🖥️ GUI frameworks comparison

Although XAML widgets can declare their own headers, in Tkinter this is implemented as separate LabelFrame widgets, meant to contain controls. Tkinter widgets must be slaved in a manner which ultimately leads to the root object initialized by Tk(), conceptually similar to the Window root node in XAML.

To refer to UI elements, XAML prefers the term control whereas tkinter and other frameworks prefer widget. Elements that can contain other elements and are used to visually organize the application are known as layout panels.

WinUI control	GTK	tkinter
Button	Button	Button
Checkbox	CheckButton	Checkbutton
TextBox	Entry	Entry
ListView	TreeView
StackPanel	Box
DatePicker	Calendar	DateEntry

Widgets

Label

In both GTK and Tkinter frameworks, a window size must be set or else it will collapse to the boundaries of the contained label.

PyGTKtkinter

import gi
gi.require_version("Gtk","3.0")
from gi.repository import Gtk
import sys


class AppWindow(Gtk.ApplicationWindow):

    def __init__(self, *args, name = "world", **kwargs):
        super().__init__(*args, **kwargs)

        label = Gtk.Label.new(f"Hello {name}")
        self.add(label)
        self.set_size_request(200, 200)

class Application(Gtk.Application):
    def __init__(self, name, *args, **kwargs):
        self.name = name
        super().__init__(*args, application_id="org.example.myapp", **kwargs)
        self.window = None

    def do_activate(self):
        if not self.window:
            self.window = AppWindow(application=self, 
                                    name = self.name, 
                                    title = f"Hello, {self.name}!")
        self.window.show_all()
        self.window.present()

if __name__ == '__main__':
    app = Application(sys.argv[-1])
    app.run()

import tkinter
from tkinter import ttk
import sys


class Window(tkinter.Tk):
    def __init__(self, name="World"):
        super().__init__()
        self.title(f"Hello, {name}!")
        self.geometry("200x200")
        self.resizable(False, False)
        ttk.Label(self, text=f"Hello, {name}!").grid(column=0, row=0)


if __name__ == '__main__':
    try:
        win = Window(name=sys.argv[1])
    except IndexError:
        win = Window()
    win.mainloop()

Date picker

XAMLtkinter

<Window
    x:Class="EmployeeManager.WinUI.MainWindow"
    xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
    xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
    xmlns:local="using:EmployeeManager.WinUI"
    xmlns:d="http://schemas.microsoft.com/expression/blend/2008"
    xmlns:mc="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/markup-compatibility/2006"
    mc:Ignorable="d">

    <DatePicker Header="Entry date"/>
</Window>

import tkinter as tk
from tkinter.ttk import LabelFrame
from tkcalendar import DateEntry


window = tk.Tk()
frame=LabelFrame(window, text="Entry date: ")
frame.pack()

DateEntry(frame).pack()
tk.mainloop()

Textbox

PyGTK

import os, sys

import gi
gi.require_version("Gtk", "3.0")
from gi.repository import Gtk


class AppWindow(Gtk.ApplicationWindow):
    def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
        super().__init__(*args, **kwargs)
        self.set_border_width(10)
        prompt_str = "What is the password for " + os.getlogin() + "?"
        question = Gtk.Label(label=prompt_str)
        label = Gtk.Label(label="Password:")
        passwd = Gtk.Entry()
        passwd.set_visibility(False)
        # passwd.set_invisible_char("*")
        hbox = Gtk.Box(orientation=Gtk.Orientation.HORIZONTAL, spacing=0)
        hbox.pack_start(label, False, False, 5)
        hbox.pack_start(passwd, False, False, 5)
        vbox = Gtk.Box(orientation=Gtk.Orientation.VERTICAL, spacing=0)
        vbox.pack_start(question, False, False, 0)
        vbox.pack_start(hbox, False, False, 0)
        self.add(vbox)


class Application(Gtk.Application):
    def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
        super().__init__(*args, application_id="org.example.myapp", **kwargs)
        self.window = None

    def do_activate(self):
        if not self.window:
            self.window = AppWindow(application=self, title="Password")
        self.window.show_all()
        self.window.present()


if __name__ == "__main__":
    app = Application()
    app.run(sys.argv)

ListView

PyGTK

import gi
gi.require_version('Gtk', '3.0')
from gi.repository import Gtk


class ApplicationWindow(Gtk.ApplicationWindow):
    def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
        super().__init__(*args, **kwargs)

        self.gen_treeview()

        scrolled_win = Gtk.ScrolledWindow.new(None,None)
        scrolled_win.set_policy(Gtk.PolicyType.AUTOMATIC, Gtk.PolicyType.AUTOMATIC)
        scrolled_win.add(self.treeview)

        self.add(scrolled_win)
        self.set_size_request(200,200)

    def get_liststore(self):
        store = Gtk.ListStore.new((str,))
        store.append(["Socrates"])
        store.append(["Plato"])
        store.append(["Aristotle"])
        return store

    def gen_treeview(self):
        self.treeview = Gtk.TreeView.new()
        self.treeview.set_model(self.get_liststore())
        self.treeview.append_column(Gtk.TreeViewColumn("Greeks", Gtk.CellRendererText.new(), text=0))



class Application(Gtk.Application):
    def __init__(self):
        super().__init__(application_id='org.example.myapp')

    def do_activate(self):
        self.window = ApplicationWindow(application=self, title="Greeks")
        self.window.show_all()
        self.window.present()


if __name__ == '__main__':
    app = Application()
    app.run()

Toggle Button

#!/usr/bin/python3

import sys
import gi
gi.require_version('Gtk', '3.0')
from gi.repository import Gtk

class AppWindow(Gtk.ApplicationWindow):

    def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
        super().__init__(*args, **kwargs)
        self.set_border_width(10)
        vbox = Gtk.Box.new(orientation=Gtk.Orientation.VERTICAL, spacing=0)
        toggle1 = Gtk.ToggleButton.new_with_mnemonic("_Deactivate the other one!")
        toggle2 = Gtk.ToggleButton.new_with_mnemonic("_No! Deactivate that one!")
        toggle1.connect("toggled", self.on_button_toggled, toggle2)
        toggle2.connect("toggled", self.on_button_toggled, toggle1)
        vbox.pack_start(toggle1, True, True, 1)
        vbox.pack_start(toggle2, True, True, 1)
        self.add(vbox)

    def on_button_toggled(self, toggle, other_toggle):
        if (Gtk.ToggleButton.get_active(toggle)):
            other_toggle.set_sensitive(False)
        else:
            other_toggle.set_sensitive(True)

class Application(Gtk.Application):

    def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
        super().__init__(*args, application_id="org.example.myapp",
                         **kwargs)
        self.window = None

    def do_activate(self):
        if not self.window:
            self.window = AppWindow(application=self, title="Toggle Buttons")
        self.window.show_all()
        self.window.present()

if __name__ == "__main__":
    app = Application()
    app.run(sys.argv)

Tasks

Wired Brain Coffee

tkinter

import tkinter as tk
from tkinter.ttk import Button
from tkinter.ttk import Labelframe
from tkinter.ttk import Label
from tkinter.ttk import Entry
from tkinter.ttk import Checkbutton
# from tkinter.ttk import 
import tkcalendar

LabelFrame = Labelframe

window = tk.Tk()
window.title("Wired Brain Coffee")

main = Labelframe(window)
main.pack()

headline = Label(main, text="Wired Brain Coffee")
headline.grid(row=0, column=0, columnspan=2)

sidebar = LabelFrame(main)
sidebar.grid(row=1, column=0)

refresh = Button(sidebar, text="Refresh")
refresh.pack()

mainarea = LabelFrame(main)
mainarea.grid(row=1, column=1)

firstname_frame = Labelframe(mainarea, text="First name")
firstname_frame.pack()
firstname_textbox = Entry(firstname_frame).pack()
# firstname_textbox.pack(expand='yes', fill='both')

dateentry_frame = Labelframe(mainarea, text="Entry date")
dateentry_frame.pack()
dateentry_picker = tkcalendar.DateEntry(dateentry_frame)
dateentry_picker.pack()

jobrole_frame = Labelframe(mainarea, text="Job Role")
jobrole_frame.pack()
jobrole_textbox = Entry(jobrole_frame).pack()
# jobrole_textbox.pack(expand='yes', fill='both')

iscoffeedrinker = Checkbutton(mainarea, text="Is coffee drinker?").pack()
# iscoffeedrinker.pack()

window.resizable=(True,True)
window.mainloop()

Raven lines

PyGTK

import sys
import gi
gi.require_version('Gtk', '3.0')
from gi.repository import Gtk
import itertools

class AppWindow(Gtk.ApplicationWindow):

    def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
        super().__init__(*args, **kwargs)
        self.set_border_width(25)
        button = Gtk.Button.new_with_mnemonic("_Raven")
        button.connect("clicked", self.on_button_clicked)
        button.set_relief(Gtk.ReliefStyle.NORMAL)
        self.add(button)
        self.set_size_request(200, 100)

        with open("/home/jasper/notes/docs/Coding/Dogfood/raven.txt") as f:
            self.raven = itertools.cycle([l.strip() for l in f.readlines()])

    def on_button_clicked(self, button):
        print(next(self.raven))

class Application(Gtk.Application):

    def __init__(self, argv , *args, **kwargs):
        super().__init__(*args, application_id="org.example.myapp",
                        **kwargs)
        self.name=argv[-1]
        self.window = None

    def do_activate(self):
        if not self.window:
            self.window = AppWindow(application=self, 
                                    title=f"Hello {self.name}!")
        self.window.show_all()
        self.window.present()

if __name__ == "__main__":
    app = Application(sys.argv)
    app.run(sys.argv)

PyGTK

import gi
gi.require_version("Gtk", "3.0")
from gi.repository import Gtk


class ApplicationWindow(Gtk.ApplicationWindow):
    def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
        super().__init__(*args, **kwargs)
        self.set_size_request(300,300)
        grid = Gtk.Grid.new()
        image = Gtk.Image.new_from_icon_name("dialog-password", Gtk.IconSize.DIALOG)
        grid.attach(image, 0, 0, 1, 1)
        grid.attach(Gtk.Label(label="Enter your credentials."), 0, 1, 2, 1)
        grid.attach(Gtk.Label(label="User name:"), 0, 2, 1, 1)
        grid.attach(Gtk.Entry(), 1, 2, 1, 1)
        grid.attach(Gtk.Label(label="Password:"), 0, 3, 1, 1)
        grid.attach(Gtk.Entry(visibility=False), 1, 3, 1, 1)


class Application(Gtk.Application):
    def __init__(self):
        super().__init__(application_id="org.example.myapp")

    def do_activate(self):
        self.window = ApplicationWindow(application=self, title="Hello, World!")
        self.window.show_all()
        self.window.present()


if __name__ == "__main__":
    app = Application()
    app.run()

Timeshift clone

TypeLocationScheduleUsers

🖥️ GUI frameworks comparison

Widgets

Label

Date picker

Textbox

ListView

Toggle Button

Tasks

Wired Brain Coffee

Raven lines

Login dialog box

Timeshift clone