example: Add IPC remote control example.

README.md

@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ pins the version and pulls in rust-analyzer + clippy.
 
 ## Current Status
 
-Phases 1 through 3 are complete. pikl works as a TUI menu with:
+Phases 1 through 6 are complete. pikl works as a TUI menu with:
 - Fuzzy, exact, regex, and inverse filtering with `|` pipeline chaining
 - Vim navigation (j/k, gg/G, Ctrl+D/U, Ctrl+F/B, modes)
 - Structured JSON I/O with sublabel, icon, group, and arbitrary metadata
@@ -140,6 +140,31 @@ Phases 1 through 3 are complete. pikl works as a TUI menu with:
 - Format templates (`--format '{label} - {sublabel}'`)
 - Field-scoped filtering (`--filter-fields`, `meta.res:3840` syntax)
 - Headless scripting via `--action-fd`
+- Multi-select with undo/redo and visual line mode
+- Table mode for CSV/TSV input with auto-generated or custom columns
+- IPC control via Unix socket (`--ipc`, `--session`)
+- Session filter history with Ctrl+P/Ctrl+N recall
+
+### IPC example
+
+Run pikl with IPC in one terminal, control it from another:
+
+```sh
+# terminal 1: start pikl with IPC enabled
+echo -e "alpha\nbeta\ngamma\ndelta" | pikl --ipc --session demo
+
+# terminal 2: query state over the socket
+echo '{"action":"get_state","id":"1"}' \
+  | socat - UNIX-CONNECT:/run/user/$(id -u)/pikl-demo.sock
+
+# terminal 2: add items dynamically
+echo '{"action":"add_items","items":["epsilon","zeta"]}' \
+  | socat -t 0.1 - UNIX-CONNECT:/run/user/$(id -u)/pikl-demo.sock
+```
+
+There's an interactive remote control demo at
+[examples/ipc-remote.sh](examples/ipc-remote.sh)
+(see [examples/ipc-remote.md](examples/ipc-remote.md) for the walkthrough).
 
 ## Platform Support
 

examples/demo.sh

@@ -379,6 +379,35 @@ Gentoo,rolling,openrc
 CSV
 }
 
+# ── Phase 6 demos ────────────────────────────────────────
+
+ipc_demo() {
+    echo "IPC demo: pikl runs here with --ipc enabled." >&2
+    echo "Open a second terminal and run:" >&2
+    echo "  ./examples/ipc-remote.sh demo" >&2
+    echo "" >&2
+    echo "Use the remote to navigate, filter, add items, and query state." >&2
+    echo "Press Enter or q in the remote to exit." >&2
+    echo "" >&2
+    cat <<'ITEMS' | pikl --ipc --session demo --multi
+{"label": "Arch Linux", "category": "rolling", "init": "systemd"}
+{"label": "NixOS", "category": "rolling", "init": "systemd"}
+{"label": "Void Linux", "category": "rolling", "init": "runit"}
+{"label": "Debian", "category": "stable", "init": "systemd"}
+{"label": "Alpine", "category": "stable", "init": "openrc"}
+{"label": "Fedora", "category": "semi-rolling", "init": "systemd"}
+{"label": "Gentoo", "category": "rolling", "init": "openrc"}
+ITEMS
+}
+
+session_demo() {
+    echo "Session filter history: select with a filter, exit, relaunch." >&2
+    echo "Press Ctrl+P to recall your previous filter." >&2
+    echo "" >&2
+    printf "apple\nbanana\ncherry\ndate\nelderberry\nfig\ngrape\nhoneydew\n" \
+        | pikl --session fruit
+}
+
 # ── Scenario menu ─────────────────────────────────────────
 
 scenarios=(
@@ -411,6 +440,9 @@ scenarios=(
     "CSV + multi-select"
     "CSV + field filter"
     "---"
+    "IPC remote control"
+    "Session filter history"
+    "---"
     "on-select-exec hook (legacy)"
 )
 
@@ -441,6 +473,8 @@ run_scenario() {
         *"CSV with --columns"*)     csv_columns_alias ;;
         *"CSV + multi"*)            csv_multi_select ;;
         *"CSV + field"*)            csv_filter ;;
+        *"IPC remote"*)             ipc_demo ;;
+        *"Session filter"*)         session_demo ;;
         *"on-select-exec"*)         on_select_hook ;;
         "---")
             echo "that's a separator, not a scenario" >&2

examples/ipc-remote.md

@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+# IPC Remote Control
+
+Interactive demo of pikl's IPC socket. Run pikl in one terminal, control it
+from another. Watch the menu respond in real time.
+
+## Prerequisites
+
+- `socat` for socket I/O (`pacman -S socat` / `brew install socat`)
+- `python3` for pretty-printing JSON responses (optional, falls back to raw output)
+
+## Quick start
+
+**Terminal 1:** start pikl with IPC enabled.
+
+```sh
+echo -e "alpha\nbeta\ngamma\ndelta\nepsilon" | pikl --ipc --session demo
+```
+
+**Terminal 2:** connect the remote control.
+
+```sh
+./examples/ipc-remote.sh demo
+```
+
+## What you can do
+
+The remote gives you single-key commands:
+
+| Key | Action |
+|-----|--------|
+| `j` / `k` | Move cursor down / up |
+| `g` / `G` | Jump to top / bottom |
+| `f` | Set filter text (then type the query) |
+| `F` | Clear filter |
+| `Space` | Toggle select on current item |
+| `a` | Select all |
+| `c` | Clear selections |
+| `s` | Print current menu state (JSON) |
+| `S` | Print current selection (JSON) |
+| `+` | Add new items interactively |
+| `r` | Replace all items |
+| `Enter` | Confirm selection (exits pikl) |
+| `q` | Cancel (exits pikl) |
+| `x` | Exit remote without affecting pikl |
+
+## Things to try
+
+1. Press `j` a few times and watch the cursor move in the pikl terminal.
+2. Press `s` to see the state, including cursor position and item count.
+3. Press `f`, type `al`, and watch the filter narrow the list.
+4. Press `F` to clear the filter.
+5. Press `+` and add a few items. They appear in the pikl terminal immediately.
+6. Press `Space` a couple times to toggle selections, then `S` to see what's selected.
+7. Press `Enter` to confirm. pikl exits and prints the selection.
+
+## How it works
+
+The remote sends newline-delimited JSON commands to pikl's Unix socket using
+`socat`. Write commands (move, filter, add items) are fire-and-forget. Read
+commands (get_state, get_selection) wait for a JSON response.
+
+The socket path for a named session is `/run/user/$UID/pikl-{session}.sock`.
+Without `--session`, pikl uses the PID: `/run/user/$UID/pikl-{pid}.sock`.
+
+## Using socat directly
+
+You don't need the remote script. Any tool that speaks Unix sockets works:
+
+```sh
+# Query state
+echo '{"action":"get_state","id":"1"}' | socat - UNIX-CONNECT:/run/user/$(id -u)/pikl-demo.sock
+
+# Move cursor down
+echo '{"action":"move_down"}' | socat -t 0.1 - UNIX-CONNECT:/run/user/$(id -u)/pikl-demo.sock
+
+# Add items
+echo '{"action":"add_items","items":["foo","bar"]}' | socat -t 0.1 - UNIX-CONNECT:/run/user/$(id -u)/pikl-demo.sock
+```

examples/ipc-remote.sh

@@ -0,0 +1,178 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# IPC remote control for pikl-menu.
+#
+# Connects to a running pikl instance over its Unix socket and
+# lets you send commands interactively. You see the effects in
+# the pikl terminal in real time.
+#
+# Usage:
+#   Terminal 1:  echo -e "alpha\nbeta\ngamma\ndelta" | pikl --ipc --session demo
+#   Terminal 2:  ./examples/ipc-remote.sh demo
+#
+# Requires: socat (for socket I/O)
+#
+# The session name is optional. Without it, you'll need to pass
+# the full socket path as the first argument.
+
+set -euo pipefail
+
+# ── Socket path ──────────────────────────────────────────
+
+resolve_socket() {
+    local arg="${1:-}"
+    if [[ -z "$arg" ]]; then
+        echo "usage: ipc-remote.sh <session-name | socket-path>" >&2
+        exit 2
+    fi
+
+    # If it looks like a path, use it directly
+    if [[ "$arg" == */* || "$arg" == *.sock ]]; then
+        echo "$arg"
+        return
+    fi
+
+    # Otherwise treat it as a session name
+    local uid
+    uid=$(id -u)
+    echo "/run/user/${uid}/pikl-${arg}.sock"
+}
+
+SOCK=$(resolve_socket "${1:-}")
+
+if [[ ! -S "$SOCK" ]]; then
+    echo "socket not found: $SOCK" >&2
+    echo "" >&2
+    echo "make sure pikl is running with --ipc:" >&2
+    echo "  echo -e 'alpha\nbeta\ngamma' | pikl --ipc --session demo" >&2
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+if ! command -v socat >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+    echo "socat is required but not installed." >&2
+    echo "install it with your package manager (pacman -S socat, brew install socat, etc.)" >&2
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+# ── IPC helpers ──────────────────────────────────────────
+
+ipc_send() {
+    echo "$1" | socat - "UNIX-CONNECT:${SOCK}" 2>/dev/null
+}
+
+ipc_fire() {
+    # Fire-and-forget: send command, don't wait for response
+    echo "$1" | socat -t 0.1 - "UNIX-CONNECT:${SOCK}" 2>/dev/null || true
+}
+
+# ── Commands ─────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+cmd_state() {
+    local resp
+    resp=$(ipc_send '{"action":"get_state","id":"q"}')
+    echo "$resp" | python3 -m json.tool 2>/dev/null || echo "$resp"
+}
+
+cmd_selection() {
+    local resp
+    resp=$(ipc_send '{"action":"get_selection","id":"q"}')
+    echo "$resp" | python3 -m json.tool 2>/dev/null || echo "$resp"
+}
+
+cmd_move_down()     { ipc_fire '{"action":"move_down"}'; }
+cmd_move_up()       { ipc_fire '{"action":"move_up"}'; }
+cmd_top()           { ipc_fire '{"action":"move_to_top"}'; }
+cmd_bottom()        { ipc_fire '{"action":"move_to_bottom"}'; }
+cmd_page_down()     { ipc_fire '{"action":"page_down"}'; }
+cmd_page_up()       { ipc_fire '{"action":"page_up"}'; }
+cmd_toggle()        { ipc_fire '{"action":"toggle_select"}'; }
+cmd_select_all()    { ipc_fire '{"action":"select_all"}'; }
+cmd_clear()         { ipc_fire '{"action":"clear_selections"}'; }
+cmd_confirm()       { ipc_fire '{"action":"confirm"}'; }
+cmd_cancel()        { ipc_fire '{"action":"cancel"}'; }
+
+cmd_filter() {
+    local text="${1:-}"
+    if [[ -z "$text" ]]; then
+        read -rp "filter text: " text
+    fi
+    ipc_fire "{\"action\":\"set_filter\",\"text\":\"${text}\"}"
+}
+
+cmd_add() {
+    local items="${1:-}"
+    if [[ -z "$items" ]]; then
+        echo "enter items to add (one per line, empty line to finish):"
+        local lines=()
+        while IFS= read -rp "> " line; do
+            [[ -z "$line" ]] && break
+            lines+=("\"${line}\"")
+        done
+        items=$(IFS=,; echo "${lines[*]}")
+    fi
+    ipc_fire "{\"action\":\"add_items\",\"items\":[${items}]}"
+}
+
+cmd_replace() {
+    echo "enter new items (one per line, empty line to finish):"
+    local lines=()
+    while IFS= read -rp "> " line; do
+        [[ -z "$line" ]] && break
+        lines+=("\"${line}\"")
+    done
+    local items
+    items=$(IFS=,; echo "${lines[*]}")
+    ipc_fire "{\"action\":\"replace_items\",\"items\":[${items}]}"
+}
+
+# ── Interactive loop ─────────────────────────────────────
+
+show_help() {
+    cat <<'HELP'
+
+  pikl IPC remote control
+  ───────────────────────
+  j / down    move cursor down         k / up     move cursor up
+  g           jump to top              G          jump to bottom
+  f <text>    set filter               F          clear filter
+  space       toggle select            a          select all
+  c           clear selections         s          get state
+  S           get selection
+  +           add items                r          replace all items
+  enter       confirm selection        q          cancel menu
+  ?           show this help           x          exit remote
+
+HELP
+}
+
+main() {
+    echo "connected to: $SOCK"
+    show_help
+
+    while true; do
+        read -rp "ipc> " -n1 key || break
+        echo ""
+
+        case "$key" in
+            j)      cmd_move_down ;;
+            k)      cmd_move_up ;;
+            g)      cmd_top ;;
+            G)      cmd_bottom ;;
+            f)      read -rp "filter: " text; cmd_filter "$text" ;;
+            F)      cmd_filter "" ;;
+            " ")    cmd_toggle ;;
+            a)      cmd_select_all ;;
+            c)      cmd_clear ;;
+            s)      cmd_state ;;
+            S)      cmd_selection ;;
+            +)      cmd_add ;;
+            r)      cmd_replace ;;
+            "")     cmd_confirm; echo "confirmed."; break ;;
+            q)      cmd_cancel; echo "cancelled."; break ;;
+            x)      echo "bye."; break ;;
+            "?")    show_help ;;
+            *)      echo "unknown key '$key'. press ? for help." ;;
+        esac
+    done
+}
+
+main