[wxPython-dev] Using AUI in the demo

[Christopher Barker]

Kevin Ollivier wrote:
> One big reason I chose wx is that by using native controls, it 
> works in 'non-standard' configs that I may not have anticipated users 
> working with.

That is certainly a big plus to wx.

> No, as I've posted before on wxPython-users, I don't think Mac has many 
> AUI-style interfaces at all, excluding perhaps Java/GTK+ type apps, 

I do think you're right there, I've only seen in Java apps (Eclipse)

> because on Mac you don't maximize every window you create.

You don't maximize every window in GTK either. Personally, I prefer NOT 
to maximize windows -- that's what I hate about MDI ion windows. I like 
the GIMP way of doing it -- every window, whether it be a document or a 
tool pallet, or whatever, gets it's own frame. -- why not use the window 
manager?

 > So the
> concept of frame managers in the AUI sense is pretty tied to 
> Windows/Linux window management. There's no point in 'maximizing' a pane 
> in Mac,

Then what's the green button for?

Anyway, the AUI style is rare on the Mac, but that's because Apple 
hasn't sanctioned it, and hasn't provided any tools to do it. I'm not 
convinced it's inherently any less appropriate.

Aside what I've said above,  I thinking AUI style interfaces are the way 
of the future, and I wouldn't be surprised in the Mac directly supports 
them one of these days. Indeed, we're very excited about using it for a 
project we're working on now.

> The expected Mac behavior would be more like the splitter windows we had 
> in previous versions of the demo. iTunes works like this, for example.

Splitter windows have the same "maximize the frame" limitations as AUI 
-- but worse, as the  user has less control over how to lay things out.

> I  think 2.8.4 should not be held back by it in order to increase our 
> chances of getting the wx updates into Leopard.

Is that possible -- whoo hoo!

Final conclusion: I think AUI shows lots of promise, but we're better 
off sticking with the native stuff for the primary demo.

-Chris


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Christopher Barker, Ph.D.
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