[NCLUG] Looking for specialized Linux GUI builder

[bsimpson at att.net]

At work we are in the process of (slowly) converting satellite
software to run on the Linux platform.  I have been given the
task of investigating how to convert a telemetry display GUI
from HP-UX to Linux.

The present GUI consists of a main window and a few popup windows
that are pretty standard and can be created by a number of GUI
builders.  However within the main window (and occupying most of
it) is an area where various panels (subwindows) may be shown,
one at a time.  These panels are highly complex and sophisticated
GUIs that were built using a tool called RTworks (which I believe
was derived from the ground software supporting the Hubble Space
Telescope).  Unfortunately RTworks, which encompases a lot more
than just building fancy GUIs, is no longer supported, and there
is no Linux port that I'm aware of.

Each panel looks like either a drawing or a tabular listing.  The
drawings in many cases are of satellite subsystems, with various
components and the connections between them shown.  If that was
all there was to it, the drawings could be replaced by an image
file.  However these are "smart" drawings, with lights that can
change color, and guages and numeric fields that show the state
of the satellite.  In addition there are pushbuttons that when
activated will change the panel shown.  It would be possible to
manually convert all of these panels, though that would be extremely
labor intensive (and would probably rule out a Linux port).  My
question is:  are there any specialized GUI builders of this nature
for Linux (especially open-source GUI builders)?  GUI builders that
might be used for any complex process that must be monitored,
anything from nuclear power plants to a manufacturing line...?

Brian S