Create a Secure Message Encoding and Decoding Program in Python with Tkinter

Creating an Encoder/Decoder Using Python with Tkinter

Using Python to create a message encoder and decoder is simple, especially when you add a graphical user interface (GUI) with the Tkinter library. This tutorial will walk you through creating an encryptor and decryptor that can easily be used to send encrypted messages.

Setting Up the Tkinter Library

Tkinter comes installed with most Python distributions, so all you need to do is import it in your program:

import tkinter

Once the library is imported, you can create the Tkinter GUI by creating an object of the class Tk:

root = tkinter.Tk()

Next, set up the title of the window and size:

root.title("Encoder/Decoder")
root.geometry("400x200")

Creating the GUI Elements

To get started with the GUI, set up the different elements you want, such as: frames, labels, entry boxes, and buttons. You can use the following code to create a frame and put a label inside it:

frame_1 = tkinter.Frame(root)
frame_1.pack()

label_1 = tkinter.Label(frame_1, text="Input Message")
label_1.pack()

This code will create a frame, put a label inside it, and pack both of them into the root window. To create an entry box and a button, you can use the following code:

entry_1 = tkinter.Entry(frame_1)
entry_1.pack()

button_1 = tkinter.Button(frame_1, text="Encode", command=encode)
button_1.pack()

This will create an entry box and a button, and pack both of them into the frame. The “command” argument is used to specify a function that will be called when the button is clicked.

Encoding and Decoding the Message

Now that the GUI elements are in place, you can write functions to encode and decode the message. The encoding function should take the text from the entry box, encrypt it, and display the encrypted message in a new label. The code for this should look something like this:

def encode():
    # Get text from entry box
    input_text = entry_1.get()

    # Encrypt text
    encrypted_text = encrypt_text(input_text)

    # Create label to display encrypted text
    label_2 = tkinter.Label(frame_1, text=encrypted_text)
    label_2.pack()

The decrypting function should work in a similar way, except it should decrypt the text instead of encrypting it. This should look something like this:

def decode():
    # Get text from entry box
    input_text = entry_1.get()

    # Decrypt text
    decrypted_text = decrypt_text(input_text)

    # Create label to display decrypted text
    label_2 = tkinter.Label(frame_1, text=decrypted_text)
    label_2.pack()

Finally, you need to create the encrypt_text() and decrypt_text() functions. These can be any encryption methods you like, such as Caesar cipher, Vigenère cipher, or a custom one. Once these functions are written, you’re done! Your encoder and decoder should now be ready to use.