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Python is an accessible language that is perfect for data analysis and web development. But it’s a great choice for GUI app development too. GTK+ and Glade simplify the process of creating simple cross-platform apps.
GTK+ and Glade Interface Designer for Python Developers
GTK+ (GIMP Toolkit) and Glade Interface Designer are a terrific combination for Python developers who want to create intuitive and pleasing graphical user interfaces.
GTK+ is a multiplatform toolkit that you can use for GUI development. It is compatible with a variety of operating systems, including Linux, Windows, and macOS.
Glade Interface Designer, a companion tool to GTK+, lets you design GUIs without having to write layout code. You can use it to create a GUI ina WYSIWYG environmentwith a few clicks and simple drag-and-drop functions.
Setting Up Your Python Environment for GTK+ and Glade Development
Setting up your environment is a critical first step to ensure a smooth and efficient workflow.
1. Install Python
Start by making sure you have Python installed on your system. You will see Python 3 code in the examples you read, as it offers better support and integration for GTK+ and Glade. For Linux and macOS, Python is usually preinstalled.
Windows users can download Python fromthe official Python website.
2. Install GTK+
You can install GTK+ using a package manager.
For Ubuntu andDebian-based Linux systemsuse:
For Fedora and similar:
On macOS, using Homebrew:
Windows users can download GTK+ fromGTK’s official download page. But if you have MSYS2 installed, you can open the MSYS2 command line and use this command:
3. Install Glade
You can use the command line to install Glade.
For Ubuntu and Debian-based Linux distributions:
On Fedora:
macOS users can use Homebrew:
Windows users can use the following command with MSYS2:
4. Python Bindings for GTK+
InstallPyGObjectto integrate GTK+ with Python. The command you will use for this is:
If there is an error like “Building wheel for pycairo (pyproject.toml) did not run” during the PyGObject installation, you will need to install thecairopackage as well.
For Fedora:
5. Setting Up a Virtual Environment (optional)
It’s goodpractice to use a virtual environmentfor your Python projects. This isolates your project dependencies. Create and activate a virtual environment on Linux with these terminal commands:
On Windows use:
On macOS, to ensure that the virtual environment can access the packages that brew installs, use:
6. Verifying the Installation
To verify that GTK+ and Glade are installed, create a simple Python script that imports GTK:
When you run this script, it will output the installed GTK+ version. If everything goes well, you have set up your development environment.
Creating a Simple GUI App With Glade Interface Designer and Python
You can design your GUI app in Glade Interface Designer and export the layout as a project file. You can then access that project file from your Python code.
Designing Your GUI With Glade
Glade’s drag-and-drop interface makes it easy to focus on the design without getting bogged down in the underlying code. Start Glade from your system’s application menu or command line with this command:
You should see the Glade interface where you may start creating your GUI layout.
TheCreate New Projectbutton in the top left provides a blank canvas for your GUI design. Glade offers a wide variety of widgets in its top bar, including buttons, text inputs, and labels. Drag these widgets onto your canvas to start styling your GUI. you may resize and position widgets according to your design needs.
First, select theGtkWindowwidget from theToplevelsmenu:
On the General page in the right bar of Glade, you will see anIDoption. This ID is the unique name of the widget you added. For this example, assign the IDmyMainWindowto the GtkWindow you added.
you’re able to now add widgets to the main window you’ve created. Go toContainersin the top bar, select theGtkBoxwidget, and drag it to your workspace. Then give it an ID,myMainBox.
After adding the GtkBox widget, you’ll see various options to the right of your workspace that are specific to that widget. you’re able to edit your entire design here without writing any code.
Next, add a Control widget to your design. To do so, go toControlin the top bar, selectGtkButtonas an example, and drag it anywhere in the GtkBox. Give it ID,myButton. If you want, you can also change the text of the button using theGeneraltab in the right-hand panel.
GtkButton is a clickable widget, so you can define a Python handler for it and write the appropriate code later. Go to theSignalstab in the right menu and specify a handler for theclickedsignal. For this example, call iton_button_clicked.
you may now save your GUI design as a project file. Save the file asmyDesign.glade.
Using the Glade Design File From Python Code
Create anapp.pyfile in the same directory as yourmyDesign.gladefile. Paste the following code into this file:
This code will change the color of the background every time you click on the button. Note the calls toself.builder.get_object()which pass the IDs of the widgets that you defined in Glade.
Run your Python scriptusing this command to see the result:
Advantages of Using GTK+ and Glade for Python GUI Development
Using GTK+ and Glade for Python GUI development offers clear benefits. Usually, creating a GUI takes a lot of time and effort. But with Glade Interface Designer, you can speed up the process. Glade also offers a wide range of widgets, each as easy to use as the button in the example.
A key advantage of Glade is its ability to keep GUI design separate from the code. This makes maintaining and updating the GUI simpler. This approach leads to cleaner, better-organized code, in line with modern programming practices.
