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  15 wxWindows 2 FAQ: General
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  21 <P>
  22
  23 See also <a href="faq.htm">top-level FAQ page</a>.
  24 <hr>
  25
  26 <H3><a name="whatis">What is wxWindows?</a></H3>
  27
  28 wxWindows is a class library that allows you to compile graphical C++ programs on a range of
  29 different platforms. wxWindows defines a common API across platforms, but uses the native graphical user interface (GUI) on each platform,
  30 so your program will take on the native 'look and feel' that users are familiar with.<P>
  31
  32 Although GUI applications are mostly built programmatically, there is a dialog editor to help
  33 build attractive dialogs and panels.<P>
  34
  35 You don't have to use C++ to use wxWindows: wxWindows 1 has been interfaced to several interpreted languages,
  36 such as CLIPS, Python, Scheme, XLisp and Perl, and there is a Python interface for wxWindows 2.
  37 <P>
  38
  39 <h3>Can I use wxWindows 2 for both proprietary (commercial) projects, and GPL'ed projects?</h3>
  40
  41 Yes. Please see the <a href="newlicen.htm">licence</a> for details, but basically
  42 you can distribute proprietary binaries without distributing any source code, and neither will wxWindows
  43 conflict with GPL code you may be using or developing with it.
  44 <P>
  45 The conditions for using wxWindows 2 are the same whether you are a personal, academic
  46 or commercial developer.
  47 <P>
  48
  49 <h3>Is there support?</h3>
  50
  51 No official support, but the mailing list is very helpful and some people say that
  52 wxWindows support is better than for much commercial software. The developers are
  53 keen to fix bugs as soon as possible, though obviously there are no guarantees.
  54 <P>
  55
  56 <H3><a name="users">Who uses wxWindows?</a></H3>
  57
  58 Many organisations - commercial, government, and academic - across the
  59 world. It's impossible to estimate the true number of users, since
  60 wxWindows is obtained by many different means, and we cannot monitor
  61 distribution. The mailing list contains around 300-400 entries which is
  62 quite large for a list of this type.<P>
  63
  64 <H3>I am about to start a wxWindows 1.xx project. Should I use 2 instead?</H3>
  65
  66 wxWindows 2 is still in beta but it's actually pretty useable (Windows, GTK, Motif).<P>
  67
  68 Porting to wxWindows 2 from 1.xx will not be too painful; see the next question
  69 for ways in which you can make it easier.<P>
  70
  71 <H3>Why would I want to use wxWindows 2 in preference to wxWindows 1.xx?</H3>
  72
  73 Some reasons:
  74
  75 <ul>
  76 <li>In 2 there is far more flexibility, for example in the way windows can be
  77 nested, and the way events are intercepted.
  78 <li>There is more functionality for producing sophisticated applications,
  79 for example using the wxTreeCtrl and wxListCtrl classes.
  80 <li>There is better C++-conformance (such as usage of wxString and const) which
  81 will make your applications more reliable and easier to maintain.
  82 <li>wxWindows 2 will be better supported than 1.xx.
  83 <li>The GTK version is attractive for people interested in writing Linux and GNOME
  84 applications.
  85 <li>The Mac version will be one of the best frameworks available on that platform.
  86 </ul>
  87
  88 <H3>How can I prepare for wxWindows 2?</H3>
  89
  90 To make porting to wxWindows 2 easier in the future, take a look at some
  91 <a href="http://web.ukonline.co.uk/julian.smart/wxwin/prepare.htm">tips</a> for writing existing code in a 2-compatible way.<P>
  92
  93 <H3>How much has the API changed since 1.xx?</H3>
  94
  95 It's difficult to summarize, but some aspects haven't changed very much. For example, if you have some
  96 complex drawing code, you will mostly need to make sure it's parameterised with a device
  97 context (instead of obtaining one from a window or storing it). You won't have
  98 to completely rewrite the drawing code.<P>
  99
 100 The way that events are handled has changed, so for example, where you overrode
 101 OnSize before, you now have a non-virtual OnSize with a single event class argument.
 102 To make this function known to wxWindows, you add an entry in an 'event table' using macros. Addition of these macros
 103 will eventually be made easier by a tool which will allow selection from a list
 104 and copy-and-paste into your editor. This is extended to button presses, listbox selection
 105 etc. so callbacks have gone (they may be added back for limited backward compatibility).<P>
 106
 107 The class hierarchy has changed to allow greater flexibility but it probably won't affect your
 108 existing application. One exception to this is MDI applications which now use separate MDI classes instead of style
 109 flags. As a result, it won't be possible to switch between MDI and SDI operation at run-time
 110 without further coding, but a benefit is less interdependence between areas of code,
 111 and therefore smaller executable size.<P>
 112
 113 Panel items (now called controls) no longer have labels associated with most of them,
 114 and default panel layout has been removed. The idea is that you make greater use
 115 of dialog resources, for better-looking dialogs.<P>
 116
 117 <H3>What classes have disappeared?</H3>
 118
 119 wxForm, wxTextWindow (subsumed into wxTextCtrl).
 120
 121 <H3>Does wxWindows 2 mean that wxWindows 1.xx is dead?</H3>
 122
 123 While wxWindows 2 is being developed, there will be further patches to wxWindows 1.xx.
 124 Obviously we are investing most of our energy into the new code, but we're also trying
 125 to fix bugs in the current version.<P>
 126
 127 <H3>What platforms will be supported by wxWindows 2?</H3>
 128
 129 <ul>
 130 <li>Windows 3.1, Windows 95/98, Windows NT;
 131 <li>Linux and other Unix platforms with GTK+;
 132 <li>Unix with Motif or the free Motif clone Lesstif;
 133 <li>Mac (coming later in 1999);
 134 <li>A BeOS port is being investigated.
 135 <li>A Windows CE port is being investigated.
 136 <li>There are no plans to support OS/2 or XView. However,
 137 you may be able to compile the GTK and Motif versions under OS/2 with X and GTK
 138 installed, or the Windows version with IBM's Open32 extensions.
 139 </ul>
 140 <P>
 141
 142 <H3>How does wxWindows 2 support platform-specific features?</H3>
 143
 144 This is a hotly-debated topic amongst the developers. My own philosophy
 145 is to make wxWindows as platform-independent as possible, but allow in a
 146 few classes (functions, window styles) that are platform-specific.
 147 For example, Windows metafiles and Windows 95 taskbar icons have
 148 their own classes on Windows, but nowhere else. Because these classes
 149 are provided and are wxWindows-compatible, it doesn't take much
 150 coding effort for an application programmer to add support for
 151 some functionality that the user on a particular platform might otherwise
 152 miss. Also, some classes that started off as platform-specific, such
 153 as the MDI classes, have been emulated on other platforms. I can imagine
 154 that even wxTaskBarIcon may be implemented for Unix desktops one day.
 155 <P>
 156
 157 In other words, wxWindows is not a 'lowest common denominator' approach,
 158 but it will still be possible to write portable programs using the
 159 core API. Forbidding some platform-specific classes would be a stupid
 160 approach that would alienate many potential users, and encourage
 161 the perception that toolkits such as wxWindows are not up to the demands
 162 of today's sophisticated applications.<P>
 163
 164 Currently resources such as bitmaps and icons are handled in a platform-specific
 165 way, but it is hoped to reduce this dependence in due course.<P>
 166
 167 Another reason why wxWindows 2 is not a 'lowest common denominator' toolkit is that
 168 some functionality missing on some platform has been provided using generic,
 169 platform-independent code, such as the wxTreeCtrl and wxListCtrl classes.<P>
 170
 171 <H3>Does wxWindows use STL? or the standard string class?</H3>
 172
 173 No. This is a much-discussed topic that has (many times) ended with the conclusion that it is in
 174 wxWindows' best interests to avoid use of templates. Not all compilers can handle
 175 templates adequately so it would dramatically reduce the number of compilers
 176 and platforms that could be supported. It would also be undersirable to make
 177 wxWindows dependent on another large library that may have to be downloaded and installed.
 178 In addition, use of templates can lead to executable bloat, which is something
 179 wxWindows 2 is strenously trying to avoid.<P>
 180
 181 The standard C++ string class is not used, again because it is not available to all compilers,
 182 and it is not necessarily a very efficient implementation. Also, we retain more flexibility
 183 by being able to modify our own string class. Some compatibility with the string class
 184 has been built into wxString.<P>
 185
 186 There is nothing to stop an application using templates or the string class for its own
 187 purposes.<P>
 188
 189 <H3>How is wxWindows 2 being developed?</H3>
 190
 191 We are using the <a href="cvs.htm">CVS</a> system to develop and maintain wxWindows. This allows
 192 us to make alterations and upload them instantly to the server in Edinburgh, from
 193 which others can update their source.<P>
 194
 195 <H3>How is wxWindows 2 distributed?</H3>
 196
 197 By ftp, and via the <a href="cdrom2.htm">wxWindows CD-ROM</a>.<P>
 198
 199 <H3>What are the plans for the future?</H3>
 200
 201 Currently we're working too hard on getting wxWindows 2 finished (are GUI toolkits ever
 202 finished?) to think very far ahead. However, we know we want to make wxWindows as robust
 203 and well-publicised as possible. We also want to aim for better platform-independence of
 204 resources such as icons and bitmaps, standardising on the PNG for all platforms.<P>
 205
 206 Other possibilities include: DCOM/CORBA compatibility; a wxWindows book; an
 207 <a href="http://web.ukonline.co.uk/julian.smart/wxwin/wxide.htm">IDE</a>;
 208 other platforms; other interface abilities such as speech output.<P>
 209
 210 We will investigate the possibility of compiler or operating system vendors bundling wxWindows with
 211 their product.<P>
 212
 213 The high-level goal of wxWindows is to be thought of as the number one C++ framework,
 214 for virtually any platform. Move over, MFC!<P>
 215
 216 <H3>What about Java?</H3>
 217
 218 The Java honeymoon period is over :-) and people are realising that it cannot
 219 meet all their cross-platform development needs. We don't anticipate a major threat
 220 from Java, and the level of interest in wxWindows is as high as ever.<P>
 221
 222 <H3>How can I help the project?</H3>
 223
 224 Please check out the <a href="http://web.ukonline.co.uk/julian.smart/wxwin/develop.htm" target=main>Backroom</a> pages,
 225 in particular the <a href="http://web.ukonline.co.uk/julian.smart/wxwin/projects.htm">suggested projects</a>, and
 226 mail <a href="mailto:julian.smart@ukonline.co.uk">Julian Smart</a> or the developers' mailing list with your own suggestions.<P>
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