Question

Hi I’m sort new to wxPython and still in the process of learning. I’m trying to make a bitmap button using a particular image like this for example: http://i.min.us/idk3Uy.png

The catch is I want to retain the original shape of the image in the button, like a circular button for example instead of a rectangular one (which is default).

I want to know how to do that exactly or if it is possible to do that at all; I did take a look at the documentation and I’ve found the style constant wx.BU_EXACTFIT removes the unnecessary borders…but it’s still not in the desirable shape that I want it to be.

Thanks.

Answer 1

You’re probably going to have to implement a custom control for this. I’ve done my fair share of custom wxPython controls, so I went ahead and wrote a ShapedButton class for you. =)

To run this demo, you just need three images:

• button-normal.png
• button-pressed.png
• button-disabled.png

The three images are used depending on the state of the button. Only the “normal” one is required, but you probably want to at least provide “normal” and “pressed” so the user gets feedback when clicking.

The control only responds to clicks in non-transparent areas of the normal bitmap. It properly fires the EVT_BUTTON event when clicked and released.

Enjoy!

import wx

class ShapedButton(wx.PyControl):
    def __init__(self, parent, normal, pressed=None, disabled=None):
        super(ShapedButton, self).__init__(parent, -1, style=wx.BORDER_NONE)
        self.normal = normal
        self.pressed = pressed
        self.disabled = disabled
        self.region = wx.RegionFromBitmapColour(normal, wx.Color(0, 0, 0, 0))
        self._clicked = False
        self.SetBackgroundStyle(wx.BG_STYLE_CUSTOM)
        self.Bind(wx.EVT_SIZE, self.on_size)
        self.Bind(wx.EVT_PAINT, self.on_paint)
        self.Bind(wx.EVT_LEFT_DOWN, self.on_left_down)
        self.Bind(wx.EVT_LEFT_DCLICK, self.on_left_dclick)
        self.Bind(wx.EVT_LEFT_UP, self.on_left_up)
        self.Bind(wx.EVT_MOTION, self.on_motion)
        self.Bind(wx.EVT_LEAVE_WINDOW, self.on_leave_window)
    def DoGetBestSize(self):
        return self.normal.GetSize()
    def Enable(self, *args, **kwargs):
        super(ShapedButton, self).Enable(*args, **kwargs)
        self.Refresh()
    def Disable(self, *args, **kwargs):
        super(ShapedButton, self).Disable(*args, **kwargs)
        self.Refresh()
    def post_event(self):
        event = wx.CommandEvent()
        event.SetEventObject(self)
        event.SetEventType(wx.EVT_BUTTON.typeId)
        wx.PostEvent(self, event)
    def on_size(self, event):
        event.Skip()
        self.Refresh()
    def on_paint(self, event):
        dc = wx.AutoBufferedPaintDC(self)
        dc.SetBackground(wx.Brush(self.GetParent().GetBackgroundColour()))
        dc.Clear()
        bitmap = self.normal
        if self.clicked:
            bitmap = self.pressed or bitmap
        if not self.IsEnabled():
            bitmap = self.disabled or bitmap
        dc.DrawBitmap(bitmap, 0, 0)
    def set_clicked(self, clicked):
        if clicked != self._clicked:
            self._clicked = clicked
            self.Refresh()
    def get_clicked(self):
        return self._clicked
    clicked = property(get_clicked, set_clicked)
    def on_left_down(self, event):
        x, y = event.GetPosition()
        if self.region.Contains(x, y):
            self.clicked = True
    def on_left_dclick(self, event):
        self.on_left_down(event)
    def on_left_up(self, event):
        if self.clicked:
            x, y = event.GetPosition()
            if self.region.Contains(x, y):
                self.post_event()
        self.clicked = False
    def on_motion(self, event):
        if self.clicked:
            x, y = event.GetPosition()
            if not self.region.Contains(x, y):
                self.clicked = False
    def on_leave_window(self, event):
        self.clicked = False

def main():
    def on_button(event):
        print 'Button was clicked.'
    app = wx.PySimpleApp()
    frame = wx.Frame(None, -1, 'Shaped Button Demo')
    panel = wx.Panel(frame, -1)
    button = ShapedButton(panel, 
        wx.Bitmap('button-normal.png'), 
        wx.Bitmap('button-pressed.png'), 
        wx.Bitmap('button-disabled.png'))
    button.Bind(wx.EVT_BUTTON, on_button)
    sizer = wx.BoxSizer(wx.VERTICAL)
    sizer.AddStretchSpacer(1)
    sizer.Add(button, 0, wx.ALIGN_CENTER)
    sizer.AddStretchSpacer(1)
    panel.SetSizer(sizer)
    frame.Show()
    app.MainLoop()

if __name__ == '__main__':
    main()