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	6	<meta name="generator" content="Docutils 0.3.1: http://docutils.sourceforge.net/" />
	7	<title>The wxPython wx Package</title>
	8	<meta name="author" content="Patrick K. O'Brien" />
	9	<meta name="author" content="Robin Dunn" />
	10	<meta name="organization" content="Orbtech" />
	11	<meta name="date" content="2004-03-26" />
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	14	<body>
	15	<div class="document" id="the-wxpython-wx-package">
	16	<h1 class="title">The wxPython wx Package</h1>
	17	<h2 class="subtitle" id="or-how-to-survive-the-new-wx-namespace-changes">Or, how to survive the new wx namespace changes.</h2>
	18	<table class="docinfo" frame="void" rules="none">
	19	<col class="docinfo-name" />
	20	<col class="docinfo-content" />
	21	<tbody valign="top">
	22	<tr><th class="docinfo-name">Author:</th>
	23	<td>Patrick K. O'Brien</td></tr>
	24	<tr><th class="docinfo-name">Author:</th>
	25	<td>Robin Dunn</td></tr>
	26	<tr><th class="docinfo-name">Contact:</th>
	27	<td><a class="first last reference" href="mailto:pobrien@orbtech.com">pobrien@orbtech.com</a></td></tr>
	28	<tr><th class="docinfo-name">Organization:</th>
	29	<td><a class="first last reference" href="http://www.orbtech.com/">Orbtech</a></td></tr>
	30	<tr><th class="docinfo-name">Date:</th>
	31	<td>2004-03-26</td></tr>
	32	<tr><th class="docinfo-name">Revision:</th>
	33	<td>1.4</td></tr>
	34	</tbody>
	35	</table>
	36	<div class="contents topic" id="contents">
	37	<p class="topic-title"><a name="contents">Contents</a></p>
	38	<ul class="simple">
	39	<li><a class="reference" href="#introduction" id="id2" name="id2">Introduction</a></li>
	40	<li><a class="reference" href="#why-change-anything" id="id3" name="id3">Why change anything?</a></li>
	41	<li><a class="reference" href="#what-does-the-new-wx-package-do" id="id4" name="id4">What does the new wx package do?</a></li>
	42	<li><a class="reference" href="#will-any-of-this-effect-my-existing-code" id="id5" name="id5">Will any of this effect my existing code?</a></li>
	43	<li><a class="reference" href="#what-about-all-the-other-modules-like-grid-html-and-stc" id="id6" name="id6">What about all the other modules, like grid, html, and stc?</a></li>
	44	<li><a class="reference" href="#how-do-i-use-this-new-wx-package" id="id7" name="id7">How do I use this new wx package?</a></li>
	45	<li><a class="reference" href="#what-are-the-issues-with-converting-old-code-to-use-the-new-wx-package" id="id8" name="id8">What are the issues with converting old code to use the new wx package?</a></li>
	46	<li><a class="reference" href="#where-can-i-find-example-programs-using-the-new-wx-syntax" id="id9" name="id9">Where can I find example programs using the new wx syntax?</a></li>
	47	</ul>
	48	</div>
	49	<div class="section" id="introduction">
	50	<h1><a class="toc-backref" href="#id2" name="introduction">Introduction</a></h1>
	51	<p>In the begining there was Python, and Python had modules, and Python
	52	was good. But after a time Guido looked on Python and saw that Python
	53	needed organizational assistance, and so Guido took code from Python's
	54	side and created Packages and then Python was very good. About this
	55	time wxPython was reborn, and wxPython used Packages, but being young
	56	and trying to use a new technology wxPython did not know how to use
	57	Packages effectivly. wxPython was good, but dreamed of being much
	58	better...</p>
	59	<p>Now many years later, after tons of code reorganization and build
	60	hacking wxPython has reached that goal. In version 2.4.1 a prototype
	61	of this new structure was introduced that dynamically built at import
	62	time a new toplevel package named simply "wx" that contained all the
	63	items from wxPython.wx but with the names edited to remove the wx
	64	prefix. Now in 2.5 the final phase of that switcheroo has been
	65	completed and the <em>real</em> classes, functions and constants are now
	66	located in the wx package, leaving some compatibility modules in
	67	wxPython.wx. This document should answer all the questions you might
	68	have concerning the new wx package. Please also take a look at the
	69	<a class="reference" href="MigrationGuide.html">2.5 Migration Guide</a> to see notes about other big differences in
	70	this release.</p>
	71	</div>
	72	<div class="section" id="why-change-anything">
	73	<h1><a class="toc-backref" href="#id3" name="why-change-anything">Why change anything?</a></h1>
	74	<p>This change is being made for a couple of reasons. The first reason
	75	is to discourage the use of <tt class="literal"><span class="pre">import</span> <span class="pre">*</span></tt>, which is a dangerous
	76	technique that can create name conflicts and bloated namespaces.</p>
	77	<p>The second reason is to remove what some perceive to be a "wart." For
	78	example, the following code is rather ugly in that the "wx" prefix on
	79	the wxFrame class name is no longer useful when you're using the wx
	80	module prefix:</p>
	81	<pre class="literal-block">
	82	from wxPython import wx
	83
	84	class Frame(wx.wxFrame)
	85	</pre>
	86	<p>The new wx package allows you to write code like this, instead:</p>
	87	<pre class="literal-block">
	88	import wx
	89
	90	class Frame(wx.Frame)
	91	</pre>
	92	<p>The third reason is that the wxWindows project has considered doing
	93	the same thing (implement a new wx namespace and drop the "wx" prefix)
	94	and we want wxPython to lead the way.</p>
	95	</div>
	96	<div class="section" id="what-does-the-new-wx-package-do">
	97	<h1><a class="toc-backref" href="#id4" name="what-does-the-new-wx-package-do">What does the new wx package do?</a></h1>
	98	<p>As mentioned in the Introduction, wxPython 2.4.1 introduced a way of
	99	getting to this new syntax as quickly as possible. It would import
	100	the old names (like "wxFrame") from the old package and then create new
	101	names in the wx package without the wx prefix, (like "Frame".)
	102	Starting with wxPython 2.5 the renaming is moved up to the wxPython
	103	build step, so the real classes and etc. are actually named with the
	104	new name (like "Frame") and are located in the new wx package.</p>
	105	<p>For compatibility the old wxPython package still exists, but now it is
	106	populated with modules that simply import the new names and then
	107	"reverse-renames" them to the old names. It probably sounds a bit
	108	complicated, but it is mostly automated and so it doesn't cause
	109	problems in most cases.</p>
	110	</div>
	111	<div class="section" id="will-any-of-this-effect-my-existing-code">
	112	<h1><a class="toc-backref" href="#id5" name="will-any-of-this-effect-my-existing-code">Will any of this effect my existing code?</a></h1>
	113	<p>No. Your existing code will continue to work and be supported for
	114	some time. It will be up to you to decide when to switch to the new
	115	syntax. But all new documentation and code examples will use the new
	116	syntax. So don't wait too long. You wouldn't want anyone calling you
	117	old-fashioned, would you?</p>
	118	<p>When you import from wxPython.wx and use a class with the old name,
	119	such as wxButton, you are actually using the wx.Button class. I
	120	expect that the vast majority of the existing code should work fine
	121	using this scheme. The only things that may cause problems is if your
	122	old code is depending on some of the implemtation details, or if you
	123	are using other things that have changed in the API. See the
	124	<a class="reference" href="MigrationGuide.html">Migration Guide</a> for more details.</p>
	125	</div>
	126	<div class="section" id="what-about-all-the-other-modules-like-grid-html-and-stc">
	127	<h1><a class="toc-backref" href="#id6" name="what-about-all-the-other-modules-like-grid-html-and-stc">What about all the other modules, like grid, html, and stc?</a></h1>
	128	<p>There's more to the old wxPython than just the wxPython.wx module.
	129	And we've got those extra modules covered as well. Each of those
	130	modules (as well as the lib subpackage) has been moved to the new wx
	131	package and reverse-renamers have been placed in the wxPython package
	132	as needed.</p>
	133	</div>
	134	<div class="section" id="how-do-i-use-this-new-wx-package">
	135	<h1><a class="toc-backref" href="#id7" name="how-do-i-use-this-new-wx-package">How do I use this new wx package?</a></h1>
	136	<p>The wx package is automatically created when you install wxPython
	137	version 2.4.1 or higher. So all you have to do is:</p>
	138	<pre class="literal-block">
	139	import wx
	140	</pre>
	141	</div>
	142	<div class="section" id="what-are-the-issues-with-converting-old-code-to-use-the-new-wx-package">
	143	<h1><a class="toc-backref" href="#id8" name="what-are-the-issues-with-converting-old-code-to-use-the-new-wx-package">What are the issues with converting old code to use the new wx package?</a></h1>
	144	<p>Obviously, you need to change your import statements from:</p>
	145	<pre class="literal-block">
	146	from wxPython import wx
	147	</pre>
	148	<p>or:</p>
	149	<pre class="literal-block">
	150	from wxPython.wx import *
	151	</pre>
	152	<p>to:</p>
	153	<pre class="literal-block">
	154	import wx
	155	</pre>
	156	<p>Then you need to refer to wx attributes without a "wx" prefix, such
	157	as:</p>
	158	<pre class="literal-block">
	159	class MyFrame(wx.Frame):
	160	</pre>
	161	<p>In most cases, existing code can be modified with a simple search and
	162	replace.</p>
	163	</div>
	164	<div class="section" id="where-can-i-find-example-programs-using-the-new-wx-syntax">
	165	<h1><a class="toc-backref" href="#id9" name="where-can-i-find-example-programs-using-the-new-wx-syntax">Where can I find example programs using the new wx syntax?</a></h1>
	166	<p>The wxPython demo application and most of the sample apps have been
	167	converted to use the new <tt class="literal"><span class="pre">import</span> <span class="pre">wx</span></tt> style of programming with
	168	wxPython, so there are lots of examples to look at and to play with.
	169	Here is one of them, it is the <tt class="literal"><span class="pre">simple</span></tt> sample.</p>
	170	<pre class="literal-block">
	171	#----------------------------------------------------------------------
	172	# A very simple wxPython example. Just a wxFrame, wxPanel,
	173	# wxStaticText, wxButton, and a wxBoxSizer, but it shows the basic
	174	# structure of any wxPython application.
	175	#----------------------------------------------------------------------
	176
	177	import wx
	178
	179
	180	class MyFrame(wx.Frame):
	181	"""
	182	This is MyFrame. It just shows a few controls on a wxPanel,
	183	and has a simple menu.
	184	"""
	185	def __init__(self, parent, title):
	186	wx.Frame.__init__(self, parent, -1, title,
	187	pos=(150, 150), size=(350, 200))
	188
	189	# Create the menubar
	190	menuBar = wx.MenuBar()
	191
	192	# and a menu
	193	menu = wx.Menu()
	194
	195	# add an item to the menu, using \tKeyName automatically
	196	# creates an accelerator, the third param is some help text
	197	# that will show up in the statusbar
	198	menu.Append(wx.ID_EXIT, "E&xit\tAlt-X", "Exit this simple sample")
	199
	200	# bind the menu event to an event handler
	201	self.Bind(wx.EVT_MENU, self.OnTimeToClose, id=wx.ID_EXIT)
	202
	203	# and put the menu on the menubar
	204	menuBar.Append(menu, "&File")
	205	self.SetMenuBar(menuBar)
	206
	207	self.CreateStatusBar()
	208
	209
	210	# Now create the Panel to put the other controls on.
	211	panel = wx.Panel(self)
	212
	213	# and a few controls
	214	text = wx.StaticText(panel, -1, "Hello World!")
	215	text.SetFont(wx.Font(14, wx.SWISS, wx.NORMAL, wx.BOLD))
	216	text.SetSize(text.GetBestSize())
	217	btn = wx.Button(panel, -1, "Close")
	218	funbtn = wx.Button(panel, -1, "Just for fun...")
	219
	220	# bind the button events to handlers
	221	self.Bind(wx.EVT_BUTTON, self.OnTimeToClose, btn)
	222	self.Bind(wx.EVT_BUTTON, self.OnFunButton, funbtn)
	223
	224	# Use a sizer to layout the controls, stacked vertically and with
	225	# a 10 pixel border around each
	226	sizer = wx.BoxSizer(wx.VERTICAL)
	227	sizer.Add(text, 0, wx.ALL, 10)
	228	sizer.Add(btn, 0, wx.ALL, 10)
	229	sizer.Add(funbtn, 0, wx.ALL, 10)
	230	panel.SetSizer(sizer)
	231	panel.Layout()
	232
	233
	234	def OnTimeToClose(self, evt):
	235	"""Event handler for the button click."""
	236	print "See ya later!"
	237	self.Close()
	238
	239	def OnFunButton(self, evt):
	240	"""Event handler for the button click."""
	241	print "Having fun yet?"
	242
	243
	244	class MyApp(wx.App):
	245	def OnInit(self):
	246	frame = MyFrame(None, "Simple wxPython App")
	247	frame.Show(True)
	248	self.SetTopWindow(frame)
	249	return True
	250
	251	app = MyApp(True)
	252	app.MainLoop()
	253
	254
	255	</pre>
	256	</div>
	257	</div>
	258	</body>
	259	</html>