How to put icons into eshell 'ls'?

I'm trying to have eshell show icons of files and dirs using 'ls' via all-the-icons. The below code works for line display (e.g. 'ls -l'). But not for the simple column display. Anyone have any ideas what the problem might be? https://preview.redd.it/17vupxw0m9n91.png?width=3100&format=png&auto=webp&s=16c48e3119f14f69d86bd28b4b1f2e5bdb379bc9 and here's the function: (defun lem-eshell-icons (f file) (let* ((name (funcall f file)) (icon (if (eq (cadr file) t) (all-the-icons-icon-for-dir (car file)) (all-the-icons-icon-for-file (car file))))) (concat icon name ))) (advice-add 'eshell-ls-decorated-name :around #'lem-eshell-icons) EDIT: Thanks to organicbookworm I now have the following working code (note this includes iconification and dir marking as well...) EDIT2: Forgot to include the keymap & related code...(now added). For the whole eshell config see: [https://github.com/Lambda-Emacs/lambda-emacs/blob/main/.local/lambda-library/lambda-setup/lem-setup-eshell.el](https://github.com/Lambda-Emacs/lambda-emacs/blob/main/.local/lambda-library/lambda-setup/lem-setup-eshell.el) (defun lem-eshell-prettify (file) "Add features to listings in `eshell/ls' output. The features are: 1. Add decoration like 'ls -F': * Mark directories with a `/' * Mark executables with a `*' 2. Make each listing into a clickable link to open the corresponding file or directory. 3. Add icons (requires `all-the-icons`) This function is meant to be used as advice around `eshell-ls-annotate', where FILE is the cons describing the file." (let* ((name (car file)) (icon (if (eq (cadr file) t) (all-the-icons-icon-for-dir name) (all-the-icons-icon-for-file name))) (suffix (cond ;; Directory ((eq (cadr file) t) "/") ;; Executable ((and (/= (user-uid) 0) ; root can execute anything (eshell-ls-applicable (cdr file) 3 #'file-executable-p (car file))) "*")))) (cons (concat " " icon " " (propertize name 'keymap eshell-ls-file-keymap 'mouse-face 'highlight 'file-name (expand-file-name (substring-no-properties (car file)) default-directory)) (when (and suffix (not (string-suffix-p suffix name))) (propertize suffix 'face 'shadow))) (cdr file) ))) (defun eshell-ls-file-at-point () "Get the full path of the Eshell listing at point." (get-text-property (point) 'file-name)) (defun eshell-ls-find-file () "Open the Eshell listing at point." (interactive) (find-file (eshell-ls-file-at-point))) (defun eshell-ls-delete-file () "Delete the Eshell listing at point." (interactive) (let ((file (eshell-ls-file-at-point))) (when (yes-or-no-p (format "Delete file %s?" file)) (delete-file file 'trash)))) (defvar eshell-ls-file-keymap (let ((map (make-sparse-keymap))) (define-key map (kbd "RET") #'eshell-ls-find-file) (define-key map (kbd "<return>") #'eshell-ls-find-file) (define-key map [mouse-1] #'eshell-ls-find-file) (define-key map (kbd "D") #'eshell-ls-delete-file) map) "Keys in effect when point is over a file from `eshell/ls'.") (advice-add #'eshell-ls-annotate :filter-return #'lem-eshell-prettify) And it looks like this: https://preview.redd.it/v3ot6rr4lfn91.png?width=3116&format=png&auto=webp&s=eb25ef9c7b77dcbfa8e319bd21bbd4874b46e1b4 &#x200B;

I just use `dired`+`all-the-icons-dired`

Sure - so do I. But I’d like to have the icons in eshell too.

Is using `exa` as an `ls` alternative an option? I don’t remember if eshell lets you use other non-lisp alternatives…

It is! I discovered yesterday that you can just alias ‘ls’ to it. That’s what I’ll do if I can’t get this working. But I’d prefer a pure elisp solution if possible.

I guess I should say that I’m also just confused as to why the code works for ls -a but not for the column view (where the icons are duplicated).

If I change the code to this (defun lem-eshell-icons (f file) (let* ((name (funcall f file))) (concat "A" name ))) (advice-add 'eshell-ls-decorated-name :around #'lem-eshell-icons) the `-l` output is correct, a non-colored `A` followed by the colored name show up. But if it is `ls` witout options, it comes with a non-colored `A`, followed by a collored `A`, and then the colored name. So I guess somewhere in eshell code for naked `ls` it is calling the function twice. The eshell code is too big, too many indirections, so with my shitty debugging skills, I change the code to (defun lem-eshell-icons (f file) (let* ((name (funcall f file))) (backtrace) (concat "A" name ))) and execute in a folder with just one file. I confirm my suspicions. The default eshell code is [idempotent](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idempotence#Idempotent_functions). So I guess you can either fix/change another part of the eshell code or make your function not change the name if it is already changed, if possible.

Thanks for this. I’ve done some poking into the em-ls code but haven’t yet figured out what the precise issue is. But I’m glad to see that others are reproducing the problem. If I figure out the issue I’ll certainly post it above.

You might want to reconsider this eye candy since you will be making the output harder to manipulate into a new input.

Yeah that’s a fair point, though it would be nice to have at least the option….

If you use exa, you can use the \`--icons\` param to avoid writing elisp and potentially breaking something: https://the.exa.website/features/icons

Yes, thanks. Like I said above I will probably end up doing this (I already use it in iTerm). But I wanted to be sure I wasn't missing something about doing this in pure elisp.

I did a bit of debugging. If you are fine with link *targets* (i.e. `link -> target` lines in `ls -la` output) not being iconified, here's an edited snippet (defun lem-eshell-icons (file) (let* ((name (car file)) (icon (if (eq (cadr file) t) (all-the-icons-icon-for-dir name) (all-the-icons-icon-for-file name)))) (cons (concat icon name) (cdr file) ))) (advice-add #'eshell-ls-annotate :filter-return #'lem-eshell-icons) We can do targets too, but that would be less pretty.

Looks great! Nice work -- thanks! I'll edit my question with the final code (which includes iconified file names)

You can put them behind a comment character but at that point why even bother?

/u/mclearc Your changed code doesn't work on it's own: $ ls Symbol’s value as variable is void: eshell-ls-file-keymap That's used here: (propertize name 'keymap eshell-ls-file-keymap 'mouse-face 'highlight 'file-name (expand-file-name (substring-no-properties (car file)) default-directory)) I copied the "make output of ls clickable" code from https://www.emacswiki.org/emacs/EshellEnhancedLS and changed the keymap's name to get it to work somewhat: (eval-after-load "em-ls" '(progn (defun ted-eshell-ls-find-file-at-point (point) "RET on Eshell's `ls' output to open files." (interactive "d") (find-file (buffer-substring-no-properties (previous-single-property-change point 'help-echo) (next-single-property-change point 'help-echo)))) (defun pat-eshell-ls-find-file-at-mouse-click (event) "Middle click on Eshell's `ls' output to open files. From Patrick Anderson via the wiki." (interactive "e") (ted-eshell-ls-find-file-at-point (posn-point (event-end event)))) (let ((map (make-sparse-keymap))) (define-key map (kbd "RET") 'ted-eshell-ls-find-file-at-point) (define-key map (kbd "<return>") 'ted-eshell-ls-find-file-at-point) (define-key map (kbd "<mouse-2>") 'pat-eshell-ls-find-file-at-mouse-click) (defvar eshell-ls-file-keymap map)) (defadvice eshell-ls-decorated-name (after ted-electrify-ls activate) "Eshell's `ls' now lets you click or RET on file names to open them." (add-text-properties 0 (length ad-return-value) (list 'help-echo "RET, mouse-2: visit this file" 'mouse-face 'highlight 'keymap eshell-ls-file-keymap) ad-return-value) ad-return-value)))

Thanks -- I had forgotten to include the keymap & related. Now added above, as well as a link to the full eshell config.