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adding an object to a Designer-made UI

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  • mzimmersM mzimmers

    I'd like to return to this subject, at a bit higher level. Let's say I'm writing a new app that can build and run on a variety of platforms, with widely varying screen resolutions.

    Is it possible/advisable to write an app that doesn't specify any absolute sizes at all? In other words, can/should I allow Qt to make all of these decisions for me? And if so, what do I use to convey general guidelines to Qt, such as how much of the screen to consume, aspect ratio of the main window, etc?

    I know these are vague questions...this is because I don't know what I don't know.

    Thanks...

    mrjjM Offline
    mrjjM Offline
    mrjj
    Lifetime Qt Champion
    wrote on last edited by
    #8

    @mzimmers
    Hi
    If you design your application with layouts
    http://doc.qt.io/qt-5/examples-layouts.html
    you are able to specify how you want the app to use the available space
    for a given device. You can then use bitmap of multiple resolutions or SVG
    to allow crisp viewing without scaling artifacts.
    Each widget can specify how it should be scaled. Like keep to minimum
    or take all space. This is controlled by
    http://doc.qt.io/qt-5/qsizepolicy.html

    mzimmersM 1 Reply Last reply
    1
    • mrjjM mrjj

      @mzimmers
      Hi
      If you design your application with layouts
      http://doc.qt.io/qt-5/examples-layouts.html
      you are able to specify how you want the app to use the available space
      for a given device. You can then use bitmap of multiple resolutions or SVG
      to allow crisp viewing without scaling artifacts.
      Each widget can specify how it should be scaled. Like keep to minimum
      or take all space. This is controlled by
      http://doc.qt.io/qt-5/qsizepolicy.html

      mzimmersM Offline
      mzimmersM Offline
      mzimmers
      wrote on last edited by
      #9

      @mrjj thanks for that link...I now understand size policy and size hints a lot better (though I'm going to have to experiment a little to fully grasp them).

      I did read something that confused me, in the explanation of SizePolicy::Expanding, it says:

      The sizeHint() is a sensible size, but the widget can be shrunk and still be useful. The widget can make use of extra space, so it should get as much space as possible (e.g. the horizontal direction of a horizontal slider).

      Shouldn't "shrunk" be "expanded" here?

      kshegunovK 1 Reply Last reply
      0
      • mzimmersM mzimmers

        @mrjj thanks for that link...I now understand size policy and size hints a lot better (though I'm going to have to experiment a little to fully grasp them).

        I did read something that confused me, in the explanation of SizePolicy::Expanding, it says:

        The sizeHint() is a sensible size, but the widget can be shrunk and still be useful. The widget can make use of extra space, so it should get as much space as possible (e.g. the horizontal direction of a horizontal slider).

        Shouldn't "shrunk" be "expanded" here?

        kshegunovK Offline
        kshegunovK Offline
        kshegunov
        Moderators
        wrote on last edited by
        #10

        @mzimmers said in adding an object to a Designer-made UI:

        Shouldn't "shrunk" be "expanded" here?

        Nope, they mean that sizeHint() doesn't impose any restriction on the minimal size of the widget (contrary to QSizePolicy::Minimum). It's just a way to suggest what an appropriate size would be, from there on the widget will try to grab as much as it can, but it can be also shrunken if that's needed for the layout management.

        Read and abide by the Qt Code of Conduct

        mzimmersM 1 Reply Last reply
        1
        • kshegunovK kshegunov

          @mzimmers said in adding an object to a Designer-made UI:

          Shouldn't "shrunk" be "expanded" here?

          Nope, they mean that sizeHint() doesn't impose any restriction on the minimal size of the widget (contrary to QSizePolicy::Minimum). It's just a way to suggest what an appropriate size would be, from there on the widget will try to grab as much as it can, but it can be also shrunken if that's needed for the layout management.

          mzimmersM Offline
          mzimmersM Offline
          mzimmers
          wrote on last edited by
          #11

          @kshegunov oh, I see (I think) -- it means it can grow or shrink, and it should grow if it can, right?

          So, if you had a widget that you wanted at least a certain size X, but you wanted it at X*2, or even more if necessary, you'd use this setting, right? And set the minimum size to X?

          kshegunovK 1 Reply Last reply
          0
          • mzimmersM mzimmers

            @kshegunov oh, I see (I think) -- it means it can grow or shrink, and it should grow if it can, right?

            So, if you had a widget that you wanted at least a certain size X, but you wanted it at X*2, or even more if necessary, you'd use this setting, right? And set the minimum size to X?

            kshegunovK Offline
            kshegunovK Offline
            kshegunov
            Moderators
            wrote on last edited by
            #12

            Yes on both counts.

            Read and abide by the Qt Code of Conduct

            1 Reply Last reply
            1
            • mzimmersM Offline
              mzimmersM Offline
              mzimmers
              wrote on last edited by
              #13

              Hey, this is pretty cool stuff once you get used to it. I was expecting a lot more hassle based upon reading through the documentation, but once you start, it's not bad at all.

              I have a few random issues currently:

              1. my main widget has a vertical layout with 4 areas in it. Can I control the order (top to bottom) of these areas through object properties, or do I have to drag and drop?

              2. What is the setting on a QLabel to ensure that all the text is visible?

              3. I'm using another QLabel to display a SVG pixmap of our logo. How do I preserve aspect ratio during scaling?

              Thanks...

              mrjjM 1 Reply Last reply
              0
              • mzimmersM mzimmers

                Hey, this is pretty cool stuff once you get used to it. I was expecting a lot more hassle based upon reading through the documentation, but once you start, it's not bad at all.

                I have a few random issues currently:

                1. my main widget has a vertical layout with 4 areas in it. Can I control the order (top to bottom) of these areas through object properties, or do I have to drag and drop?

                2. What is the setting on a QLabel to ensure that all the text is visible?

                3. I'm using another QLabel to display a SVG pixmap of our logo. How do I preserve aspect ratio during scaling?

                Thanks...

                mrjjM Offline
                mrjjM Offline
                mrjj
                Lifetime Qt Champion
                wrote on last edited by
                #14

                @mzimmers

                Hi
                Yeah layouts are first pretty annoying and later it seems kinda natural.

                1. The insertion order will give the order. Not sure you can swap them runtime with code.
                  Normally you drag and drop to rearrange.

                2. you can enable word wrap. It will not scale the font used. That must be hand programmed if desired.

                3. Make small custom class based on QLabel that uses
                  http://doc.qt.io/qt-5/qpixmap.html#scaled
                  and Qt::KeepAspectRatio
                  You can google it. Not an uncommon question.
                  https://stackoverflow.com/questions/8211982/qt-resizing-a-qlabel-containing-a-qpixmap-while-keeping-its-aspect-ratio

                mzimmersM 1 Reply Last reply
                2
                • mrjjM mrjj

                  @mzimmers

                  Hi
                  Yeah layouts are first pretty annoying and later it seems kinda natural.

                  1. The insertion order will give the order. Not sure you can swap them runtime with code.
                    Normally you drag and drop to rearrange.

                  2. you can enable word wrap. It will not scale the font used. That must be hand programmed if desired.

                  3. Make small custom class based on QLabel that uses
                    http://doc.qt.io/qt-5/qpixmap.html#scaled
                    and Qt::KeepAspectRatio
                    You can google it. Not an uncommon question.
                    https://stackoverflow.com/questions/8211982/qt-resizing-a-qlabel-containing-a-qpixmap-while-keeping-its-aspect-ratio

                  mzimmersM Offline
                  mzimmersM Offline
                  mzimmers
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #15

                  @mrjj thanks for the answers. I'm a little surprised by your answer to #2...if this is true, maybe I'm not using the best object. The goal was to have two QLabels (side by side) at the top of my main widget. On the left would be our logo, while on the right would be a title. I was hoping that the size of the title label would auto expand to show the entire text of the title. Is there a better way to do this?

                  Also, I think as an alternative to creating a a custom class for #3, I can just modify the object properties...yes?

                  mrjjM 1 Reply Last reply
                  0
                  • mzimmersM mzimmers

                    @mrjj thanks for the answers. I'm a little surprised by your answer to #2...if this is true, maybe I'm not using the best object. The goal was to have two QLabels (side by side) at the top of my main widget. On the left would be our logo, while on the right would be a title. I was hoping that the size of the title label would auto expand to show the entire text of the title. Is there a better way to do this?

                    Also, I think as an alternative to creating a a custom class for #3, I can just modify the object properties...yes?

                    mrjjM Offline
                    mrjjM Offline
                    mrjj
                    Lifetime Qt Champion
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #16

                    @mzimmers
                    Hi
                    If there is room for the text, it will work. If not enough room and no wordwrap, it will just cut the text.
                    Im not sure how it should fit the text if no room ?

                    About 3:
                    What properties do you think of ?

                    mzimmersM 1 Reply Last reply
                    1
                    • mrjjM mrjj

                      @mzimmers
                      Hi
                      If there is room for the text, it will work. If not enough room and no wordwrap, it will just cut the text.
                      Im not sure how it should fit the text if no room ?

                      About 3:
                      What properties do you think of ?

                      mzimmersM Offline
                      mzimmersM Offline
                      mzimmers
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #17

                      @mrjj I was hoping that some display widget could auto-size to reveal all of its text on a single line. This may be asking for too much.

                      Regarding the logo, I'm doing this right now:

                          ui->logoLabel->setPixmap(logo.scaled(logoSize, Qt::KeepAspectRatio, Qt::SmoothTransformation))
                      

                      I'm still working with it (the image quality is currently poor) but I don't see the need for a custom class.

                      mrjjM 1 Reply Last reply
                      0
                      • mzimmersM mzimmers

                        @mrjj I was hoping that some display widget could auto-size to reveal all of its text on a single line. This may be asking for too much.

                        Regarding the logo, I'm doing this right now:

                            ui->logoLabel->setPixmap(logo.scaled(logoSize, Qt::KeepAspectRatio, Qt::SmoothTransformation))
                        

                        I'm still working with it (the image quality is currently poor) but I don't see the need for a custom class.

                        mrjjM Offline
                        mrjjM Offline
                        mrjj
                        Lifetime Qt Champion
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #18

                        @mzimmers
                        Hi
                        None of the widget will reduce the font point size used.
                        So if that what you mean with auto-size, then nope.

                        1 Reply Last reply
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