Core Python Programming (2nd Edition)

Our first example uses the Tix module. Tix comes with Python!
1 #!/usr/bin/env python
2
3 from Tkinter import Label, Button, END
4 from Tix import Tk, Control, ComboBox
5
6 top = Tk()
7 top.tk.eval('package require Tix')
8
9 lb = Label(top,
10 text='Animals (in pairs; min: pair, max: dozen)')
11 lb.pack()
12
13 ct = Control(top, label='Number:',
14 integer=True, max=12, min=2, value=2, step=2)
15 ct.label.config(font='Helvetica -14 bold')
16 ct.pack()
17
18 cb = ComboBox(top, label='Type:', editable=True)
19 for animal in ('dog', 'cat', 'hamster', 'python'):
20 cb.insert(END, animal)
21 cb.pack()
22
23 qb = Button(top, text='QUIT',
24 command=top.quit, bg='red', fg='white')
25 qb.pack()
26
27 top.mainloop()
Line-by-Line Explanation
Lines 17
This is all the setup code, module imports, and basic GUI infrastructure. Line 7 asserts that the Tix
module is available to the application.
Lines 827
These lines create all the widgets: Label (lines 9-11), Control (lines 13- 16), ComboBox (lines 18-21), and
quit Button (lines 23-25). The constructors and arguments for the widgets are fairly self-explanatory and
do not require elaboration. Finally, we enter the main GUI event loop in line 27.
19.4.2. Python MegaWidgets (PMW)
Next we take a look at Python MegaWidgets as shown in Example 19.8. This module was created to
address the aging Tkinter. It basically helps the extend its longevity by adding more modern widgets to
the GUI palette.
Example 19.8. Pmw GUI Demo (animalPmw.pyw)