[Pythonmac-SIG] wxPython, tkinter & other GUIs

[Chris Barker]

Chris wrote:

> Since you mention GTK, why not use GTK as a gui? GTK exists for Windows and
> Linux. There is an alpha version ported to the Mac on Sourceforge. The demo on
> Sourceforge is pretty slick. There is even a GTK gui builder as part of the
> LinuxPPC distibution.

There has been recent discussion of pyGTK vs. wxPython for Windows-Linux
development. As far as I can tell, the reasons to use wxPython are:

1) GTK is still not quite complete and pretty buggy on Windows

2) GTK does not use the native controls on Windows, and so you don'
t get an app that is as native looking.

3) wxPython provides a more object oriented, complete framework that
PyGTK. (Note that not everyone prefers the more object oriented approach
of wx, it's a matter of taste)

As for GTK-mac, it is in even worse shape than GTK-Windows, and is
certainly going to much harder to get a native look and feel that wxMAC.
It is also less far along in development than wxMAC. As far as I have
gleened from the mailing lists, C++ wxMac is pretty darn functional (I
don't think sizers work, however, which is very sad). I'm not a C++
programmer, so I havn't tried it. 

Given all that, There is no reason I can see that trying to make a
MacPyGTK would be any easier or have a better result that trying to make
a wxMacPython. Either one would require a substantial effort by an
experienced Mac programmer(s), however, and no one has stepped up to do
it yet. I am convinced that the easiest way to get a good environment
for X-platform GUI programming with Python on the Mac is to port
wxPython. That would be "easiest" not "easy".

> Regarding wx, there was talk over a year ago that wxPython was being ported to
> the Mac. So far it has not happened, or at least there is no usable binary yet.
> If you are waiting for wx, you might be waiting a long time.

Yes, I might, but I don't see any other options besides waiting, or
learning C++ and doing it myself. Except, of course, advocating, which I
have been doing to the point of annoying probably everyone on this list.
Sorry about that, thanks for not flaming me over it.

-Chris

-- 
Christopher Barker,
Ph.D.                                                           
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