{"id":6881,"date":"2023-11-23T08:48:47","date_gmt":"2023-11-23T08:48:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pythontutorial.net\/?page_id=6881"},"modified":"2023-11-23T09:21:21","modified_gmt":"2023-11-23T09:21:21","slug":"tkinter-system-tray","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.pythontutorial.net\/tkinter\/tkinter-system-tray\/","title":{"rendered":"Tkinter System Tray"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Summary<\/strong>: in this tutorial, you will learn how to develop a Tkinter system tray application.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Introduction to Tkinter system tray applications #<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A system tray application is a type of application that runs in the background and provides quick access to some functions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system tray application typically appears as a small icon in the system tray or notification areas in the taskbar of the Windows, macOS, or Linux Desktop environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some common examples of system tray applications are antivirus software, instant messaging clients, or system monitoring software.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Users can interact with the system tray application by clicking on it to access a menu and perform specific actions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tkinter lacks built-in support for the system tray application, but you can use the PyStray<\/code> third-party library to create it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tkinter System Tray Application example #<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Creating a system tray application using the Tkinter and PyStray<\/code> package involves the following steps:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 1. Install the Pystray and Pillow libraries #<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Install the Pystray and Pillow libraries using the pip<\/a> command. The Pystray enables you to create a tray application, and the Pillow helps you design an icon placed in the system tray.<\/p>\n\n\n

pip install pystray pillow<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> Python<\/span> (<\/span>python<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
Step 2. Create a Tkinter system tray application #<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Create a Python script and use the following code:<\/p>\n\n\n
import<\/span> tkinter as<\/span> tk\nimport<\/span> pystray\nfrom<\/span> PIL import<\/span> Image\n\n\nclass<\/span> MyApp<\/span>(tk.Tk)<\/span>:<\/span>\n    def<\/span> __init__<\/span>(self)<\/span>:<\/span>\n        super().__init__()\n\n        self.title(\"System Tray App\"<\/span>)\n        self.geometry('500x250'<\/span>)\n        self.protocol('WM_DELETE_WINDOW'<\/span>, self.minimize_to_tray)\n    \n    def<\/span> minimize_to_tray<\/span>(self)<\/span>:<\/span>\n        self.withdraw()\n        image = Image.open(\"app.ico\"<\/span>)\n        menu = (pystray.MenuItem('Quit'<\/span>,  self.quit_window), \n                pystray.MenuItem('Show'<\/span>,self.show_window))\n        icon = pystray.Icon(\"name\"<\/span>, image, \"My App\"<\/span>, menu)\n        icon.run()\n\n    def<\/span> quit_window<\/span>(self, icon)<\/span>:<\/span>\n        icon.stop()\n        self.destroy()\n\n    def<\/span> show_window<\/span>(self, icon)<\/span>:<\/span>\n        icon.stop()\n        self.after(0<\/span>,self.deiconify)\n\nif<\/span> __name__ == \"__main__\"<\/span>:\n    app = MyApp()\n    app.mainloop()<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> Python<\/span> (<\/span>python<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
Output:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"Tkinter<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
The app.ico<\/code> can be downloaded here:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
How it works.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
First, import the necessary libraries:<\/p>\n\n\n
import<\/span> tkinter as<\/span> tk\nimport<\/span> pystray\nfrom<\/span> PIL import<\/span> Image<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> Python<\/span> (<\/span>python<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
Second, define a new MyApp<\/code> class that extends the tk.Tk<\/code> class. In the constructor __init__()<\/code>, bind the close event with the method minimize_to_tray()<\/code>:<\/p>\n\n\n
self.protocol('WM_DELETE_WINDOW'<\/span>, self.minimize_to_tray)<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> Python<\/span> (<\/span>python<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
When you click the close button, the minimize_to_tray()<\/code> method will execute creating a system tray icon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Third, define the minimize_to_tray()<\/code> method that minimizes the main window to the system tray:<\/p>\n\n\n
def<\/span> minimize_to_tray<\/span>(self)<\/span>:<\/span>\n    self.withdraw()\n    image = Image.open(\"app.ico\"<\/span>)\n    menu = (pystray.MenuItem('Quit'<\/span>,  self.quit_window), \n            pystray.MenuItem('Show'<\/span>,self.show_window))\n    icon = pystray.Icon(\"name\"<\/span>, image, \"My App\"<\/span>, menu)\n    icon.run()<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> Python<\/span> (<\/span>python<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
In the method:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The self.withdraw()<\/code> hides the main window without destroying it. This is the necessary step for minimizing the main window to the system tray:<\/p>\n\n\n
def<\/span> minimize_to_tray<\/span>(self)<\/span>:<\/span>\n    # Hide the main window<\/span>\n    self.withdraw()<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> Python<\/span> (<\/span>python<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
The following calls the open()<\/code> method of the Image class to load the app.ico<\/code> that will be used as the icon for the system tray:<\/p>\n\n\n
    # Open the image for the system tray icon<\/span>\n    image = Image.open(\"app.ico\"<\/span>)<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> Python<\/span> (<\/span>python<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
The following defines a menu for the system tray icon, which contains two PyStray<\/code> MenuItem<\/code> objects:<\/p>\n\n\n
    menu = (pystray.MenuItem('Quit'<\/span>, self.quit_window), \n            pystray.MenuItem('Show'<\/span>, self.show_window))<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> Python<\/span> (<\/span>python<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
The menu items Quit<\/code> and Show<\/code> are associated with the self.quit_window<\/code> and self.show_window<\/code> methods respectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The following line creates a PyStray<\/code> icon with the specified image and menu:<\/p>\n\n\n
    icon = pystray.Icon(\"name\"<\/span>, image, \"My App\"<\/span>, menu)<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> Python<\/span> (<\/span>python<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
The following calls the run()<\/code> method of the Icon<\/code> object to make the icon active in the system tray:<\/p>\n\n\n
    icon.run()<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> Python<\/span> (<\/span>python<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
The icon.run<\/code>() line starts the PyStray<\/code> event loop, making the icon active in the system tray. It will now respond to user interactions, such as clicks on the menu items.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fourth, define the quit_window()<\/code> associated with the Quit<\/code> menu item in the system tray. When you select the Quit<\/code> option from the system tray icon menu, it stops the PyStray<\/code> event loop (icon.stop<\/code>()) and destroys the main window, ensuring a clean exit of the application (self.destroy<\/code>())<\/p>\n\n\n
    def<\/span> quit_window<\/span>(self, icon)<\/span>:<\/span>\n        icon.stop()\n        self.destroy()<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> Python<\/span> (<\/span>python<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
Fifth, define the show_window()<\/code> method associated with the Show<\/code> menu item in the system tray  icon: <\/p>\n\n\n
    def<\/span> show_window<\/span>(self, icon)<\/span>:<\/span>\n        icon.stop()\n        self.after(0<\/span>,self.deiconify)<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> Python<\/span> (<\/span>python<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
When you select the Show option from the system tray icon menu it closes the system tray icon (stops the PyStray<\/code> event loop) and uses the after()<\/a><\/code> method to schedule the deiconify()<\/code> method to be called immediately, resulting in the main application being restored and becoming visible again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Summary #<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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  • Use the PyStray<\/code> library to create a Tkinter system tray application.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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