python - project text to screen on transparent unobtrusive overlay box

Question

I've found some answers regarding displaying text on screen with Python. There's a lot about pop up messages and notifications.

However, I'm trying to create an unobtrusive little box (say, on the bottom of the screen maybe?). Something that'll be like a transparent overlay where messages will pop up in different colors while you're working. Like a notification box that is independent.

I don't have background in pygtk or tkinter or anything to do with GUI really (I'm a web developer). I don't know how to do this and all my Google searches give me examples of popping alerts on screen or communicating with the system's notifications which isn't relevant (cause I have little control over the appearence of that).

How do I do this?

Answer 1

In your Case QT Or PYQT is the best!

why?!

Since you are on windows and you are a web developer, I highly recommend that you install ANACONDA. This way the environment variables are set automatically and you don't need to worry about anything else. There are many useful packages (e.g. pyqt, numpy, sympy, scipy) which are bundled with anaconda. with pyqt or QT you can set your stylesheets as css!!! or write html codes inside your style.

see : https://docs.anaconda.com/anaconda/packages/old-pkg-lists/4.3.0/py36

Try This ( a Simple transparent popup, based on css and pyqt ):

import sys
from PyQt5.QtCore import pyqtSlot
from PyQt5.QtGui import *
from PyQt5 import QtCore
from PyQt5.QtWidgets import *
from PyQt5.QtCore import pyqtSignal
from PyQt5.QtCore import *


class MyNotification(QMainWindow):

    def __init__(self):

        QMainWindow.__init__(self)

        # < Styles >
        self.background_style_css = "background-color: rgba(22, 160, 133, 100); border-radius: 4px;"
        self.close_button_style_css = """
                                        QPushButton{
                                                    background-color: none;
                                                    color: white; border-radius: 6px;
                                                    font-size: 18px;
                                                    }
                                    """
        # </ Styles >

        # < Global Settings >
        self.setFixedSize(510, 210)
        self.move(400, 30)
        # </ Global Settings >

        # < Main Style >
        self.main_back = QLabel(self)
        self.main_back.resize(500, 200)
        self.main_back.setStyleSheet(self.background_style_css)
        # </ Main Style >

        # < Text Label >
        self.text_label = QLabel(self)
        self.text_label.move(10, 5)
        self.text_label.resize(300, 100)
        self.text_label.setText("Hi YUVI, How are You ? :)")
        # < Text Label >

        # < Header Style >
        self.setWindowFlags(QtCore.Qt.FramelessWindowHint)
        self.setAttribute(QtCore.Qt.WA_TranslucentBackground)

        # This Line Set Your Window Always on To
        self.setWindowFlags(Qt.SplashScreen | Qt.WindowStaysOnTopHint)
        # </ Header Style >

    def terminal_ask(self):

        while True:

            print("If you want to close this window, type stop: ")

            get_input = input()

            if get_input.lstrip().rstrip().lower() == "stop":
                self.close_window()

            else:
                print("Invalid Syntax, Try it again.")

            QApplication.processEvents()

    def close_window(self):

        self.close()
        sys.exit()


if __name__ == '__main__':

    My_Application = QApplication(sys.argv)
    MainWindow = MyNotification()
    MainWindow.show()
    MainWindow.terminal_ask()
    sys.exit(My_Application.exec_())

NOTE: You Can see, i set some styles for each part of my code by setStyleSheet() function with css! read my internal comments, and change this code by yourself.

UPDATE :

Now You have static, always_on_top and terminal_asker window, if you type "stop", it will be closed.

Good Luck ...