Python Cookbook

Supporting Multiple Values per Row in a Tkinter Listbox

Credit: Brent Burley

Problem

You need a Tkinter widget that works just like a normal Listbox but with multiple values per row.

Solution

When you find a functional limitation in Tkinter, most often the best solution is to build your own widget as a Python class, subclassing an appropriate existing Tkinter widget (often Frame, so you can easily aggregate several native Tkinter widgets into your own compound widget) and extending and tweaking its functionality when necessary. Rather than solving the problems of just one application, this gives you a reusable component that you can reuse in many applications. For example, here’s a way to make a multicolumn equivalent of a Tkinter Listbox:

from Tkinter import * class MultiListbox(Frame): def _ _init_ _(self, master, lists): Frame._ _init_ _(self, master) self.lists = [] for l,w in lists: frame = Frame(self); frame.pack(side=LEFT, expand=YES, fill=BOTH) Label(frame, text=l, borderwidth=1, relief=RAISED).pack(fill=X) lb = Listbox(frame, width=w, borderwidth=0, selectborderwidth=0, relief=FLAT, exportselection=FALSE) lb.pack(expand=YES, fill=BOTH) self.lists.append(lb) lb.bind('<B1-Motion>', lambda e, s=self: s._select(e.y)) lb.bind('<Button-1>', lambda e, s=self: s._select(e.y)) lb.bind('<Leave>', lambda e: 'break') lb.bind('<B2-Motion>', lambda e, s=self: s._b2motion(e.x, e.y)) lb.bind('<Button-2>', lambda e, s=self: s._button2(e.x, e.y)) frame = Frame(self); frame.pack(side=LEFT, fill=Y) ...