@
     cast,
 )
 
+from rich.text import Text
+
 from . import constants
+from . import rich_utils as ru
 from . import string_utils as su
 from .types import (
     CmdOrSet,
@@ -88,7 +91,7 @@ def __init__(
         self,
         name: str,
         val_type: type[Any] | Callable[[Any], Any],
-        description: str,
+        description: str | Text,
         settable_object: object,
         *,
         settable_attrib_name: str | None = None,
@@ -108,7 +111,8 @@ def __init__(
                          input is a valid integer. Specifying bool automatically provides
                          completion for 'true' and 'false' and uses a built-in function
                          for conversion and validation.
-        :param description: A concise string that describes the purpose of this setting.
+        :param description: A concise string or rich Text object that describes the purpose of
+                         this setting.
         :param settable_object: The object that owns the attribute being made settable (e.g. self).
         :param settable_attrib_name: The name of the attribute on the settable_object that
                                      will be modified. This defaults to the value of the name
@@ -142,7 +146,7 @@ def get_bool_choices(_cmd2_self: CmdOrSet) -> Choices:
 
         self.name = name
         self.val_type = val_type
-        self.description = description
+        self.description = ru.rich_text_to_string(description) if isinstance(description, Text) else description
         self.settable_obj = settable_object
         self.settable_attrib_name = settable_attrib_name if settable_attrib_name is not None else name
         self.onchange_cb = onchange_cb

tests/test_cmd2.py

@@ -4304,7 +4304,6 @@ def test_completekey_empty_string() -> None:
 
 
 def test_create_main_session_exception(monkeypatch):
-
     # Mock PromptSession to raise ValueError on first call, then succeed
     valid_session_mock = mock.MagicMock(spec=PromptSession)
     mock_session = mock.MagicMock(side_effect=[ValueError, valid_session_mock])