ANN: Python GUI development using XULRunner

[Todd Whiteman]

I've put together a tutorial that shows off how to build a GUI
application using XULRunner (same architectural components as Firefox
uses) that can be used in conjunction with the Python programming language.

The tutorial covers how to build a Python/XULRunner GUI application:

http://pyxpcomext.mozdev.org/no_wrap/tutorials/pyxulrunner/python_xulrunner_about.html

The details in this tutorial covers the initial setup to full
packaging/deployment, mostly targeting a Windows/Linux platform (MacOSX
is possible with a few deviations, I have tried to cover these
deviations where applicable).

Feedback is welcome.

Cheers,
Todd

[Don Spaulding]

Re: ANN: Python GUI development using XULRunner

On Sep 16, 8:29 pm, Todd Whiteman <to...@activest ate.comwrote:

I've put together a tutorial that shows off how to build a GUI
application using XULRunner (same architectural components as Firefox
uses) that can be used in conjunction with the Python programming language.
>
The tutorial covers how to build a Python/XULRunner GUI application:http://pyxpcomext.mozdev.org/no_wrap...ner/python_xul...
>
The details in this tutorial covers the initial setup to full
packaging/deployment, mostly targeting a Windows/Linux platform (MacOSX
is possible with a few deviations, I have tried to cover these
deviations where applicable).
>
Feedback is welcome.
>
Cheers,
Todd

I get to the "Running" step and run into "Couldn't load XPCOM."

Does this work on x86_64? Or have I made a rookie mistake?

xulapp1$ ls
app docs installer pyxpcom_gui_app
xulapp1$ cd pyxpcom_gui_app/
pyxpcom_gui_app $ ls
application.ini components extensions pyxpcom_gui_app
chrome defaults pylib xulrunner
pyxpcom_gui_app $ ./pyxpcom_gui_app
Couldn't load XPCOM.

[Todd Whiteman]

Re: ANN: Python GUI development using XULRunner

Don Spaulding wrote:

On Sep 16, 8:29 pm, Todd Whiteman <to...@activest ate.comwrote:

>I've put together a tutorial that shows off how to build a GUI
>application using XULRunner (same architectural components as Firefox
>uses) that can be used in conjunction with the Python programming language.
>>
>The tutorial covers how to build a Python/XULRunner GUI application:http://pyxpcomext.mozdev.org/no_wrap...ner/python_xul...

>
I get to the "Running" step and run into "Couldn't load XPCOM."
>
Does this work on x86_64? Or have I made a rookie mistake?

Hi Don,

A good question. Mozilla only provide 32-bit XulRunner applications by
default, you you'll need to install the necessary 32-bit compatability
libraries on your Linux machine, i.e. for Ubuntu it's something like:
sudo apt-get install ia32-libs ia32-libs-gtk

Then you should be able to run the example. You can check the
dependencies using something the following commands, there should be no
missing dependencies:
$ cd pyxpcom_gui_app/xulrunner
$ LD_LIBRARY_PATH =. ldd ./xulrunner-bin

It is possible to use a 64-bit version, but you'll need to compile this
yourself (or find somewhere that provides these x86_64 versions). Note
that the PythonExt project does not offer Python bindings for x86_64
either (it's on my todo list), you can compile the PythonExt part
yourself as well if you need a 64-bit version.

Cheers,
Todd

[support@mysfdomain.com]

Re: ANN: Python GUI development using XULRunner

On Sep 17, 1:21 pm, Todd Whiteman <to...@activest ate.comwrote:

Don Spaulding wrote:

On Sep 16, 8:29 pm, Todd Whiteman <to...@activest ate.comwrote:

I've put together a tutorial that shows off how to build a GUI
application using XULRunner (same architectural components as Firefox
uses) that can be used in conjunction with the Python programming language.

>

The tutorial covers how to build a Python/XULRunner GUI application:http://pyxpcomext.mozdev.org/no_wrap...ner/python_xul...

>

I get to the "Running" step and run into "Couldn't load XPCOM."

>

Does this work on x86_64?  Or have I made a rookie mistake?

>
Hi Don,
>
A good question. Mozilla only provide 32-bit XulRunner applications by
default, you you'll need to install the necessary 32-bit compatability
libraries on your Linux machine, i.e. for Ubuntu it's something like:
sudo apt-get install ia32-libs ia32-libs-gtk
>
Then you should be able to run the example. You can check the
dependencies using something the following commands, there should be no
missing dependencies:
$ cd pyxpcom_gui_app/xulrunner
$ LD_LIBRARY_PATH =. ldd ./xulrunner-bin
>
It is possible to use a 64-bit version, but you'll need to compile this
yourself (or find somewhere that provides these x86_64 versions). Note
that the PythonExt project does not offer Python bindings for x86_64
either (it's on my todo list), you can compile the PythonExt part
yourself as well if you need a 64-bit version.
>
Cheers,
Todd

Interesting, I'm running Ubuntu Intrepid here, and have both ia32-libs
and ia32-libs-gtk installed.

ldd shows that I'm missing the following libs, even though the proper
packages are installed, and the files show up in /usr/lib.

libxcb-render-util.so.0 =not found
libxcb-render.so.0 =not found

There's also /usr/lib/libxcb-render.so.0.0.0 and the same for render-
util, so I wonder if that could be part of the problem?


Don

/me never knew how to get out of DLL hell on Windows either ;-)

[Don Spaulding]

Re: ANN: Python GUI development using XULRunner

Oh, and Google's single sign-on sucks eggs :-|

[Fred Pacquier]

Re: ANN: Python GUI development using XULRunner

Todd Whiteman <toddw@activest ate.comsaid :

I've put together a tutorial that shows off how to build a GUI
application using XULRunner (same architectural components as Firefox
uses) that can be used in conjunction with the Python programming
language.
The tutorial covers how to build a Python/XULRunner GUI application:

http://pyxpcomext.mozdev.org/no_wrap/tutorials/pyxulrunner/python_xulru

nner_about.html
The details in this tutorial covers the initial setup to full
packaging/deployment, mostly targeting a Windows/Linux platform
(MacOSX is possible with a few deviations, I have tried to cover these
deviations where applicable).
Feedback is welcome.

Thanks for making good on your promise. I'm leaving for a trip but have it
bookmarked for later use :-)

[Todd Whiteman]

Re: ANN: Python GUI development using XULRunner

support@mysfdom ain.com wrote:

On Sep 17, 1:21 pm, Todd Whiteman <to...@activest ate.comwrote:

>Don Spaulding wrote:

>>On Sep 16, 8:29 pm, Todd Whiteman <to...@activest ate.comwrote:
>>>I've put together a tutorial that shows off how to build a GUI
>>>applicatio n using XULRunner (same architectural components as Firefox
>>>uses) that can be used in conjunction with the Python programming language.
>>>The tutorial covers how to build a Python/XULRunner GUI application:http://pyxpcomext.mozdev.org/no_wrap...ner/python_xul...
>>I get to the "Running" step and run into "Couldn't load XPCOM."
>>Does this work on x86_64? Or have I made a rookie mistake?

>Hi Don,
>>
>A good question. Mozilla only provide 32-bit XulRunner applications by
>default, you you'll need to install the necessary 32-bit compatability
>libraries on your Linux machine, i.e. for Ubuntu it's something like:
>sudo apt-get install ia32-libs ia32-libs-gtk
>>
>Then you should be able to run the example. You can check the
>dependencies using something the following commands, there should be no
>missing dependencies:
>$ cd pyxpcom_gui_app/xulrunner
>$ LD_LIBRARY_PATH =. ldd ./xulrunner-bin
>>
>It is possible to use a 64-bit version, but you'll need to compile this
>yourself (or find somewhere that provides these x86_64 versions). Note
>that the PythonExt project does not offer Python bindings for x86_64
>either (it's on my todo list), you can compile the PythonExt part
>yourself as well if you need a 64-bit version.
>>
>Cheers,
>Todd

>
Interesting, I'm running Ubuntu Intrepid here, and have both ia32-libs
and ia32-libs-gtk installed.
>
ldd shows that I'm missing the following libs, even though the proper
packages are installed, and the files show up in /usr/lib.
>
libxcb-render-util.so.0 =not found
libxcb-render.so.0 =not found
>
There's also /usr/lib/libxcb-render.so.0.0.0 and the same for render-
util, so I wonder if that could be part of the problem?
>
>
Don

Hi Don,

I'm thinking there may be additional 32-bit packages necessary then (I'm
not sure which package).

Not sure about Ubuntu 8.10 (it's still alpha). I'm using a Ubuntu 8.04
x86_64 machine and my dependencies list the following for the latest
32-bit build of XulRunner:

$ LD_LIBRARY_PATH =. ldd ./xulrunner-bin | grep libxcb
libxcb-xlib.so.0 =/usr/lib32/libxcb-xlib.so.0 (0xf6493000)
libxcb.so.1 =/usr/lib32/libxcb.so.1 (0xf647b000)

Cheers,
Todd

[Riccardo Galli]

Re: ANN: Python GUI development using XULRunner

On 17 Set, 03:29, Todd Whiteman <to...@activest ate.comwrote:

I've put together a tutorial that shows off how to build a GUI
application using XULRunner (same architectural components as Firefox
uses) that can be used in conjunction with the Python programming language.
>
The tutorial covers how to build a Python/XULRunner GUI application:http://pyxpcomext.mozdev.org/no_wrap...ner/python_xul...
>
The details in this tutorial covers the initial setup to full
packaging/deployment, mostly targeting a Windows/Linux platform (MacOSX
is possible with a few deviations, I have tried to cover these
deviations where applicable).
>
Feedback is welcome.
>
Cheers,
Todd

well, it just works.
Now let's see how :-)

Nice job,
Riccardo

p.s. I'm on a Gentoo Linux 64 bit, no problems at all

[Don Spaulding]

Re: ANN: Python GUI development using XULRunner

On Sep 17, 5:53 pm, Todd Whiteman <to...@activest ate.comwrote:

supp...@mysfdom ain.com wrote:

On Sep 17, 1:21 pm, Todd Whiteman <to...@activest ate.comwrote:

Don Spaulding wrote:
>On Sep 16, 8:29 pm, Todd Whiteman <to...@activest ate.comwrote:
>>I've put together a tutorial that shows off how to build a GUI
>>application using XULRunner (same architectural components as Firefox
>>uses) that can be used in conjunction with the Python programming language.
>>The tutorial covers how to build a Python/XULRunner GUI application:http://pyxpcomext.mozdev.org/no_wrap...ner/python_xul...
>I get to the "Running" step and run into "Couldn't load XPCOM."
>Does this work on x86_64?  Or have I made a rookie mistake?
Hi Don,

>

A good question. Mozilla only provide 32-bit XulRunner applications by
default, you you'll need to install the necessary 32-bit compatability
libraries on your Linux machine, i.e. for Ubuntu it's something like:
sudo apt-get install ia32-libs ia32-libs-gtk

>

Then you should be able to run the example. You can check the
dependencies using something the following commands, there should be no
missing dependencies:
$ cd pyxpcom_gui_app/xulrunner
$ LD_LIBRARY_PATH =. ldd ./xulrunner-bin

>

It is possible to use a 64-bit version, but you'll need to compile this
yourself (or find somewhere that provides these x86_64 versions). Note
that the PythonExt project does not offer Python bindings for x86_64
either (it's on my todo list), you can compile the PythonExt part
yourself as well if you need a 64-bit version.

>

Cheers,
Todd

>

Interesting, I'm running Ubuntu Intrepid here, and have both ia32-libs
and ia32-libs-gtk installed.

>

ldd shows that I'm missing the following libs, even though the proper
packages are installed, and the files show up in /usr/lib.

>

   libxcb-render-util.so.0 =not found
   libxcb-render.so.0 =not found

>

There's also /usr/lib/libxcb-render.so.0.0.0 and the same for render-
util, so I wonder if that could be part of the problem?

>

Don

>
Hi Don,
>
I'm thinking there may be additional 32-bit packages necessary then (I'm
not sure which package).
>
Not sure about Ubuntu 8.10 (it's still alpha). I'm using a Ubuntu 8.04
x86_64 machine and my dependencies list the following for the latest
32-bit build of XulRunner:
>
$ LD_LIBRARY_PATH =. ldd ./xulrunner-bin | grep libxcb
        libxcb-xlib.so.0 =/usr/lib32/libxcb-xlib.so.0 (0xf6493000)
        libxcb.so.1 =/usr/lib32/libxcb.so.1 (0xf647b000)
>
Cheers,
Todd

No worries Todd, it is alpha. It was a very recent bug in the 8.10
ia32-libs package, which is now fixed :-D

Thanks for the excellent writeup, BTW! I've been wondering what was
involved in doing this for a while, it just never made it up my
priority list to figure out. Again, thanks!

[Joe Hrbek]

Re: ANN: Python GUI development using XULRunner

Todd, this is great! Thanks for your work on this. I've been using
your extension for awhile, successfully creating little apps. Your
gui_app template has been a huge help in advancing my understanding of
how things fit together...take s some of the guesswork out. :) Thanks
again,

-j

On Sep 16, 8:29 pm, Todd Whiteman <to...@activest ate.comwrote:

I've put together a tutorial that shows off how to build a GUI
application using XULRunner (same architectural components as Firefox
uses) that can be used in conjunction with the Python programming language.
>
The tutorial covers how to build a Python/XULRunner GUI application:http://pyxpcomext.mozdev.org/no_wrap...ner/python_xul...
>
The details in this tutorial covers the initial setup to full
packaging/deployment, mostly targeting a Windows/Linux platform (MacOSX
is possible with a few deviations, I have tried to cover these
deviations where applicable).
>
Feedback is welcome.
>
Cheers,
Todd