wxGlade: Who knows how to drive this application?

[Roel Schroeven]

Alberto Griggio schreef:
> Hello,
> 
>> I've been trying to use wxGlade recently and I am finding it something
>> of a challenge. Is there any user who finds the user interface
>> satisfactory and the operation of the program predictable?
>>
>> If so I would love to hear from you.
> 
> Do you have some specific example of what you mean? 
> Sure, wxGlade has bugs and isn't always in sync with the latest wxPython
> changes (usually the CVS version is better in this respect), but
> suggestions on how to improve it are always welcome...

Here are some things I can think of, in no particular order:

- I have to find and select the frame I'm working on in the tree to
   display the preview of that frame. That's especially cumbersome if
   I'm playing with the properties of a widget to see their effect;
   then I find myself constantly switching between the frame and the
   widget. Solutions I can think of:
   - maybe a "Refresh"-functionality in the preview-window (via a
     right-click, F5, ctrl-R, window system menu?).
   - possibility to have multiple Properties window open.
   - a "Preview" in each Properties window; when used with a widget
     that doesn't support it, work up the tree until a widget is
     encountered that does support a preview.
   - Put a Preview-item in the right-click menu for the frame widget in
     the tree window.
- Changes in preferences don't take effect until wxGlade is restarted.
   It's workable, but it would be nice if e.g. a change in "Default
   border width for widgets" would take effect immediately.
- It's cumbersome to change the order of widgets in a sizer. Ideally I
   should be able to drag and drop the widgets into place in the tree
   window and/or the design window.
- I think drag and drop should also work to move widgets from one
   sizer to another in the tree window. If the target sizer doesn't
   have a free slot, one should be added automatically.
- Suppose I have a frame; the frame contains a sizer with a number
   slots containing widgets and/or other sizers. Now I realize I need a
   panel in the frame as a container for all sizers and widgets. I
   should have thought of that earlier of course, but I still feel
   there should be an easy way to insert it in the right place in the
   tree.
- Often the keyboard shortcuts (del, ctrl-x, ctrl-v) don't seem to
   work in the design window.
- If I select a widget in the tree, it is visually marked in the
   design window.  I think that should happen for sizers too.
- Often when you add an empty slot, you have to make the designer
   window larger, to show the new slot. I think that should happen
   automatically.
- In general, I find myself switching between the properties window,
   the tree window and the design window an awful lot of times. I'm not
   sure how to improve that.
- Spacers have the same color as panels, making them invisible in the
   design window when places on them.


-- 
If I have been able to see further, it was only because I stood
on the shoulders of giants.  -- Isaac Newton

Roel Schroeven