[Tutor] Tkinter Q's

[Michael Lange]

On Mon, 11 Jul 2005 17:22:57 +0000
Joseph Quigley <cpu.crazy at gmail.com> wrote:

Hi, Joseph,


> Hi first off, here's my code:
> 
> # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
> from Tkinter import *
> import random
> import time
> import about
> import quotes
> 
> 
> def closeprog():
>     raise SystemExit
> 
> class main:
>     root = Tk()
>     frame = Frame()
>     root.title("Quoter %s" % (about.ver))
>     root.minsize(300, 50)
> 
>     showquote = Label(root, text=random.choice(quotes.quote))
>     showquote.pack()
> 
>     exit = Button(root, text="Exit", command=closeprog)
>     exit.pack(side=LEFT)
> 
>     aboutprg = Button(root, text="About", command=about.main)
>     aboutprg.pack(side=LEFT)
> 
> 
>     totalq = Label(root, text=quotes.qts)
>     totalq.pack(side=BOTTOM)
>    
>     root.mainloop()
> 
> (I'd appreciate some suggestions, or notifications on how bad something is)
> 

I think you should change the way you define the main class, so you keep references to the class attributes;
it looks like your main class fires up a Tk() window, so it's probably best to subclass Tk() :

class Main(Tk):# this doesn't really matter, but upper case letters are generally preferrred for class names

    def __init__(self, *args, **kw):
        Tk.__init__(self, *args, **kw)
        # at this point the Main() class practically is a Tk(), so it can be handled just like a regular
        # Tk() window from the outside; the "*args, **kw" construct allows to pass an arbitrary amount of
        # arguments and keyword arguments to the parent class. "self" is a placeholder for the class instance
        # that will be actually used in the code.
        # To get a benefit over a normal Tk() window you can now start adding attributes:
        self.showquote = Label(self, text=random.choice(quotes.quote))
        self.showquote.pack()
        < etc. >
        # of course you can use the parent classes methods on "self", too:
        self.title("Quoter %s" % (about.ver))
        self.minsize(300, 50)
        # now you can add a button which uses a "class-specific" command:
        self.switchbutton = Button, text="Switch quote", command=self.switch_quote)
        self.switchbutton.pack()
        # finally the class method has to be defined:

    def switch_quote(self):
        newquote = get_the_new_quote()# it's up to you how to do this of course
        self.showquote.configure(text=newquote)

Now the Main() class can be used like a regular Tk() :

root = Main()
root.mainloop()

And for something completely different:
be careful mixing pack(side = LEFT / RIGHT) with pack(side = BOTTOM / TOP),
you might not get the results you expected. For complex layouts you are probably better off
using grid() ( or you will find that you have to use extra Frames to pack() your widgets in.

I hope this helps

Michael

> I have a small problem: I don't know how to make a button that would 
> redisplay another quote in the same window, ie I need a button that 
> says: Show Another Quote. (Actually I don't know how to make it show 
> another quote even in a new window!!). I got the interface from Catfood 
> Fortune Cookie.
> 




> Here's a tid-bit of the quotes module:
>  # Brian Kernighan
> bk1 = """Controlling complexity is the essence of computer programming.
> 
> -- Brian Kernighan"""
> 
> yadayada = """Foo/bar"""
> 
> quote = [bk1, yadayada]
> 
> Thanks,
>     Joe
> 
> -- 
> Unix Love, Linux Pride
> 
>