[wxPython-users] [ANN] PlateButton Control for wxPython

[Cody Precord]

Greetings,

Thanks to everyone who replied, I was able to make a number of  
adjustments and a new bundled version is available:

Download Link: http://editra.org/uploads/code/PlateButton_v0.2.tar.gz


On Dec 13, 2007, at 3:50 PM, Robin Dunn wrote:

> Cody Precord wrote:
>
>> For a more complete picture download the source and run the  
>> included demo (PlateButtonDemo.py):
>
> Looks nice.  Here are a few tips for custom controls in general,  
> and also a few things I noticed about this one:
>
> * You should allow all the standard widget args in the __init__  
> method, so people don't have to look at your code to know what  
> parameters it accepts, or for tools like XRCed.  You're missing  
> pos, size, and name. Pass them all on to the base class __init__.
>
Added them. (I never use these so I thought it simpler to not have them)

> * For playing nice with sizers you should call SetInitialSize from  
> the __init__, passing the size that was given as a parameter,  
> default to wx.DefaultSize.  This will do a couple things.  1) will  
> set the size of the widget either to the size passed in, or to the  
> best size if one or both of the size components are given as  
> default values.  2) Will set the widget's minsize to the size given.
>
I added the SetInitialSize call but currently have it set to use the  
best size as I am not sure it makes sense for this control to be  
sizeable to a size other than the best size.

> * Also for playing nice with sizers, and with the previous item,  
> you should implement a DoGetBestSize method that calculates and  
> returns a wx.Size that is the optimal size of the widget based on  
> its label, font size, image size, style, etc. In this case your  
> DoGetBestSize could be just your current __CalcBestSize without the  
> lines at the end that actually set the size.  Let the user, sizer,  
> or things like SetInitialSize do that part for you instead.  All  
> your calls to __CalcBestSize could probably be removed, or if you  
> use CacheBestSize then they can be replaced with InvalidaeBestSize.
>
This is nice to know

> * You can also override AcceptsFocus, although the default in the  
> base class is probably good enough for this widget....
>
> * I noticed that the text color chosen on Windows for when the  
> button is in the pressed state is almost unreadable.
>
Made some adjustments to color adjusting/guessing code and tested  
under some more themes seems to be good under most cases now.

> * I would make the activation key be WXK_SPACE on all platforms,  
> not just windows.
>
Done

> * You might also want to respond to EVT_CONTEXT_MENU for the  
> buttons with a menu.  Then on Windows at least the user can get to  
> the menu without using the mouse, since there is a menu key on the  
> keyboard.
>
Added it, but I don't have any windows hardware to test it with so  
not sure if it works as intended. I have windows installed in a vm  
but couldn't find any key to simulate the 'menu key'. Is it safe to  
assume that a control will only receive this event when it has the  
focus?

> * I notice that when tabbing between widgets that the previously  
> focused widget loses its highlight noticeably *after* the newly  
> focused widget is highlighted.  This looks really really weird.
I had introduced the delay to toggle back to normal state on a kill  
focus to fix another problem of if you activate a button with the  
space bar and then quickly tab to a new button it could potentially  
leave the previous button(s) still highlighted. I have removed the  
delay in this version as it is more likely an issue than the really  
quick button activate / change focus problem will likely be.

>
> * Clicking a button isn't setting the focus there.
>
Done

> -- 
> Robin Dunn
> Software Craftsman
> http://wxPython.org  Java give you jitters?  Relax with wxPython!
>
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Regards,

Cody Precord
http://editra.org