how did you learn wxwidgets? Topic is solved

[mismael85]

hi,
how did you learn wxwidgets?

[mc2r]

hi,
how did you learn wxwidgets?

The same way I learn anything. The real question is how do you learn? Whats right for some is not for others. I for one need hands on, lectures and reading don't work for me. Well, reading to a lesser extent.

For me, I just started by writting a small app. Wrote it from scratch, but referred to the samples in the wxWidgets code. Reading the docs along the way to see what they had to say about each piece as I wrote it. Also, searching the forum and browsing through the docs for each specific piece helped. In other words, when I wanted to add a menu I looked at the docs for anything dealing with menus and searched for menu in the forum. Once finding wxMenu and wxMenuBar I modified my search terms. And of course writting code was the most useful.

But like I said, it depends on how you learn. Maybe a book is the way to go for you?

One thing that will for sure help regardless how you learn is you really need to know c++ to start. I've seen many posts here from people trying to learn wxWidgets that don't know how Classes work, what inheritance is, and many other c++ basics. Unless you are using wxPython or some other binding, you will need to know c++ to go anywhere with wxWidgets.

-Max

[upCASE]

Hi!
First I learned C then C++

My first GUI experience was with Java, but apart from not liking Java, I didn't like Swing as well.
For a project I had to use Qt then. It wasn't the worst experience, but during the project I learned about wxWindows (back then) and tried it at home. Having tried MFC once or twice, I felt much more comfortable with it. I guess the first thing I did was reading some tutorials about it and checking the samples. After that I did some small, mostly useless apps like a simple tic tac toe. After that I tried more and more things, like a chat system.

I suppose the best way to learn is to start slowly and don't expect that you'll code Excel in a day. And you have to read a lot

[Sof_T]

Pretty much like everyone else has said. I started by trying to build a replica of Windows Notepad, not because I needed it but because it was a simple application that introduced me to many of the features of wxWidgets, i.e. menus, statusbar, sizers, etc.

The help documentation is excellent and provides 90% of the information I need to learn the other 10% comes from the source code of the library and from this forum.

Sof.T

[C_Bastian]

First I learnt C. Then I wanted to get rid of this silly WinAPI calls and I found wxWidgets. So I had to switch to C++ because I wanted to use wxWidgets.

I brought the wxWidgets book. This is the way I always learn a new programming language: Buy a book for he basic things. This forum is helpful, too .

Sebastian

[Jorg]

Hi,

I knew C++ already but was just like upCASE an orphan when it came to having a good GUI to play with. I did try MFC but they aren't called Microsoft Frustration Classes for nothing, after that I tried Borland C++ Builder. That suited me fine for a while, until I learned it was just a wrapper around Delphi (the VCL). I wanted to target a cross platform audience, and I was always fascinated and driven by the need to be cross platform. Maybe my natural dislike of a monopolistic position that M$ always had, even worse in the earlier times. I heard from wxWidgets at work back in 1999 or 2000 I think. It was already on the market for a while and well established. We needed a toolkit for our new Soldier Digital Assistant project (a PDA on steroids with custom software). Unfortunately we did not have the resources to run wxWidgets back then, so we dismissed it, but I got intrigued by it, so I designed wxCRP as my first full project in wxWidgets. It hasn't let me go ever since.

To answer the question (I could have left my life story out I guess) just by doing it. Make an application you like, learn from your mistakes and make the next one better. Learning a toolkit can only be done by actually doing something with it. Else it is like reading a good book, within a year you already forgot the plot

- Jorgen

[Alan-Shouls]

Hi

Following on from Jorg - I really recommend buying the book. It is not expensive and very good.

Alan Shouls

[mrmarky2]

Which book, and where can I get it?

[phlox81]

Yep, read the book, thats what I did too.

I learned C++, then MFC and then a few years later found wxWidgets.
Online Documentation, Forumsearch and the book made most of my learning.
Oh, and the samples.

[mc2r]

Which book, and where can I get it?

Cross-Platform GUI Programming with wxWidgets, I got mine at brick and morter Barnes and Noble. You can also, get it at amazon.

The book wasn't really worth it for me, I gave my copy to a friend and she swears by it. A lot fo the content is available in the online docs. But, it all depends on what works for you, I know many people here recommend it.

-Max

[SteveDowd]

I learned wx because i had to. I got a job where that was IT. so i purchased the book, frequented the forums, and had to ask a lot of questions. After that job ran its course, i put it aside. i just started a new job not too long ago at another company that uses it as well, for everything.
After doing Win32 and then MFC, wxwidgets is like a white knight!
Now its more like learning something new every time i break into some new code, but being able to actually accomplish tasks

[mrmarky2]

Thanks, I have a pdf copy of that book.
My brother had a copy of it

[dynamoman]

same as pretty much everyone here, I know C++, and for my final project(equivalent to thesis), I have to program a GUI and some parsers, and some extra stuff, and I was looking for some nice library, since I know the hell that can be MFC, and some friend found wxWidgets. I started with hello world, then I tried to modify it and create more stuff, and then I started to visit the forums to find some answers like Connect, sizers and stuff, and now I move using the API and the forum if the API is not enough.

Im on track with my app right now, I hope I will have a beta version around May, and the final version should be around June or July at last.
Its supposed to be an app to help with groundwater systems. In the Geology institute of my School, they use a simulator named ModFlow to simulate some groundwater stuff, and the GUI guides you with nice and simple screens, you select the areas associated with lakes, urban zones and stuff.

Sorry, Just read the first paragraph, right now that project is consuming my life, and Im getting a little sick of wxWidgets, Ive been using them for 4 months on the same project without rest.