GUI and ruby

[ulazar]

I would like to create an interface GUI with ruby. What I have to use? I
would like that the GUI could be used in win, osx and linux. Is there a
good interface builder?

 

[Mohit Sindhwani]

I would like to create an interface GUI with ruby. What I have to use?
I would like that the GUI could be used in win, osx and linux. Is
there a good interface builder?

If you want to design it yourself, I think you can use Ruby/Tk, FoxGUI,
wxWidgets and Shoes. A drag-and-drop interface for designing GUI is
WideStudio. It takes a little getting used to, but it can do quite a
bit of stuff!

Cheers,
Mohit.
11/18/2007 | 5:46 PM.

 

[FireAphis]

I would like to create an interface GUI with ruby. What I have to use? I
would like that the GUI could be used in win, osx and linux. Is there a
good interface builder?

I had a similar question regarding which library to use. After talking
to people and reading various posts and articles I reached a
conclusion that I have to choose between Tk and GTK2. Tk+Ruby seems to
have more resources on the web but GTK2+Ruby looks better and
apparently is more easily customizable (custom drawn widgets was
easier to create). I've personally chosen GTK2.

Check this out:
http://ruby-gnome2.sourceforge.jp/hiki.cgi

Regarding a good interface builder I have much less experience. I code
the interface definitions myself.

FireAphis

 

[Jonathan Hudson]

I had a similar question regarding which library to use. After talking
to people and reading various posts and articles I reached a
conclusion that I have to choose between Tk and GTK2. Tk+Ruby seems to
have more resources on the web but GTK2+Ruby looks better and
apparently is more easily customizable (custom drawn widgets was
easier to create). I've personally chosen GTK2.

Check this out:
http://ruby-gnome2.sourceforge.jp/hiki.cgi

Regarding a good interface builder I have much less experience. I code
the interface definitions myself.

Glade. Ruby + Gtk2 + glade make UIs a breeze.

-jh

 

[Thomas Adam]

Hello --

Glade. Ruby + Gtk2 + glade make UIs a breeze.

I don't mind Tk -- that has the advantage of being in the core, too.

-- Thomas Adam

 

[FireAphis]

Hello --



I don't mind Tk -- that has the advantage of being in the core, too.

-- Thomas Adam

Yeah. Actually that is its biggest advantage. You have to download a
bunch of libraries from different sources to make Gtk2 run with ruby.
It took me a while to configure all the components correctly (well, in
my case I needed some more libraries than usually required). Tk on the
other hand is already there, ready to be used. If your GUI is small
and practical Tk is excellent.

FireAphis

 

[Jonathan Hudson]

Yeah. Actually that is its biggest advantage. You have to download a
bunch of libraries from different sources to make Gtk2 run with ruby.
It took me a while to configure all the components correctly (well, in
my case I needed some more libraries than usually required). Tk on the
other hand is already there, ready to be used. If your GUI is small
and practical Tk is excellent.

apt-get ruby-gnome (ubuntu et al)

pkg_add -r ruby18-gnome2-all.tgz (FreeBSD)

wget / unzip
http://ruby-gnome2.sourceforge.jp/?News_20070212_1#Same+as+ruby-gtk2-0.16.0-1-i386-msvcrt-1.8.zip
(win32)

wget / dpkg -i
http://maemo.rubyx.co.uk/ruby-maemo/Packages/maemo3/armel/ruby1.8-maemo_0.3.0-1_maemo3_armel.deb
(maemo / Nokia N800 / N810)

Granted it's possibly somewhat harder for OSX, partially due to the old
GTK installed by default.

OTOH, one time I tried to track down all the Tk dependencies for
Win32 .... maybe that's also fixed now.

Anyway, personal prejudices aside, there's a pretty good comparison of
UI toolkits at <http://kylecordes.com/2007/03/31/ruby-gui-toolkits/>

-jonathan

 

[Alec Ross]

I would like to create an interface GUI with ruby. What I have to use?
I would like that the GUI could be used in win, osx and linux. Is there
a good interface builder?

I suggest you check out wxRuby. There are several interface builders -
free and commercial. DialogBlocks w/ the wxWidgets XRC resource systems
seems to be liked.

HTH

Alec

 

[Jari Williamsson]

Anyway, personal prejudices aside, there's a pretty good comparison of
UI toolkits at <http://kylecordes.com/2007/03/31/ruby-gui-toolkits/>

...which is already dated. Some GUI toolkits have evolved alot during
the last half-year.

I would recommend that you try the latest versions of all the toolkits
and see which of them is most likely to fit your needs.


Best regards,

Jari Williamsson