Question

I’m working on a Python application involving the use of a GTK table. The application requires that widgets of various sizes be added to a table dynamically. Because of this, I need to be able to ask the table what cells are in use (more accurately, NOT in use) so that I know where I can place a new widget without overlapping.

Based on the information in the reference manual (http://www.pygtk.org/docs/pygtk/) I have been unable to find a way to get that information directly from the table. The only other option I can think of is to create a map object that holds used cell information, and have it updated upon changes to the table.

Since I’m sure someone has dealt with this before me, and I would hope GTK would provide a better way, it seemed wise to ask around before trying to implement the map.

Help would be greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

This function should give you a set of the free cells in the table:

def free_cells(table):
    free_cells = set([(x,y) for x in range(table.props.n_columns) for y in range(table.props.n_rows)])

    def func(child):
        (l,r,t,b) = table.child_get(child, 'left-attach','right-attach','top-attach','bottom-attach')
        used_cells = set([(x,y) for x in range(l,r) for y in range(t,b)])
        free_cells.difference_update(used_cells)

    table.foreach(func)

    return free_cells

It starts with a set of all the table cells, then iterates over the children of the table, removing the cells occupied by each child.