Programming Forums > Application Development > C++

rwm · Aug 31st, 2007, 9:13 AM

Hey!

I was just wondering what the general guidelines to creating a GUI app are. I mean, it seems a little stupid to put all application code in one huge source file, are there any design strategies that make the process more "modular" (for lack of better term)...

Sorry if I seem a little unclear?

Hope you can help!

Ta

ReggaetonKing · Aug 31st, 2007, 9:48 AM

Browse through the Finished Projects section and take a look at how people create their GUI apps. I have a huge source file, unless it's a custom dialog or I make up some special type of button, etc., that contains all of my GUI components and events.

rwm · Aug 31st, 2007, 10:03 AM

Oh ok... Huge gnarly and messy source file

No good!

How do you setup the communication between GUI and the application code?

So far found this pattern Model-View-Controller Pattern...

God GUI programming is a major pain in the ass! :mad:

DaWei · Aug 31st, 2007, 10:10 AM

One makes a project modular for the programmer(s) and for efficiency. I'm not one of those who thinks every function should be in a separate file, but a file should be relatively comprehensible in its entirety.

For large programs (I imagine my idea of a large program is a little different from the average member's), incorporating changes is faster if source files are smaller. One only has to compile those files that have been changed, then relink.

One might consider the GUI to be a single piece, but that isn't necessarily the case. The code that represents the action for some event may have no relationship to that for another event. Code for generation a report, for instance, should not be in the same file as code for ramping up the motor speed according to some rate curve. Both, however, interface to the GUI for input and output/display.

As for GUI programming being a pain in the ass, I disagree. Try making a really slick and easy to use console app for something other than a trivial hobby-type program.

rwm · Sep 3rd, 2007, 6:27 AM

Heya!

Mmm, i'm still trying to find how to implement the application without having to resort to macros...

You know, the IMPLEMENT_APP macro and stuff...

I've looked in defs.h, not there?

Game_Ender · Sep 3rd, 2007, 8:13 PM

wxWidgets uses quite a few macros I would get use to them. If you wish to really understand the source code more, you should download it and use a tool to do text searches over it. It really impossible without something like grep to find every place in the wxWidgets source where "IMPLEMENT_APP" is (and with that information find the place where its defined).

rwm · Sep 4th, 2007, 3:19 AM

Hey!

Thanks for the reply! So you are saying that the macro is defined all over the place?

No good! :mad:

lectricpharaoh · Sep 4th, 2007, 6:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rwm

So you are saying that the macro is defined all over the place?

No good! :mad:

I think what was meant was that if you can find every occurrence, something grep will definitely help with, one of them will be the definition.

rwm · Sep 4th, 2007, 6:34 AM

Ah of course! So theres not just definitions all over, just need to find the main one...

Coolio, will grep now!

rwm · Sep 4th, 2007, 7:07 AM

found it in app.h

(Toggle Plain Text)

// Use this macro if you want to define your own main() or WinMain() function
// and call wxEntry() from there.
#define IMPLEMENT_APP_NO_MAIN(appname)                                      \
    wxAppConsole *wxCreateApp()                                             \
    {                                                                       \
        wxAppConsole::CheckBuildOptions(WX_BUILD_OPTIONS_SIGNATURE,         \
                                        "your program");                    \
        return new appname;                                                 \
    }                                                                       \
    wxAppInitializer                                                        \
        wxTheAppInitializer((wxAppInitializerFunction) wxCreateApp);        \
    DECLARE_APP(appname)                                                    \
    appname& wxGetApp() { return *wx_static_cast(appname*, wxApp::GetInstance()); }

seems to be what i want...

Aug 31st, 2007, 9:13 AM	#1
rwm Professional Programmer Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Cape Town Posts: 291 Rep Power: 2	wxWidgets and practical apps. Hey! I was just wondering what the general guidelines to creating a GUI app are. I mean, it seems a little stupid to put all application code in one huge source file, are there any design strategies that make the process more "modular" (for lack of better term)... Sorry if I seem a little unclear? Hope you can help! Ta

Aug 31st, 2007, 9:48 AM	#2
ReggaetonKing Sexy Programmer Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: New Jersey Posts: 891 Rep Power: 3	Browse through the Finished Projects section and take a look at how people create their GUI apps. I have a huge source file, unless it's a custom dialog or I make up some special type of button, etc., that contains all of my GUI components and events. __________________ I would love to change the world, but they won't give me the source code!

Aug 31st, 2007, 10:10 AM	#4
DaWei Resident Grouch Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 6,453 Rep Power: 10	One makes a project modular for the programmer(s) and for efficiency. I'm not one of those who thinks every function should be in a separate file, but a file should be relatively comprehensible in its entirety. For large programs (I imagine my idea of a large program is a little different from the average member's), incorporating changes is faster if source files are smaller. One only has to compile those files that have been changed, then relink. One might consider the GUI to be a single piece, but that isn't necessarily the case. The code that represents the action for some event may have no relationship to that for another event. Code for generation a report, for instance, should not be in the same file as code for ramping up the motor speed according to some rate curve. Both, however, interface to the GUI for input and output/display. As for GUI programming being a pain in the ass, I disagree. Try making a really slick and easy to use console app for something other than a trivial hobby-type program. __________________ Abstraction doesn't make it impossible to write bad code; it makes it possible to write superior code. Contributor's Corner: Grumpy on C++ Exceptions DaWei on Pointers

Sep 3rd, 2007, 8:13 PM	#6
Game_Ender Professional Programmer Join Date: May 2006 Location: Maryland, USA Posts: 306 Rep Power: 3	wxWidgets uses quite a few macros I would get use to them. If you wish to really understand the source code more, you should download it and use a tool to do text searches over it. It really impossible without something like grep to find every place in the wxWidgets source where "IMPLEMENT_APP" is (and with that information find the place where its defined). __________________ Robotics @ Maryland AUV Team - Software Lead

Sep 4th, 2007, 7:07 AM	#10
rwm Professional Programmer Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Cape Town Posts: 291 Rep Power: 2	found it in app.h (Toggle Plain Text) // Use this macro if you want to define your own main() or WinMain() function // and call wxEntry() from there. #define IMPLEMENT_APP_NO_MAIN(appname) \ wxAppConsole wxCreateApp() \ { \ wxAppConsole::CheckBuildOptions(WX_BUILD_OPTIONS_SIGNATURE, \ "your program"); \ return new appname; \ } \ wxAppInitializer \ wxTheAppInitializer((wxAppInitializerFunction) wxCreateApp); \ DECLARE_APP(appname) \ appname& wxGetApp() { return wx_static_cast(appname, wxApp::GetInstance()); } // Use this macro if you want to define your own main() or WinMain() function // and call wxEntry() from there. #define IMPLEMENT_APP_NO_MAIN(appname) \ wxAppConsole wxCreateApp() \ { \ wxAppConsole::CheckBuildOptions(WX_BUILD_OPTIONS_SIGNATURE, \ "your program"); \ return new appname; \ } \ wxAppInitializer \ wxTheAppInitializer((wxAppInitializerFunction) wxCreateApp); \ DECLARE_APP(appname) \ appname& wxGetApp() { return wx_static_cast(appname, wxApp::GetInstance()); } seems to be what i want...

Aug 31st, 2007, 10:03 AM	#3
rwm Professional Programmer Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Cape Town Posts: 291 Rep Power: 2	Oh ok... Huge gnarly and messy source file No good! How do you setup the communication between GUI and the application code? So far found this pattern Model-View-Controller Pattern... God GUI programming is a major pain in the ass! :mad:

Sep 3rd, 2007, 6:27 AM	#5
rwm Professional Programmer Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Cape Town Posts: 291 Rep Power: 2	Heya! Mmm, i'm still trying to find how to implement the application without having to resort to macros... You know, the IMPLEMENT_APP macro and stuff... I've looked in defs.h, not there?

Sep 4th, 2007, 3:19 AM	#7
rwm Professional Programmer Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Cape Town Posts: 291 Rep Power: 2	Hey! Thanks for the reply! So you are saying that the macro is defined all over the place? No good! :mad:

Sep 4th, 2007, 6:34 AM	#9
rwm Professional Programmer Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Cape Town Posts: 291 Rep Power: 2	Ah of course! So theres not just definitions all over, just need to find the main one... Coolio, will grep now!

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Programming Forums > Application Development > C++

wxWidgets and practical apps.