wxpython, how to set background color and foreground color in textctrl? - macos

Question

I want to set color for words, background and foreground colors both are needed. I learned tkinter first, but it seems wxpython have no similar methods.
the following code is easy to test, copy "hello world, Hello World, heLLo WORLD" to area_example, tell me how to highlight "hello", ignorecase
#!/usr/bin/env python
# coding=utf8
import wx
rows = 5
cols = 2
vgap = 20
hgap = 10
class Search(wx.Frame):
#not_resizable = wx.DEFAULT_FRAME_STYLE ^ (wx.RESIZE_BORDER | wx.MAXIMIZE_BOX) # ok
not_resizable = wx.DEFAULT_FRAME_STYLE & ~(wx.RESIZE_BORDER | wx.MAXIMIZE_BOX)
def __init__(self, parent, title, size):
super(Search, self).__init__(parent, title=title, size=size, style=self.not_resizable)
self.init_elements()
self.lay_out()
self.Centre()
self.Show()
def init_elements(self):
self.panel = wx.Panel(self)
self.entry_name = wx.TextCtrl(self.panel)
self.entry_name.SetFocus()
self.btn_add = wx.Button(self.panel, label="Add")
self.btn_add.Disable()
self.btn_recite = wx.Button(self.panel, label="Recite")
self.btn_recite.Disable()
self.btn_flash = wx.Button(self.panel, label="Flash")
self.btn_flash.Disable()
self.label_phonetic = wx.StaticText(self.panel, label='')
self.area_meaning = wx.TextCtrl(self.panel, style=wx.TE_MULTILINE)
self.area_example = wx.TextCtrl(self.panel, style=wx.TE_MULTILINE)
self.btn_save = wx.Button(self.panel, label="Save")
self.btn_sort = wx.Button(self.panel, label="Sort")
def lay_out(self):
hbox = wx.BoxSizer(wx.HORIZONTAL)
grid = wx.FlexGridSizer(rows, cols, vgap, hgap)
grid.AddMany([
(self.entry_name), (self.btn_add),
(self.label_phonetic), (self.btn_recite),
(self.area_meaning, 1, wx.EXPAND), (self.btn_flash),
(self.area_example, 1, wx.EXPAND), (self.btn_sort),
(self.btn_save),
])
grid.AddGrowableCol(0, 1)
grid.AddGrowableRow(2, 1)
grid.AddGrowableRow(3, 1)
hbox.Add(grid, proportion=1, flag=wx.ALL | wx.EXPAND, border=15)
self.panel.SetSizer(hbox)
#self.panel.SetSizerAndFit(hbox)
def OnKeyUp(self, e):
code = e.GetKeyCode()
if code == wx.WXK_RETURN:
self.enter_handler(e)
def enter_handler(self, e):
word = self.entry_name.GetValue()
if word:
self.highlight(word)
def highlight(self, name):
# todo
# add background color and foreground color, ignore case
print 'highlight'
def search_test():
app = wx.App()
title = 'Search Test'
size = (800, 500)
s = Search(None, title, size)
s.entry_name.Bind(wx.EVT_KEY_UP, s.OnKeyUp)
app.MainLoop()
if __name__ == '__main__':
search_test()
the doc version when I asked the question was wxPython 3.0.3, last updated 13 March 2015 from revision 1725+2c3b7a8.
but the wxPython version brew install on osx was 3.0.2, some classes and methods were not available.

Answer 1

On the docs it explains how to do this: http://wxpython.org/Phoenix/docs/html/TextCtrl.html#phoenix-title-textctrl-styles
Here is an example snippet (Should go below your definition of self.area_example)
self.area_example.SetDefaultStyle(wx.TextAttr(wx.RED))
self.area_example.AppendText("Red text\n")
self.area_example.SetDefaultStyle(wx.TextAttr(wx.NullColour,
wx.LIGHT_GREY))
self.area_example.AppendText("Red on grey text\n")
self.area_example.SetDefaultStyle(wx.TextAttr(wx.BLUE))
self.area_example.AppendText("Blue on grey text\n")
As for checking if the word is "hello", I can only think right now as to bind it and check it.
self.area_example.Bind(wx.EVT_CHAR, self.OnKeyDown)
The "OnKeyDown" function is just an example. It runs but you'll most likely want a better way of doing it.
def OnKeyDown(self, e):
last_word = self.area_example.GetValue().split()[-1]
if last_word.lower() == "hello":
print("Change color")
e.Skip()
From there you should be able to accomplish what you need.