Graph programming using Qt C++

saurabh162 · 31 Mar 2022, 13:23

Dear Developers,

I am planning to develop a QT GUI application using which user can control operational unit(for example nuclear reactor).
In this Application user would place control logic of operational unit in form of flow chart in GUI window as given below :

Then it would be job of our software to first read the logic given by user on GUI using flow chart and then process it and thereafter send commands to operational unit using different communication protocol example modbus and serial port.

In summary I need to develop Graphical Programming application using qt C++.
So, my questions are:

Is there any interpreter in Qt which can understand logic given using flow chart on GUI window?
Whether anyone can guide me how should I architect, design and develop such application using Qt C++ (link to any reference where it is already done)?

Please inform me if you need any other information.

Thanks :)

andi456 · wrote on 30 Mar 2022, 15:37

What do you mean by "interpreter"? Qt provides widgets for input, display and submitting user input etc.. That's why I would suggest, that you can accomplish your task with Qt/C++. Just search for some basic tutorials on the internet to get you started.

JoeCFD · wrote on 30 Mar 2022, 16:35

UML may be the tool you need for flow chart. You may check https://www.visual-paradigm.com/ for converting uml to C++ code.
It is not free. Rational Rose is a great tool, but it is very expensive.

SGaist · wrote on 30 Mar 2022, 18:27

Hi,

This looks a bit like a state machine.

Can you describe a typical workflow that would be created by your user ?

Kent-Dorfman · wrote on 31 Mar 2022, 00:45

What!? Op doesn't want to use JAVA for reactor control systems? LOL

Few will get the reference. Under SUN the JAVA license forbid its use in safety critical systems and nuclear reactors were specificaly called out.

saurabh162 · wrote on 31 Mar 2022, 13:13

Hello dear developers,

Thank you very much for your responses.

First of all, I am sorry for my unclear language above.

Actually, I want to develop Qt Application very similar to “Node-RED” tool.

In which on one window, user can define flow (graphical logic) to control a system (e.g Water untility System or nuclear reactor) and on another windows he should able to see live values from sensors from that system.

In following link you can also see what I exactly want to develop.

link text

Please inform me if you need any other information.

Please note I am not very experience in Qt. So if there any way to integrate node-red functionality in QT Application then please let me know.

Many thanks !!

JonB · wrote on 31 Mar 2022, 13:23

@saurabh162 said in Graph programming using Qt C++:

Then it would be job of our software to first read the logic given by user on GUI using flow chart and then process it

Actually, I want to develop Qt Application very similar to “Node-RED” tool.

This is only a guess from a brief look.

The way you phrased your requirement at the start made me think you expect to "parse" or "inspect" the GUI flowchart to "interpret" it and act on it. This would be true if your users simply supply you with the visual flowchart you showed.

I believe "Node-RED" has a "language" or "file format" to describe the flow and the actions, from which the chart can be drawn.

This is a vital distinction, as I would imagine the language/file/data structures are what is used to perform the flow/actions, and not the GUI/visual diagram. Which is much more doable.

So is that your requirement --- you have some "data structure" behind the chart to act on --- rather than you only have the visual diagram to work from?

saurabh162 · 4 Jan 2022, 14:04

@JonB Thank you very much for your fast reply.

yes you are right behind every node of node-red. there is javascript code.

But, I have only used its editor to draw my flows as shown in attached picture using building blocks already provided in it and did not provide any code from my side

Additionally node-red uses node.js as its back end.

Actually I want to make something very similar to node-red using Qt or to integrate Node-red in my Qt application.

Do you know any project which has done something similar to it? and in my case I have only visual diagram to work and no data structure behind the chart to act on it.

Please inform me if you need any other information.

Thank you very much !!