ranger fails to render images on ghostty v1.3.x

[nilsherzig]

Issue Description

When trying to render images while using https://github.com/ranger/ranger ghostty 1.3.x fails to render them (works fine with 1.2.3).
Ghostty is able to render images using kitty icat filename.
Using the same ranger version with kitty 0.47.1 works.

Here is a related thread in the ranger issues:
ranger/ranger#3203 (comment)

I think i found the relevant code change (i know nothing about zig tho):

Inside src/terminal/kitty/graphics_image.zig:

reader.appendRemaining(alloc, &managed, .limited(size)) catch {
      log.warn("failed to read temporary file: {?}", .{buf_reader.err});
      return error.InvalidData;
  };

I think ghostty throws error.StreamTooLong due to reaching the byte limit from appendRemaining. I think ranger is handling this in the right way. Which is why i am reporting it here. Please let me know if i can test anything else.

Expected Behavior

Ghostty should show an image on the right side of the screen inside ranger

Actual Behavior

Ranger does not show an image (or crashes if started with --debug)

Reproduction Steps

1. open ghostty 1.3.x
2. configure ranger to render images using kitty (see extra configs field)
3. run "ranger --debug"
4. navigate to an image file
5. see ranger crash

Ghostty Logs

warning(kitty_gfx): failed to read temporary file: null
 warning(kitty_gfx): erroneous kitty graphics response: EINVAL: invalid data

=========================
===== ranger crash logs: 
=========================

ranger version: ranger-master
Python version: 3.13.13 (main, Apr  7 2026, 18:19:01) [GCC 15.2.0]
Locale: en_US.UTF-8
Current file: '/home/nils/Downloads/02-artemis-ii-lunar-flyby-wallpaper-earthset-image.jpg'

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/nix/store/gwhsd58ak53rx8ggvxwwnds7m63vd3ar-ranger-1.9.4-unstable-2026-04-26/lib/python3.13/site-packages/ranger/core/main.py", line 215, in main
    fm.loop()
    ~~~~~~~^^
  File "/nix/store/gwhsd58ak53rx8ggvxwwnds7m63vd3ar-ranger-1.9.4-unstable-2026-04-26/lib/python3.13/site-packages/ranger/core/fm.py", line 518, in loop
    ui.draw_images()
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^
  File "/nix/store/gwhsd58ak53rx8ggvxwwnds7m63vd3ar-ranger-1.9.4-unstable-2026-04-26/lib/python3.13/site-packages/ranger/gui/ui.py", line 414, in draw_images
    self.browser.columns[-1].draw_image()
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^
  File "/nix/store/gwhsd58ak53rx8ggvxwwnds7m63vd3ar-ranger-1.9.4-unstable-2026-04-26/lib/python3.13/site-packages/ranger/gui/widgets/pager.py", line 122, in draw_image
    self.fm.notify(ex, bad=True)
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/nix/store/gwhsd58ak53rx8ggvxwwnds7m63vd3ar-ranger-1.9.4-unstable-2026-04-26/lib/python3.13/site-packages/ranger/core/actions.py", line 172, in notify
    raise obj
  File "/nix/store/gwhsd58ak53rx8ggvxwwnds7m63vd3ar-ranger-1.9.4-unstable-2026-04-26/lib/python3.13/site-packages/ranger/gui/widgets/pager.py", line 118, in draw_image
    self.fm.image_displayer.draw(self.image, self.x, self.y,
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
                                 self.wid, self.hei)
                                 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/nix/store/gwhsd58ak53rx8ggvxwwnds7m63vd3ar-ranger-1.9.4-unstable-2026-04-26/lib/python3.13/site-packages/ranger/ext/img_display.py", line 807, in draw
    self._late_init()
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^
  File "/nix/store/gwhsd58ak53rx8ggvxwwnds7m63vd3ar-ranger-1.9.4-unstable-2026-04-26/lib/python3.13/site-packages/ranger/ext/img_display.py", line 774, in _late_init
    raise ImgDisplayUnsupportedException(
        'unexpected response from terminal emulator: {r}'.format(r=resp))
ranger.ext.img_display.ImgDisplayUnsupportedException: unexpected response from terminal emulator: b'\x1b_Gi=1;EINVAL: invalid data\x1b'

ranger crashed. Please report this traceback at:
https://github.com/ranger/ranger/issues

Ghostty Version

Ghostty 1.3.1

Version
  - version: 1.3.1
  - channel: stable
Build Config
  - Zig version   : 0.15.2
  - build mode    : .ReleaseFast
  - app runtime   : .gtk
  - font engine   : .fontconfig_freetype
  - renderer      : renderer.generic.Renderer(renderer.OpenGL)
  - libxev        : io_uring
  - kernel version: 6.18.33
  - desktop env   : other
  - GTK version   :
    build         : 4.22.4
    runtime       : 4.22.4
  - libadwaita    : enabled
    build         : 1.9.0
    runtime       : 1.9.0
  - libX11        : enabled
  - libwayland    : enabled

OS Version Information

Linux desktop 6.18.33 #1-NixOS SMP PREEMPT_DYNAMIC Sat May 23 11:07:21 UTC 2026 x86_64 GNU/Linux

(Linux only) Display Server

Wayland

(Linux only) Desktop Environment/Window Manager

Hyprland

Minimal Ghostty Configuration

# empty / default config

Additional Relevant Configuration

Ranger configured to

set preview_images true
set preview_images_method kitty

I acknowledge that:

• I have reviewed the FAQ and confirm that my issue is NOT among them.
• I have searched the Ghostty repository (both open and closed Discussions and Issues) and confirm this is not a duplicate of an existing issue or discussion.
• I have checked the "Preview" tab on all text fields to ensure that everything looks right, and have wrapped all configuration and code in code blocks with a group of three backticks (```) on separate lines.

[nilsherzig]

Yea its due to that StreamTooLong error. Which i think is expected if size matches, right?

Just build with:

diff --git a/src/terminal/kitty/graphics_image.zig b/src/terminal/kitty/graphics_image.zig
index 8243a6323..d75f6136e 100644
--- a/src/terminal/kitty/graphics_image.zig
+++ b/src/terminal/kitty/graphics_image.zig
@@ -315,9 +315,11 @@ pub const LoadingImage = struct {
         var managed: std.ArrayList(u8) = .empty;
         errdefer managed.deinit(alloc);
         const size: usize = if (t.size > 0) @min(t.size, max_size) else max_size;
-        reader.appendRemaining(alloc, &managed, .limited(size)) catch {
-            log.warn("failed to read temporary file: {?}", .{buf_reader.err});
-            return error.InvalidData;
+        reader.appendRemaining(alloc, &managed, .limited(size)) catch |err| {
+            if (err != error.StreamTooLong) {
+                log.warn("failed to read temporary file: {?}", .{buf_reader.err});
+                return error.InvalidData;
+            }
         };

and image rendering is working

this is obv not a viable solution, just confirming my streamtoolong assumption