Cannot format first column in WxPython's ListCtrl - formatting

Question

If I set the format of the first column in a ListCtrl to align centre (or align right) nothing happens. It works for the other columns.
This only happens on Windows - I have tested it on Linux and it works fine.
Does anyone know if there is a work-round or other solution?
Here is an example based on code found at http://zetcode.com/wxpython/
import wx
import sys
packages = [('jessica alba', 'pomona', '1981'), ('sigourney weaver', 'new york', '1949'),
('angelina jolie', 'los angeles', '1975'), ('natalie portman', 'jerusalem', '1981'),
('rachel weiss', 'london', '1971'), ('scarlett johansson', 'new york', '1984' )]
class Actresses(wx.Frame):
def __init__(self, parent, id, title):
wx.Frame.__init__(self, parent, id, title, size=(380, 230))
hbox = wx.BoxSizer(wx.HORIZONTAL)
panel = wx.Panel(self, -1)
self.list = wx.ListCtrl(panel, -1, style=wx.LC_REPORT)
self.list.InsertColumn(0, 'name', wx.LIST_FORMAT_CENTRE,width=140)
self.list.InsertColumn(1, 'place', wx.LIST_FORMAT_CENTRE,width=130)
self.list.InsertColumn(2, 'year', wx.LIST_FORMAT_CENTRE, 90)
for i in packages:
index = self.list.InsertStringItem(sys.maxint, i[0])
self.list.SetStringItem(index, 1, i[1])
self.list.SetStringItem(index, 2, i[2])
hbox.Add(self.list, 1, wx.EXPAND)
panel.SetSizer(hbox)
self.Centre()
self.Show(True)
app = wx.App()
Actresses(None, -1, 'actresses')
app.MainLoop()

Answer 1

I have found that this works (notice I start inserting the columns at 1 rather than 0):
self.list = wx.ListCtrl(panel, -1, style=wx.LC_REPORT)
self.list.InsertColumn(1, 'name', wx.LIST_FORMAT_CENTRE,width=140)
self.list.InsertColumn(2, 'place', wx.LIST_FORMAT_CENTRE,width=130)
self.list.InsertColumn(3, 'year', wx.LIST_FORMAT_CENTRE, 90)
Not sure why this works, but it does. Hopefully, there will be no repercussions from doing this.
Thanks to robots.jpg for inspiring the idea.

Answer 2

Windows definitely treats the first column differently. One workaround is to create an empty column 0 and hide it:
class Actresses(wx.Frame):
def __init__(self, parent, id, title):
wx.Frame.__init__(self, parent, id, title, size=(380, 230))
#...
self.list = wx.ListCtrl(panel, -1, style=wx.LC_REPORT)
self.list.InsertColumn(0, '', width=0)
self.list.InsertColumn(1, 'name', wx.LIST_FORMAT_CENTRE,width=140)
self.list.InsertColumn(2, 'place', wx.LIST_FORMAT_CENTRE,width=130)
self.list.InsertColumn(3, 'year', wx.LIST_FORMAT_CENTRE, width=90)
for i in packages:
index = self.list.InsertStringItem(sys.maxint, '')
self.list.SetStringItem(index, 1, i[0])
self.list.SetStringItem(index, 2, i[1])
self.list.SetStringItem(index, 3, i[2])
# catch resize event
self.list.Bind(wx.EVT_LIST_COL_BEGIN_DRAG, self.OnColDrag)
#...
def OnColDrag(self, evt):
if evt.m_col == 0:
evt.Veto()
I can't think of any major side-effects from doing this, but let me know if I'm wrong. I guess GetItemText() or anything else that assumes there is useful data in the first column would no longer be useful.
Edit - added code to prevent resizing column 0.