Article Outline
Example Python program osx_tkinter_workaround.py
Modules
- from easygui import msgbox
- from Tkinter import Tk
- from subprocess import Popen, PIPE
- from re import search
Code
Python tkinter example
#!/usr/bin/env python
## This script demonstrates a workaround for the Tkinter (Tcl/Tk?) activation
## bug under OS X. More on that here:
## http://groups.google.com/group/comp.lang.python/browse_thread/thread/64f3bc64de5dc773/973c208be03d1514
##
## - Nick Fisher
from easygui import msgbox
from Tkinter import Tk
from subprocess import Popen, PIPE
from re import search
## Force the Tk subsystem to initalize so it can be manipulated
## A blunt way around the chicken/egg problem with trying to bring a UI to the
## foreground when it doesn't exsist yet.
t = Tk()
# Hope that the destroy is fast enough not to be seen (is for me)
t.destroy()
## Find the path for Python.app; A little less fragile than hardcodeing...
# Find the script's process command
find_cmd_str = 'ps -o command | grep "%s"'%__file__
find_results = Popen(find_cmd_str, shell=True, stdout=PIPE).stdout.read()
# Pull out the interpreter app path
py_path = search('(.*Python\.app)', find_results).groups()[0]
## Use 'open' to bring Python.app to the foreground...
## If there is more than one instance of the same Python.app with a running UI
## then there is trouble. There is no way (I can find) to tell 'open' which
## Python.app to activate.
# Use the OSX command 'open' to bring Python.app to the foreground
Popen(['open',py_path])
## Start using Tkinter/EasyGUI/Grun with the interface in the Foreground
msgbox('Hello world!')Useful Links
- Articles: https://python-commandments.org/
- Python shell: https://bsdnerds.org/learn-python/
- Tutorial: https://pythonprogramminglanguage.com/