add auto option for use_ansi_coloring config field

crates/nu-cli/src/completions/completion_common.rs

@@ -196,14 +196,14 @@ pub fn complete_item(
         .map(|cwd| Path::new(cwd.as_ref()).to_path_buf())
         .collect();
     let ls_colors = (engine_state.config.completions.use_ls_colors
-        && engine_state.config.use_ansi_coloring)
-        .then(|| {
-            let ls_colors_env_str = match stack.get_env_var(engine_state, "LS_COLORS") {
-                Some(v) => env_to_string("LS_COLORS", v, engine_state, stack).ok(),
-                None => None,
-            };
-            get_ls_colors(ls_colors_env_str)
-        });
+        && engine_state.config.use_ansi_coloring.get())
+    .then(|| {
+        let ls_colors_env_str = match stack.get_env_var(engine_state, "LS_COLORS") {
+            Some(v) => env_to_string("LS_COLORS", v, engine_state, stack).ok(),
+            None => None,
+        };
+        get_ls_colors(ls_colors_env_str)
+    });
 
     let mut cwds = cwd_pathbufs.clone();
     let mut prefix_len = 0;

crates/nu-cli/src/config_files.rs

@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ pub fn read_plugin_file(engine_state: &mut EngineState, plugin_file: Option<Span
     perf!(
         "add plugin file to engine_state",
         start_time,
-        engine_state.get_config().use_ansi_coloring
+        engine_state.get_config().use_ansi_coloring.get()
     );
 
     start_time = std::time::Instant::now();
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ pub fn read_plugin_file(engine_state: &mut EngineState, plugin_file: Option<Span
         perf!(
             &format!("read plugin file {}", plugin_path.display()),
             start_time,
-            engine_state.get_config().use_ansi_coloring
+            engine_state.get_config().use_ansi_coloring.get()
         );
         start_time = std::time::Instant::now();
 
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ pub fn read_plugin_file(engine_state: &mut EngineState, plugin_file: Option<Span
         perf!(
             &format!("load plugin file {}", plugin_path.display()),
             start_time,
-            engine_state.get_config().use_ansi_coloring
+            engine_state.get_config().use_ansi_coloring.get()
         );
     }
 }
@@ -345,7 +345,7 @@ pub fn migrate_old_plugin_file(engine_state: &EngineState) -> bool {
     perf!(
         "migrate old plugin file",
         start_time,
-        engine_state.get_config().use_ansi_coloring
+        engine_state.get_config().use_ansi_coloring.get()
     );
     true
 }

crates/nu-cli/src/repl.rs

@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ pub fn evaluate_repl(
     // from the Arc. This lets us avoid copying stack variables needlessly
     let mut unique_stack = stack.clone();
     let config = engine_state.get_config();
-    let use_color = config.use_ansi_coloring;
+    let use_color = config.use_ansi_coloring.get();
 
     confirm_stdin_is_terminal()?;
 
@@ -375,7 +375,7 @@ fn loop_iteration(ctx: LoopContext) -> (bool, Stack, Reedline) {
         )))
         .with_quick_completions(config.completions.quick)
         .with_partial_completions(config.completions.partial)
-        .with_ansi_colors(config.use_ansi_coloring)
+        .with_ansi_colors(config.use_ansi_coloring.get())
         .with_cwd(Some(
             engine_state
                 .cwd(None)
@@ -395,7 +395,7 @@ fn loop_iteration(ctx: LoopContext) -> (bool, Stack, Reedline) {
     let style_computer = StyleComputer::from_config(engine_state, &stack_arc);
 
     start_time = std::time::Instant::now();
-    line_editor = if config.use_ansi_coloring {
+    line_editor = if config.use_ansi_coloring.get() {
         line_editor.with_hinter(Box::new({
             // As of Nov 2022, "hints" color_config closures only get `null` passed in.
             let style = style_computer.compute("hints", &Value::nothing(Span::unknown()));

crates/nu-cli/src/util.rs

@@ -265,7 +265,7 @@ pub fn eval_source(
     perf!(
         &format!("eval_source {}", &fname),
         start_time,
-        engine_state.get_config().use_ansi_coloring
+        engine_state.get_config().use_ansi_coloring.get()
     );
 
     exit_code

crates/nu-command/src/help/help_aliases.rs

@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ pub fn help_aliases(
         long_desc.push_str(&format!("{G}Expansion{RESET}:\n  {alias_expansion}"));
 
         let config = stack.get_config(engine_state);
-        if !config.use_ansi_coloring {
+        if !config.use_ansi_coloring.get() {
             long_desc = nu_utils::strip_ansi_string_likely(long_desc);
         }
 

crates/nu-command/src/help/help_modules.rs

@@ -231,7 +231,7 @@ pub fn help_modules(
         }
 
         let config = stack.get_config(engine_state);
-        if !config.use_ansi_coloring {
+        if !config.use_ansi_coloring.get() {
             long_desc = nu_utils::strip_ansi_string_likely(long_desc);
         }
 

crates/nu-command/src/platform/ansi/ansi_.rs

@@ -654,7 +654,7 @@ Operating system commands:
         let list: bool = call.has_flag(engine_state, stack, "list")?;
         let escape: bool = call.has_flag(engine_state, stack, "escape")?;
         let osc: bool = call.has_flag(engine_state, stack, "osc")?;
-        let use_ansi_coloring = stack.get_config(engine_state).use_ansi_coloring;
+        let use_ansi_coloring = stack.get_config(engine_state).use_ansi_coloring.get();
 
         if list {
             return Ok(generate_ansi_code_list(
@@ -691,7 +691,7 @@ Operating system commands:
         let list: bool = call.has_flag_const(working_set, "list")?;
         let escape: bool = call.has_flag_const(working_set, "escape")?;
         let osc: bool = call.has_flag_const(working_set, "osc")?;
-        let use_ansi_coloring = working_set.get_config().use_ansi_coloring;
+        let use_ansi_coloring = working_set.get_config().use_ansi_coloring.get();
 
         if list {
             return Ok(generate_ansi_code_list(

crates/nu-command/src/system/run_external.rs

@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 use nu_cmd_base::hook::eval_hook;
 use nu_engine::{command_prelude::*, env_to_strings};
 use nu_path::{dots::expand_ndots, expand_tilde, AbsolutePath};
-use nu_protocol::{did_you_mean, process::ChildProcess, ByteStream, NuGlob, OutDest, Signals};
+use nu_protocol::{
+    did_you_mean, process::ChildProcess, ByteStream, NuGlob, OutDest, Signals, UseAnsiColoring,
+};
 use nu_system::ForegroundChild;
 use nu_utils::IgnoreCaseExt;
 use pathdiff::diff_paths;
@@ -417,7 +419,7 @@ fn write_pipeline_data(
         stack.start_collect_value();
 
         // Turn off color as we pass data through
-        Arc::make_mut(&mut engine_state.config).use_ansi_coloring = false;
+        Arc::make_mut(&mut engine_state.config).use_ansi_coloring = UseAnsiColoring::False;
 
         // Invoke the `table` command.
         let output =

crates/nu-command/src/viewers/griddle.rs

@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ prints out the list properly."#
             None => None,
         };
 
-        let use_color: bool = color_param && config.use_ansi_coloring;
+        let use_color: bool = color_param && config.use_ansi_coloring.get();
         let cwd = engine_state.cwd(Some(stack))?;
 
         match input {

crates/nu-command/src/viewers/table.rs

@@ -1118,7 +1118,7 @@ enum TableView {
 
 fn maybe_strip_color(output: String, config: &Config) -> String {
     // the terminal is for when people do ls from vim, there should be no coloring there
-    if !config.use_ansi_coloring || !std::io::stdout().is_terminal() {
+    if !config.use_ansi_coloring.get() || !std::io::stdout().is_terminal() {
         // Draw the table without ansi colors
         nu_utils::strip_ansi_string_likely(output)
     } else {

crates/nu-engine/src/documentation.rs

@@ -258,7 +258,7 @@ fn get_documentation(
         long_desc.push_str("  ");
         long_desc.push_str(example.description);
 
-        if !nu_config.use_ansi_coloring {
+        if !nu_config.use_ansi_coloring.get() {
             let _ = write!(long_desc, "\n  > {}\n", example.example);
         } else {
             let code_string = nu_highlight_string(example.example, engine_state, stack);
@@ -329,7 +329,7 @@ fn get_documentation(
 
     long_desc.push('\n');
 
-    if !nu_config.use_ansi_coloring {
+    if !nu_config.use_ansi_coloring.get() {
         nu_utils::strip_ansi_string_likely(long_desc)
     } else {
         long_desc

crates/nu-protocol/src/config/mod.rs

@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ pub use helper::extract_value;
 pub use history::{HistoryConfig, HistoryFileFormat};
 pub use hooks::Hooks;
 pub use ls::LsConfig;
-pub use output::ErrorStyle;
+pub use output::{ErrorStyle, UseAnsiColoring};
 pub use plugin_gc::{PluginGcConfig, PluginGcConfigs};
 pub use reedline::{CursorShapeConfig, EditBindings, NuCursorShape, ParsedKeybinding, ParsedMenu};
 pub use rm::RmConfig;
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ pub struct Config {
     pub footer_mode: FooterMode,
     pub float_precision: i64,
     pub recursion_limit: i64,
-    pub use_ansi_coloring: bool,
+    pub use_ansi_coloring: UseAnsiColoring,
     pub completions: CompletionConfig,
     pub edit_mode: EditBindings,
     pub history: HistoryConfig,
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ impl Default for Config {
             footer_mode: FooterMode::RowCount(25),
             float_precision: 2,
             buffer_editor: Value::nothing(Span::unknown()),
-            use_ansi_coloring: true,
+            use_ansi_coloring: UseAnsiColoring::default(),
             bracketed_paste: true,
             edit_mode: EditBindings::default(),
 

crates/nu-protocol/src/config/output.rs

@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
+use std::io::IsTerminal;
+
 use super::{config_update_string_enum, prelude::*};
-use crate as nu_protocol;
+use crate::{self as nu_protocol, FromValue};
 
 #[derive(Clone, Copy, Debug, IntoValue, PartialEq, Eq, Serialize, Deserialize)]
 pub enum ErrorStyle {
@@ -24,3 +26,61 @@ impl UpdateFromValue for ErrorStyle {
         config_update_string_enum(self, value, path, errors)
     }
 }
+
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq, Default, IntoValue, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+pub enum UseAnsiColoring {
+    #[default]
+    Auto,
+    True,
+    False,
+}
+
+impl UseAnsiColoring {
+    pub fn get(self) -> bool {
+        match self {
+            Self::Auto => std::io::stdout().is_terminal(),
+            Self::True => true,
+            Self::False => false,
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl FromValue for UseAnsiColoring {
+    fn from_value(v: Value) -> Result<Self, ShellError> {
+        if let Ok(v) = v.as_bool() {
+            return Ok(match v {
+                true => Self::True,
+                false => Self::False,
+            });
+        }
+
+        #[derive(FromValue)]
+        enum UseAnsiColoringString {
+            Auto,
+            True,
+            False,
+        }
+
+        Ok(match UseAnsiColoringString::from_value(v)? {
+            UseAnsiColoringString::Auto => Self::Auto,
+            UseAnsiColoringString::True => Self::True,
+            UseAnsiColoringString::False => Self::False,
+        })
+    }
+}
+
+impl UpdateFromValue for UseAnsiColoring {
+    fn update<'a>(
+        &mut self,
+        value: &'a Value,
+        path: &mut ConfigPath<'a>,
+        errors: &mut ConfigErrors,
+    ) {
+        let Ok(value) = UseAnsiColoring::from_value(value.clone()) else {
+            errors.type_mismatch(path, UseAnsiColoring::expected_type(), value);
+            return;
+        };
+
+        *self = value;
+    }
+}

crates/nu-protocol/src/errors/cli_error.rs

@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ impl std::fmt::Debug for CliError<'_> {
     fn fmt(&self, f: &mut std::fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> std::fmt::Result {
         let config = self.1.get_config();
 
-        let ansi_support = config.use_ansi_coloring;
+        let ansi_support = config.use_ansi_coloring.get();
 
         let error_style = &config.error_style;
 

src/config_files.rs

@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ pub(crate) fn read_config_file(
 
         let start_time = std::time::Instant::now();
         let config = engine_state.get_config();
-        let use_color = config.use_ansi_coloring;
+        let use_color = config.use_ansi_coloring.get();
         // Translate environment variables from Strings to Values
         if let Err(e) = convert_env_values(engine_state, stack) {
             report_shell_error(engine_state, &e);
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ pub(crate) fn read_config_file(
     } else {
         let start_time = std::time::Instant::now();
         let config = engine_state.get_config();
-        let use_color = config.use_ansi_coloring;
+        let use_color = config.use_ansi_coloring.get();
         if let Err(e) = convert_env_values(engine_state, stack) {
             report_shell_error(engine_state, &e);
         }

src/main.rs

@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@ fn main() -> Result<()> {
 
     engine_state.history_enabled = parsed_nu_cli_args.no_history.is_none();
 
-    let use_color = engine_state.get_config().use_ansi_coloring;
+    let use_color = engine_state.get_config().use_ansi_coloring.get();
 
     // Set up logger
     if let Some(level) = parsed_nu_cli_args

src/run.rs

@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ pub(crate) fn run_repl(
     }
 
     // Reload use_color from config in case it's different from the default value
-    let use_color = engine_state.get_config().use_ansi_coloring;
+    let use_color = engine_state.get_config().use_ansi_coloring.get();
     perf!("setup_config", start_time, use_color);
 
     let start_time = std::time::Instant::now();