Real World Instrumentation with Python

Summary

In this chapter we’ve looked at both text-based and graphical interfaces. We’ve seen that while a text-based interface is fine for a lot of applications, there are times when characters alone simply won’t provide the level of display fidelity or the interface functionality needed for an application.

One thing you may have noticed about the two styles of interface programming is that they both employ a main loop of some form to handle input, output, and update functions. This is probably one of the oldest patterns in computer programming, and it makes a lot more sense than trying to scatter the screen control functionality around a program and then keep track of it all (I’ve seen that done, actually, and as you might guess, it wasn’t very robust or easy to maintain).

Creating TkInter examples by hand and a wxPython example using a tool allowed me to illustrate both approaches, as well as highlighting the differences in ease of use between TkInter and wxPython that are rooted in their design philosophies. In the case of TkInter, many professional software developers don’t even bother with a tool, because they can quickly create functional and aesthetically pleasing interfaces using TkInter’s native geometry management capabilities. While it is perfectly feasible to take the same approach with wxPython, I chose to use the Boa Constructor tool to illustrate the steps involved in the process. Most GUI tools for both TkInter and wxPython (and other GUI libraries) will work in similar ...