How can I use the native error icon and error sound in Windows using wxPython?

Question

This simple line: ``` wx.MessageBox('Foo', 'Bar', wx.OK | wx.ICON_ERROR) ``` Gives me a message box with an error icon and the Windows error noise (this is not the same noise as `wx.Bell()`). I would like to create a custom error dialog for uncaught exceptions, where the traceback is available in a text control and such, and I would like to include both the Windows error icon and the noise. I know that both differ between versions of Windows, and the error noise can even be customized. Is there any straight-forward way of using these native Windows resources with wxPython? Bonus question; if the answer is no, what would be the most straight-forward way of doing what I'm trying to do? Results after accepted answer: I just wanted to show off the results after Anonymous Coward's excellent answer, as they far exceeded my expectations. This is the error dialog that now pops up on unhandled exceptions (on Windows 8): It also packs the modern Windows "UNNK!" error sound. This is the code beh…

Accepted Answer

The `wx.MessageBox` calls the os-specific standard message/alert dialog box (on windows, that's MessageBox() from user32.dll). wxWidgets simply translates the flags you provide (like wx.OK and wx.ICON_INFORMATION) to the os-specific flags and options for the native message box.

You can obtain the os-specific icons through the `wx.ArtProvider`.

As far as sounds go, `wx.Sound` can only play sound files. However, if the application does not have to be portable, you can use the `winsound` module.

```
import wx
import winsound # windows only

class Frame(wx.Frame):
    def __init__(self):
        wx.Frame.__init__(self,None,wx.ID_ANY)
        sizer = wx.BoxSizer(wx.HORIZONTAL)
        sizer.Add( wx.StaticBitmap(self,bitmap=wx.ArtProvider.GetBitmap(wx.ART_INFORMATION)) )
        sizer.Add( wx.StaticBitmap(self,bitmap=wx.ArtProvider.GetBitmap(wx.ART_QUESTION)) )
        sizer.Add( wx.StaticBitmap(self,bitmap=wx.ArtProvider.GetBitmap(wx.ART_WARNING)) )
        sizer.Add( wx.StaticBitmap(self,bitmap=wx.ArtProvider.GetBitmap(wx.ART_ERROR)) )
        self.SetSizerAndFit(sizer)
        self.Show()
        winsound.MessageBeep(winsound.MB_ICONASTERISK)
        winsound.PlaySound('SystemHand', winsound.SND_ASYNC | winsound.SND_ALIAS)

app = wx.PySimpleApp()
Frame()
app.MainLoop()
```

How can I use the native error icon and error sound in Windows using wxPython?

Solution

Problem