Fixed issue where CommandSet registration did not respect disabled categories

Author: kmvanbrunt

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+## 3.1.3 (TBD)
+
+- Bug Fixes
+    - Fixed issue where `CommandSet` registration did not respect disabled categories
+
 ## 3.1.2 (January 26, 2026)
 
 - Bug Fixes

cmd2/cmd2.py

@@ -593,11 +593,14 @@ def __init__(
         # being printed by a command.
         self.terminal_lock = threading.RLock()
 
-        # Commands that have been disabled from use. This is to support commands that are only available
-        # during specific states of the application. This dictionary's keys are the command names and its
-        # values are DisabledCommand objects.
+        # Commands disabled during specific application states
+        # Key: Command name | Value: DisabledCommand object
         self.disabled_commands: dict[str, DisabledCommand] = {}
 
+        # Categories of commands to be disabled
+        # Key: Category name | Value: Message to display
+        self.disabled_categories: dict[str, str] = {}
+
         # The default key for sorting string results. Its default value performs a case-insensitive alphabetical sort.
         # If natural sorting is preferred, then set this to NATURAL_SORT_KEY.
         # cmd2 uses this key for sorting:
@@ -788,6 +791,12 @@ def register_command_set(self, cmdset: CommandSet) -> None:
                 if default_category and not hasattr(command_method, constants.CMD_ATTR_HELP_CATEGORY):
                     utils.categorize(command_method, default_category)
 
+                # If this command is in a disabled category, then disable it
+                command_category = getattr(command_method, constants.CMD_ATTR_HELP_CATEGORY, None)
+                if command_category in self.disabled_categories:
+                    message_to_print = self.disabled_categories[command_category]
+                    self.disable_command(command, message_to_print)
+
             self._installed_command_sets.add(cmdset)
 
             self._register_subcommands(cmdset)
@@ -5805,7 +5814,7 @@ def enable_command(self, command: str) -> None:
 
         :param command: the command being enabled
         """
-        # If the commands is already enabled, then return
+        # If the command is already enabled, then return
         if command not in self.disabled_commands:
             return
 
@@ -5837,11 +5846,17 @@ def enable_category(self, category: str) -> None:
 
         :param category: the category to enable
         """
+        # If the category is already enabled, then return
+        if category not in self.disabled_categories:
+            return
+
         for cmd_name in list(self.disabled_commands):
             func = self.disabled_commands[cmd_name].command_function
             if getattr(func, constants.CMD_ATTR_HELP_CATEGORY, None) == category:
                 self.enable_command(cmd_name)
 
+        del self.disabled_categories[category]
+
     def disable_command(self, command: str, message_to_print: str) -> None:
         """Disable a command and overwrite its functions.
 
@@ -5852,7 +5867,7 @@ def disable_command(self, command: str, message_to_print: str) -> None:
                                  command being disabled.
                                  ex: message_to_print = f"{cmd2.COMMAND_NAME} is currently disabled"
         """
-        # If the commands is already disabled, then return
+        # If the command is already disabled, then return
         if command in self.disabled_commands:
             return
 
@@ -5891,13 +5906,19 @@ def disable_category(self, category: str, message_to_print: str) -> None:
                                  of the command being disabled.
                                  ex: message_to_print = f"{cmd2.COMMAND_NAME} is currently disabled"
         """
+        # If the category is already disabled, then return
+        if category in self.disabled_categories:
+            return
+
         all_commands = self.get_all_commands()
 
         for cmd_name in all_commands:
             func = self.cmd_func(cmd_name)
             if getattr(func, constants.CMD_ATTR_HELP_CATEGORY, None) == category:
                 self.disable_command(cmd_name, message_to_print)
 
+        self.disabled_categories[category] = message_to_print
+
     def _report_disabled_command_usage(self, *_args: Any, message_to_print: str, **_kwargs: Any) -> None:
         """Report when a disabled command has been run or had help called on it.
 

tests/test_cmd2.py

@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
     COMMAND_NAME,
     Cmd2Style,
     Color,
+    CommandSet,
     RichPrintKwargs,
     clipboard,
     constants,
@@ -3106,6 +3107,16 @@ def do_has_no_helper_funcs(self, arg) -> None:
         self.poutput("The real has_no_helper_funcs")
 
 
+class DisableCommandSet(CommandSet):
+    """Test registering a command which is in a disabled category"""
+
+    category_name = "CommandSet Test Category"
+
+    @cmd2.with_category(category_name)
+    def do_new_command(self, arg) -> None:
+        self._cmd.poutput("CommandSet function is enabled")
+
+
 @pytest.fixture
 def disable_commands_app():
     return DisableCommandsApp()
@@ -3251,6 +3262,25 @@ def test_disabled_message_command_name(disable_commands_app) -> None:
     assert err[0].startswith('has_helper_funcs is currently disabled')
 
 
+def test_register_command_in_enabled_category(disable_commands_app) -> None:
+    disable_commands_app.enable_category(DisableCommandSet.category_name)
+    cs = DisableCommandSet()
+    disable_commands_app.register_command_set(cs)
+
+    out, _err = run_cmd(disable_commands_app, 'new_command')
+    assert out[0] == "CommandSet function is enabled"
+
+
+def test_register_command_in_disabled_category(disable_commands_app) -> None:
+    message_to_print = "CommandSet function is disabled"
+    disable_commands_app.disable_category(DisableCommandSet.category_name, message_to_print)
+    cs = DisableCommandSet()
+    disable_commands_app.register_command_set(cs)
+
+    _out, err = run_cmd(disable_commands_app, 'new_command')
+    assert err[0] == message_to_print
+
+
 @pytest.mark.parametrize('silence_startup_script', [True, False])
 def test_startup_script(request, capsys, silence_startup_script) -> None:
     test_dir = os.path.dirname(request.module.__file__)