tkauto

Generate tkinter/python script from Excel spreadsheet

tkauto.py

Tkauto.py is a python 3.# script.

Tkauto inputs an xlsx (excel) file and builds a starter script
for a Python GUI desktop application. The Python script uses
tkinter for the GUI API.

List Widgets With Options

`layout_tpl.xlsx' is a spreadsheet used to indicate which widgets
your application will use, where they'll be located, and some of
their essential options. But first, Save-As to a different name.

Some columns are commented to further define their purpose.

Here's a little more already filled in.

There is a bare minimum of options provided in the spreadsheet.
However, there are enough options to generate a script that will run with just minor editing. The object here is to eliminate much of the initial editing when starting a new application.

Generate the script

usage:

$>python3 tkauto.py layout.xlsx

Using the above example, the Excel file was named layout.xlsx.

Tkauto uses a template file called tkauto_tpl.py in addition to the xlsx file.

tkauto.py produces an output script called output.py.

The output.py file is what you rename and start editing to finish the application.

Usually you will not run tkauto.py more than one time. If you forgot some widgets or options usually you can just edit them in.

BE CAREFUL
RUNNING TKAUTO.PY A SECOND TIME WILL WIPE OUT ANY EDITS YOU MADE.

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The output for this example is shown below with some minor editing to the event handlers.

# output.py
# This was created by tkauto.py, layout.xlsx and tkauto_tpl.py

from tkinter import *
from tkinter import font
# import requests, sys, os, csv, webbrowser
# from tkinter.filedialog import askopenfilename
from tkinter import messagebox

class Application(Frame):
    def __init__(self, parent):
        Frame.__init__(self, parent)
        self.pack(fill=BOTH, expand=True, padx=4, pady=4)
        self.create_widgets()

    count = 0

    def create_widgets(self):
        ''' creates GUI for app '''
        self.lbl_count = Label(self, text='…')
        self.lbl_count.grid(row=1, column=1 , sticky=E+W)

        btn_counter = Button(self, text='Update Count', command=self.btn_counter_click)
        btn_counter.grid(row=2, column=1 , sticky=E+W)

        btn_close = Button(self, text='Close', command=self.btn_close_click)
        btn_close.grid(row=3, column=1 , sticky=E+W)


# from tkinter import messagebox
# messagebox.showerror("Error", "Error message")
# messagebox.showwarning("Warning","Warning message")
# messagebox.showinfo("Information","Informative message")


        # expand widget to fill the grid
        self.columnconfigure(1, weight=1, pad=100)
        # self.rowconfigure(1, weight=1, pad=20)

    def btn_counter_click(self):
        self.count += 1
        self.lbl_count['text'] = str(self.count)

    def btn_close_click(self):
        response = messagebox.askokcancel('Close App', 'Click OK to Close')
        if response:
            root.destroy()
#

# def save_location():
#     ''' executes at WM_DELETE_WINDOW event '''
#     with open("winfoxy", "w") as fout:
#         fout.write(str(root.winfo_x()) + "\n" + str(root.winfo_y() - 24))
#     root.destroy()

root = Tk()

# root.geometry("200x120") # WxH+left+top
# or the following:
''' the following repositions the window from last time '''
# if os.path.isfile("winfoxy"):
#     lcoor = tuple(open("winfoxy", 'r'))  # no relative path for this
#     root.geometry('350x200+%d+%d'%(int(lcoor[0].strip()),int(lcoor[1].strip())))
# else:
#     root.geometry("350x200") # WxH+left+top

root.title("Example")
# root.configure(background='#666')
# root.overrideredirect(True) # removed window decorations
# root.resizable(0,0) # no resize & removes maximize button
# root.protocol("WM_DELETE_WINDOW", save_location)
app = Application(root)
app.mainloop()

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ML July 2020