Any Linux GUI programmers? (GTK)

[Chris1712]

Hi guys I wonder if there's any Linux GUI experts on here. I've just started my final year project (I know right its late) and I rather foolishly assumed linux gui programming was at least somewhat akin to windows gui programming.

My FYP loosely explained is.....

Bluetooth diagnostics from my car to an 02 Joggler touchscreen device integrated in the dashboard, displaying current readings such as RPM, coolant temp etc. and anything else I can implement from OBD.

Now I've got the communications side sorted, talking to the car and getting meaningful readings back. Now I'm stumped on how I can actually display the information.
I've started messing with GTK, and so far its making sense. But I don't see how I can get any variable information into it, considering the last thing you do is call GTKMain() which actually builds the GUI etc. So now its stuck in that function until you destroy it, so how can I jump off to the rest of my program and pull values into labels/text boxes etc.?

I've never done GUI programming before so I'm very naive to the concepts of signals/events/callbacks etc. and really need some help!!

Any clues?

 

[Chris1712]

I had to make a Linux GUI for my final year project as well a couple of years ago, and done a few since. I'll just say I really reccomend using Qt over GTK.

- It's much easier to use and better documented that GTK (imo). GTK made very little sense to me when I tried it
- Cross platform - mine compiled easily for Windows, Linux & Mac.
- Good forum communities to get help.

Even if your using a GTK based enviroment i.e Gnome, QT still looks great with the styling package installed.

I started off with QT but it scared me even more than GTK. Ideally I want to be sat nice and cosily in C not scratching my head in C++ and then having to deal with GUI on top.

It's not to late to switch GUI libs, but if it involved changing to C++ aswell I'd be even more lost.

 

[Chris1712]

Incase anyone was interested.



Made some progress with GTK. Long long way to go but I vaguely understand it now so my productivity should really pick up.