Free glade software for linux

GladePyC is a Python code generator tool, from Glade XML save file, to the low-level part of "PyGtk", the Python - Gtk+ binding. Glade is a GUI builder for the Gtk+ GUI toolkit. PyGtk is the gateway between Python and Gtk+.
Why:
Those who know surely have already made the remark: "But why on earth doesnt he use libglade ?"... Here is what I think of it:
- There is roughly two approaches to working with Python and Glade: a run-time one (libglade) where UI descriptions are loaded during execution, and a compile-time one where UI descriptions are statically compiled into target language source code. Both have strong and weak points (I wont debate here), but for python the code generation option was not enough developped since GLC (advertised on Glades links page) is not object oriented. GladePyC aims to fill this little gap.
- The python binding of libglade loads the GUI using the high-level, object-oriented layer (gtk.py), not the basic layer; This means at least 3 objects per widget are present in memory (Gtk+, libglades XML and gtk.pys) which I find is a waste of memory for things we dont need once loaded (and by adding layers it may slow down things notably).
- If you need dynamic interfaces, where multiple instances of the same window class are created, you have to reload the UI description (analyzing XML and all) because libglade doesnt know how to make a new actual widget tree from the in-memory, XML represented, UI description. Additionally you have to reload from a file: loading from a string in memory is unusable because a function is missing in the Python binding.
- It requires an additional library ! Ok its not a pain to install it, but its always better if you dont need it; Actually I want OpenVMS as a potential target, and it is lacking libglade.
Additionally gladepyc has some features I wanted, that are not found in libglade nor GLC:
- Object-orientedness (1): windows and widget subtrees have their building code generated as classes, so that multiple, independant instances of them can be created.
- Individual widgets are accessible by their name as attributes of instanciated objects.
- Object-orientedness (2): signal connections are made to methods of so-called "controller" objects (Java calls them "listeners"), not functions. There is support for connecting a whole set of signals at once, based on the name of callbacks, which presence is checked as methods of the controller. This allows each window (or subpart) to be managed by a separate controller without having to pass additional arguments to callbacks.
- Object-orientedness (3): data classes can be made, to serve as quick access method to data stored at runtime in widget instances. Each value is accessed as an attribute of the instanciated object, through an attribute with the same name as the corresponding widget.
- and there is a lot more: see README. I will write documentation when things have matured.
- As you can see, there are some benefits to static code generation approach, which are difficult to achieve with a run-time library (though in our case it would be able to, since Python is interpreted and can dynamically define new classes and functions)

libglade library allows you to load glade interface files in a program at runtime. It doesnt require GLADE to be used, but GLADE is by far the easiest way to create the interface files.
For an idea of how to use the library, see test-libglade.c and glade/glade-xml.h.
To compile, you will need the libxml2 package (aka the gnome-xml module in CVS) which can be found on the GNOME FTP site or its mirrors. If you want GNOME support, you will also need the gnome-libs package installed.
LIBGLADE INTERNALS
If you are interested in how libglade works, here is a small description:
When glade_xml_new is called, the XML file is loaded using libxml. Libglade uses the SAX interface because it is faster and allows me to store the data in a more compact representation. The data in the XML file is cached, so that if you load the interface again, the file does not need to be reparsed. If the file has changed though, it will be reparsed.
Now glade_xml_build_widget is called for all the toplevel widgets in the interface (or if the second argument to glade_xml_new was non NULL, the widget it refers to is treated as the toplevel).
For each of these widgets, they are created by a function specific to the widget type, and then glade_xml_build_widget is called for each child widget, which is then packed into its parent. This is done recursively, so the whole interface is constructed.
New widget types are added to the widget class hash with the glade_register_widgets function. For an example, see the end of glade-gtk.c.
The automatic signal connection system uses the introspective capabilities of dynamic linking. By openning a handle on NULL, we can get at all the global symbols (global functions, global variables) in the executable, and the libraries it is linked against. This is used to find the address of a signal handler from its name, so that gtk_signal_connect can be called automatically for you.
Of course, there are other ways of connecting the signals if your platform doesnt support this feature.
Enhancements:
- Fix building with gtk+ 2.11.

Gtk2::GladeXML is a Perl module that create user interfaces directly from Glade XML files.

SYNOPSIS

# for a pure gtk+ glade project
use Gtk2 -init;
use Gtk2::GladeXML;
$gladexml = Gtk2::GladeXML->new(example.glade);
$gladexml->signal_autoconnect_from_package(main);
$quitbtn = $gladexml->get_widget(Quit);
Gtk2->main;

# for glade files using gnome widgets, you must initialize Gnome2
# before loading the glade file.
use Gnome2;
use Gtk2::GladeXML;
# this call also initializes gtk+ for us
Gnome2::Program->init ($appname, $version);
$gladexml = Gtk2::GladeXML->new(gnomeapp.glade);
Gtk2->main;

ABSTRACT

Gtk2::GladeXML allows Perl programmers to use libglade, a C library which generates graphical user interfaces directly from the XML output of the Glade user interface designer.

Glade is a free user interface builder for GTK+ and GNOME. After designing a user interface with glade-2 the layout and configuration are saved in an XML file. libglade is a library which knows how to build and hook up the user interface described in the Glade XML file at application run time.

This extension module binds libglade to Perl so you can create and manipulate user interfaces in Perl code in conjunction with Gtk2 and even Gnome2. Better yet you can load a files contents into a PERL scalar do a few magical regular expressions to customize things and the load up the app. It doesnt get any easier.

POE::Session::GladeXML2 is a Perl module that can emit POE events for Gtk2 callbacks.

SYNOPSIS

package test;

use POE::Session::GladeXML2;

# the name of the sub needs to match with the name you entered in
# the glade signal handler dialog.
sub on_button1_clicked {
print STDERR "button clickedn";
}

sub new {
[... object creation ...]
my $session = POE::Session::GladeXML2->create (
glade_object => $self,
glade_file => test.glade,
glade_args => widgetname,
[... POE Session params ...]
);

return $self;
}

Gtk2::GladeXML->init;
my $foo = test->new;
$poe_kernel->run();

A simple helper module that lets you connect callback names from your .glade file with methods of an object. These methods are called as POE callback or postback methods. POE::Session::GladeXML automatically determines whether gtk expects the signal handler to return a value. If it does, a callback is used, otherwise a postback will be used.

Admelix is a live CD distribution based on Ubuntu Linux with tools for business administration.

Its main objective is to guide managers of small and medium-size businesses towards GNU/Linux and open source software.

In addition to the live CD, the projects web also provides information about open and free tools for business administration.

Software included in this version are:

Financial: FacturaLUX lite 1.8, Gnofin 0.8.4, GnuCash 1.8.10, Gretl 1.4.1, Grisbi 0.5.7, Linuxtrade 3.65

Office: Abiword 2.4.1, Clara OCR 20031214, Evolution 2.4.1, Planner 0.13, Glabels 2.0.2, Gnumeric 1.5.90, OpenOffice 2.0 OpenOffice Base, OpenOffice Calc, OpenOffice Draw, OpenOffice Writer, OpenOffice Math, OpenOffice Impress, PlanMaker (rev 273), TextMaker (rev 406), Scribus 1.2.2.1, Gtodo 0.14.

Programming: Amaya 8.5, Anjuta 1.2.4, BlueFish 1.0.1, Glade 2.12.0, Mono 1.1.8.3, MonoDevelop 0.7, NVU 1.0, Postgresql 8.0

Graphics: DIA 0.94, GIMP 2.2, QCAD 2.0.4.0, Sodipodi 0.34

Internet: Firefox 1.0.7, GAIM 1.5, Thunderbird 1.0.7, Bittorrent 3.4.2, XChat 2.4.4, gFTP 2.0.18, Gnomemeeting 1.2.2

gFast File is a file manager like Konqueror or Nautilus. You can work with your files with classical operations: Copy, Move, Rename and Open like others but with gFast File you have a work queue with all your operations. gFast File work to complete all task without your attention.
gFast File is programmed with MONO, C#, GTK# and Glade.
Main features:
- Written in MONO and GTK.
- Under GNU License
- History with all the directories that you visited.
- Bookmarks with your favourites directories.
- Work queue, with Copy, Move and Delete operations. Work without your attention
- Easily add new targets to open files editing know_files.xml file.

DelVJ is a software for realtime video 3d composition and algorithmic remixing.
Delvj uses gtk, python, glade and puredata.
It can be given indications for the objects, videos, and effects, and the computer can do the rest. It features a GTK+ interface that runs puredata in the background, controls xmms, and allows tweaking of all patch parameters, recording of videos, and streaming to an Icecast server.
It can be controlled through OSC, and has web and gtk interfaces. For Pixel fests of many kinds. Furthermore, it is licensed under GNUs GPL.
Enhancements:
- Many new options and a much better gtk interface.
- Debian packages and tar.gz have been updated.
- Ubuntu users beware as currend debian packages are too new for hoary, new packages for that distro have been created and are looking for hosting.
- Most important delvj is now multilanguage, with english, spanish and catalan supported.
- Many new translations will some day follow.