Hello,
I am wishing in the near future to start writing some software for Haiku… I’ve learned python, and I am now in the stage of learning c++. I’ve spent countless hours wasting time trying to figure out what is the best language to program software that has a supported GUI in Haiku…
The python that comes pre-installed on Haiku doesn’t support tkinter, so I can’t write a piece of software with a GUI, and I don’t know if the C++ GUI is supported or if it is even a good idea.
When programmers [for Haiku] write software, what is the GUI written in?, is basically my question… and is there somewhere [In Haiku] where I can find the source code?
Thanks. I hope this post makes sense… it is very late.
Cheers!
Hi el.tigre.20!
There may be other options to code a GUI app for Haiku, but besides YAB, C++ is the way to go. To get started, I’m sure you’ll find DarkWyrm’s excellent “Programming with Haiku” and “Programming with Haiku” very helpful. It doesn’t contain info on the not yet completely settled layout managment, however.
Then there’s of course the The BeBook, the Haiku Book and the Haiku apps source itself. Best get all the Haiku source and build Haiku yourself. That way you can experiment and keep compiling those apps and learn what’s going on.
Regards,
Humdinger
The answer is C++. You could spend your time learning about Yab or Bethon or Qt or the future Perl / Python bindings, but if you need to learn something anyway you might as well just learn C++ and the standard Haiku API.
The GUI for Haiku and most Haiku applications are written in C++ using the Haiku API. For documentation I use:
The BeBook: http://haiku-os.org/legacy-docs/bebook/
The Haiku Book: http://api.haiku-os.org/
Haiku API Headers: http://cgit.haiku-os.org/haiku/tree/headers/os
I also have a local copy of the Haiku source code so I can use grep to quickly find example code.
Thank you so much Humdinger!
I’ve been searching for a straight-forward answer, and you’ve given that to me! I did assume that C++ is one of the best ways to go from a ‘build an app from the ground up - kind of idea’
And yes, I’ve downloaded all 21 lessons from DarkWyrm, and I’m starting to work my way through them - pretty neat stuff too.
I’ve always picked around at programming, I learned html when I was in grade school, but it just wan’t enough. Since then I’ve poked around with Java, Ruby, etc. Just last month I finally got around to learning Python (which is a pretty awesome language). So I think now is a perfect time to start learning C++ so that I can finally start contributing to Haiku - which in my opinion is the best OS available. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a bit of an Apple fanboy, but I’ve walk along side of Haiku from the beginning (pre-alpha) and I can only see it progress in a positive direction. I just hope they don’t start creating it for ‘the average pc user’.
Thanks so much for the reply! And i’ll take a look at those book titles you recommended! 
Cheers!