Is there any good wxPython documentation?

[Daniel Ehrenberg]

I'm trying to learn wxPython, but I can't seem to find much
documentation. The wxPython website says that all advanced (and even
some basic) documentation for wxPython is only available in C++ syntax
in the main wxWindows documentation. It also says that the samples
will help, but I can't seem to make sense of them. Should I just use a
not-as-good GUI like Tkinter or a not-as-common one like Anygui or
PyUI if I want to have documentation?
LittleDan

[Steve Williams]

Re: Is there any good wxPython documentation?

Daniel Ehrenberg wrote:[color=blue]
> I'm trying to learn wxPython, but I can't seem to find much
> documentation. The wxPython website says that all advanced (and even
> some basic) documentation for wxPython is only available in C++ syntax
> in the main wxWindows documentation. It also says that the samples
> will help, but I can't seem to make sense of them. Should I just use a
> not-as-good GUI like Tkinter or a not-as-common one like Anygui or
> PyUI if I want to have documentation?
> LittleDan[/color]

wxPython is definitely worth the effort. I spent time getting over the
wxPython learning curve and I'm happy I did it.

You really don't need the advanced documentation (unless you're pushing
the envelope). The wxWindows documentation and the demos are enough.

Try to duplicate the demos in your own code. Learn the difference
between wxWindow, wxScrolledWindo w, wxFrame and wxPanel. Play with
wxTextCtrl, wxStaticText and wxListBox.

Forget the menu stuff in the beginning. You can add it later.

Work with the dialogs--wxMessageDialog , wxTextEntryDial og,
wxSingleChoiceD ialog and wxMultipleChoic eDialog.

Avoid the sizers. Use the RolColSizer instead (a wonderful tool).

The wxPython objects have a lot of methods and attributes. Wrap them in
your own Python functions to create interfaces you're comfortable with.

Time spent with wxGrid is golden. Study the documentation and create
your own interfaces, as there are way too many features to absorb at once.

Subscribe to wxPython-users@lists.wxw indows.org to get truly helpful
answers to your questions.

[achrist@easystreet.com]

Re: Is there any good wxPython documentation?

Daniel Ehrenberg wrote:[color=blue]
>
> I'm trying to learn wxPython, but I can't seem to find much
> documentation. The wxPython website says that all advanced (and even
> some basic) documentation for wxPython is only available in C++ syntax
> in the main wxWindows documentation. It also says that the samples
> will help, but I can't seem to make sense of them. Should I just use a
> not-as-good GUI like Tkinter or a not-as-common one like Anygui or
> PyUI if I want to have documentation?[/color]

If you look at a few wxPython examples and the wx.chm help on the
corresponding classes, you should see how the wx.chm help relates to
the Python usage. The translation between C++ usage and python
usage of wxWindows really is pretty straightforward about 98% of
the time, and there are some python-specific notes in the wx.chm file
that cover most of the remaining 2%. I've done some tkinter and quite
a bit more wxPython, and they really are quite similar. If you
nderstand how event-driven UI's work, you'll see that the same basic
principles of how an app goes together are expressed comparably in each
toolkit.

About a year ago, I felt the same way about the lack of elementary
wxPython docs as you do. It seems that everyone who has had that
complaint either goes away or sticks with it for a week or two and
figures it out and then there is no problem. Not to make light of
your frustration, but this question is some ways similar to "Why
aren't there any good books for beginners on how to ride a bicycle?"

Good luck with it. Don't give up. Copy the examples. Try stuff.
If you hit a specific problem, post it here or on the wxPython list,
and you'll probably get a nice answer quicker than Schwazenegger
punches out California's fiscal crisis.


Al

[Mark Carter]

Re: Is there any good wxPython documentation?

LittleDanEhren@ yahoo.com (Daniel Ehrenberg) wrote in message news:<711c7390. 0310201642.3db2 9ba1@posting.go ogle.com>...[color=blue]
> I'm trying to learn wxPython, but I can't seem to find much
> documentation. The wxPython website says that all advanced (and even
> some basic) documentation for wxPython is only available in C++ syntax
> in the main wxWindows documentation. It also says that the samples
> will help, but I can't seem to make sense of them. Should I just use a
> not-as-good GUI like Tkinter or a not-as-common one like Anygui or
> PyUI if I want to have documentation?
> LittleDan[/color]

One advantage of Tkinter is that it comes with Python. So if the GUI
that you had in mind is "just good enough", then people will be able
to use your code straight out of the box.

A good tip if you want to write GUIs using wxPython is to download
"Boa Constructor". It's not only a GUI builder, but a complete IDE.
You can find it on Sourceforge.

[Frithiof Andreas Jensen]

Re: Is there any good wxPython documentation?


"Daniel Ehrenberg" <LittleDanEhren @yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:711c7390.0 310201642.3db29 ba1@posting.goo gle.com...[color=blue]
> I'm trying to learn wxPython, but I can't seem to find much
> documentation.[/color]

I recommend that you sidestep the issue by downloading Boa Constructor from
Sourceforge; you want to use wxPython to build GUI's conveniently and
quickly - by using a tool you can avoid much of the drudgery of vxPython yet
still get the results.

PS:

Boa is, IMO extremely useful and capable, even if it is presently only in
version 0.2x. (The developers are probably a bit self-deprecating)

[Michael 'Mickey' Lauer]

Re: Is there any good wxPython documentation?

> About a year ago, I felt the same way about the lack of elementary[color=blue]
> wxPython docs as you do. It seems that everyone who has had that
> complaint either goes away or sticks with it for a week or two and
> figures it out and then there is no problem. Not to make light of
> your frustration, but this question is some ways similar to "Why
> aren't there any good books for beginners on how to ride a bicycle?"[/color]

If you can read german, I recommend my book "Python und GUI-Toolkits", (MITP)
which demonstrates how to write an application with several gui toolkits.
Detailed sections are provided for PyQt, wxPython, Tk and Gtk 2.
It also talks about gui toolkits in general, so once you grapsed the concept,
you can transfer this knowledge to a large number of existing toolkits.

Unfortunately I did the mistake to not make this an english book,
because there is still nothing comparable on the market. Next time ;)

Cheers,