How to call macOS APIs from c++/qt application?

Taytoo

I need to call a native macOS API: NSHost to get localizedName of the mac but no idea how to call either Objective-C or Swift version of the API.

PS. Don't know anything about objective-C or Swift, new to macOS development.

mpergand

HI,

create a new file with .mm extension
write your c ++ function in it
call it from your Qt app

example:
MacUtils.h

class MacUtils
{

		MacUtils() {}

	public:

    static QString  localizedHostName();
};

MacUtils.mm

#import <Cocoa/Cocoa.h>
#include "MacUtils.h"


QString MacUtils::localizedHostName()
{
    NSString* name=[[NSHost currentHost] localizedName];

    return QString::fromNSString(name);
}

Call it like this:

#include "MacUtils.h"

int main(int argc, char *argv[])
{
    QString name=MacUtils::localizedHostName();
    qDebug()<<name;
}

For me prints: iMac de Jean

Taytoo

@mpergand Simple, to the point and it works. Merci!

When I was trying to find a solution, noticed some people saying that I have to add framework reference in .pro file e.g.

macx {
    LIBS += -framework CoreServices
    LIBS += -framework Foundation
    LIBS += -framework CoreFoundation
}

Your code works without the framework references. Are macOS framework references Not needed at all OR are they needed in some cases?

SGaist

Hi,

It will depend on what API you use. If they fall in frameworks already used by Qt, they will already be part of the linker options.

mpergand

@Taytoo

I add this to my .pro :

macx {   # l'accolade doit se trouver sur la même ligne, sinon erreur sur linux

 LIBS +=	-framework AppKit
}