The future of wxPython

#1

I wonder what the future of wxPyuthon will be. There are many changes coming soon. Python 3.14+ is said to do away with the GIL. What will this mean for wxPython? I don’t know. I’m not a good enough programmer to answer the question. I have had a long run using python but never good enough to create GUI interfaces etc… In fact maybe I am asking a question that does not make sense due to the fact wxPython is not concerned about the GIL.

Anyway what is the future? Hopefully Robin will answer!

Johnf

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#2

I don’t think that a GIL change does have an influence on wxPython.
If it makes a difference, expect this to be handled by SIP.

#3

Thanks that provides some relief. I was worried.
Johnf

#4

I’m a little nervous, I hope there’s no changes to garbage collection. I hate .NET’s garbage collector

#5

I am with Dietmar on this one. I don’t really believe that the removal of the GIL is going to make much of a difference for wxPython.

Also, reading a bit around, running python without the GIL will be an opt-in for a relatively long time, and when it will not be anymore, there will be a way to opt-out of it.

The PR that allows running python without the GIL has been submitted like a week ago. It’s going to be a very long journey, assuming the downstream breakage/slowdowns won’t just kill it altogether.

#6

My thinking is that I hope wxPython keeps getting updated. It is a good project and the basis of my Python OS X user interfaces

#7

So do I, I hope wxPython still long future updated for my multi-platform application.
Thanks to all for your work you have produced.

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#8

We can’t even get up to date Linux or Windows binaries ATM. BuildBot has been stuck on macOS only builds for a very long time.

#9

I have been able to install wxPython 4.2.1, python 3.12 on Ubuntu 20.04. It really wasn’t to hard if you google error messages. If memory serves I needed a lib???-dev to install to get “gtk.h”.

For windows 10/11 python 3.10/3.12 I had no issues installing wxPython 4.2.x just using pip.

Don’t anything about Mac’s.

If you are having an issue installing start a new question. Others will help.

Johnf

#10

Whether or not there are changes to GIL, you will “eventually” have to accept there is some sort of change. We are not there yet so we don’t know.

At the worst python will become what pi actually is… an error generator. Version 3.14159etc… but you won’t know what version is friendly or not from that starting point, which from a back to the future type of scenario is yes, could be scary/destructive.

#11

I’m starting to wonder as well.

wxPython 4.2.1 was released on Jun 8 2023. Since then 78 commits have been made to the master branch in GitHub, containing bug fixes and updates, which are all waiting to be made part of a new release.

New releases can only be made by @Robin. His last action on GitHub was on Aug 30 2023. His last post on this forum was on Sep 7 2023. The generation of snapshot builds for Windows and Linux is still broken.

#12

I remember Robin saying ‘they were bought’ (whatever that means to wxPython) and Phil is taking Sip from ancient C to Python (maybe someone is careful) :thinking:

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#13

@RichardT I share your concern.

I think we all greatly appreciate the work and efforts on this project. But I also think, as this topic illustrates, it often feels like this project is not getting much attention. Regular releases and responses to GitHub Issues and Pull Requests demonstrate the activity of a project.

Would it be possible to get a “state of wxPython” from the principal developers and maintainers?

It would be helpful for the community to have a clearer idea of who can merge GitHub PRs, manage CI and automated snapshot tools, push to PyPI, moderate this forum, and so on. It seems perfectly reasonable to have a small team (two or three people) who can do these tasks, and it is OK to say the project is “mature” and “in bug fix with ~annual releases”.

Are there topics or efforts that would benefit from directed community input?

#14

I started this conversation with a concern over the future releases of Python that will remove the GIL. At the time I was concerned - but others were able to remove my concerns.
Now I read that people the concerned over releases of wxPython. I’m not sure why there is this much concern. The current version wxPython works with the latest release of python 3.12. The point of course is there is little that needs change or updated. When new versions of python are released and requires a new wxPython I believe Robin will take the time to get the upgrade/update released. Recall this has been Robin’s baby for many years.

#15

It doesn’t work completely: there are bugs and it doesn’t have the latest updates from wxWidgets. That’s why there are 78 commits on the master branch waiting to be part of an official release.

#16

@jfabiani

Now I read that people the concerned over releases of wxPython. I’m not sure why there is this much concern.

Well, because it (along with the pace of maintenance and development) can easily be interpreted to mean that little attention is being paid to the project. Like, the README at (GitHub - wxWidgets/Phoenix: wxPython's Project Phoenix. A new implementation of wxPython, better, stronger, faster than he was before.) discusses building for Python 2.7 (4 years past its end of life).

There has been work on GitHub Issues and PRs being merged and closed which is great to see.
And, I don’t mean to imply that this needs constant maintenance or that endless added features are needed. But progress is slow-ish. That could be OK. It would still be nice to see a statement about that from the developers.

when new versions of python are released and requires a new wxPython I believe Robin will take the time to get the upgrade/update released. Recall this has been Robin’s baby for many years.

Oh, I do recall that ;). I have been using wxPython for a very long time. When did he last post here or to GiHub pages? Looks like 8 months ago. I get being overly busy, having too many projects, and needing to let some go dormant for awhile. I also get “I would really like to hand this work over to others and maybe retire someday”.

But, since you used the metaphor: 8 months without communication is not how I treat my babies :wink:

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#17

Both of your comments are right. But wxPython has always had bugs (often they come from wx) and if I had to guess new bugs will be there in the future. Also I have been using wxPython for many years (2008) and believe in Robin’s commitment to the project. Yes it’s been a while since he has had anything to say. But he’s done the same thing in the past and he has been able to support new changes. He’ll say something soon.

#18

I hope we get an update soon

#19

@Robin has finally been able to respond to an issue that was raised on GitHub that requested him to make a new release of wxPython. Here is his comment:

Hi all,

Sorry for the long silence. I’ve been dealing with some age-related decline and although it is mild so far, once I get to the end of a usually gruelling work day it feels like much more and I don’t have much motivation to do even more coding and other tech work. There are some other things taking my free time these days as well. I do miss wxPython and the community, it’s just hard to put in the time to keep it moving myself.

I have been thinking about this for a while and so the direct contacts I received today about this thread are timely. I’d rather avoid a fork but I would be happy to open up the project to others who can take on things that have only been done by me in the past.

Probably the biggest thing needed to begin transitioning the project would be to get rid of the ancient kludgy build scripts running on my buildbot farm. Keeping the builders up to date and up and running can be a pain. A long while back I started working on some GitHub Workflows (#2411) not just for CI but also with the intent to use it for release builds as well. If somebody wants to continue that work, or come up with something even better, please do.

I’ve added tierra and swt2c to the PyPI project. It looks like there isn’t a vadz account there yet. If there is anybody else that wants to be involved please work through @swt2c, and I’ll grant permissions or whatever is needed to help build up the team. @swt2c please let me know if there is anything else you need.

I hope that I’ll be able to come back and be active on the project again someday, but in the meantime it’s time for me to face reality and accept that that day won’t be soon and that it’s time to make it possible for the project to stay alive.

Robin

I would like to thank @Robin very much for creating and developing wxPython into such a brilliant package for producing user interfaces with Python. I am now more hopeful of the project continuing.

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#20

Good luck Robin.
And thanks to everyone who makes it possible to follow wxPython’s journey.

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