2003-07-02 19:13:10 -04:00
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=========================
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The wxPython wx Package
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=========================
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--------------------------------------------------
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Or, how to survive the new wx namespace changes.
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--------------------------------------------------
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:Author: Patrick K. O'Brien
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2004-02-04 18:39:15 -05:00
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:Author: Robin Dunn
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2003-07-02 19:13:10 -04:00
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:Contact: pobrien@orbtech.com
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:Organization: Orbtech_
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:Date: $Date$
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:Revision: $Revision$
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.. _Orbtech: http://www.orbtech.com/
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.. contents::
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Introduction
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============
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2004-02-04 18:39:15 -05:00
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In the begining there was Python, and Python had modules, and Python
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was good. But after a time Guido looked on Python and saw that Python
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needed organizational assistance, and so Guido took code from Python's
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side and created Packages and then Python was very good. About this
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time wxPython was reborn, and wxPython used Packages, but being young
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and trying to use a new technology wxPython did not know how to use
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Packages effectivly. wxPython was good, but dreamed of being much
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better...
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Now many years later, after tons of code reorganization and build
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hacking wxPython has reached that goal. In version 2.4.1 a prototype
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of this new structure was introduced that dynamically built at import
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time a new toplevel package named simply "wx" that contained all the
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items from wxPython.wx but with the names edited to remove the wx
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prefix. Now in 2.5 the final phase of that switcheroo has been
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completed and the *real* classes, functions and constants are now
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located in the wx package, leaving some compatibility modules in
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wxPython.wx. This document should answer all the questions you might
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have concerning the new wx package. Please also take a look at the
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`2.5 Migration Guide`_ to see notes about other big differences in
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this release.
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.. _2.5 Migration Guide: MigrationGuide.html
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2003-07-02 19:13:10 -04:00
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Why change anything?
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====================
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This change is being made for a couple of reasons. The first reason
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is to discourage the use of ``import *``, which is a dangerous
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technique that can create name conflicts and bloated namespaces.
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The second reason is to remove what some perceive to be a "wart." For
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example, the following code is rather ugly in that the "wx" prefix on
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the wxFrame class name is no longer useful when you're using the wx
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module prefix::
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from wxPython import wx
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class Frame(wx.wxFrame)
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The new wx package allows you to write code like this, instead::
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import wx
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class Frame(wx.Frame)
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2004-02-04 18:39:15 -05:00
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The third reason is that the wxWindows project has considered doing
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the same thing (implement a new wx namespace and drop the "wx" prefix)
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and we want wxPython to lead the way.
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2003-07-02 19:13:10 -04:00
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What does the new wx package do?
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================================
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2004-02-04 18:39:15 -05:00
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As mentioned in the Introduction, wxPython 2.4.1 introduced a way of
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getting to this new syntax as quickly as possible. It would import
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the old names (like "wxFrame") from the old package and then create new
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names in the wx package without the wx prefix, (like "Frame".)
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Starting with wxPython 2.5 the renaming is moved up to the wxPython
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build step, so the real classes and etc. are actually named with the
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new name (like "Frame") and are located in the new wx package.
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For compatibility the old wxPython package still exists, but now it is
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populated with modules that simply import the new names and then
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"reverse-renames" them to the old names. It probably sounds a bit
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complicated, but it is mostly automated and so it doesn't cause
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problems in most cases.
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2003-07-02 19:13:10 -04:00
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Will any of this effect my existing code?
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=========================================
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No. Your existing code will continue to work and be supported for
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some time. It will be up to you to decide when to switch to the new
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syntax. But all new documentation and code examples will use the new
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syntax. So don't wait too long. You wouldn't want anyone calling you
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old-fashioned, would you?
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2004-02-04 18:39:15 -05:00
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When you import from wxPython.wx and use a class with the old name,
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such as wxButton, you are actually using the wx.Button class. I
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expect that the vast majority of the existing code should work fine
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using this scheme. The only things that may cause problems is if your
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old code is depending on some of the implemtation details, or if you
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are using other things that have changed in the API. See the
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`Migration Guide`_ for more details.
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2003-07-02 19:13:10 -04:00
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2004-02-04 18:39:15 -05:00
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.. _Migration Guide: MigrationGuide.html
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2003-07-02 19:13:10 -04:00
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What about all the other modules, like grid, html, and stc?
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===========================================================
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2004-02-04 18:39:15 -05:00
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There's more to the old wxPython than just the wxPython.wx module.
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And we've got those extra modules covered as well. Each of those
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modules (as well as the lib subpackage) has been moved to the new wx
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package and reverse-renamers have been placed in the wxPython package
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as needed.
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2003-07-02 19:13:10 -04:00
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How do I use this new wx package?
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=================================
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The wx package is automatically created when you install wxPython
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version 2.4.1 or higher. So all you have to do is::
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import wx
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What are the issues with converting old code to use the new wx package?
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=======================================================================
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Obviously, you need to change your import statements from::
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from wxPython import wx
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or::
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from wxPython.wx import *
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to::
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import wx
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Then you need to refer to wx attributes without a "wx" prefix, such
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as::
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class MyFrame(wx.Frame):
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In most cases, existing code can be modified with a simple search and
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replace.
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Where can I find example programs using the new wx syntax?
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==========================================================
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Example programs are included in the wxPython/samples/wx_examples
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directory, and are documented in the wxPythonExamples_ documentation
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file. Also, all the code in the py package uses the new wx syntax.
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You can learn more about these in the PyManual_.
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.. _wxPythonExamples: wxPythonExamples.html
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.. _PyManual: PyManual.html
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