DialogBlock vs. wxFormBuilder
Gour
I'm in the process of evaluating whether to use GTK and its gtk2hs
Haskell bindings or to use wxWidgets & wxhaskell... Huh
wxwidgets looks very appealing and since I could use some GUI designer
with only XRC files I've eliminated (maybe I'm wrong) wxDesigner as the
most expensive & proprietary tool providing code generation for certain
languages which I won't us.
I've looked at wxSmith table comparing several GUI designers. After
eliminating wxGlade, there are only two (afaict) worthy tools to be used:
* wxFormBuilder and
* DialogBlocks
I plan to work on some (bigger) GUI desktop app and wouldn't mind spend
some $s/€ for a good tool, although, I must say, that I prefer and,
mostly (except VueScan), use open-source tools, so I'd better support
wxFormBuilder.
So, I'd like to hear some (possibly) unbiased comparison between
the two tools, i.e. which is better suited as GUI designer generating
XRC (we hope that wxhaskell will one day have support for native
code generation)?
Sincerely,
Gour
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Gour | Hlapicina, Croatia | GPG key: F96FF5F6
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--
Gour | Hlapicina, Croatia | GPG key: F96FF5F6
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Iulian-Nicu Șerbănoiu
Since you are willing to pay for a tool why not buy DialogBlocks and
in the same time use wxFormBuilder (which is open-source). This way
you don't take any chance and you won't regret you didn't choose "the
other tool".
Note: I don't have any connection with [Anthemion Software Limited]
beside this mailing list.
Regards,
--
Iulian Şerbănoiu
MinVG - http://minvg.sourceforge.net
Gour
>>>>>> "Iulian-Nicu" == <under...@gmail.com> wrote:
Iulian-Nicu> Since you are willing to pay for a tool why not buy
Iulian-Nicu> DialogBlocks and in the same time use wxFormBuilder
Iulian-Nicu> (which is open-source). This way you don't take any
Iulian-Nicu> chance and you won't regret you didn't choose "the
Iulian-Nicu> other tool".
Well, there is simple answer to that...I'd like to choose the better
tool and focus on working with the single one.
If, based on fair-comparison, it's DialogBlocks, I'll gladly pay, but
if the WxFormBuilder is equally (or even more) capable, then I'll
focus on using it and will also gladly help the project in any way,
including sending some donation which I do for several apps I use.
Vadim Zeitlin
G> I'm in the process of evaluating whether to use GTK and its gtk2hs
G> Haskell bindings or to use wxWidgets & wxhaskell... Huh
I don't know much about neither as although I find Haskell as a language
very appealing I never considered writing GUI programs in it but I think
that generally speaking you should be using the bindings which make most
sense from the point of view of the language itself. The GUI designers
choice is IMO less important than the harmony between the toolkit used and
the language itself.
G> wxwidgets looks very appealing and since I could use some GUI designer
G> with only XRC files I've eliminated (maybe I'm wrong) wxDesigner as the
G> most expensive & proprietary tool providing code generation for certain
G> languages which I won't us.
I'm sure wxDesigner can work with XRC too.
G> I've looked at wxSmith table comparing several GUI designers. After
G> eliminating wxGlade,
Funny, this is the one I think I prefer. It's true that it's buggy but
it's also simple and has most sizer-friendly UI IMHO.
G> So, I'd like to hear some (possibly) unbiased comparison between
G> the two tools, i.e. which is better suited as GUI designer generating
G> XRC
You should really try them both if you didn't do it yet and decide. I
don't the answer to your question but from past experience I do know that
it strongly depends on the person. E.g. some people hate wxGlade while
others like it. Some people like wxDesigner/DialogBlocks while others can't
stand it. I think I've seen all possible combinations so it's really
subjective. All I can say is that wxDesigner/DialogBlocks are probably the
two best maintained tools (i.e. bugs are fixed most quickly, new controls
are added a.s.a.p.) but I'm not even sure about this as I didn't use all
the other alternatives.
Good luck,
VZ
--
TT-Solutions: wxWidgets consultancy and technical support
http://www.tt-solutions.com/
Gour
>>>>>> "Vadim" == <va...@wxwidgets.org> wrote:
Vadim> I don't know much about neither as although I find Haskell as a
Vadim> language very appealing I never considered writing GUI programs
Vadim> in it but I think that generally speaking you should be using
Vadim> the bindings which make most sense from the point of view of the
Vadim> language itself.
Both wxhaskell and gtk2hs are very close here - that's why e.g. wx's
look on Mac OS makes it vey appealing as toolkit of choice.
Vadim> I'm sure wxDesigner can work with XRC too.
It does, but based on the info provided on the web site I could not
find out what would be it's advantage over e.g. DialogBlocks.
Vadim> Funny, this is the one I think I prefer. It's true that it's
Vadim> buggy but it's also simple and has most sizer-friendly UI IMHO.
Based on my observation so far, it looks that wxFormBuilder is a
better choice in comparison.
Vadim> You should really try them both if you didn't do it yet and
Vadim> decide.
Sure. I'll install & try all of them (actually, I already installed
them), but asking here to get some info from experienced users in
order to know better about the 'details' on which one has to take care
when evaluating.
Don't forget that I'm total wx noob and do not have idea how the
toolkit 'works'.
I don't the answer to your question but from past
Vadim> experience I do know that it strongly depends on the person.
Vadim> E.g. some people hate wxGlade while others like it. Some people
Vadim> like wxDesigner/DialogBlocks while others can't stand it. I
Vadim> think I've seen all possible combinations so it's really
Vadim> subjective.
Vadim> All I can say is that wxDesigner/DialogBlocks are
Vadim> probably the two best maintained tools (i.e. bugs are fixed most
Vadim> quickly, new controls are added a.s.a.p.) but I'm not even sure
Vadim> about this as I didn't use all the other alternatives.
Hmm, for instance, I'm not sure if I saw that wxDesigner has support
for wxAUI, while in the table mentioned above, I saw some references.
Still, info which you've provided about maintability of the two
prop. tools is useful hint.
Let me, at the end, thank you for still working on wxWidgets (I
remember your name since the time when I was considering wxruby at its
very beginning.).
John Ralls
On Jan 23, 2010, at 6:17 AM, Gour wrote:
> On Sat, 23 Jan 2010 14:53:39 +0100
>>>>>>> "Vadim" == <va...@wxwidgets.org> wrote:
>
>
> Both wxhaskell and gtk2hs are very close here - that's why e.g. wx's
> look on Mac OS makes it vey appealing as toolkit of choice.
>
If OSX is an important platform for you, I strongly recommend you choose wx over gtk. Gtk's OSX support has gotten much better since last summer, but OSX is still very much an afterthought to the Gtk+ developers. Take a look at http://gtk-osx.sourceforge.net for more information on what you'll need to port a Gtk+ app to OSX.
Regards,
John Ralls
Gour
>>>>>> "John" == <jra...@ceridwen.fremont.ca.us> wrote:
John> If OSX is an important platform for you, I strongly recommend you
John> choose wx over gtk. Gtk's OSX support has gotten much better
John> since last summer, but OSX is still very much an afterthought to
John> the Gtk+ developers.
Yeah, I believe that look'n'feel on OSX is important, and here wx is
clear winner. That's why I'm already looking at GUI designers for
it. ;)
There is one remaining issue I'm considering and that is memory
management. See
http://haskell.org/gtk2hs/archives/2005/07/15/automatic-memory-management/
although the post is a bit old and I've found out about Reference
Counting (COW) in wx:
http://docs.wxwidgets.org/trunk/overview_refcount.html
John> Take a look at http://gtk-osx.sourceforge.net for more
John> information on what you'll need to port a Gtk+ app to OSX.
It is actually even worser - see http://live.gnome.org/GTK%2B/OSX -
Imendio is out of business and the port is still quite uncomplete.
Zarko Markovic
> I've looked at wxSmith table comparing several GUI designers. After
> eliminating wxGlade, there are only two (afaict) worthy tools to be used:
>
> * wxFormBuilder and
> * DialogBlocks
I use them both. DialogBlocks supports more controls and options,
wxFormBuilder interface it's a bit easier for me so I use it for
simple tasks. It's not a problem to use 2 or more GUI builders, they
are only helpers in the code generation anyway. It's not as risky as
deciding the programing language. If you still wanna stick with one,
why not try experiment with both of them (DialogBlocks has demo
version). Buying DialogBlocks or donating to wxFormBuilder will still
support open source community in either way (DialogBlocks is developed
by one of the wxWidgets developers which is open source).
Br, Zarko
Gour
>>>>>> "Zarko" == Zarko Markovic <zark...@gmail.com> wrote:
Zarko> I use them both. DialogBlocks supports more controls and options,
Zarko> wxFormBuilder interface it's a bit easier for me so I use it for
Zarko> simple tasks.
I was being told there are some inconsistencies in the design of
wFormBuilder by e.g. insisting on sizers where it is not require and
vice versa.
Zarko> It's not a problem to use 2 or more GUI builders, they are only
Zarko> helpers in the code generation anyway. It's not as risky as
Zarko> deciding the programing language.
Heh, I'm not worried about the language.
Zarko> Buying DialogBlocks or donating to wxFormBuilder will still
Zarko> support open source community in either way (DialogBlocks is
Zarko> developed by one of the wxWidgets developers which is open
Zarko> source).
Yeah, that's encouraging...