Difference between 'askquestion' and 'askyesno' in Tkinter

Tkinter provides various modules and functions to create interactive and user-friendly applications. When it comes to user input and decision-making, the "tkinter.messagebox" module comes into play, offering functions like askquestion and askyesno. While these functions may seem similar at first glance, they serve distinct purposes in terms of user interaction and response handling.

Getting Acquainted with "askquestion"

The askquestion function is designed to present the user with a question and provide two response options: "Yes" and "No." Its primary purpose is to solicit a binary response, helping the application flow to adapt based on the user's decision. The function returns a string, either "yes" or "no," indicating the button clicked by the user.

Here's a brief breakdown of how askquestion works −

• Dialog Box Presentation −The function generates a simple dialog box with a question and two buttons, labeled "Yes" and "No."

• User Interaction −When the user interacts with the dialog box by clicking either "Yes" or "No," the function captures this interaction.

• String Return −The function returns a string value, indicating the user's choice. If the user clicked "Yes," the return value is "yes"; if "No" is clicked, the return value is "no."

• Decision-Making −Developers can then use this returned value to make decisions in the application logic. For example, if the user agrees (clicks "Yes"), specific actions can be taken, and alternative actions if the user disagrees (clicks "No").

Unpacking ‘askyesno’

On the other hand, askyesno is another function from the tkinter.messagebox module that also seeks user input, but with a slight difference in presentation and return type.

Let's break down how askyesno operates −

• Dialog Box Construction − Like askquestion, askyesno creates a dialog box with a question. However, it differs in that it provides only two buttons: "Yes" and "No."

• Boolean Response − Instead of returning a string, askyesno returns a boolean value. If the user clicks "Yes," the function returns True; if the user clicks "No," it returns False.

• Simplified Decision Handling − The boolean return value simplifies decision-making in the application logic. Developers can directly use the boolean result in conditional statements without the need for string comparisons.

When to Use askquestion

The askquestion function is well-suited for scenarios where a binary decision is needed, and the specific response needs to be processed as a string. Here are some examples of situations where askquestion shines −

• Confirmation Dialogs − Asking the user for confirmation before performing a critical action, such as deleting a file or closing an application.

• Preference Settings − Seeking user input on preferences with clear "Yes" or "No" choices.

• Multi-Option Decisions − When the application flow requires more than a binary choice, the string return from askquestion can be easily extended.

When to Opt for askyesno

On the other hand, askyesno is preferable when a straightforward boolean response is sufficient. Here are scenarios where askyesno is a better fit −

• Quick Yes/No Queries − For simple yes/no questions where the specific choice doesn't require further string processing.

• Conditional Flow − When the application logic can be streamlined with direct boolean checks.

• Toggle States − Switching between states or enabling/disabling features based on user preference.

Code Examples for Clarity

Let's delve into some code examples to illustrate the practical use of both askquestion and askyesno in Tkinter.

askquestion in Action −

from tkinter import Tk, messagebox
def handle_response():
   response = messagebox.askquestion("Confirmation", "Do you want to proceed?")
   if response == "yes":
      # Perform action for 'Yes' response
      print("User chose to proceed.")
   else:
      # Perform action for 'No' response
      print("User chose not to proceed.")

# Create the main Tkinter window
root = Tk()
root.title("askquestion Example")
root.geometry("720x250")


# Button to trigger the askquestion dialog
button = Button(root, text="Ask Question", command=handle_response)
button.pack(pady=20)

# Run the Tkinter event loop
root.mainloop()

Output

It will create a simple Tkinter window with a button. When you click the button, it will open a dialog box with the specified question, and the response of the user will be updated in the console.

askyesno in Action

Take a look at the following example −

Example

from tkinter import Tk, messagebox

def handle_response():
   response = messagebox.askyesno("Confirmation", "Do you want to proceed?")
   if response:
      # Perform action for 'Yes' response
      print("User chose to proceed.")
   else:
      # Perform action for 'No' response
      print("User chose not to proceed.")

# Create the main Tkinter window
root = Tk()
root.title("askyesno Example")
root.geometry("720x250")


# Button to trigger the askyesno dialog
button = Button(root, text="Ask Yes/No", command=handle_response)
button.pack(pady=20)

# Run the Tkinter event loop
root.mainloop()

Output

It will create a simple Tkinter window with a button. When you click the button, it will open a dialog box with the specified question, and the response of the user will be updated in the console.

Conclusion

While askquestion and askyesno in Tkinter both serve the purpose of soliciting user input through dialog boxes, the key distinctions lie in the type of response they return. The former returns a string ("yes" or "no"), suitable for scenarios requiring specific string processing, while the latter returns a boolean (True or False), offering a more straightforward approach for boolean-based decision-making.