GUI Development Of OS

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Protan
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GUI Development Of OS

Post by Protan »

Can I Use WxWidgets to develop GUIs on my homemade OS? If yes, Then
1. Do I need To re install WxWidgets after building the GCC cross compiler?
2. How to configure WxWidgets to produce binari for elf format?
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sortie
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Re: GUI Development Of OS

Post by sortie »

In short, *no*. It's not that easy.

If you wish to use WxWidgets to build an GUI for your OS, you'll need to do the following.
  • Write an operating system kernel that can load and run programs.
  • Write a good operating system.
  • Write or port a powerful C library.
  • Implement a display server.
  • Port WxWidgets to your OS by modifying it to use your display server.
  • Write programs for your OS that uses WxWidgets.
  • (and do all the other needed things I do not list here)
This is a lot of work that will take a lot of time. It'll take a long time because you'll have to write a real operating system with a display server and port WxWidgets to it. I've worked a couple years on my OS, and it'll probably be another year before I can even consider porting WxWidgets.
MadZarx
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Re: GUI Development Of OS

Post by MadZarx »

Yes it's possible but it's very hard and needs lots of work.
Before you start it, you should build a kernel with support for a file system, memory managemen, multitasking and multiprocessing and some other things. Then start to write a graphics card driver or use VBE(Some architectures doesn't support it). Then write other drivers such as network or USB or others. Then port a powerful C or C++ library for your OS (WxWidgets may use only C++. I have never tried it but I guess :mrgreen: ). Then build a nice looking GUI and write your own GUI functions to be able at least draw on screen. Then build an events system (something like windows messages) to detect the mouse movements and other things. after all start to port the WxWidgets library for your nice OS that you have worked on it for some years to achieve this point.
But I don't want to disappoint you. You may build them in less than a year with hard working. But I suggest you if you want to have a GUI library, try to roll your own or port an smaller library like GraphApp or FLTK.

Good luck 8)
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Protan
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Re: GUI Development Of OS

Post by Protan »

Thank You So much Sortie and MadZarx :)
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