ANN: Python GUI development using XULRunner

[Todd Whiteman]

I've put together a tutorial that shows off how to build a GUI
application using XULRunner (same architectural components as Firefox
uses) that can be used in conjunction with the Python programming language.

The tutorial covers how to build a Python/XULRunner GUI application:
http://pyxpcomext.mozdev.org/no_wrap/tutorials/pyxulrunner/python_xulrunner_about.html

The details in this tutorial covers the initial setup to full
packaging/deployment, mostly targeting a Windows/Linux platform (MacOSX
is possible with a few deviations, I have tried to cover these
deviations where applicable).

Feedback is welcome.

Cheers,
Todd

 

[Don Spaulding]

I've put together a tutorial that shows off how to build a GUI
application using XULRunner (same architectural components as Firefox
uses) that can be used in conjunction with the Python programming language.

The tutorial covers how to build a Python/XULRunner GUI application:http://pyxpcomext.mozdev.org/no_wrap/tutorials/pyxulrunner/python_xul...

The details in this tutorial covers the initial setup to full
packaging/deployment, mostly targeting a Windows/Linux platform (MacOSX
is possible with a few deviations, I have tried to cover these
deviations where applicable).

Feedback is welcome.

Cheers,
Todd

I get to the "Running" step and run into "Couldn't load XPCOM."

Does this work on x86_64? Or have I made a rookie mistake?

xulapp1$ ls
app docs installer pyxpcom_gui_app
xulapp1$ cd pyxpcom_gui_app/
pyxpcom_gui_app$ ls
application.ini components extensions pyxpcom_gui_app
chrome defaults pylib xulrunner
pyxpcom_gui_app$ ./pyxpcom_gui_app
Couldn't load XPCOM.

 

[Todd Whiteman]

I get to the "Running" step and run into "Couldn't load XPCOM."

Does this work on x86_64? Or have I made a rookie mistake?

Hi Don,

A good question. Mozilla only provide 32-bit XulRunner applications by
default, you you'll need to install the necessary 32-bit compatability
libraries on your Linux machine, i.e. for Ubuntu it's something like:
sudo apt-get install ia32-libs ia32-libs-gtk

Then you should be able to run the example. You can check the
dependencies using something the following commands, there should be no
missing dependencies:
$ cd pyxpcom_gui_app/xulrunner
$ LD_LIBRARY_PATH=. ldd ./xulrunner-bin

It is possible to use a 64-bit version, but you'll need to compile this
yourself (or find somewhere that provides these x86_64 versions). Note
that the PythonExt project does not offer Python bindings for x86_64
either (it's on my todo list), you can compile the PythonExt part
yourself as well if you need a 64-bit version.

Cheers,
Todd

 

[support]

Hi Don,

A good question. Mozilla only provide 32-bit XulRunner applications by
default, you you'll need to install the necessary 32-bit compatability
libraries on your Linux machine, i.e. for Ubuntu it's something like:
sudo apt-get install ia32-libs ia32-libs-gtk

Then you should be able to run the example. You can check the
dependencies using something the following commands, there should be no
missing dependencies:
$ cd pyxpcom_gui_app/xulrunner
$ LD_LIBRARY_PATH=. ldd ./xulrunner-bin

It is possible to use a 64-bit version, but you'll need to compile this
yourself (or find somewhere that provides these x86_64 versions). Note
that the PythonExt project does not offer Python bindings for x86_64
either (it's on my todo list), you can compile the PythonExt part
yourself as well if you need a 64-bit version.

Cheers,
Todd

Interesting, I'm running Ubuntu Intrepid here, and have both ia32-libs
and ia32-libs-gtk installed.

ldd shows that I'm missing the following libs, even though the proper
packages are installed, and the files show up in /usr/lib.

libxcb-render-util.so.0 => not found
libxcb-render.so.0 => not found

There's also /usr/lib/libxcb-render.so.0.0.0 and the same for render-
util, so I wonder if that could be part of the problem?


Don

/me never knew how to get out of DLL hell on Windows either ;-)

 

[Don Spaulding]

Oh, and Google's single sign-on sucks eggs :-|

 

[Fred Pacquier]

I've put together a tutorial that shows off how to build a GUI
application using XULRunner (same architectural components as Firefox
uses) that can be used in conjunction with the Python programming
language.
The tutorial covers how to build a Python/XULRunner GUI application:
http://pyxpcomext.mozdev.org/no_wrap/tutorials/pyxulrunner/python_xulru
nner_about.html
The details in this tutorial covers the initial setup to full
packaging/deployment, mostly targeting a Windows/Linux platform
(MacOSX is possible with a few deviations, I have tried to cover these
deviations where applicable).
Feedback is welcome.

Thanks for making good on your promise. I'm leaving for a trip but have it
bookmarked for later use

 

[Todd Whiteman]

Interesting, I'm running Ubuntu Intrepid here, and have both ia32-libs
and ia32-libs-gtk installed.

ldd shows that I'm missing the following libs, even though the proper
packages are installed, and the files show up in /usr/lib.

libxcb-render-util.so.0 => not found
libxcb-render.so.0 => not found

There's also /usr/lib/libxcb-render.so.0.0.0 and the same for render-
util, so I wonder if that could be part of the problem?


Don

Hi Don,

I'm thinking there may be additional 32-bit packages necessary then (I'm
not sure which package).

Not sure about Ubuntu 8.10 (it's still alpha). I'm using a Ubuntu 8.04
x86_64 machine and my dependencies list the following for the latest
32-bit build of XulRunner:

$ LD_LIBRARY_PATH=. ldd ./xulrunner-bin | grep libxcb
libxcb-xlib.so.0 => /usr/lib32/libxcb-xlib.so.0 (0xf6493000)
libxcb.so.1 => /usr/lib32/libxcb.so.1 (0xf647b000)

Cheers,
Todd

 

[Riccardo Galli]

I've put together a tutorial that shows off how to build a GUI
application using XULRunner (same architectural components as Firefox
uses) that can be used in conjunction with the Python programming language.

The tutorial covers how to build a Python/XULRunner GUI application:http://pyxpcomext.mozdev.org/no_wrap/tutorials/pyxulrunner/python_xul...

The details in this tutorial covers the initial setup to full
packaging/deployment, mostly targeting a Windows/Linux platform (MacOSX
is possible with a few deviations, I have tried to cover these
deviations where applicable).

Feedback is welcome.

Cheers,
Todd

well, it just works.
Now let's see how

Nice job,
Riccardo

p.s. I'm on a Gentoo Linux 64 bit, no problems at all

 

[Don Spaulding]

Hi Don,

I'm thinking there may be additional 32-bit packages necessary then (I'm
not sure which package).

Not sure about Ubuntu 8.10 (it's still alpha). I'm using a Ubuntu 8.04
x86_64 machine and my dependencies list the following for the latest
32-bit build of XulRunner:

$ LD_LIBRARY_PATH=. ldd ./xulrunner-bin | grep libxcb
        libxcb-xlib.so.0 => /usr/lib32/libxcb-xlib.so.0 (0xf6493000)
        libxcb.so.1 => /usr/lib32/libxcb.so.1 (0xf647b000)

Cheers,
Todd

No worries Todd, it is alpha. It was a very recent bug in the 8.10
ia32-libs package, which is now fixed :-D

Thanks for the excellent writeup, BTW! I've been wondering what was
involved in doing this for a while, it just never made it up my
priority list to figure out. Again, thanks!

 

[Joe Hrbek]

Todd, this is great! Thanks for your work on this. I've been using
your extension for awhile, successfully creating little apps. Your
gui_app template has been a huge help in advancing my understanding of
how things fit together...takes some of the guesswork out. Thanks
again,

-j