is qt self contained?

**Dumbledore** · 10th October 2007, 02:15

When I went searching for a GUI framework what I had in mind was a designer like the qt designer that would allow me to design my GUI and then generate the code needed for the GUI so I could then add my own sub processes based on what buttons are clicked.

It seems to me that qt doesn't generate any C++ code which can be edited. Am I wrong?

In a nutshell, I want to create a network program using winsock2. Is it possible to make the GUI in designer and get it to work with my networking code?

**niko** · 10th October 2007, 06:16

You don't edit the generated code directly - as this would be a mess if you change the widget an and re-generate the code.

you have however several possibilities to use the widget in your application:
http://doc.trolltech.com/4.3/designe...component.html

usually you connect a few signals from the widget to your slots.

niko

**wysota** · 10th October 2007, 09:55

Why don't you use Qt for networking as well? It would behave better than using a blocking socket with an event driven gui.

**Brandybuck** · 10th October 2007, 20:22

Originally Posted by Dumbledore

In a nutshell, I want to create a network program using winsock2. Is it possible to make the GUI in designer and get it to work with my networking code?

Qt Designer generates a UI file, which is an XML representation of the layout. This UI file needs to be used within a Qt application, however. During the build, the UI file will be translated into C++, to link into your program. Typically you write a Qt widget class that instantiated that UI form. You can also load the UI form at runtime using the designer library, but this doesn't seem to be common, as it involves a bit of overhead and checking.

But in all cases you need a C++ Qt application. All the Designer does is create widgets and lay them out. Any actual behavior needs to be written by you in C++ (or Python or Java).

p.s. I second Wysota's suggestion to use Qt's networking. It gives you a nicer higher-level API for networking, and it's crossplatform to boot.

**Dumbledore** · 10th October 2007, 23:39

Any actual behavior needs to be written by you in C++

How though? I need a tutorial on how to use designer to design the GUI and program it separately. In C#, for instance, it's intuitive enough to figure out how to code what each object in the UI does.

Say for instance I create a button (in QT designer)

Now I should have an object of type Button.

So I should be able to find a method called "buttonPressed()" and describe what I want that button to do when it's pushed, no?

**jacek** · 10th October 2007, 23:53

Originally Posted by Dumbledore

I need a tutorial on how to use designer to design the GUI and program it separately.

Niko already gave you a link to it.

http://doc.trolltech.com/4.3/designe...component.html
http://doc.trolltech.com/4.3/designe...component.html
http://doc.trolltech.com/4.3/tutorial.html

**wysota** · 11th October 2007, 09:09

If you open Qt docs, there is a link to a tutorial that explains all the basic steps, including the way to react to a button click.

**Brandybuck** · 11th October 2007, 18:35

Originally Posted by Dumbledore

So I should be able to find a method called "buttonPressed()" and describe what I want that button to do when it's pushed, no?

No, but you will have a signal called "clicked()" that you can connect to. When the button is pressed, it will emit the clicked() signal, which will call the method (slot) you connected it to. You need to write that method though.