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   License:   wxWindows License

.. include:: headings.inc

.. module:: wx.lib.agw.aui

.. currentmodule:: wx.lib.agw.aui

.. highlight:: python



.. _wx.lib.agw.aui:

==========================================================================================================================================
|phoenix_title|  **wx.lib.agw.aui**
==========================================================================================================================================

AUI is an Advanced User Interface library that aims to implement "cutting-edge"
interface usability and design features so developers can quickly and easily create
beautiful and usable application interfaces.


Vision and Design Principles
============================

AUI attempts to encapsulate the following aspects of the user interface:

* **Frame Management**: Frame management provides the means to open, move and hide common
  controls that are needed to interact with the document, and allow these configurations
  to be saved into different perspectives and loaded at a later time.

* **Toolbars**: Toolbars are a specialized subset of the frame management system and should
  behave similarly to other docked components. However, they also require additional
  functionality, such as "spring-loaded" rebar support, "chevron" buttons and end-user
  customizability.

* **Modeless Controls**: Modeless controls expose a tool palette or set of options that
  float above the application content while allowing it to be accessed. Usually accessed
  by the toolbar, these controls disappear when an option is selected, but may also be
  "torn off" the toolbar into a floating frame of their own.

* **Look and Feel**: Look and feel encompasses the way controls are drawn, both when shown
  statically as well as when they are being moved. This aspect of user interface design
  incorporates "special effects" such as transparent window dragging as well as frame animation.

AUI adheres to the following principles:

- Use native floating frames to obtain a native look and feel for all platforms;
- Use existing wxPython code where possible, such as sizer implementation for frame management;
- Use standard wxPython coding conventions.


Usage
=====

The following example shows a simple implementation that uses :class:`framemanager.AuiManager` to manage
three text controls in a frame window::

    import wx
    import wx.lib.agw.aui as aui

    class MyFrame(wx.Frame):

        def __init__(self, parent, id=-1, title="AUI Test", pos=wx.DefaultPosition,
                     size=(800, 600), style=wx.DEFAULT_FRAME_STYLE):

            wx.Frame.__init__(self, parent, id, title, pos, size, style)

            self._mgr = aui.AuiManager()

            # notify AUI which frame to use
            self._mgr.SetManagedWindow(self)

            # create several text controls
            text1 = wx.TextCtrl(self, -1, "Pane 1 - sample text",
                                wx.DefaultPosition, wx.Size(200,150),
                                wx.NO_BORDER | wx.TE_MULTILINE)

            text2 = wx.TextCtrl(self, -1, "Pane 2 - sample text",
                                wx.DefaultPosition, wx.Size(200,150),
                                wx.NO_BORDER | wx.TE_MULTILINE)

            text3 = wx.TextCtrl(self, -1, "Main content window",
                                wx.DefaultPosition, wx.Size(200,150),
                                wx.NO_BORDER | wx.TE_MULTILINE)

            # add the panes to the manager
            self._mgr.AddPane(text1, aui.AuiPaneInfo().Left().Caption("Pane Number One"))
            self._mgr.AddPane(text2, aui.AuiPaneInfo().Bottom().Caption("Pane Number Two"))
            self._mgr.AddPane(text3, aui.AuiPaneInfo().CenterPane())

            # tell the manager to "commit" all the changes just made
            self._mgr.Update()

            self.Bind(wx.EVT_CLOSE, self.OnClose)


        def OnClose(self, event):
            # deinitialize the frame manager
            self._mgr.UnInit()
            event.Skip()


    # our normal wxApp-derived class, as usual

    app = wx.App(0)

    frame = MyFrame(None)
    app.SetTopWindow(frame)
    frame.Show()

    app.MainLoop()


What's New
==========

Current wxAUI Version Tracked: wxWidgets 2.9.5 (SVN HEAD)

The wxPython AUI version fixes the following bugs or implement the following
missing features (the list is not exhaustive):

- Visual Studio 2005 style docking: http://www.kirix.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=596
- Dock and Pane Resizing: http://www.kirix.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=582
- Patch concerning dock resizing: http://www.kirix.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=610
- Patch to effect wxAuiToolBar orientation switch: http://www.kirix.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=641
- AUI: Core dump when loading a perspective in wxGTK (MSW OK): http://www.kirix.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=627
- wxAuiNotebook reordered AdvanceSelection(): http://www.kirix.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=617
- Vertical Toolbar Docking Issue: http://www.kirix.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=181
- Patch to show the resize hint on mouse-down in aui: http://trac.wxwidgets.org/ticket/9612
- The Left/Right and Top/Bottom Docks over draw each other: http://trac.wxwidgets.org/ticket/3516
- MinSize() not honoured: http://trac.wxwidgets.org/ticket/3562
- Layout problem with wxAUI: http://trac.wxwidgets.org/ticket/3597
- Resizing children ignores current window size: http://trac.wxwidgets.org/ticket/3908
- Resizing panes under Vista does not repaint background: http://trac.wxwidgets.org/ticket/4325
- Resize sash resizes in response to click: http://trac.wxwidgets.org/ticket/4547
- "Illegal" resizing of the AuiPane? (wxPython): http://trac.wxwidgets.org/ticket/4599
- Floating wxAUIPane Resize Event doesn't update its position: http://trac.wxwidgets.org/ticket/9773
- Don't hide floating panels when we maximize some other panel: http://trac.wxwidgets.org/ticket/4066
- wxAUINotebook incorrect ALLOW_ACTIVE_PANE handling: http://trac.wxwidgets.org/ticket/4361
- Page changing veto doesn't work, (patch supplied): http://trac.wxwidgets.org/ticket/4518
- Show and DoShow are mixed around in wxAuiMDIChildFrame: http://trac.wxwidgets.org/ticket/4567
- wxAuiManager & wxToolBar - ToolBar Of Size Zero: http://trac.wxwidgets.org/ticket/9724
- wxAuiNotebook doesn't behave properly like a container as far as...: http://trac.wxwidgets.org/ticket/9911
- Serious layout bugs in wxAUI: http://trac.wxwidgets.org/ticket/10620
- wAuiDefaultTabArt::Clone() should just use copy contructor: http://trac.wxwidgets.org/ticket/11388
- Drop down button for check tool on wxAuiToolbar: http://trac.wxwidgets.org/ticket/11139

Plus the following features:

- AuiManager:

  (a) Implementation of a simple minimize pane system: Clicking on this minimize button causes a new
      AuiToolBar to be created and added to the frame manager, (currently the implementation is such
      that panes at West will have a toolbar at the right, panes at South will have toolbars at the
      bottom etc...) and the pane is hidden in the manager.
      Clicking on the restore button on the newly created toolbar will result in the toolbar being
      removed and the original pane being restored;
  (b) Panes can be docked on top of each other to form `AuiNotebooks`; `AuiNotebooks` tabs can be torn
      off to create floating panes;
  (c) On Windows XP, use the nice sash drawing provided by XP while dragging the sash;
  (d) Possibility to set an icon on docked panes;
  (e) Possibility to draw a sash visual grip, for enhanced visualization of sashes;
  (f) Implementation of a native docking art (`ModernDockArt`). Windows XP only, **requires** Mark Hammond's
      pywin32 package (winxptheme);
  (g) Possibility to set a transparency for floating panes (a la Paint .NET);
  (h) Snapping the main frame to the screen in any positin specified by horizontal and vertical
      alignments;
  (i) Snapping floating panes on left/right/top/bottom or any combination of directions, a la Winamp;
  (j) "Fly-out" floating panes, i.e. panes which show themselves only when the mouse hover them;
  (k) Ability to set custom bitmaps for pane buttons (close, maximize, etc...);
  (l) Implementation of the style ``AUI_MGR_ANIMATE_FRAMES``, which fade-out floating panes when
      they are closed (all platforms which support frames transparency) and show a moving rectangle
      when they are docked and minimized (Windows < Vista and GTK only);
  (m) A pane switcher dialog is available to cycle through existing AUI panes;
  (n) Some flags which allow to choose the orientation and the position of the minimized panes;
  (o) The functions [Get]MinimizeMode() in `AuiPaneInfo` which allow to set/get the flags described above;
  (p) Events like ``EVT_AUI_PANE_DOCKING``, ``EVT_AUI_PANE_DOCKED``, ``EVT_AUI_PANE_FLOATING`` and ``EVT_AUI_PANE_FLOATED`` are
      available for all panes *except* toolbar panes;
  (q) Implementation of the RequestUserAttention method for panes;
  (r) Ability to show the caption bar of docked panes on the left instead of on the top (with caption
      text rotated by 90 degrees then). This is similar to what `wxDockIt` did. To enable this feature on any
      given pane, simply call `CaptionVisible(True, left=True)`;
  (s) New Aero-style docking guides: you can enable them by using the `AuiManager` style ``AUI_MGR_AERO_DOCKING_GUIDES``;
  (t) A slide-in/slide-out preview of minimized panes can be seen by enabling the `AuiManager` style
      ``AUI_MGR_PREVIEW_MINIMIZED_PANES`` and by hovering with the mouse on the minimized pane toolbar tool;
  (u) New Whidbey-style docking guides: you can enable them by using the `AuiManager` style ``AUI_MGR_WHIDBEY_DOCKING_GUIDES``;
  (v) Native of custom-drawn mini frames can be used as floating panes, depending on the ``AUI_MGR_USE_NATIVE_MINIFRAMES`` style;
  (w) A "smooth docking effect" can be obtained by using the ``AUI_MGR_SMOOTH_DOCKING`` style (similar to PyQT docking style);
  (x) Implementation of "Movable" panes, i.e. a pane that is set as `Movable()` but not `Floatable()` can be dragged and docked
      into a new location but will not form a floating window in between.


- AuiNotebook:

  (a) Implementation of the style ``AUI_NB_HIDE_ON_SINGLE_TAB``, a la :mod:`lib.agw.flatnotebook`;
  (b) Implementation of the style ``AUI_NB_SMART_TABS``, a la :mod:`lib.agw.flatnotebook`;
  (c) Implementation of the style ``AUI_NB_USE_IMAGES_DROPDOWN``, which allows to show tab images
      on the tab dropdown menu instead of bare check menu items (a la :mod:`lib.agw.flatnotebook`);
  (d) 6 different tab arts are available, namely:

      (1) Default "glossy" theme (as in :class:`~auibook.AuiNotebook`)
      (2) Simple theme (as in :class:`~auibook.AuiNotebook`)
      (3) Firefox 2 theme
      (4) Visual Studio 2003 theme (VC71)
      (5) Visual Studio 2005 theme (VC81)
      (6) Google Chrome theme

  (e) Enabling/disabling tabs;
  (f) Setting the colour of the tab's text;
  (g) Implementation of the style ``AUI_NB_CLOSE_ON_TAB_LEFT``, which draws the tab close button on
      the left instead of on the right (a la Camino browser);
  (h) Ability to save and load perspectives in `AuiNotebook` (experimental);
  (i) Possibility to add custom buttons in the `AuiNotebook` tab area;
  (j) Implementation of the style ``AUI_NB_TAB_FLOAT``, which allows the floating of single tabs.
      Known limitation: when the notebook is more or less full screen, tabs cannot be dragged far
      enough outside of the notebook to become floating pages;
  (k) Implementation of the style ``AUI_NB_DRAW_DND_TAB`` (on by default), which draws an image
      representation of a tab while dragging;
  (l) Implementation of the `AuiNotebook` unsplit functionality, which unsplit a splitted AuiNotebook
      when double-clicking on a sash;
  (m) Possibility to hide all the tabs by calling `HideAllTAbs`;
  (n) wxPython controls can now be added inside page tabs by calling `AddControlToPage`, and they can be
      removed by calling `RemoveControlFromPage`;
  (o) Possibility to preview all the pages in a `AuiNotebook` (as thumbnails) by using the `NotebookPreview`
      method of `AuiNotebook`;
  (p) Tab labels can be edited by calling the `SetRenamable` method on a `AuiNotebook` page;
  (q) Support for multi-lines tab labels in `AuiNotebook`;
  (r) Support for setting minimum and maximum tab widths for fixed width tabs;
  (s) Implementation of the style ``AUI_NB_ORDER_BY_ACCESS``, which orders the tabs by last access time
      inside the Tab Navigator dialog;
  (t) Implementation of the style ``AUI_NB_NO_TAB_FOCUS``, allowing the developer not to draw the tab
      focus rectangle on tne `AuiNotebook` tabs.

|

- AuiToolBar:

  (a) ``AUI_TB_PLAIN_BACKGROUND`` style that allows to easy setup a plain background to the AUI toolbar,
      without the need to override drawing methods. This style contrasts with the default behaviour
      of the :class:`~auibar.AuiToolBar` that draws a background gradient and this break the window design when
      putting it within a control that has margin between the borders and the toolbar (example: put
      :class:`~auibar.AuiToolBar` within a :class:`StaticBoxSizer` that has a plain background);
  (b) `AuiToolBar` allow item alignment: http://trac.wxwidgets.org/ticket/10174;
  (c) `AUIToolBar` `DrawButton()` improvement: http://trac.wxwidgets.org/ticket/10303;
  (d) `AuiToolBar` automatically assign new id for tools: http://trac.wxwidgets.org/ticket/10173;
  (e) `AuiToolBar` Allow right-click on any kind of button: http://trac.wxwidgets.org/ticket/10079;
  (f) `AuiToolBar` idle update only when visible: http://trac.wxwidgets.org/ticket/10075;
  (g) Ability of creating `AuiToolBar` tools with [counter]clockwise rotation. This allows to propose a
      variant of the minimizing functionality with a rotated button which keeps the caption of the pane
      as label;
  (h) Allow setting the alignment of all tools in a toolbar that is expanded;
  (i) Implementation of the ``AUI_MINIMIZE_POS_TOOLBAR`` flag, which allows to minimize a pane inside
      an existing toolbar. Limitation: if the minimized icon in the toolbar ends up in the overflowing
      items (i.e., a menu is needed to show the icon), this style will not work.



TODOs
=====

- Documentation, documentation and documentation;
- Fix `tabmdi.AuiMDIParentFrame` and friends, they do not work correctly at present;
- Allow specification of `CaptionLeft()` to `AuiPaneInfo` to show the caption bar of docked panes
  on the left instead of on the top (with caption text rotated by 90 degrees then). This is
  similar to what `wxDockIt` did - DONE;
- Make developer-created `AuiNotebooks` and automatic (framemanager-created) `AuiNotebooks` behave
  the same way (undocking of tabs) - DONE, to some extent;
- Find a way to dock panes in already floating panes (`AuiFloatingFrames`), as they already have
  their own `AuiManager`;
- Add more gripper styles (see, i.e., PlusDock 4.0);
- Add an "AutoHide" feature to docked panes, similar to fly-out floating panes (see, i.e., PlusDock 4.0);
- Add events for panes when they are about to float or to be docked (something like
  ``EVT_AUI_PANE_FLOATING/ED`` and ``EVT_AUI_PANE_DOCKING/ED``) - DONE, to some extent;
- Implement the 4-ways splitter behaviour for horizontal and vertical sashes if they intersect;
- Extend `tabart.py` with more aui tab arts;
- Implement ``AUI_NB_LEFT`` and ``AUI_NB_RIGHT`` tab locations in `AuiNotebook`;
- Move `AuiDefaultToolBarArt` into a separate module (as with `tabart.py` and `dockart.py`) and
  provide more arts for toolbars (maybe from :mod:`lib.agw.flatmenu`?)
- Support multiple-rows/multiple columns toolbars;
- Integrate as much as possible with :mod:`lib.agw.flatmenu`, from dropdown menus in `AuiNotebook` to
  toolbars and menu positioning;
- Possibly handle minimization of panes in a different way (or provide an option to switch to
  another way of minimizing panes);
- Clean up/speed up the code, especially time-consuming for-loops;
- Possibly integrate `wxPyRibbon` (still on development), at least on Windows.


License And Version
===================

AUI library is distributed under the wxPython license.

Latest Revision: Andrea Gavana @ 09 Jan 2014, 22.00 GMT

Version 1.3.


|module_summary| Modules Summary
================================

================================================================================ ================================================================================
:mod:`~wx.lib.agw.aui.aui_constants`                                             This module contains all the constants used by wxPython-AUI.
:mod:`~wx.lib.agw.aui.aui_switcherdialog`                                        Description
:mod:`~wx.lib.agw.aui.aui_utilities`                                             This module contains some common functions used by :mod:`lib.agw.aui` to
:mod:`~wx.lib.agw.aui.auibar`                                                    `auibar.py` contains an implementation of :class:`~wx.lib.agw.aui.auibar.AuiToolBar`, which is a completely owner-drawn
:mod:`~wx.lib.agw.aui.auibook`                                                   `auibook.py` contains a notebook control which implements many features common in
:mod:`~wx.lib.agw.aui.dockart`                                                   Dock art provider code - a dock provider provides all drawing functionality to
:mod:`~wx.lib.agw.aui.framemanager`                                              Description
:mod:`~wx.lib.agw.aui.tabart`                                                    Tab art provider code - a tab provider provides all drawing functionality to
:mod:`~wx.lib.agw.aui.tabmdi`                                                    
================================================================================ ================================================================================


|


.. toctree::
   :maxdepth: 1
   :hidden:

   wx.lib.agw.aui.aui_constants
   wx.lib.agw.aui.aui_switcherdialog
   wx.lib.agw.aui.aui_utilities
   wx.lib.agw.aui.auibar
   wx.lib.agw.aui.auibook
   wx.lib.agw.aui.dockart
   wx.lib.agw.aui.framemanager
   wx.lib.agw.aui.tabart
   wx.lib.agw.aui.tabmdi



