Catalog browser

PyOptik includes an optional full-screen terminal interface for exploring a downloaded RefractiveIndex.INFO snapshot. It uses Textual and is installed separately so calculation-only environments do not need terminal UI packages.

Installation and startup

python -m pip install "PyOptik[ui]"
pyoptik setup
pyoptik browse

The browser reads the local snapshot and does not access the network. To open a snapshot stored elsewhere, pass its data root:

pyoptik browse --data-root ./refractiveindex-data

Navigation

The left pane contains a live search field and the matching material pages. Search covers canonical shelf/book/page identifiers, names, descriptions, and source URLs. The right pane displays:

• canonical material identity;

• description and local-cache status;

• local path and upstream source URL;

• the source’s scientific or manufacturer reference.

Use the arrow keys or mouse to select a row. Press / to return to the search field and q to quit.

If no snapshot exists, the command reports its expected location and asks you to run pyoptik setup. The browser never silently downloads or modifies catalog data.