wxPython Classes Cheat Sheet

A wikipage to help you write scripts which was generated by a script attatched to the wikipage.

NB: Think of this page as a collection of shortcuts to the docs. It is not comprehensive in any way. There are many more classes in the wx library than listed here, and most classes have many more methods. I only add to this page as I encounter new features that I need in my projects, and I've just discovered PySide. - Anthony.

Contents:

wx.App:

• App, PySimpleApp
  

wx.Window:

• Window, TopLevelWindow, Frame, Panel, Dialog, MessageDialog, ProgressDialog
  

wx.Sizer:

• Sizer, BoxSizer, StaticBoxSizer, GridSizer, FlexGridSizer, GridBagSizer
  

wx.Control:

• Control, Button, ToggleButton, RadioButton, CheckBox, RadioBox, StaticBitmap, StaticPicture, StaticText, TextCtrl, Gauge, RichTextCtrl, ListCtrl, TreeCtrl
  

wx.ItemContainer(Control):

• ItemContainer, Choice, ListBox
  

wx.Event:

• EvtHandler, Event, ActivateEvent, CloseEvent, CommandEvent, MouseEvent, MenuEvent, IdleEvent, PaintEvent, ShowEvent
  

wx.Font:

• Font
  

wx.Image:

• Image, Bitmap
  

wx.DC:

• DC, BufferedDC, MemoryDC
  

App classes

• The gui itself. Controls the event loop.
  Notes:

  • Top-level windows can not be created before the app object.

  • Over-ride OnInit. Don't know why it's undocumented.

  • OnInit should return a boolean value. (And don't forget to call Frame.Show(True).)

  • Call MainLoop
    

  __init__

  (redirect=False, filename=None, clearSigInt=True, useBestVisual=False)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  MainLoop

  ()

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  • Execute the main GUI event loop.

  SetTopWindow

  (frame)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

• When you don't feel like over-riding Init.
  Notes:

  • Make the app before the frames!
    

  __init__

  (redirect, filename, useBestVisual, clearSigInt)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

Window classes

• Abstract parent of all visible elements.
  Events: EVT_WINDOW_CREATE, EVT_WINDOW_DESTROY, EVT_SIZE, EVT_CLOSE
  

  __init__

  (parent, id=-1, pos=wx.DefaultPosition, size=wx.DefaultSize, style=0, name=wx.PanelNameStr)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  • Styles: wx.BORDER_SIMPLE, wx.BORDER_DOUBLE, wx.BORDER_SUNKEN, wx.BORDER_RAISED, wx.BORDER_STATIC, wx.BORDER_THEME, wx.BORDER_NONE, wx.TRANSPARENT_WINDOW, wx.TAB_TRAVERSAL, wx.WANTS_CHARS, wx.VSCROLL, wx.HSCROLL, wx.CLIP_CHILDREN, wx.FULL_REPAINT_ON_RESIZE
    

  GetFont

  ()

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  SetFont

  (font)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  GetTextExtent

  (string)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  • Gets the dimensions of the string as it would be drawn on the window with the currently selected font.

  Layout

  ()

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  • Invokes the constraint-based layout algorith or the sizer-based algorithm for this window.

  SetAutoLayout

  (autoLayout)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  • If autoLayout is True Layout is called every time there is an EVT_SIZE event for the window.

  SetSize

  (size)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  SetMinSize

  (size)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  SetMaxSize

  (size)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  Show

  (show=True)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  • Shows or hides the window.

• SetSizeHints

  (minW, minH, maxW=-1, maxH=-1)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  SetTitle

  (title)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

• Notes:

  • If you add a window (i.e. a control or panel) without using a sizer it's size info will be ignored and it will fill the frame.
    

  __init__

  (parent, id=-1, title="", pos=wx.DefaultPosition, size=wx.DefaultSize, style=wx.DEFAULT_FRAME_STYLE, name=wx.FrameNameStr)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  • Styles: wx.STAY_ON_TOP, wx.SYSTEM_MENU, wx.RESIZE_BORDER, wx.FRAME_TOOL_WINDOW, wx.FRAME_NO_TASKBAR, wx.FRAME_FLOAT_ON_PARENT
    note1: Setting the parent to None makes the frame a 'top level' window.
    

  GetMenuBar

  ()

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  CreateStatusBar

  (number=1, style=wx.ST_SIZEGRIP|wx.FULLREPAINT_ON_RESIZE, id=0, name="statusBar")

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  • note1: A multi-field status bar can be created by providing a number > 1
    

  GetLabel

  ()

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  CreateToolBar

  (style=wx.NO_BORDER|wx.TB_HORIZONTAL, id=-1, name="toolBar")

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  GetToolBar

  ()

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  SetLabel

  (label)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  SetMenuBar

  (menuBar)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  SetSizer

  (sizer, deleteOld=True)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  • note1: According to the docs, SetAutoLayout is called implicitly.
    

  SetStatusBar

  (statusBar)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  SetStatusText

  (text, number=0)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  • note1: number: The status field.
    

  SetToolBar

  (toolBar)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

• __init__

  (parent, id=-1, title="", pos=wx.DefaultPosition, size=wx.DefaultSize, style=wx.TAB_TRAVERSAL | wx.NO_BORDER, name=wx.PanelNameStr)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  • Styles: See Window
    

• __init__

  (parent, id=-1, title="", pos=wx.DefaultPosition, size=wx.DefaultSize, style=wx.DEFAULT_DIALOG_STYLE, name=wx.DialogNameStr)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  ShowModal

  ()

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

• When you want some combination of Yes/No/Ok/Cancel.
  Notes:

  • Returns one of: wx.ID_OK, wx.ID_CANCEL, wx.ID_YES, or wx.ID_NO

  • Alternative: wx.MessageBox(message, caption="Message", style=wx.OK)
    

  __init__

  (parent, message, caption="Message Box", style=wx.OK | wx.Cancel, pos=wx.DefaultPosition)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  • Styles: wx.CANCEL, wx.NO_DEFAULT, wx.OK, wx.YES_DEFAULT, wx.YES_NO, wx.ICON_ERROR, wx.ICON_EXCLAMATION, wx.ICON_HAND, wx.ICON_INFORMATION, wx.ICON_QUESTION
    

• __init__

  (title, message, maximum=100, parent=None, style=wx.PD_AUTO_HIDE|wx.PD_APP_MODAL)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  • Styles: wx.PD_APP_MODAL, wx.PD_AUTO_HIDE, wx.PD_SMOOTH, wx.PD_CAN_ABORD, wx.PD_CAN_SKIP, wx.PD_ELAPSED_TIME, wx.PD_ESTIMATED_TIME, wx.PD_REMAINING_TIME
    

  Pulse

  (newmsg="")

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  • note1: Returns (keep_going, skip)
    

  Update

  (value, newmsg="")

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  • note1: Returns (keep_going, skip)
    

Sizer classes

• The abstract parent wxclass for sizers.
  

  __init__

  ()

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  Add

  (item, proportion=0, flag=0, border=0, userData=None)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  • note1: 'item' is a window, a sizer, or the dimensions of a spacer.
    note2: 'proprotion' is the share of space taken if the item is set to EXPAND.
    note3: 'border' is just the border width
    note4: border flags: wx.TOP/BOTTOM/LEFT/RIGHT/ALL
    note5: resize flags: wx.EXPAND(or GROW)/SHAPED. 'shaped' means 'expand with aspect ratio'
    note6: align flags: wx.ALIGN_CENTER/ALIGN_LEFT/ALIGN_RIGHT/ALIGN_TOP/ALIGN_BOTTOM/ALIGN_CENTER_VERTICAL/ALIGN_CENTER_HORIZONTAL
    

  Fit

  (window)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  • Resizes the window to the sizer's minimal size.

• Simple rows or columns.
  

  __init__

  (orient=wx.HORIZONTAL)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  • note1: orient may be wx.HORIZONTAL or wx.VERTICAL
    

• A BoxSizer with a static box around the sizer.
  Notes:

  • The sizer owns the StaticBox.
    

  __init__

  (box, orient=wx.HORIZONTAL)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

• Think calculator. Number pad. Ect.
  Notes:

  • The width of all fields is the width of the widest child.

  • The height of all fields is the height of the tallest child.
    

  __init__

  (rows=1, cols=0, vgap=0, hgap=0)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  • note1: If rows or cols is 0, it will be calculated dynamically.
    

• Think table.
  Notes:

  • Not all rows or columns are necessarily the same height or width.
    

  __init__

  (rows=1, cols=0, vgap=0, hgap=0)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  AddGrowableCol

  (idx, proportion=0)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  • Specifies that column idx (starting from 0) should be grown if there is extra space available to the sizer. If all proportions are 0, then all columns are resized equally (instead of not being resized at all).

  AddGrowableRow

  ()

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  • As above.

• Table with cells that can span multiple rows or cols.
  

  __init__

  (vgap=0, hgap=0)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  Add

  (item, pos, span=wx.DefaultSpan, flag=0, border=0, userData=None)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  • note1: to place a widget in the second row, first column and have it take up three rows and two columns, you would use the call Add(widget, (1, 0), (3, 2)).
    

Control classes

• Base class for all controls
  

  __init__

  (parent, id=-1, pos=wx.DefaultPosition, size=wx.DefaultSize, style=0, validator=wx.DefaultValidator, name=wx.ControlNameStr)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  Command

  (event)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  • Simulates the effect of the user issuing a command to the item.

  GetLabelText

  ()

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  • wx.Window's GetLabel method will return the & characters.

• Events: wx.EVT_BUTTON
  

  __init__

  (parent, id=-1, label=EmptyString, pos=wx.DefaultPosition, size=wx.DefaultSize, style=0, validator=wx.DefaultValidator, name=wx.ButtonNameStr)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  • Styles: wx.BU_LEFT, wx.BU_TOP, wx.BU_RIGHT, wx.BU_BOTTOM, wx.BU_EXACTFICT
    note1: Preferred creation method is to use a standard ID and an empty label. See the list of Stock IDs at wxWidgets.
    

• Events: wx.EVT_TOGGLEBUTTON
  Notes:

  • "Value" refers to the boolean value of the button's state.
    

  GetValue

  ()

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  SetValue

  (value)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

• Events: wx.EVT_CHECKBOX
  

  __init__

  (parent, id=-1, label="", pos=wx.DefaultPosition, size=wx.DefaultSize, style=0, validator=wx.DefaultValidator, name=wx.CheckBoxNameStr)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  • Styles: wx.ALIGN_RIGHT
    

  GetValue

  ()

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  IsChecked

  ()

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  SetValue

  (state)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

• Meant for the display of small icons.
  Notes:

  • Under Windows 9x the size of bitmap is limited to 64*64 pixels
    

  __init__

  (parent, id=-1, bitmap=wx.NullBitmap, pos=wx.DefaultPosition, size=wx.DefaultSize, style=0, name=wx.StaticBitmapNameStr)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  GetBitmap

  ()

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  SetBitmap

  (bitmap)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

• Notes:

  • Inherits GetLabel and SetLabel from Window.
    

  __init__

  (parent, id=-1, label=EmptyString, pos=wx.DefaultPosition, size=wx.DefaultSize, style=0, name=StaticTextNameStr)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  GetLabel

  ()

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  SetLabel

  (label)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  Wrap

  (width)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

• Uses \n to seperate lines. Never use the indices returned by a multiline wx.TextCtrl as indices into the string it contains, but only as arguments to be passed back to the other wx.TextCtrl methods.
  Events: wx.EVT_TEXT, wx.EVT_CHAR, wx.EVT_TEXT_ENTER, wx.EVT_TEXT_URL, wx.EVT_TEXT_MAXLEN
  

  __init__

  (parent, id=-1, value="", pos=wx.DefaultPosition, size=wx.DefaultSize, style=0, validator=DefaultValidator, name=wx.TextCtrlNameStr)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  • Styles: wx.TE_PROCESS_ENTER, wx.TE_PROCESS_TAB, wx.TE_MULTILINE, wx.TE_PASSWORD, wx.TE_READONLY, wx.TE_LEFT, wx.TE_CENTRE, wx.TE_RIGHT, wx.TE_DONTWRAP, wx.TE_BESTWRAP
    

  SetMaxLength

  (len)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  • Limit the number of input characters.

  GetValue

  ()

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  • note1: If multiline, string uses \n, not \r\n.
    

  ChangeValue

  (value)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

• A progress bar.
  

  __init__

  (parent, id=-1, range=100, pos=wx.DefaultPosition, size=wx.DefaultSize, style=wx.GA_HORIZONTAL, validator=wx.DefaultValidator, name=wx.GaugeNameStr)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  • Styles: wx.GA_HORIZONTAL, wx.GA_VERTICAL
    

  Pulse

  ()

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  • Each call pulses it a bit. See wx.Timer

  SetRange

  (range)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  SetValue

  (pos)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  GetRange

  ()

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  GetValue

  ()

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

ItemContainer(Control) classes

• Abstract parent of ListBox, CheckListBox, Choice, and ComboBox
  

  FindString

  (s)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  GetSelection

  ()

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  • Returns integer or wx.NOT_FOUND. You kept a reference to the list, right?

  GetStringSelection

  ()

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  • List? What list?

  SetSelection

  (n, select=True)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  SetStringSelection

  (string)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

• A pulldown menu.
  Events: wx.EVT_CHOICE
  

  __init__

  (parent, id, pos=wx.DefaultPosition, size=wx.DefaultSize, choices=[], style=0, validator=wx.DefaultValidator, name=wx.ChoiceNameStr)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  • note1: I don't know why there is no default value (-1) for id.
    

  GetSelection

  ()

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  • Returns the last selected value.

  GetCurrentSelection

  ()

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  • Returns the currently selected option in the drop-down.

• An ItemContainer.
  Events: wx.EVT_LISTBOX(id, func) / wx.wxEVT_COMMAND_LISTBOX_SELECTED, wx.EVT_LISTBOX_DCLICK(id, func) / wx.wxEVT_COMMAND_LISTBOX_DOUBLECLICKED
  

  __init__

  (parent, id=-1, pos=wx.DefaultPosition, size=wx.DefaultSize, choices=[], style=0, validator=wx.DefaultValidator, name=wx.ListBoxNameStr)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  • Styles: wx.LB_SINGLE, wx.LB_MULTIPLE, wx.LB_EXTENDED, wx.LB_HSCROLL, wx.LB_ALWAYS_SB, wx.LB_NEEDED_LB, wx.LB_SORT
    

  AppendAndEnsureVisible

  (s)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  Deselect

  (n)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  DeselectAll

  (itemToLeaveSelected=-1)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  EnsureVisible

  (n)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  GetSelections

  ()

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  • Returns list of integers

  InsertItems

  (items, pos)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  IsSelected

  (n)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  Set

  (s)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  • Clears and sets strings

  SetItemBackgroundColour

  (item, c)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  SetItemFont

  (item, f)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  SetItemForegroundColour

  (item, c)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

Event classes

• All windows (and therefore controls) are event handlers.
  Notes:

  • When events are received, wx.EvtHandler invokes the method listed in the event table using itself as the object.
    

  Bind

  (event, handler, source, id1=1, id2=-1)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  • note1: event: One of the wx.EVT_* objects that specifies the type of event to bind.
    note2: handler: the function to call when the event is delivered to self.
    note3: source: the object (control) that generated the event.
    

• Abstract parent of all events.
  

  __init__

  (id=0, eventType=wx.wxEVT_NULL)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  GetEventType

  ()

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

• Sent when top-level window or entire application activated or deactivated.
  Events: wx.EVT_ACTIVATE, wx.EVT_ACTIVATE_APP
  Notes:

  • Don't confuse this with wx.FocusEvent.

  • Calling event.Skip() when handling is a good idea.
    

  GetActive

  ()

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  • Returns true when activated.

Font classes

• __init__

  (pointSize, family, style, weight, underline)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  • note1: See constructor for family and weight constants
    

Image classes

• Can be loaded from file but not drawn to a wx.DC
  Notes:

  • Use ConvertToBitmap method to draw to a wx.DC
    

  __init__

  (name, type=wx.BITMAP_TYPE_ANY, index=-1)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  • note1: name is the filename
    note2: index is for multipage gif, ico, or tifs
    

  CanRead

  ()

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  LoadFile

  (name, type, index)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  SaveFile

  (name, type)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  Ok

  ()

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  Copy

  ()

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  ConvertToBitmap

  (depth=?samedepth?)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  • note1: The docs don't show it, but 'depth' is optional
    

  GetData

  ()

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  • Returns a string of the RGB bytes of the image.

  SetData

  (str)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  GetSize

  ()

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  Rescale

  (width, height, quality=wx.IMAGE_QUALITY_NORMAL)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  • note1: Returns a new wx.Image
    

  GetSubImage

  (rect)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

  Resize

  (size, pos, red=-1, green=-1, blue=-1)

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

• ConvertToImage

  ()

  wxPython Sphinx wxWidgets

DC classes

This page was created by AnthonyGlaser.

Please don't edit this page directly. Instead, download cheat_sheet.xml, models.py , and xml_parser.py. Modify cheat_sheet.xml and run the function write_sheet in xml_parser.py. Upload the output and attach any changed files.

Or just stay tuned for updates.