Wgy isn't there a good RAD Gui tool fo python

rantingrick rantingrick at gmail.com
Mon Jul 11 14:52:14 EDT 2011


On Jul 11, 1:03 pm, Chris Angelico <ros... at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> The one time where point and click is majorly superior to scripted
> design is with pixel positioning of widgets. You can drag things
> around until you're artistically happy with them, rather than have to
> fiddle with the numbers in code.

This is true mostly for the new user of a GUI library or anyone
unlucky enough to use a poorly designed API(which leads into my next
response)

> That's how I learned to code GUIs,
> but when I started doing cross-platform work and discovered rule-based
> layouts (where you put objects in boxes and lay out the boxes in
> order, etc), suddenly life got a LOT easier.

A bit tangential however still relevant... i had always considered
Tkinter's three geometry managers (pack, place, and grid) to be
perfect. However lately i have been musing on the idea of rewriting
the pack API into something more intuitive like a "linear-box-style"
which then manifests itself in two forms; horizontal and vertical.

Of course you can create horizontal and vertical layouts ALREADY by
passing the side=LEFT or side=RIGHT to the pack geometry manager of
Tkinter widgets (TOP being the default BTW) but that fact isn't always
apparent to the new user as the full set of options are side={TOP|
BOTTOM|LEFT|RIGHT}.

And besides, the current API allows you to pack in all sorts of
ridiculous manners; BOTTOM, then TOP, then LEFT, then TOP, then RIGHT,
then TOP, then LEFT, then RIGHT, THEN GHEE WHIZ! Are you trying to win
the obfuscation award of the year here lad?

As we all know you only need three types of geometry management:
 * Linear (horizontal&vertical)
 * Grid
 * Absolute

Anything else is just multiplicity run a muck, again! And by
propagating such API's we also induce ignorance into our ranks. Before
we EVER consider a Python4000 we really need to clean up this
atrocious stdlib! It's like i tell people: when you keep screwing your
customers over then very soon you'll be out of buisness. Sure you can
make a decent living for a short time but the whole house of cards
comes crumbling down without the core base of repeat customers.

</food for thought>

PS: I noticed that Python.org has a suggestion box now for which
modules we should be concentrating our community efforts. Well like
they say... "imitation is the greatest form of flattery". And i am
quite flattered.




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