How to make python window run as “Always On Top”?

Question

I am running a little program in python that launches a small window that needs to stay on top of all the other windows. I believe this is OS specific, how is it done in GNU

Answer 1

I was trying to figure out a similar issue and found this solution using the Pmw module

http://www.java2s.com/Code/Python/GUI-Pmw/Showglobalmodaldialog.htm

Answer 2

I really don't know much Python at all, but Googling "pygtk always on top" gave me this:

http://www.mail-archive.com/pygtk@daa.com.au/msg01370.html

The solution posted there was:

transient.set_transient_for(main_window)

You might also want to search things like "x11 always on top". The underlying concept seems to be that you're giving the window manager a "hint" that it should keep the window above the others. The window manager, however, has free reign and can do whatever it wants.

I've also seen the concept of layers when using window managers like Fluxbox, so maybe there's a way to change the layer on which the window appears.

Answer 3

The question is more like which windowing toolkit are you using ? PyGTK and similar educated googling gave me this:

gtk.Window.set_keep_above

As mentioned previously it is upto the window manager to respect this setting or not.

Edited to include SDL specific stuff Pygame uses SDL to do display work and apprently does not play nice with Windowing toolkits. SDL Window can be put on top is discussed here.