Re: [Tutor] Which GUI?

[Tiger12506]

I did that once for a very good fiction book I wanted to read. <$2. for 
transfer. It was worth it to me. Agreed. Definitely a good system.

JS

> On Thu, Aug 02, 2007 at 12:48:05PM -0400, scott wrote:
>>
>> We do have a inter-library exchange here as well, but I have never used
>> it and don't know much about it.  I'll take a trip to the library
>> sometime to ask.
>>
>
> For sure, even if you *don't* need the wxPython book, check into
> the inter-library or inter-branch transfer program.  And, also ask
> about Internet access.  Here in Sacramento, California, USA, when I
> need a book, my first action is to go to http://saclibrary.org/ and
> do a search.  If the book is not at my local (small) branch library
> but is in the Sacramento county library system, I click on request
> and tell them which branch to deliver it to.  I believe that they
> have a truck that is constantly traveling between branches to
> deliver the inter-branch transfers.  It's a super system.
>
> I visited the libraries in Vancouver, B.C. and Victoria, B.C.
> several years ago, and they were at least as advanced as ours here.
> Be sure to check that out.  Wherever you are in Canada, be sure to
> check into it.
>
> By the way, my librarian tells me that they do this because it both
> saves them money (by not having to have copies at all branches) and
> enables them to afford to offer more titles.
>
> (Sorry for off-topic post.  I'm a library "true believer".)
>
> Dave
>
>> -- 
>> Your friend,
>> Scott
>>
>> Sent to you from a Linux computer using Ubuntu Version 7.04 (Feisty Fawn)
>> ___
>> Tutor maillist  -  Tutor@python.org
>> http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/tutor
>
> -- 
> Dave Kuhlman
> http://www.rexx.com/~dkuhlman
> ___
> Tutor maillist  -  Tutor@python.org
> http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/tutor
> 

___
Tutor maillist  -  Tutor@python.org
http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/tutor

Re: [Tutor] Which GUI?

[Dave Kuhlman]

On Thu, Aug 02, 2007 at 12:48:05PM -0400, scott wrote:
> 
> We do have a inter-library exchange here as well, but I have never used 
> it and don't know much about it.  I'll take a trip to the library 
> sometime to ask.
> 

For sure, even if you *don't* need the wxPython book, check into
the inter-library or inter-branch transfer program.  And, also ask
about Internet access.  Here in Sacramento, California, USA, when I
need a book, my first action is to go to http://saclibrary.org/ and
do a search.  If the book is not at my local (small) branch library
but is in the Sacramento county library system, I click on request
and tell them which branch to deliver it to.  I believe that they
have a truck that is constantly traveling between branches to
deliver the inter-branch transfers.  It's a super system.

I visited the libraries in Vancouver, B.C. and Victoria, B.C.
several years ago, and they were at least as advanced as ours here. 
Be sure to check that out.  Wherever you are in Canada, be sure to
check into it.

By the way, my librarian tells me that they do this because it both
saves them money (by not having to have copies at all branches) and
enables them to afford to offer more titles.

(Sorry for off-topic post.  I'm a library "true believer".)

Dave

> -- 
> Your friend,
> Scott
> 
> Sent to you from a Linux computer using Ubuntu Version 7.04 (Feisty Fawn)
> ___
> Tutor maillist  -  Tutor@python.org
> http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/tutor

-- 
Dave Kuhlman
http://www.rexx.com/~dkuhlman
___
Tutor maillist  -  Tutor@python.org
http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/tutor

Re: [Tutor] Which GUI?

[Alan Gauld]

"eShopping" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote

>>Switching gears from linear to event driven programming is a pretty
>>significant paradigm shift.  Will this book help him get his head 
>>around
>>that?
>
> Chapter 3 of WPIA gives a nice introduction to event driven
> programming.  But event driven programming is implicit in
> all GUIs (isn't it?)

Not quite, there are non Event Driven GuUIs - in fact the Python
easyGUI is not Event Driven - but most are. Thats why I cover event 
driven
programming as a sepsaate precursor to GUII porogramming in my 
tutorial.

>> > I own a lot of computer books, and I've found Learning Python (an
>> > O'Reilly Book) and wxPython in Action to be my two most useful 
>> > ones.

I agree with most of the comments in this thread - I've been away for
a few days - however I still prefer Tkinter and find it both 
conceptually
easier and more concise in coding terms than wxPython. With the
addition of Tix to the standard library there is less to choose 
between
them in widget coverage, although wxPython definitely still has an 
edge.

As to Tkinter documentation, there is a llarge number of books on Tk
and it is fairly easy to translate from Tk speak to Tkinter. There are
fewer books on wxWidgets. However the new wxPython book covers
most of the ground pretty well.

-- 
Alan Gauld
Author of the Learn to Program web site
http://www.freenetpages.co.uk/hp/alan.gauld 


___
Tutor maillist  -  Tutor@python.org
http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/tutor

Re: [Tutor] Which GUI?

[scott]

Terry Carroll wrote:
> I'm an avid user of my local public library, and if you're not sure you
> want to shell out the bucks for it (and assuming you're in the US), I'd
> suggest you do what I did: try to borrow a copy through your library.  My
> library did not have it, but could get it for me on inter-library loan
> from another local library.  http://www.worldcat.org/ shows that there are
> 121 library copies in the U.S., so give it a shot.
I'm a Canadian and I don't Live in a City; I live in a town.  My local 
library is not bad for most subjects, but its programming section is 
fairly nasty.  Not many books and most of the few books they have are 
worthless.

We do have a inter-library exchange here as well, but I have never used 
it and don't know much about it.  I'll take a trip to the library 
sometime to ask.

-- 
Your friend,
Scott

Sent to you from a Linux computer using Ubuntu Version 7.04 (Feisty Fawn)
___
Tutor maillist  -  Tutor@python.org
http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/tutor

Re: [Tutor] Which GUI?

[eShopping]

>Richard Querin wrote:
> > On 8/2/07, scott <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> >
> >
> >> I was thinking about finding a copy of that book, so maybe starting
> >> WxPython would be easier then and not worry about Tkinter.  Is "WxPython
> >> in Action" a very good book?
> >>
> >>
> >
> > I'm no programmer by trade, but dabble in Python/wxPython for fun and
> > bought the book several months ago. I've found it to be very good.
> > There are a lot of good online tutorials as well, but I was never sure
> > if they were up to date with the later versions of the framework - so
> > the book was blessing to me. I found the book to be very useful and
> > clearly written. It's no reference manual (the online docs serve that
> > purpose) but I think it really helped me get a good foundation in how
> > to program with wxPython.
>
>Switching gears from linear to event driven programming is a pretty
>significant paradigm shift.  Will this book help him get his head around
>that?

Chapter 3 of WPIA gives a nice introduction to event driven 
programming.  But event driven
programming is implicit in all GUIs (isn't it?) so this he will have 
to do this regardless of which
GUI he uses.


> > IMO a good book is still more useful and
> > efficient than online articles or tutorials for a newbie (like me)
> > most of the time. It's nice to be able to thumb through and study some
> > concept without flipping back and forth to some web page.
> >
> > I own a lot of computer books, and I've found Learning Python (an
> > O'Reilly Book) and wxPython in Action to be my two most useful ones.
> >

I have both books and agree that they are both excellent.  After a 
couple of evenings
flicking through WPIA and playing the code, I had a not-too-simple 
WinApp up and running

Alun Griffiths 

___
Tutor maillist  -  Tutor@python.org
http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/tutor

Re: [Tutor] Which GUI?

[Terry Carroll]

On Thu, 2 Aug 2007, Eric Brunson wrote:

> Switching gears from linear to event driven programming is a pretty 
> significant paradigm shift.  Will this book help him get his head around 
> that?

Hard to say.  It does have a chapter, Chapter 3, devoted to that.

___
Tutor maillist  -  Tutor@python.org
http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/tutor

Re: [Tutor] Which GUI?

[Terry Carroll]

On Thu, 2 Aug 2007, scott wrote:

> I was thinking about finding a copy of that book, so maybe starting 
> WxPython would be easier then and not worry about Tkinter.  Is "WxPython 
> in Action" a very good book?

I can say that it's the best book on wxPython that I'm aware of.  Of 
course, it's the only book on wxPython that I'm aware of. 

Actually, I like it a lot.  It's usually clear, and gets you going 
step-by-step.  

Because this is the only available wxPython book, I probably want too 
much.  What I really would have liked is a reference-like chapter, at 
least listing out all the controls, maybe categorized by type, with a 
graphic showing what each looks like.  I would gladly have swapped Chapter 
4 (which talks about PyCrust, a cool-looking Python shell that comes with 
wxPython, but is not needed to use the GUI) for that.  

It's more important with wxPython than many other things, because much of
wxPython documentation is not wxPython documentation, per se, as it is
wxWidgets documentation, expressed in C++ rather than Python.

I'm an avid user of my local public library, and if you're not sure you
want to shell out the bucks for it (and assuming you're in the US), I'd
suggest you do what I did: try to borrow a copy through your library.  My
library did not have it, but could get it for me on inter-library loan
from another local library.  http://www.worldcat.org/ shows that there are
121 library copies in the U.S., so give it a shot.


___
Tutor maillist  -  Tutor@python.org
http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/tutor

Re: [Tutor] Which GUI?

[Eric Brunson]

Richard Querin wrote:
> On 8/2/07, Eric Brunson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
>   
>> Switching gears from linear to event driven programming is a pretty
>> significant paradigm shift.  Will this book help him get his head around
>> that?
>>
>> 
>
> That's one of the main reasons why I bought it actually. I couldn't
> grasp in any significant way how it worked. I could build a working
> wxpython program based on tutorials etc. but didn't really know
> why/how it worked. There are early sections in the book dealing with
> the basics of the event-driven paradigm as well as a section
> discussing the Model-View-Controller pattern too. It's not exhaustive
> on the subject by any means, but cleared up a lot of questions for me.
>
> It doesn't just throw you into building a detailed wxpython app
> without any background as to how it works - although it does get you
> going immediately with some small hello world type stuff to
> immediately build a little confidence. ;)
>   

Sounds like a good book, I wish I'd had something similar 15 years ago 
when I was learning to program on Mac OS.  Thanks for the review, I hope 
it helps the original poster.

e.

___
Tutor maillist  -  Tutor@python.org
http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/tutor

Re: [Tutor] Which GUI?

[Richard Querin]

On 8/2/07, Eric Brunson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

> Switching gears from linear to event driven programming is a pretty
> significant paradigm shift.  Will this book help him get his head around
> that?
>

That's one of the main reasons why I bought it actually. I couldn't
grasp in any significant way how it worked. I could build a working
wxpython program based on tutorials etc. but didn't really know
why/how it worked. There are early sections in the book dealing with
the basics of the event-driven paradigm as well as a section
discussing the Model-View-Controller pattern too. It's not exhaustive
on the subject by any means, but cleared up a lot of questions for me.

It doesn't just throw you into building a detailed wxpython app
without any background as to how it works - although it does get you
going immediately with some small hello world type stuff to
immediately build a little confidence. ;)

RQ
___
Tutor maillist  -  Tutor@python.org
http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/tutor

Re: [Tutor] Which GUI?

[Eric Brunson]

Richard Querin wrote:
> On 8/2/07, scott <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
>   
>> I was thinking about finding a copy of that book, so maybe starting
>> WxPython would be easier then and not worry about Tkinter.  Is "WxPython
>> in Action" a very good book?
>>
>> 
>
> I'm no programmer by trade, but dabble in Python/wxPython for fun and
> bought the book several months ago. I've found it to be very good.
> There are a lot of good online tutorials as well, but I was never sure
> if they were up to date with the later versions of the framework - so
> the book was blessing to me. I found the book to be very useful and
> clearly written. It's no reference manual (the online docs serve that
> purpose) but I think it really helped me get a good foundation in how
> to program with wxPython. 

Switching gears from linear to event driven programming is a pretty 
significant paradigm shift.  Will this book help him get his head around 
that?

> IMO a good book is still more useful and
> efficient than online articles or tutorials for a newbie (like me)
> most of the time. It's nice to be able to thumb through and study some
> concept without flipping back and forth to some web page.
>
> I own a lot of computer books, and I've found Learning Python (an
> O'Reilly Book) and wxPython in Action to be my two most useful ones.
>
>
> RQ
> ___
> Tutor maillist  -  Tutor@python.org
> http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/tutor
>   

___
Tutor maillist  -  Tutor@python.org
http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/tutor

Re: [Tutor] Which GUI?

[Jeff Johnson]

> -Original Message-
> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf
> Of scott
> Sent: Friday, July 27, 2007 2:29 PM
> To: tutor@python.org
> Subject: [Tutor] Which GUI?
> 
> Hi,
> 
>   now that I have a very basic understanding of Python I would like to
> take a look at programming in a GUI.  Which GUI is generally the easiest
> to learn?
> 
> --
> Your friend,
> Scott
> 

I am using Dabo.  -- http://dabodev.com and for a mailing list:
http://leafe.com/mailman/listinfo/dabo-users

It is basically a wxpython wrapper with a whole lot more.

Jeff

Jeff Johnson
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
623-582-0323
Fax 623-869-0675


smime.p7s
Description: S/MIME cryptographic signature
___
Tutor maillist  -  Tutor@python.org
http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/tutor

Re: [Tutor] Which GUI?

[Richard Querin]

On 8/2/07, scott <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

> I was thinking about finding a copy of that book, so maybe starting
> WxPython would be easier then and not worry about Tkinter.  Is "WxPython
> in Action" a very good book?
>

I'm no programmer by trade, but dabble in Python/wxPython for fun and
bought the book several months ago. I've found it to be very good.
There are a lot of good online tutorials as well, but I was never sure
if they were up to date with the later versions of the framework - so
the book was blessing to me. I found the book to be very useful and
clearly written. It's no reference manual (the online docs serve that
purpose) but I think it really helped me get a good foundation in how
to program with wxPython. IMO a good book is still more useful and
efficient than online articles or tutorials for a newbie (like me)
most of the time. It's nice to be able to thumb through and study some
concept without flipping back and forth to some web page.

I own a lot of computer books, and I've found Learning Python (an
O'Reilly Book) and wxPython in Action to be my two most useful ones.


RQ
___
Tutor maillist  -  Tutor@python.org
http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/tutor

Re: [Tutor] Which GUI?

[scott]

Terry Carroll wrote:
>> I think that is a good plan, Tkinter is pretty easy to learn but harder 
>> to use to create polished, high-function interfaces. wxPython comes with 
>> a lot more in the box.
> 
> I've heard "Tkinter is easier to learn" before, and I think I would once 
> have agreed.  But now that there's a good book on wxPython, I think 
> wxPython's pretty easy to learn, and is now even better documented than 
> Tkinter.
> 
> As I was learning wxPython, most of my learning gotchas were noting 
> differences from the Tkinter approach (including terminology).  I think if 
> I were approaching wxPython with no prior GUI knowledge, it would be 
> approximately as easy to learn as Tkinter.
> 
> All this is assuming access to a copy of "wxPython in Action"; without the 
> book, you're back to a dearth of tutorials, and yes, Tkinter would be 
> easier to learn.
I was thinking about finding a copy of that book, so maybe starting 
WxPython would be easier then and not worry about Tkinter.  Is "WxPython 
in Action" a very good book?

-- 
Your friend,
Scott

Sent to you from a Linux computer using Ubuntu Version 7.04 (Feisty Fawn)
___
Tutor maillist  -  Tutor@python.org
http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/tutor

Re: [Tutor] Which GUI?

[Terry Carroll]

On Wed, 1 Aug 2007, Kent Johnson wrote:

> I think that is a good plan, Tkinter is pretty easy to learn but harder 
> to use to create polished, high-function interfaces. wxPython comes with 
> a lot more in the box.

I've heard "Tkinter is easier to learn" before, and I think I would once 
have agreed.  But now that there's a good book on wxPython, I think 
wxPython's pretty easy to learn, and is now even better documented than 
Tkinter.

As I was learning wxPython, most of my learning gotchas were noting 
differences from the Tkinter approach (including terminology).  I think if 
I were approaching wxPython with no prior GUI knowledge, it would be 
approximately as easy to learn as Tkinter.

All this is assuming access to a copy of "wxPython in Action"; without the 
book, you're back to a dearth of tutorials, and yes, Tkinter would be 
easier to learn.


___
Tutor maillist  -  Tutor@python.org
http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/tutor

Re: [Tutor] Which GUI?

[scott]

Kent Johnson wrote:
> BTW you eliminated PyQt because you want an open source solution but Qt 
> 4 and PyQt 4 are available under GPL for all supported platforms.
I know that most likely everything I develop will be released under the 
GPL, but, I like the freedom to choose.  I don't like how Qt is only 
open source if you release under the GPL.  Unless Qt 4 will be released 
only under LGPL and/or GPL, no matter how you decide to release your 
product.

I actually moved from Kubuntu using KDE to Ubuntu using Gnome when I 
found out about the Qt licence.

-- 
Your friend,
Scott

Sent to you from a Linux computer using Ubuntu Version 7.04 (Feisty Fawn)
___
Tutor maillist  -  Tutor@python.org
http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/tutor

Re: [Tutor] Which GUI?

[Kent Johnson]

scott wrote:
I am thinking about
> starting with Tkinter then trying WxPython because WxPython seems to be 
> the most highly suggested and seems to have the best documentation and 
> selection of software/RADs.

I think that is a good plan, Tkinter is pretty easy to learn but harder 
to use to create polished, high-function interfaces. wxPython comes with 
a lot more in the box.

BTW you eliminated PyQt because you want an open source solution but Qt 
4 and PyQt 4 are available under GPL for all supported platforms.

Kent
___
Tutor maillist  -  Tutor@python.org
http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/tutor

Re: [Tutor] Which GUI?

[scott]

Terry Carroll wrote:
> I think it's rigged.  I answered it honestly, and it suggested wxPython, 
> which is no surprise; I came to the same conclusion myself based on my 
> needs and preferences.
I thought the same, it always came up with WxPython for me.  This is 
what I meant by it being difficult to decide :)  I am thinking about 
starting with Tkinter then trying WxPython because WxPython seems to be 
the most highly suggested and seems to have the best documentation and 
selection of software/RADs.

-- 
Your friend,
Scott

Sent to you from a Linux computer using Ubuntu Version 7.04 (Feisty Fawn)
___
Tutor maillist  -  Tutor@python.org
http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/tutor

Re: [Tutor] Which GUI?

[Alan Gauld]

"scott" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote

> 1: I know many people suggest learning more than one programming
> language when writing programs and use each programming language 
> like a
> tool on a toolbox.  Should one also learn more than one GUI and 
> select
> the correct one for each individual program?

I would say not. There is little advantage of one over the other.
Unfortunately you will often be required to learn new GUIs because the
choice for any given project may already have been made, either
because the project is already underway, or its the 'house style'
or because some key component only works with a given GUI.

> 2: How have you come to select your favourite GUI(s)?

History and experience. The ones that are most 'intuitive' to use
and use least lines of code or have good GUI builders - something
lacking in most open-source GUIs at present...

> 3: Is there a GUI that is better for developing for Linux?
>
> 4: I have read that WxPython is difficult to install on Linux from a
> couple different sources.

I've never found any problem, but I've only done it twice...

>  Is this true?  Is WxPython a poor choice for a Linux developer?

I don't think so, Linux seems to be the main development OS
from what little I've seen.

Alan G. 


___
Tutor maillist  -  Tutor@python.org
http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/tutor

Re: [Tutor] Which GUI?

[Luke Paireepinart]

Terry Carroll wrote:
> On Wed, 1 Aug 2007, Ian Witham wrote:
>
>   
>> I'm no expert (yet) but I have come across this fun online tool which helps
>> you choose a GUI toolkit for Python:
>>
>> Choose Your GUI Toolkit 
>> 
>
> I think it's rigged.  I answered it honestly, and it suggested wxPython, 
> which is no surprise; I came to the same conclusion myself based on my 
> needs and preferences.  
>
> But no matter how I adjusted the parameters, it always suggested wxPython.
>
> I just input a 1 on every factor, except "Popularity, installed base", 
> where I put in 100.  Surely that should suggest Tkinter, which comes 
> pre-installed with Python,right?
>
> Nope.  "wxPython is the GUI for you!"
>   
A quick view of the source code of the page finds the relative weights 
in the javascript:

var scorePyGUI = (easelearning * 50) + (maturity * 10) + (pop * 30) + (paint * 
10) + (windows * 10) + (linux * 100) + (mac * 100) + (pda * 10);

var scoreTkinter = (easelearning * 30) + (maturity * 100) + (pop * 100) + 
(paint * 50) + (windows * 50) + (linux * 80) + (mac * 70) + (pda * 0);

var scoreEasygui = (easelearning * 100) + (maturity * 10) + (pop * 10) + (paint 
* 10) + (windows * 50) + (linux * 70) + (mac * 70) + (pda * 0);

var scorewxPython = (easelearning * 33) + (maturity * 100) + (pop * 120) + 
(paint * 100) + (windows * 100) + (linux * 100) + (mac * 90) + (pda * 10);

var scorePythonCard = (easelearning * 90) + (maturity * 30) + (pop * 40) + 
(paint * 10) + (windows * 100) + (linux * 50) + (mac * 50) + (pda * 0);

var scorepyQt = (easelearning * 20) + (maturity * 100) + (pop * 60) + (paint * 
50) + (windows * 70) + (linux * 100) + (mac * 20) + (pda * 70);

var scorepyGtk = (easelearning * 20) + (maturity * 100) + (pop * 60) + (paint * 
90) + (windows * 40) + (linux * 80) + (mac * 25) + (pda * 0);

var scoreJython = (easelearning * 25) + (maturity * 75) + (pop * 50) + (paint * 
10) + (windows * 80) + (linux * 80) + (mac * 80) + (pda * 100);

var scoreAnygui = (easelearning * 40) + (maturity * 20) + (pop * 10) + (paint * 
10) + (windows * 90) + (linux * 90) + (mac * 50) + (pda * 10);

var scorefxPy = (easelearning * 20) + (maturity * 50 ) + (pop * 20) + (paint * 
0) + (windows * 75) + (linux * 90) + (mac * 20) + (pda * 0);

var scorepyFLTK = (easelearning * 50) + (maturity * 35) + (pop * 10) + (paint * 
0) + (windows * 75) + (linux * 90) + (mac * 20) + (pda * 0);


Seems like wxPython's scores are a little biased, maybe.
Especially that 120 for popularity, when no other GUI toolkit got more 
than 100 for any other category.
Interpret this as you will :)
> ___
> Tutor maillist  -  Tutor@python.org
> http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/tutor
>
>   

___
Tutor maillist  -  Tutor@python.org
http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/tutor

Re: [Tutor] Which GUI?

[Terry Carroll]

On Wed, 1 Aug 2007, Ian Witham wrote:

> I'm no expert (yet) but I have come across this fun online tool which helps
> you choose a GUI toolkit for Python:
> 
> Choose Your GUI Toolkit 

I think it's rigged.  I answered it honestly, and it suggested wxPython, 
which is no surprise; I came to the same conclusion myself based on my 
needs and preferences.  

But no matter how I adjusted the parameters, it always suggested wxPython.

I just input a 1 on every factor, except "Popularity, installed base", 
where I put in 100.  Surely that should suggest Tkinter, which comes 
pre-installed with Python,right?

Nope.  "wxPython is the GUI for you!"

___
Tutor maillist  -  Tutor@python.org
http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/tutor

Re: [Tutor] Which GUI?

[Ian Witham]

Hi Scott,

I'm no expert (yet) but I have come across this fun online tool which helps
you choose a GUI toolkit for Python:

Choose Your GUI Toolkit 

I had no problem installing WxPython from the Ubuntu repos, and I have heard
that is is one of the top choices for cross-platform GUI development.
If you are only interested in developing for Linux then there is PyGTK. I
haven't used this though so I couldn't comment on its ease of use.

Ian

On 8/1/07, scott <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
> Hi,
>
> I have been doing some research on the GUI's and noticed it is a
> very
> difficult choice to make which one to write with.  It seems to be even
> more difficult than choosing which programming language to use.
>
> If you don't mind I have a few questions to ask about selecting
> the
> right GUI to program with.
>
> 1: I know many people suggest learning more than one programming
> language when writing programs and use each programming language like a
> tool on a toolbox.  Should one also learn more than one GUI and select
> the correct one for each individual program?
>
> 2: How have you come to select your favourite GUI(s)?
>
> 3: Is there a GUI that is better for developing for Linux?
>
> 4: I have read that WxPython is difficult to install on Linux from a
> couple different sources.  I have personally never found that a problem.
>   Is this true?  Is WxPython a poor choice for a Linux developer?
>
> Thank you for any help you can give me :)
>
> --
> Your friend,
> Scott
>
> Sent to you from a Linux computer using Ubuntu Version 7.04 (Feisty Fawn)
> ___
> Tutor maillist  -  Tutor@python.org
> http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/tutor
>
___
Tutor maillist  -  Tutor@python.org
http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/tutor

Re: [Tutor] Which GUI?

[scott]

Hi,

I have been doing some research on the GUI's and noticed it is a very 
difficult choice to make which one to write with.  It seems to be even 
more difficult than choosing which programming language to use.

If you don't mind I have a few questions to ask about selecting the 
right GUI to program with.

1: I know many people suggest learning more than one programming 
language when writing programs and use each programming language like a 
tool on a toolbox.  Should one also learn more than one GUI and select 
the correct one for each individual program?

2: How have you come to select your favourite GUI(s)?

3: Is there a GUI that is better for developing for Linux?

4: I have read that WxPython is difficult to install on Linux from a 
couple different sources.  I have personally never found that a problem. 
  Is this true?  Is WxPython a poor choice for a Linux developer?

Thank you for any help you can give me :)

-- 
Your friend,
Scott

Sent to you from a Linux computer using Ubuntu Version 7.04 (Feisty Fawn)
___
Tutor maillist  -  Tutor@python.org
http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/tutor

Re: [Tutor] Which GUI?

[johnf]

On Friday 27 July 2007 14:29, scott wrote:
> Hi,
>
>   now that I have a very basic understanding of Python I would like to
> take a look at programming in a GUI.  Which GUI is generally the easiest
> to learn?

You might want to check out Dabo (www.dabodev.com) which uses wxPython but 
provides a much easier user interface (includes data binding if needed).
-- 
John Fabiani
___
Tutor maillist  -  Tutor@python.org
http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/tutor

Re: [Tutor] Which GUI?

[Alan Gauld]

"Tiger12506" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote

>> As between Tkinter and wxPython, I started on Tkinter, but have 
>> been won
>> over to wxPython, although I've only played with it so far.

I'm in transition. The problem I find with wxPython is the two-stage 
create
widget/bind widget style and I find the layout management slightly 
more
cumbersome. But OTOH if i was starting from scratch instead of having
10 years of Tkinter (and Delphi) background I might think differently!

>> with wxPython is that it's poorly documented, but there's a book 
>> out on it
>> now that you should beg, borrow or steal if you plan on using it.

Agreed. Until the book came out I only played with wxPython briefly.

> Tkinter is easier to program from the start, but I quickly discarded 
> it for
> wxPython.

I think Tkinter is easier to throw a quick GUI on top of an existing 
script
- and to be fair thats all Tk was originally designed to do for Tcl...

wxPython has a richer widget set - although the (poorly documented) 
Tix
module closes the gap considerably.

> The windows looked foreign, and childish, because as a newbie at
> the time I didn't want to take the time making things pretty

I've never found the look a problem, but I've seen enough complaints 
to
know it matters a lot to some folk.

Finally wxPython does come with some tools that are genuinely useful
in their own right - ALa Mode is much better than IDLE IMHO!
And PyCrust is now my standard interpreter shell.

If you do want a very quick feel for Tkinter and a comparison with
wxPython take a look at my GUI topic in my tutorial. Its about as
brief as it can get...

HTH,


-- 
Alan Gauld
Author of the Learn to Program web site
http://www.freenetpages.co.uk/hp/alan.gauld 


___
Tutor maillist  -  Tutor@python.org
http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/tutor

Re: [Tutor] Which GUI?

[Tiger12506]

> As between Tkinter and wxPython, I started on Tkinter, but have been won
> over to wxPython, although I've only played with it so far.  The problem
> with wxPython is that it's poorly documented, but there's a book out on it
> now that you should beg, borrow or steal if you plan on using it.

Tkinter is easier to program from the start, but I quickly discarded it for 
wxPython. Reasons: The windows looked foreign, and childish, because as a 
newbie at the time I didn't want to take the time making things pretty (padx 
= ...)
wxPython uses 'native looking windows' meaning that windows you create with 
wxPython will look like other windows on your machine. (In XP, for example, 
round edges, blue, thick, 3d looking)

wxPython seems very powerful and thorough. It is also more modern.
I would suggest starting with Tkinter to get a feel for what it takes to 
create a GUI and drive it, then when you become comfortable, switch to 
something more professional looking/powerful.

> The big advantage of Tkinter is that it's already distributed with Python,
> so you already have it installed.

Yep. Definite advantage.

> I've heard good things about PythonCard (which is built on top of
> wxPython) but never tried it.  http://pythoncard.sourceforge.net/

Can be error-prone (the resource editor sometimes freezes) and confusing 
(Uses a technique including importing the same module within itself?!?), but 
if you follow the example programs, you can get running code easily. 
Advantage is graphical control placement, as in a resource editor. The 
disadvantage of that is that an extra file is created to contain the 
resource information. As for being newbie friendly~~ Not as straight-forward 
as Tkinter to code, but easier to visualize because of the graphical control 
placement not available with Tkinter. Perhaps the errors have been fixed 
since I tested it out last.

Cheers,
JS 

___
Tutor maillist  -  Tutor@python.org
http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/tutor

Re: [Tutor] Which GUI?

[Terry Carroll]

On Fri, 27 Jul 2007, scott wrote:

>   now that I have a very basic understanding of Python I would like to 
> take a look at programming in a GUI.  Which GUI is generally the easiest 
> to learn?

As between Tkinter and wxPython, I started on Tkinter, but have been won 
over to wxPython, although I've only played with it so far.  The problem 
with wxPython is that it's poorly documented, but there's a book out on it 
now that you should beg, borrow or steal if you plan on using it.

Lessee: "wxPython in Action," see http://www.wxpython.org/

There's a lot of tutorials on Tkinter, but none worked very well for me, 
probably because it's such a shift in approach to think in a GUI-like way.  
The big advantage of Tkinter is that it's already distributed with Python, 
so you already have it installed.

I've heard good things about PythonCard (which is built on top of 
wxPython) but never tried it.  http://pythoncard.sourceforge.net/

___
Tutor maillist  -  Tutor@python.org
http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/tutor

Re: [Tutor] Which GUI?

[Eric Brunson]

scott wrote:
> Hi,
>
>   now that I have a very basic understanding of Python I would like to 
> take a look at programming in a GUI.  Which GUI is generally the easiest 
> to learn?
>
>   

Easiest depends on your background.  I was a Mac developer back in the 
day, so WXPython was easy for me.  If you're a KDE programmer, then PyQT 
is probably your cup of tee.  Similarly, GTK programmers will probably 
like PyGTK.  I cannot make any statements about Tkinter, since I eschew 
everything TCL related.

___
Tutor maillist  -  Tutor@python.org
http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/tutor