wxWindows 2 for Motif FAQ

See also top-level FAQ page.


What version of Motif do I need?

You will need version 1.2 or above. Version 2 should also be fine. Some people have had a positive experience with Lesstif, a free Motif clone. (Note from Julian Smart - I use the Linux version of MetroLink Motif).

What features are missing or partially implemented?

The following classes are not yet implemented: wxSpinButton, wxCheckListBox, wxJoyStick, wxGLCanvas.

The following classes are not likely to be implemented because there is no sensible equivalent on Motif: wxMiniFrame, wxTaskBar.

wxNotebook works for smaller dialogs (see notebook sample) but has some problems with a more complex situation (see the controls sample: initial resizing is very apparent).

These features are not yet implemented:

Does Dialog Editor work with wxWindows for Motif?

Suport for Dialog Editor is almost there, but there are some wrinkles to iron out. You may find it's useful though: compile it and see.

How do I switch between debugging and release compilation modes?

Unfortunately the makefile system doesn't currently allow you to compile for both simultaneously: you need to recompile wxWindows and your application having adjusted make.env. However, you could rename the binary and release library archives, and adjust your makefiles to use the appropriate one (or change a symbolic link).

Why are windows are not refreshed properly until I resize them?

Very occasionally you can experience this glitch, probably because sometimes the window tries to resize and repaint itself before the final size is known. The workaround is to add code like this after window creation and initialization:

#ifdef __WXMOTIF__
  wxNoOptimize noOptimize;
  window->SetSize(-1, -1, w, h);
#endif