# Ruby GUI with IDE **URL:** \ **Category:** ruby-talk\ **Created:** [11 November 2006 18:30 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/ruby-gui-with-ide/32851 "2006-11-11T18:30:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![AliasX\_Neo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@AliasX\_Neo](https://rubytalk.org/u/AliasX_Neo)\ **Post date:** [11 November 2006 18:30 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/ruby-gui-with-ide/32851/1 "2006-11-11T18:30:09Z")
Hello all, I am currently looking for a good easy to use IDE that includes GUI development as well. Something like how C++ has DevC++ that suppots wxWidgets and allows you to code and create frames at the same time. I want something like this for Ruby. I have found VisualWx which supports Ruby but I could not seem to get it to work at all. Right now I'm having to develop my frame using Farpy ([http://farpy.holev.com/](http://farpy.holev.com/)), export it, and then add any additional code in another IDE. This slows down the process by a lot because any changes I make to the GUI forces me to export it again and manually make the changes to my original source. So, my question is what's a good GUI toolkit that has a really nice IDE that supports Ruby? Cheers, ~ Josh > **路路路** > > -- > Posted via [http://www.ruby-forum.com/](http://www.ruby-forum.com/). ---
**Author:** ![M\_Edward\_Ed\_Borasky1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9c0ed/32.png) [@M\_Edward\_Ed\_Borasky1](https://rubytalk.org/u/M_Edward_Ed_Borasky1)\ **Post date:** [11 November 2006 19:02 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/ruby-gui-with-ide/32851/2 "2006-11-11T19:02:37Z")
Josh Mr. wrote: > Hello all, > > I am currently looking for a good easy to use IDE that includes GUI development as well. Something like how C++ has DevC++ that suppots wxWidgets and allows you to code and create frames at the same time. I want something like this for Ruby. I have found VisualWx which supports Ruby but I could not seem to get it to work at all. Right now I'm having to develop my frame using Farpy ([http://farpy.holev.com/\](http://farpy.holev.com/%5C)), export it, and then add any additional code in another IDE. This slows down the process by a lot because any changes I make to the GUI forces me to export it again and manually make the changes to my original source. > > So, my question is what's a good GUI toolkit that has a really nice IDE that supports Ruby? > > Cheers, > ~ Josh >    This should be a FAQ. 馃檪 There are quite a few -- my favorite (on Linux) is Kommander/Korundum/QTRuby. > **路路路** > > -- > > -- > M. Edward (Ed) Borasky, FBG, AB, PTA, MS, MNLP, NST, ACMC(P) > [http://borasky-research.blogspot.com/](http://borasky-research.blogspot.com/) > > If God had meant for carrots to be eaten cooked, He would have given rabbits fire. ---
**Author:** ![AliasX\_Neo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@AliasX\_Neo](https://rubytalk.org/u/AliasX_Neo)\ **Post date:** [11 November 2006 19:10 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/ruby-gui-with-ide/32851/3 "2006-11-11T19:10:09Z")
M. Edward (Ed) Borasky wrote: > This should be a FAQ. 馃檪 There are quite a few -- my favorite (on Linux) > is Kommander/Korundum/QTRuby. > > -- > > -- > M. Edward (Ed) Borasky, FBG, AB, PTA, MS, MNLP, NST, ACMC(P) > [http://borasky-research.blogspot.com/](http://borasky-research.blogspot.com/) > > If God had meant for carrots to be eaten cooked, He would have given > rabbits fire. I'm running Windows, any good ones for that? > **路路路** > > -- > Posted via [http://www.ruby-forum.com/\](http://www.ruby-forum.com/%5C). ---
**Author:** ![David\_Vallner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb9ed0/32.png) [@David\_Vallner](https://rubytalk.org/u/David_Vallner)\ **Post date:** [11 November 2006 19:37 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/ruby-gui-with-ide/32851/4 "2006-11-11T19:37:18Z")
AliasX Neo wrote: > M. Edward (Ed) Borasky wrote: > > > This should be a FAQ. 馃檪 There are quite a few -- my favorite (on Linux) > > is Kommander/Korundum/QTRuby. > > > > -- > > > > -- > > M. Edward (Ed) Borasky, FBG, AB, PTA, MS, MNLP, NST, ACMC(P) > > [http://borasky-research.blogspot.com/](http://borasky-research.blogspot.com/) > > > > If God had meant for carrots to be eaten cooked, He would have given > > rabbits fire. > > I'm running Windows, any good ones for that? The short answer: no. The long answer: If you manage to port qtruby4 to Windows, you get QtDesigner (overall Qt4 seems to be designed to have the GUI layout created in that, decoupling the UI design and behaviour implementations.) Things like rubyuic should work the same on all platforms. Another hope is the wx rewrite getting into a stable state, and wxGlade supporting emitting of Ruby code. This is however just speculation. Personally, if you need to do this sort of GUI development on Windows, Ruby is so far rough around the edges. David Vallner ---
**Author:** ![AliasX\_Neo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@AliasX\_Neo](https://rubytalk.org/u/AliasX_Neo)\ **Post date:** [11 November 2006 19:43 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/ruby-gui-with-ide/32851/5 "2006-11-11T19:43:06Z")
David Vallner wrote: > The short answer: no. > > The long answer: > > If you manage to port qtruby4 to Windows, you get QtDesigner (overall > Qt4 seems to be designed to have the GUI layout created in that, > decoupling the UI design and behaviour implementations.) Things like > rubyuic should work the same on all platforms. > > Another hope is the wx rewrite getting into a stable state, and wxGlade > supporting emitting of Ruby code. This is however just speculation. > > Personally, if you need to do this sort of GUI development on Windows, > Ruby is so far rough around the edges. > > David Vallner That's what I figured, I guess I'm going to have to stick to ugly command line programs. Thanks anyways. > **路路路** > > -- > Posted via [http://www.ruby-forum.com/\](http://www.ruby-forum.com/%5C). ---
**Author:** ![M\_Edward\_Ed\_Borasky1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9c0ed/32.png) [@M\_Edward\_Ed\_Borasky1](https://rubytalk.org/u/M_Edward_Ed_Borasky1)\ **Post date:** [11 November 2006 20:49 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/ruby-gui-with-ide/32851/6 "2006-11-11T20:49:04Z")
David Vallner wrote: > AliasX Neo wrote: >    > > > M. Edward (Ed) Borasky wrote: > >      > > > > > This should be a FAQ. 馃檪 There are quite a few -- my favorite (on Linux) > > > is Kommander/Korundum/QTRuby. > > > > > > -- > > > > > > -- > > > M. Edward (Ed) Borasky, FBG, AB, PTA, MS, MNLP, NST, ACMC(P) > > > [http://borasky-research.blogspot.com/](http://borasky-research.blogspot.com/) > > > > > > If God had meant for carrots to be eaten cooked, He would have given rabbits fire. > > >        > > > > I'm running Windows, any good ones for that? > > The short answer: no. > > The long answer: > > If you manage to port qtruby4 to Windows, you get QtDesigner (overall > Qt4 seems to be designed to have the GUI layout created in that, > decoupling the UI design and behaviour implementations.) Things like > rubyuic should work the same on all platforms. >    IIRC Caleb Tennis posted some encouraging words on this a couple of weeks ago. I don't do Windows development, so I haven't even attempted to make this work. > Another hope is the wx rewrite getting into a stable state, and wxGlade > supporting emitting of Ruby code. This is however just speculation. > > Personally, if you need to do this sort of GUI development on Windows, > Ruby is so far rough around the edges. >    Well, there's always CygWin \ But seriously, both the One-Click Installer and Instant Rails contain FreeRide and the dependencies FXRuby and Fox. If you don't mind spending some money, some combination of the ActiveState tool set (ActiveTcl, Komodo 4, etc.) and the One-Click Installer or Instant Rails ought to be workable. So should the Sapphire In Steel IDE that hooks into Visual Studio. I don't know what shape the various Ruby/CLR projects are in, so I can't comment on them. jRuby 1.0 will probably be better than any of them, but I don't know how long it will be till that release. > **路路路** > > -- > M. Edward (Ed) Borasky, FBG, AB, PTA, PGS, MS, MNLP, NST, ACMC(P) > [http://borasky-research.blogspot.com/](http://borasky-research.blogspot.com/) > > If God had meant for carrots to be eaten cooked, He would have given rabbits fire. ---
**Author:** ![AliasX\_Neo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@AliasX\_Neo](https://rubytalk.org/u/AliasX_Neo)\ **Post date:** [11 November 2006 21:13 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/ruby-gui-with-ide/32851/7 "2006-11-11T21:13:19Z")
> Well, there's always CygWin \ > > But seriously, both the One-Click Installer and Instant Rails contain > FreeRide and the dependencies FXRuby and Fox. If you don't mind spending > some money, some combination of the ActiveState tool set (ActiveTcl, > Komodo 4, etc.) and the One-Click Installer or Instant Rails ought to be > workable. So should the Sapphire In Steel IDE that hooks into Visual > Studio. I don't know what shape the various Ruby/CLR projects are in, so > I can't comment on them. jRuby 1.0 will probably be better than any of > them, but I don't know how long it will be till that release. You lost me there with the combination of ActiveState tools. > **路路路** > > -- > Posted via [http://www.ruby-forum.com/\](http://www.ruby-forum.com/%5C). ---
**Author:** ![Caleb\_Tennis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Caleb\_Tennis](https://rubytalk.org/u/Caleb_Tennis)\ **Post date:** [11 November 2006 21:56 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/ruby-gui-with-ide/32851/8 "2006-11-11T21:56:29Z")
> > > > IIRC Caleb Tennis posted some encouraging words on this a couple of weeks ago. I don't do Windows development, so I haven't even attempted to make this work. The word on the street is that it works, with a little coercion. It sounds like the biggest issue is the build system, which was designed for \*nix. I haven't verified because I'm not familiar with Windows development and am too covered up to go down that path. I think Richard's in the same boat. We just need someone to figure out what needs to be done and tidy up the process. 馃檪 Caleb ---
**Author:** ![Joseph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/dc4da7/32.png) [@Joseph](https://rubytalk.org/u/Joseph)\ **Post date:** [13 November 2006 04:10 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/ruby-gui-with-ide/32851/9 "2006-11-13T04:10:09Z")
There seems to be a few IDEs for Ruby GUIs in Windows or Linux, if anyone has tried them, comments are welcome!, so here they are with some initial comments added: Komodo 4 Beta [http://www.activestate.com/products/komodo/beta.plex](http://www.activestate.com/products/komodo/beta.plex) Probably one of the best of the lot, actively developed but it only integrates TK support. GUI tools available with the professional version only. BlackAdder [http://www.thekompany.com/products/blackadder/index.php3](http://www.thekompany.com/products/blackadder/index.php3) It integrates QT and an IDE for Ruby or Python. It is Commercial, but how good is it? Never tried it before. Eric IDE [http://www.die-offenbachs.de/detlev/eric.html](http://www.die-offenbachs.de/detlev/eric.html) Open source, looks unpolished. Ruby in Steel [http://www.sapphiresteel.com/](http://www.sapphiresteel.com/) You need VS2005 for it to work, but looks promising. Windows only. Free for the time being, but will be commercial, and you do need VS2005 for it to work. Finally... if you seriously want to do "cross-platform" development, probably using C++ and QT is the best bet, not free, BUT solid, fast and there are a lot of successful desktops app out there built with it. Ruby seems better suited for Web apps, at least for the time being. Joseph Hurtado Web Developer from Toronto AliasX Neo wrote: > **路路路** > > > David Vallner wrote: > > \> > > \> The short answer: no. > > \> > > \> The long answer: > > \> > > \> If you manage to port qtruby4 to Windows, you get QtDesigner (overall > > \> Qt4 seems to be designed to have the GUI layout created in that, > > \> decoupling the UI design and behaviour implementations.) Things like > > \> rubyuic should work the same on all platforms. > > \> > > \> Another hope is the wx rewrite getting into a stable state, and wxGlade > > \> supporting emitting of Ruby code. This is however just speculation. > > \> > > \> Personally, if you need to do this sort of GUI development on Windows, > > \> Ruby is so far rough around the edges. > > \> > > \> David Vallner > > > > That's what I figured, I guess I'm going to have to stick to ugly > > command line programs. > > > > Thanks anyways. > > > > -- > > Posted via [http://www.ruby-forum.com/\](http://www.ruby-forum.com/%5C). ---
**Author:** ![David\_Vallner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb9ed0/32.png) [@David\_Vallner](https://rubytalk.org/u/David_Vallner)\ **Post date:** [11 November 2006 21:19 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/ruby-gui-with-ide/32851/10 "2006-11-11T21:19:40Z")
AliasX Neo wrote: > You lost me there with the combination of ActiveState tools. ActiveState Komodo supports targetting Ruby/Tk from its GUI builder, it seems. It's just that... Well... Ugh, Tk. \ David Vallner ---
**Author:** ![AliasX\_Neo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@AliasX\_Neo](https://rubytalk.org/u/AliasX_Neo)\ **Post date:** [11 November 2006 22:08 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/ruby-gui-with-ide/32851/11 "2006-11-11T22:08:55Z")
So I guess a better format for my original question should be: Windows users, what do you do to develop GUI's for Ruby? > **路路路** > > -- > Posted via [http://www.ruby-forum.com/](http://www.ruby-forum.com/). ---
**Author:** ![AliasX\_Neo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@AliasX\_Neo](https://rubytalk.org/u/AliasX_Neo)\ **Post date:** [11 November 2006 21:30 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/ruby-gui-with-ide/32851/12 "2006-11-11T21:30:00Z")
David Vallner wrote: > AliasX Neo wrote: > > > You lost me there with the combination of ActiveState tools. > > ActiveState Komodo supports targetting Ruby/Tk from its GUI builder, it > seems. > > It's just that... Well... Ugh, Tk. \ > > David Vallner I wasn't aware it has a GUI builder. I have ActiveState Komodo 3.5 installed on my computer right now. Is there some extension I need? > **路路路** > > -- > Posted via [http://www.ruby-forum.com/\](http://www.ruby-forum.com/%5C). ---
**Author:** ![David\_Vallner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb9ed0/32.png) [@David\_Vallner](https://rubytalk.org/u/David_Vallner)\ **Post date:** [11 November 2006 22:30 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/ruby-gui-with-ide/32851/13 "2006-11-11T22:30:17Z")
AliasX Neo wrote: > Windows users, what do you do to develop GUI's for Ruby? Handcode / use Python. David Vallner ---
**Author:** ![David\_Roberts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c5a1d2/32.png) [@David\_Roberts](https://rubytalk.org/u/David_Roberts)\ **Post date:** [12 November 2006 09:05 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/ruby-gui-with-ide/32851/14 "2006-11-12T09:05:26Z")
AliasX Neo wrote: > So I guess a better format for my original question should be: > > Windows users, what do you do to develop GUI's for Ruby? foxGUIb ([http://fox-tool.rubyforge.org/\](http://fox-tool.rubyforge.org/%5C)) is a possible option, but is mainly a gui for building guis, not an IDE in its own right. > **路路路** > > -- > Posted via [http://www.ruby-forum.com/\](http://www.ruby-forum.com/%5C). ---
**Author:** ![M\_Edward\_Ed\_Borasky1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9c0ed/32.png) [@M\_Edward\_Ed\_Borasky1](https://rubytalk.org/u/M_Edward_Ed_Borasky1)\ **Post date:** [11 November 2006 22:36 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/ruby-gui-with-ide/32851/15 "2006-11-11T22:36:07Z")
David Vallner wrote: > AliasX Neo wrote: >    > > > Windows users, what do you do to develop GUI's for Ruby? > > Handcode / use Python. > > David Vallner Use commercial Microsoft tools, just like they teach you about in the Microsoft Certification courses \ > **路路路** > > -- > M. Edward (Ed) Borasky, FBG, AB, PTA, PGS, MS, MNLP, NST, ACMC(P) > [http://borasky-research.blogspot.com/](http://borasky-research.blogspot.com/) > > If God had meant for carrots to be eaten cooked, He would have given rabbits fire. ---
**Author:** ![M\_Edward\_Ed\_Borasky1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9c0ed/32.png) [@M\_Edward\_Ed\_Borasky1](https://rubytalk.org/u/M_Edward_Ed_Borasky1)\ **Post date:** [11 November 2006 22:38 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/ruby-gui-with-ide/32851/16 "2006-11-11T22:38:05Z")
AliasX Neo wrote: > David Vallner wrote: >    > > > AliasX Neo wrote: > >      > > > > > You lost me there with the combination of ActiveState tools. > > > > ActiveState Komodo supports targetting Ruby/Tk from its GUI builder, it > > seems. > > > > It's just that... Well... Ugh, Tk. \ > > > > David Vallner > >      > > I wasn't aware it has a GUI builder. I have ActiveState Komodo 3.5 installed on my computer right now. Is there some extension I need? Try the Komodo 4 beta. > **路路路** > > -- > M. Edward (Ed) Borasky, FBG, AB, PTA, PGS, MS, MNLP, NST, ACMC(P) > [http://borasky-research.blogspot.com/](http://borasky-research.blogspot.com/) > > If God had meant for carrots to be eaten cooked, He would have given rabbits fire. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Conroy1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/57b2e6/32.png) [@Richard\_Conroy1](https://rubytalk.org/u/Richard_Conroy1)\ **Post date:** [14 November 2006 17:15 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/ruby-gui-with-ide/32851/17 "2006-11-14T17:15:06Z")
I am curious, but is handcoding Ruby UIs in whatever (Tk by default) a significant amount of work? Consider doing the equivalent in Java Swing as a frame of reference? (painful but do-able). Basically, I like the idea of making simple UIs in Ruby for test tools, and software that you don't sell. > **路路路** > > On 11/11/06, David Vallner \ wrote: > > > AliasX Neo wrote: > > \> Windows users, what do you do to develop GUI's for Ruby? > > \> > > > > Handcode / use Python. ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_Vondung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cdc98d/32.png) [@Michael\_Vondung](https://rubytalk.org/u/Michael_Vondung)\ **Post date:** [15 November 2006 06:50 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/ruby-gui-with-ide/32851/18 "2006-11-15T06:50:04Z")
Oh-ha! I didn't know about this one! And it works -- pretty much what I have been waiting for a (long) while now. Happy news! M. > **路路路** > > On Sun, 12 Nov 2006 18:05:26 +0900, David Roberts wrote: > > > foxGUIb ([http://fox-tool.rubyforge.org/\](http://fox-tool.rubyforge.org/%5C)) is a possible option, > > but is mainly a gui for building guis, not an IDE in its > > own right. ---
**Author:** ![David\_Vallner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb9ed0/32.png) [@David\_Vallner](https://rubytalk.org/u/David_Vallner)\ **Post date:** [12 November 2006 00:23 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/ruby-gui-with-ide/32851/19 "2006-11-12T00:23:54Z")
M. Edward (Ed) Borasky wrote: > David Vallner wrote: > > > AliasX Neo wrote: > > > > > Windows users, what do you do to develop GUI's for Ruby? > > > > Handcode / use Python. > > > > David Vallner > > Use commercial Microsoft tools, just like they teach you about in the > Microsoft Certification courses > > \ You're evil. So very evil. (And unfortunately right. MSVS+VB6 by far holds the record in approachable RAD GUIs. Of abysmal quality, but oh, the quantity and sheer scope of people making them.) David Vallner ---
**Author:** ![Forum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/43a26b/32.png) [@Forum](https://rubytalk.org/u/Forum)\ **Post date:** [12 November 2006 09:14 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/ruby-gui-with-ide/32851/20 "2006-11-12T09:14:58Z")
On 11/11/06, M. Edward (Ed) Borasky \ wrote:\ > \ It has been a pleasure reading your posts, RIP 馃槈 But I agree with what you have said before (this sentence can be applied once only!). There should be a FAQ, and yes I volunteer to work on it!!!!, and if there was a FAQ this should be one of the leading issues. But maybe there is a FAQ? Never seen any ref to it, though. Cheers Robert > **路路路** > > -- > > > M. Edward (Ed) Borasky, FBG, AB, PTA, PGS, MS, MNLP, NST, ACMC(P) > > [http://borasky-research.blogspot.com/](http://borasky-research.blogspot.com/) > > > > If God had meant for carrots to be eaten cooked, He would have given > > rabbits fire. > > -- > The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one > persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress > depends on the unreasonable man. > > - George Bernard Shaw [Next page](https://rubytalk.org/t/ruby-gui-with-ide/32851.md?page=2)