How do I update a QCompleter with a new strings list?

user239857

I have the following code which makes a completer with two auto-completes.

test_list.append("APPLE")
test_list.append("ORANGE")
completer = QCompleter(test_list, self)
self.ui.lineText.setCompleter(completer)
# CHECKPOINT
test_list.append("KIWI")

When I append strings after CHECKPOINT to test_list, the completer is not updated. test_list has KIWI but lineText auto-complete only completes APPLE and ORANGE. It seems I have to update the completer but I don't know how..

What do I do?

Paul Colby

Hi @user239857

Disclaimer: I'm unfamiliar with Qt for Python... but hopefully this info set you in the right direction.

The problem is that the QCompleter takes a copy of your list, and creates a new model (a QStringListModel in this case) to use, which is no longer associated with your test_list.

There's probably better, options, but something like this should work:

test_list.append("APPLE")
test_list.append("ORANGE")
model = QStringListModel(tes_list);
completer = QCompleter(model, self)
self.ui.lineText.setCompleter(completer)
# CHECKPOINT
test_list.append("KIWI")
model.setStringList(test_list);
# Or:
model.setStringList(model.stringList().append("KIWI"));

You could be more efficient, by appending to model instead of replacing the list each time, but that's a little more complicated. Ideally you'd beginInsertRows(), add the new row, set the (string) data, then endInsertRows(). Which would be very efficient, but significantly more code.

Cheers.

user239857

@Paul-Colby This was extremely helpful and solved it. Thank you!