How to display GUI (python,tkinter) in Torizon?

Technical Support
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Hi! I am trying to display a simple GUI on Torizon. I’m using custom the Torizon image , I’m using python and tkinter

2

Hi, I’m the Toradex AI Assistant. I’m in early beta, and I would appreciate your feedback.
The Toradex Support team will follow up with you shortly!

Did you like my answer?

:+1: :-1:

Hello!

To display a GUI using Python and Tkinter on Torizon, you will need to ensure that your environment is correctly set up to support graphical output. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you achieve this:

  1. Container Setup: Since you are using Torizon, it’s recommended to run your applications inside containers. Make sure you have a container that supports graphical applications. For Tkinter, you will need a container with Python and the necessary Tkinter libraries installed.

  2. Install Python and Tkinter: If not already included in your container, install Python and the Tkinter library. You can do this by extending a base Debian or Ubuntu container and running:

    apt-get update && apt-get install -y python3-tk

    This command installs Python3 and Tkinter. Adjust the command if you need a different version of Python.

  3. Enable Graphical Output: For GUI applications to display correctly, you need to ensure that your container can communicate with the host system’s display server. This typically involves setting the DISPLAY environment variable and mounting the X11 Unix socket into the container. For example, when running your container, you might use:

    docker run -it --rm -e DISPLAY=$DISPLAY -v /tmp/.X11-unix:/tmp/.X11-unix your-container-image

    This command assumes you are using X11 for display output. If you are using Wayland, the approach will differ.

  4. Develop Your Application: With Python and Tkinter installed, you can now develop your GUI application as you normally would on any other platform. Here’s a simple example to create a basic window:

    import tkinter as tk

root = tk.Tk()
root.title("Hello, Torizon")
label = tk.Label(root, text="Hello, World!")
label.pack()
root.mainloop()

  5. Run Your Application: Execute your Python script inside the container. Ensure that the graphical output is correctly configured as per step 3.

  6. Debugging: If you encounter issues displaying your GUI, check the following:

    • Ensure the container has access to the display (correct DISPLAY variable and X11 socket mounting).
    • Verify that the necessary graphical libraries are installed in your container.
    • Check for any error messages in your application or container logs that might indicate what the issue is.

Remember, the exact commands and configurations might vary based on your

Please, also check if these links can help you solve your problem:

Qt on Torizon OS | Toradex Developer Center.

3

Greetings @aymen,

The response from the Toradex AI is a pretty good starting point. Just to add we also have an IDE extension for Visual Studio Code: Visual Studio Code IDE Extension | Toradex Developer Center

This extension has a couple of python-based templates. But, none of them are specifically for tkinter if that’s what you’re interested in. Though you could probably easily modify the base project templates to add tkinter.

Best Regards,
Jeremias

4

Hey @aymen, as Jeremias mention you can use one of the default IDE Python templates and modify as in this other discussion Tkinter GUI app in Torizon OS to get it going. Or just run the examples by hand without the IDE to test the waters first.

Hope this helps :wink: