hi me again :),
what about using PHAT to auto create guis for plugins ?
here is the project page :
http://phat.berlios.de/
and here’s a screenshot of some widgets :
http://developer.berlios.de/dbimage.php?id=2738
how up to date are they? it looks to me (although i just had a few seconds quick glimpse, so correct me if i’m wrong) that it hasn’t really seen much in the way of updating since 2006. another issue is how well they integrate with other gtk themes (like ardour’s obviously).
i do like the look of the nobs though, clear and nice to look at without needing to be ‘look at me, i’m covered in chrome for some reason and i look exactly like a real !! i even simulate reflections of your hand as you pass over the nob!!!’… actually, that would be pretty cool 
porl
yes, you are right about the project activity. it seems to me that the widgets are skinnable or sort of.