Best Practice Questions

kainev

Hi everyone. One thing I'm struggling with learning PyQt/PySide (I'm using the Qt.py module so everything is PySide2 syntax and only the features that are shared between PyQt 4/5 & PySide 1/2 are available) is best practices. I see and hear people doing things in different ways.

1 - Usage of super

class MyCustomWidget(QWidget):
    def __init__(self, parent=None):
        super(MyCustomWidget, self).__init__(parent=parent)

OR

class MyCustomWidget(QWidget):
    def __init__(self):
        QWidget.__init__(self)

I figure as all native QWidgets at least have the parent argument then for consistency you should as well. I've been told I shouldn't do this though.

2 - Keeping Python references to any created Qt objects

self._myLayout = QVBoxLayout()
self.setLayout(self._myLayout)

OR

myLayout = QVBoxLayout()
self.setLayout(self._myLayout)

Is it necessary or at least best practice to maintain an active reference in Python to any created objects whether they be layouts or QWidgets, or is this just unnecessary clutter?

3 - Setting layouts on widgets

myLayout = QVBoxLayout(myWidget)

OR

myLayout = QVBoxLayout()
myWidget.setLayout(myLayout)

What would be considered best practice? I honestly find the top version easier to understand as when I see the layout is made I instantly know what QWidget it is for.

4 - Setting up UI in methods called from __init__

class MyCustomWidget(QWidget):
    def __init__(self):
        QWidget.__init__(self)

        self.setupUI()
        self.setupMenu()
        
    def setupUI(self):
        self._myLayout = QVBoxLayout()
        self.myButton = QPushButton()
        ...
    
    def setupMenu(self):
        ...

I've seen implementations like this a lot, where they define their instance attributes in other methods, sometimes several different ones. This breaks standard python wisdom, but is it considered worth it because it increases readability? I always define everything in my __init__ and just keep try to keep everything in a logical order.

5 - Deleting widgets
Not really a best practice thing, just if anyone has the time, what is the correct way to delete a QWidget and ensure it's removed fully? Is just setting it's parent to None enough?

Please if answering a point let me know the reasons why it is best practice, not just that it is best practice, so I can gain a better understanding, thanks!