Cross Platform C++ GUI API

[darkhack]

Hello. I am looking for a GUI API that is cross platform and works
with Windows, Mac, and Linux. I was hoping for something free and open
source. You see, I have yet to find anything that fits this criteria.

GTK+ is good, but it doesn't work on the Mac. Qt claims to work on all
Operating Systems, but it requires a recompile on that platform and
I've yet to figure out how to accomplish that without buying the
commerical version. So if anyone can recommend an alternative, please
do.

Anyways, if there isnt anything out there that would suit my needs, I
am thinking about writing my own maybe? If you can provide any
information on how I would do this, such as how I would draw GUI
widgets and things of that sort so I can go about programming my own,
that would be great.

Thanks

 

[Phlip]

Hello. I am looking for a GUI API that is cross platform and works
with Windows, Mac, and Linux. I was hoping for something free and open
source. You see, I have yet to find anything that fits this criteria.

Why C++? All the top OSs support Ruby and Tk.

C++ is for hard system code. A GUI is light event-driven command and control
code.

 

[Mike Wahler]

Hello. I am looking for a GUI API that is cross platform and works
with Windows, Mac, and Linux. I was hoping for something free and open
source. You see, I have yet to find anything that fits this criteria.

GTK+ is good, but it doesn't work on the Mac. Qt claims to work on all
Operating Systems, but it requires a recompile on that platform

Virtually any such package (except perhaps those which run on interpreters
or 'engines' implemented on all desired platforms) would require a recompile
for different platforms -- they'll have different OS calls and/or processor
instruction sets.

and
I've yet to figure out how to accomplish that without buying the
commerical version.

In your stated case, a 'commercial' version would not obviate the
need for separate compilation for each platform. It would probably
just add more 'advanced' features and perhaps less restrictive
licensing.

So if anyone can recommend an alternative, please
do.

Face reality.

Anyways, if there isnt anything out there that would suit my needs, I
am thinking about writing my own maybe?

Good luck with that.

If you can provide any
information on how I would do this, such as how I would draw GUI
widgets and things of that sort so I can go about programming my own,
that would be great.

This necessarily depends upon the target platform, so you'd need
separate code for each platform, compiled for each platform, ideally
residing in the same code base, with conditional compilation directives.
Which brings us back to ....

-Mike

 

[darkhack]

Mike... you obviously havn't worked with the Qt library before. Yes, I
realize that a recompile is required no matter what.

If you read my post rather than trying to start in by flaming it, you
would realize that I wasn't asking for an api that didnt require a
recompile (because non such exist) but rather one that can easily be
recompiled. Qt CAN be recompiled on windows but not without a lot of
trouble, and I havn't found any documentation on recompiling Qt
programs for the Mac.

 

[Mike Wahler]

Mike... you obviously havn't worked with the Qt library before.

No I have not.

Yes, I
realize that a recompile is required no matter what.

Perhaps I misunderstood your query.

If you read my post rather than trying to start in by flaming it,

If you feel my reply was a 'flame', so be it. But it seems
you have a very 'thin skin'. My reply was a genuine attempt
to help, not meant in any way to be a 'flame.' Sometimes
(via misunderstanding or other reason(s)), my advice is not
helpful. That's just the way it is with any person trying to help
another.

you
would realize that I wasn't asking for an api that didnt require a
recompile (because non such exist) but rather one that can easily be
recompiled.

'Ease of compilation' is a tool issue, not a language issue.
This *is* a language group. Perhaps newsgroups or mailing
lists which adress the tools of interest would be better places
to ask.

Qt CAN be recompiled on windows but not without a lot of
trouble, and I havn't found any documentation on recompiling Qt
programs for the Mac.

Sorry to hear that, but this is not the place to find or ask
about such documentation. Perhaps write to the authors of
the tools you're interested in?

You might also benefit from checking the "List of Available C++
Libraries" at www.trumphurst.com

-Mike

 

[Serge Skorokhodov (216716244)]

Hi,

I would suggest giving a try to wxWidgets (former wxWindow) library.

 

[Ivan Vecerina]

Hello. I am looking for a GUI API that is cross platform and works
with Windows, Mac, and Linux. I was hoping for something free and open
source. You see, I have yet to find anything that fits this criteria.

GTK+ is good, but it doesn't work on the Mac. Qt claims to work on all
Operating Systems, but it requires a recompile on that platform and
I've yet to figure out how to accomplish that without buying the
commerical version. So if anyone can recommend an alternative, please
do.

wxWidgets is a totally free (and popular) library:
http://www.wxwidgets.org/
It does not have as much support and documentation, and the better
graphical GUI editors for it are not free, but it is a mature and
usable solution. It offers a native look on the platforms it supports
(Windows, GTK, MaxOSX, ...).
Design-wise, I would have preferred something less monolithic and
more in line with modern C++ style (and using the std lib), but well...

Another popular, more lightweight solution, is FLTK:
http://www.fltk.org/
(uses custom widgets...)

There are more...

Anyways, if there isnt anything out there that would suit my needs, I
am thinking about writing my own maybe? If you can provide any
information on how I would do this, such as how I would draw GUI
widgets and things of that sort so I can go about programming my own,
that would be great.

This is not such an easy job...


I hope this helps,
Ivan

 

[Uzytkownik]

Hello. I am looking for a GUI API that is cross platform and works
with Windows, Mac, and Linux. I was hoping for something free and open
source. You see, I have yet to find anything that fits this criteria.

GTK+ is good, but it doesn't work on the Mac. Qt claims to work on all
Operating Systems, but it requires a recompile on that platform and
I've yet to figure out how to accomplish that without buying the
commerical version. So if anyone can recommend an alternative, please
do.

Anyways, if there isnt anything out there that would suit my needs, I
am thinking about writing my own maybe? If you can provide any
information on how I would do this, such as how I would draw GUI
widgets and things of that sort so I can go about programming my own,
that would be great.

Thanks

1. wxWidgets.
I don't like it (it's more similar to winapi then gtk/gtkmm/qt), but it
have bad documentation (I don't understand it ).
2. Gcc cross-compilation and qt

Regards.

 

[darkhack]

Ok, thanks mike. Sorry about the misunderstanding.

I'll take a look at wxwidgets and see what I think.

 

[Conrad Weyns]

Hello. I am looking for a GUI API that is cross platform and works
with Windows, Mac, and Linux. I was hoping for something free and open
source. You see, I have yet to find anything that fits this criteria.

GTK+ is good, but it doesn't work on the Mac. Qt claims to work on all
Operating Systems, but it requires a recompile on that platform and
I've yet to figure out how to accomplish that without buying the
commerical version. So if anyone can recommend an alternative, please
do.
Zoolib:
http://zoolib.sourceforge.net/


Anyways, if there isnt anything out there that would suit my needs, I
am thinking about writing my own maybe? If you can provide any
information on how I would do this, such as how I would draw GUI
widgets and things of that sort so I can go about programming my own,
that would be great.

Thanks

 

[Pelle Beckman]

(e-mail address removed) skrev:

Hello. I am looking for a GUI API that is cross platform and works
with Windows, Mac, and Linux. I was hoping for something free and open
source. You see, I have yet to find anything that fits this criteria.

GTK+ is good, but it doesn't work on the Mac. Qt claims to work on all
Operating Systems, but it requires a recompile on that platform and
I've yet to figure out how to accomplish that without buying the
commerical version. So if anyone can recommend an alternative, please
do.

Anyways, if there isnt anything out there that would suit my needs, I
am thinking about writing my own maybe? If you can provide any
information on how I would do this, such as how I would draw GUI
widgets and things of that sort so I can go about programming my own,
that would be great.

Thanks

I think Qt 4 will be offered as open source for windows too
when it's out, but I'm not sure. Have a look at www.trolltech.com.

And the way I understand it Qt makes no difference in
performace, easy-of-use etc. between "free" and commerical versions.

-- Pelle