Tkinter mysterious binding issue - python

I have a bound key combination :
self.parent.bind_all('<Control-n>', self.next_marked)
It is supposed to take me to the next tag in a text widget whose parent is a frame.
def next_marked(self, skip=False):
print (len(self.text.tag_ranges('definition')))
print('next_marked()')
self.text.focus_set()
print (self.text.index(INSERT))
next_tag = str(self.text.tag_nextrange('definition', 'insert+1c')[0])
print (self.text.index(INSERT))
spl = next_tag.split('.')
line = int(spl[0])
col = int(spl[1])
self.text.mark_set('insert', '%d.%d' % ( line, col ))
It does this when I do not use the hotkey, however when I do use the hotkey, it always moves the position of the cursor down one line and then performs the function. Is this my operating system at work? (Windows 7) Any recommendation on how to handle this?
I am using Python 2.7 and Tkinter 8.5

The problem seems to be that <Control-n> is already bound to "go to next line" on the Text class, and if there are multiple bindings, they will all be executed, in a specific order:
Tkinter first calls the best binding on the instance level, then the best binding on the toplevel window level, then the best binding on the class level (which is often a standard binding), and finally the best available binding on the application level.
So you could either overwrite the existing class-level binding of <Control-n> for all the Text widgets:
self.parent.bind_class("Text", '<Control-n>', lambda e: None)
Or bind your function to the instance (so it is scheduled before the class-level binding) and make it return "break" to cancel all subsequent bindings:
def next_marked(self, skip=False):
...
return "break"
self.text.bind('<Control-n>', self.next_marked)
Also, note that when used as a callback to bind, the first parameter (after self), i.e. skip in your case, will always be the Event.

Related

How can I unbind every single binding from a Tkinter root window

So I have an app in Tkinter that has a lot of buttons in the first screen and when you press one you pass into a new "Window" (basically destroying all widgets and drawing the ones that are needed for the 'window'). There is a standard function that uses some commands to destroy every child on the root. I would like to add some code that can unbind all of the bindings that are made in the root. Bindings that are on specific widgets get destroyed but those that are bind on the root stay there and cause error.
Here's the code for destroying the widgets.
#staticmethod
def clear():
for widget in guihandle.root.winfo_children():
widget.destroy()
#staticmethod
def set(db,table):
guihandle.clear()
curW = Window(db,table)
guihandle.current_Window = curW
curW.initialize()
guihandle.windows.push(curW)
(Yes, I make the base GUI from a sqlite3 database :P)
There is nothing in Tkinter to do what you want. Your app will need to keep track of the bindings it wants to remove.
That being said, depending on just how complex your real problem is, there may be other solutions. For example, instead of binding to the root window, bind to a custom binding tag (also called a bind tag or bindtag). You will then need to add that tag to every widget to enable the bindings, and remove the tag from any existing widgets to effectively disable the bindings.
I know I am VERY late but, if you go through your code and replace every widget.bind with the function below, which was taken and modified from here
def bindWidget(widget: Widget, event, all:bool=False, func=None):
# https://stackoverflow.com/a/226141/19581763
'''Set or retrieve the binding for an event on a widget'''
try:
_ = widget.__dict__['bindings']
except KeyError:
has_binding_key = False
else:
has_binding_key = True
if not has_binding_key:
setattr(widget, 'bindings', dict())
if func:
if not all:
widget.bind(event, func)
else:
widget.bind_all(event, func)
widget.bindings[event] = func
else:
return(widget.bindings.setdefault(event, None))
Than the function will keep track of every binding for you by setting a attribute called bindings which has both, the event and the function inside of it.
For example:
label.bind('<Button-1>', label.destroy)
Will become:
bindWidget(label, '<Button-1>', func=label.destroy)
After doing that, you can write a simple function which deletes all of the bindings and widgets:
def clear(self): # Self will be your Tk() instance
"""Clears everything on the window, including bindings"""
for child in self.winfo_children():
child.destroy()
if not hasattr(self, 'bindings'):
self.bindings = {}
for event, func in self.bindings.items():
self.unbind_all(event)
self.bindings = {}
There are only 2 caveats with this approach
Time
You will have to go through your code to replace every widget.bind and if you have lots of bindings, than it will take a lot of time
Readability
bindWidget(label, '<Button-1>', func=label.destroy) is less readable and less clear than label.bind('<Button-1>', label.destroy)
Edit 8/11/2022
Alternatively, you can destroy the entire window and recreate it like this:
window.destroy()
window = Tk()
However, I am not sure if creating a whole Tcl interpreter is good.

Connecting multiples signal/slot in a for loop in pyqt

I'm connecting multiple signal/slots using a for loop in PyQt. The code is bellow:
# Connect Scan Callbacks
for button in ['phase', 'etalon', 'mirror', 'gain']:
getattr(self.ui, '{}_scan_button' .format(button)).clicked.connect(
lambda: self.scan_callback(button))
What I expect:
Connect button phase_scan_button clicked signal to the scan_callback slot and send the string phase as a parameter to the slot. The same for etalon, mirror and gain.
What I'm getting:
For some reason my functions is always passing the string gain as parameter for all the buttons. Not sure if I'm being stupid (likely) or it is a bug.
For reference, the slot method:
def scan_callback(self, scan):
print(scan) # Here I always get 'gain'
if self.scanner.isWorking:
self.scanner.isWorking = False
self.scan_thread.terminate()
self.scan_thread.wait()
else:
self.scanner.isWorking = True
self.scan_thread.start()
getattr(self.ui, '{}_scan_button' .format(
scan)).setText('Stop Scan')
getattr(self, '_signal{}Scan' .format(scan)).emit()
My preferred way of iterating over several widgets in pyqt is storing them as objects in lists.
myButtons = [self.ui.phase_scan_button, self.ui.etalon_scan_button,
self.ui.mirror_scan_button, self.ui.gain_scan_button]
for button in myButtons:
button.clicked.connect(lambda _, b=button: self.scan_callback(scan=b))
If you need the strings "phase", "etalon", "mirror" and "gain" separately, you can either store them in another list, or create a dictionary like
myButtons_dict = {"phase": self.ui.phase_scan_button,
"etalon": self.ui.etalon_scan_button,
"mirror": self.ui.mirror_scan_button,
"gain": self.ui.gain_scan_button}
for button in myButtons_dict:
myButtons_dict[button].clicked.connect(lambda: _, b=button self.scan_callback(scan=b))
Note, how I use the lambda expression with solid variables that are then passed into the function self.scan_callback. This way, the value of button is stored for good.
Your lambdas do not store the value of button when it is defined. The code describing the lambda function is parsed and compiled but not executed until you actually call the lambda.
Whenever any of the buttons is clicked, the current value of variable button is used. At the end of the loop, button contains "gain" and this causes the behaviour you see.
Try this:
funcs = []
for button in ['phase', 'etalon', 'mirror', 'gain']:
funcs.append( lambda : print(button))
for fn in funcs:
fn()
The output is:
gain
gain
gain
gain
Extending the example, as a proof that the lambdas don't store the value of button note that if button stops existing, you'll have an error:
del button
for fn in funcs:
fn()
which has output
funcs.append( lambda : print(button))
NameError: name 'button' is not defined
As noted here : Connecting slots and signals in PyQt4 in a loop
Using functools.partial is a nice workaround for this problem.
Have been struggling with same problem as OP for a day.

Modifying a variable in a function has no result

I have a Tkinter application, so I have the mainloop which is typical of Tkinter, and various functions which handle mouse clicks and all that garbage.
In one of the functions, I generate a string and I want to store that string SOMEWHERE in the program, so that I can use it later on if some other function is called or maybe if I want to print it from the main loop.
import this and that, from here and there etc etc
#blah blah global declarations
fruit = ''
def somefunction(event):
blahblahblah;
fruit = 'apples'
return fruit
mainwin = Tk()
#blah blah blah tkinter junk
#my code is here
#its super long so I don't want to upload it all
#all of this works, no errors or problems
#however
button = Button( blahblahblha)
button.bind("<button-1", somefunction)
print fruit
#yields nothing
mainwin.mainloop()
This is an abridged example. Everything else in the program works fine, I can track my variable throughout the program, but when it's time for it to be saved for later use, it gets erased.
For example, I can print the variable as I pass it along from one function to another as an argument, and it will be fine. It is always preserved, and prints. The instant I try to get it back into the loop or store it for later use, it gets lost or overwritten (I'm not quite sure which).
I am really unfamiliar with Python, so I bet it's something simple that I've missed. I am assuming this is supposed to work like every other language, where you save a string to a global variable, and it will stay there UNTIL you or something resets it or overwrites it.
My current workaround is to create a text file and save the string in it until I need it.
I am using Python 2.7.11 on Windows 7, but have had the same issue on Ubuntu.
When you do fruit = 'anything' inside the function, it assigns it as a local variable. When the function ends, that local variable disappears. If you want to reassign to a global variable, you need to indicate that you'd like to do so with the global keyword.
def somefunction(event):
global fruit # add this
blahblahblah
fruit = 'apples'
return fruit
Note that functions can access global variables without this line, but if you want an assignment to the same name to apply to the global one you have to include it.
Also, "<button-1" should be "<button-1>".
Also, instead of binding to a Button, you should just add a command to it:
button = Button(mainwin, text='blahblah', command=somefunction)
And Button widgets, when clicked, don't send an event object to the function they're bound to, so define somefunction as def somefunction():.
Also, the print fruit is executed exactly once. If you want to change fruit and then see the new value, you'll have to print it as some point after you've done the reassignment. Using return to send a value to a Button doesn't do anything, as the widget can't do anything with it. This is why Tkinter apps are commonly created as object-oriented (OO) programs, so you can easily save instance variables without having to use global.
Learn classes and your problems disappear. Almost any of these cover classes https://wiki.python.org/moin/BeginnersGuide/Programmers Also a Tkinter reference so you can fix your typos http://effbot.org/tkinterbook/tkinter-events-and-bindings.htm
import sys
if sys.version_info[0] < 3:
import Tkinter as tk ## Python 2.x
else:
import tkinter as tk ## Python 3.x
class StoreVariable():
def __init__(self, root):
self.fruit = ''
button = tk.Button(root, bg="lightblue")
button.grid()
button.bind("<Button-1>", self.somefunction)
tk.Button(root, text="Exit", bg="orange", command=root.quit).grid(row=1)
def print_fruit(self):
print self.fruit
def somefunction(self, event):
self.fruit = 'apples'
print "fruit changed"
mainwin = tk.Tk()
SV=StoreVariable(mainwin)
mainwin.mainloop()
## assume that once Tkinter exits there is something stored
## note that you have exited Tkinter but the class instance still exists
print SV.fruit
## call the class's built in function
SV.print_fruit()
Basing on your abridged function, here are some things that might caused your problems:
You might not saved fruit to a variable inside the main loop/program. Values saved inside a function will be erased once that function finishes. Unless you saved it inside a class variable using self.variable_name (applicable if you are using classes). If you don't like classes, just save it within a variable inside the main loop/function like:
fruit = somefunction()
other stuff
print fruit #the time where you access fruit again
where this statement is inside the main loop/program where you would accesss it again with print.
You might be changing the value of fruit with other statements/functions. Not definite since you haven't posted your whole code.

Tkinter's event_generate command ignored

I am trying to figure out how to unittest a bind command in a dialog window. I'm attempting this with tkinter's event_generate. It is not working the way I expect. For this StackOverflow question I've set up some code with a single call to event_generate. Sometimes that line works and sometimes it is as if the line doesn't even exist.
The bind in the dialog's __init__ method looks like this:
self.bind('<BackSpace>', #Print "BackSpace event generated."
lambda event: print(event.keysym, 'event generated.'))
Any action in the dialog will call back to its terminate method (The dialog is based on Frederik Lundh's example Dialog in 'An Introduction to Tkinter'.)
def terminate(self, event=None):
print('terminate called') # Make sure we got here and the next line will be called
self.event_generate('<BackSpace>')
self.parent.focus_set()
self.destroy()
When the dialog is called using the code below any user action will end up calling terminate. In each case "terminate called" and "BackSpace event generated." are displayed. This proves that the call to event_generate is set up correctly.
parent = tk.Tk()
dialog = Dialog(parent)
dialog.wait_window()
In case it's relevant I ought to mention that I have moved Lundh's call to self.wait_window from his dialog's __init__ method to the caller. Whilst this breaks the neat encapsulation of his dialog it appears to be necessary for automated unittests. Otherwise the unittest will display the dialog and halt waiting for user input. I don't like this solution but I'm not aware of any alternative.
The problem I'm having is when wait_window is replaced with a direct call to the terminate method. This is the sort of thing that I'd expect to be able to do in unittesting which is to test my GUI code without running tkinter's mainloop or wait_window.
parent = tk.Tk()
dialog = Dialog(parent)
dialog.terminate()
This only prints "terminate called" and does not print "BackSpace event generated.". The call to event_generate appears to have no effect. If I follow the call in the debugger I can see that tkinter's event_generate() is being called with the correct arguments. self = {Dialog} .99999999, sequence = {str}'<BackSpace>', kw = {dict}{}
In view of the warning in the TkCmd man pages about window focus I have verified the dialog with the binding is given focus in its __init__ method.
Tkinter is not executing the callback. Why?
EDIT: This bare bones code shows update working. However, it only works if it is called in __init__ before event_generate is called by the main program. (This puzzle has been raised as a separate question)
class UpdWin(tk.Tk):
def __init__(self):
super().__init__()
self.bind('<BackSpace>',
lambda event: print(event.keysym, 'event generated.'))
self.update() # Update works if placed here
app = UpdWin()
app.event_generate('<BackSpace>')
# app.update() # Update doesn't work if placed here
Six Years On
4/12/2021. See Mark Roseman's excellent web site for a detailed explanation of why any use of update is a bad idea.
The problem posed by this six year old question is entirely avoided by better program design in which tkinter widget objects are never subclassed. Instead they should be created by composition where they can be easily monkey patched. (This advice is contrary to patterns shown in Frederik Lundh's example Dialog in 'An Introduction to Tkinter'.)
For unittest design, not only is there no need to start Tk/Tcl via tkinter but it is also unwise.
event_generate will by default process all event callbacks immediately. However, if you don't call update before calling event_generate, the window won't be visible and tkinter will likely ignore any events. You can control when the generated event is processed with the when attribute. By default the value is "now", but another choice is "tail" which means to append it to the event queue after any events (such as redraws) have been processed.
Full documentation on the when attribute is on the tcl/tk man page for event_generate: http://tcl.tk/man/tcl8.5/TkCmd/event.htm#M34
Don't know if this is relevant to your problem, but I got widget.event_generate() to work by calling widget.focus_set() first.
#lemi57ssss I know this is an old question, but I just want to highlight the point brought up by Bryan Oakley and to correct your last code to make it work. He said you have to update first before it can respond to the generated event. So if you switch the positions of update() and event_generate(), you will get the "BackSpace event generated." text printed out.
It worked when you put the update() in the __init__() was because of the same reason, i.e., it got called first before the event_generated().
See the amended code below:
class UpdWin(tk.Tk):
def __init__(self):
super().__init__()
self.bind('<BackSpace>',
lambda event: print(event.keysym, 'event generated.'))
#self.update() # Update works if placed here
app = UpdWin()
app.update() # Update also works if you placed it here
app.event_generate('<BackSpace>')

disable tkinter keyboard shortcut (2)

I'm proposing a continuation of the discussion in disable tkinter keyboard shortcut: I have an event handler for an event that Tkinter also uses, so that my prog & Tkinter interact badly.
Since it is a problem that I've been unable to solve I'm re-proposing here, where I tried to boil it down to the simplest form in the following code:
#!/usr/bin/env python
from Tkinter import *
import tkFont
def init():
global root,text
root = Tk()
root.geometry("500x500+0+0")
dFont=tkFont.Font(family="Arial", size=10)
text=Text(root, width=16, height=5, font=dFont)
text.pack(side=LEFT, fill=BOTH, expand = YES)
root.bind("<Control-b>", setbold)
text.tag_config("b",font=('Verdana', '10', 'bold' ))
text.tag_config("i",font=('Verdana', '10', 'italic' ))
def removeformat(event=None):
text.tag_remove('b',SEL_FIRST,SEL_LAST)
text.tag_remove('i',SEL_FIRST,SEL_LAST)
def setbold(event=None):
removeformat()
text.tag_add('b', SEL_FIRST,SEL_LAST)
text.edit_modified(True)
def main():
init()
mainloop()
if __name__ == '__main__':
main()
What it should do is simply to produce a text window where you write into.
Selecting some text and pressing Ctrl+B the program should remove any preexisting tag, then assign to it the 'b' tag that sets the text to bold.
What instead happens is an exception at the first tag_remove, telling me that text doesn't contain any characters tagged with "sel".
The suggestion to use a return 'break' is of no use, since the selection disappears before setbold() has any chance to act...
Set your binding on the text widget, not on the root. (Whole toplevel bindings are processed after widget class bindings – where the standard <Control-Key-b> binding is – and those are processed after the widget instance bindings, which is what you want to use here.) And you need to do that 'break'; it inhibits the subsequent bindings. (If you're having any problems after that, it's probably that the focus is wrong by default, but that's easy to fix.)
The only other alternative is to reconfigure the bindtags so that class bindings are processed after toplevel bindings, but the consequences of doing that are very subtle and far-reaching; you should use the simpler approach from my first paragraph instead as that's the normal way of handling these things.
Bindings are handled in a specific order, defined by the bindtags of that widget. By default this order is:
The specific widget
The widget class
The toplevel window
The special class "all"
If there are conflicting bindings -- for example, a control-b binding on both the widget and class -- they both will fire (in the described order) unless you break the chain by returning "break".
In the case of the code you posted, however, you are binding to the toplevel window (ie: the root window), and the conflicting binding is on the class. Therefore, the binding will fire for the class before it is processed by the toplevel, so even if your binding returned "break" it wouldn't matter since the class binding happens first.
The most straight-forward solution is to move your binding to the actual widget and return "break". That will guarantee your binding fires first, and the return "break" guarantees that the class binding does not fire.
If you really want your binding on the root window, you can remove the binding for the class using the bind_class method with the value of "Text" for the class.
You might find the Events and Bindings page on effbot.org to be useful.

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