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I've reached a specific point in a kernel project and am currently facing a specific issue with creating the graphical interface; I can't seem to find any methods that aren't overly complex. Could anyone offer some suggestions? I don't need an advanced interface (I use GRUB).

This is a really vague question. Can you be any more specific about which part you need help with?

Are you referring to a text-based interface -- windows, boxes, buttons, but "drawn" in text mode, like e.g. 'dialog'? We could probably give you some pointers in that regard.

Or are you referring to true GUI (display server and everything)? Oh boy, are you in for a rough surprise...

icr09 wrote: ↑Wed Oct 07, 2026 5:51 pmI can't seem to find any methods that aren't overly complex.

The word "overly" is misused here. If something appears complex it's probably because it is complex.

Octocontrabass wrote: ↑Wed Oct 07, 2026 7:35 pm This is a really vague question. Can you be any more specific about which part you need help with?

To put it simply, it’s about creating a basic graphical interface—with simple text windows and the like—nothing complex. The problem, however, is that there are no tutorials or resources available for it, and I’ve never actually reached that stage myself.

iansjack wrote: ↑Thu Oct 08, 2026 2:52 am

icr09 wrote: ↑Wed Oct 07, 2026 5:51 pmI can't seem to find any methods that aren't overly complex.

The word "overly" is misused here. If something appears complex it's probably because it is complex.

Isn't there a tutorial or something similar that could give me at least a basic guide?

Solar wrote: ↑Thu Oct 08, 2026 2:00 am Are you referring to a text-based interface -- windows, boxes, buttons, but "drawn" in text mode, like e.g. 'dialog'? We could probably give you some pointers in that regard.

Or are you referring to true GUI (display server and everything)? Oh boy, are you in for a rough surprise...

I'm talking about a simple, user-friendly interface with text windows and the like, for i386.
I'm not talking about anything complex or anything big.

A search of this forum brings up other's questions and comments on this subject. There is one titled "How to make the GUI of my OS".

A google search can also bring up a few pages. I remember a quite complete text-only based windowing system released with Turbo C source code, and if you recognize the term "Turbo C", you might be as old as I am. :-)

Ben
- https://www.fysnet.net/osdesign_book_series.htm

iansjack wrote: ↑Thu Oct 08, 2026 2:52 am The word "overly" is misused here. If something appears complex it's probably because it is complex.

And if it's complicated, it is only so until you've understood it. I recently invested some time into understanding the maximum suffix algorithm that is part of the Crochemore-Perrin algorithm, which previously was just a mostly fixed blob to me, but now I think I understood how it is supposed to work. And I can now write it without using an overflow in the middle. I may need to update the algorithm showcase I made a while ago...

Point for this thread is that humans are generally capable of learning, and what may seem complicated now can seem trivial by tomorrow already.

BenLunt wrote: ↑Thu Oct 08, 2026 9:32 am and if you recognize the term "Turbo C", you might be as old as I am.

Now there's a memento mori for you. Turbo Pascal was the first compiler I ever used, but I was 12 years at the time and it was obsolete even then. Though I did learn how to use a hex editor to get Turbo Pascal compiled binaries to run on a modern computer without division-by-zero exception.

For a text based gui it’s worth studying the Oberon operating system which takes a rather different, but fairly simple approach. Interesting in relation to Turbo Pascal (a great system) as Oberon is the second-generation successor to Pascal.

I sincerely thank you for your help and response.