C++ GUI Programming with Qt 4

From the Back Cover

The Only Official Best-Practice Guide to Qt 4.1 Programming

Using Trolltech's Qt you can build industrial-strength C++ applications that run natively on Windows, Linux/Unix, Mac OS X, and embedded Linux--without making source code changes. With this book Trolltech insiders have written a start-to-finish guide to getting great results with the most powerful version of Qt ever created: Qt 4.1.

Using C++ GUI Programming with Qt 4 you'll discover the most effective Qt 4 programming patterns and techniques as you master key technologies ranging from Qt's model/view architecture to Qt's powerful new 2D paint engine. The authors provide readers with unparalleled insight into Qt's event model and layout system. Then, using realistic examples, they introduce superior techniques for everything from basic GUI development to advanced database and XML integration.

• Includes new chapters on Qt 4's model/view architecture and Qt's new plugin support, along with a brief introduction to Qtopia embedded programming

• Covers all Qt fundamentals, from dialogs and windows to implementing application functionality

• Introduces best practices for layout management and event processing

• Shows how to make the most of Qt 4's new APIs, including the powerful new 2D paint engine and the new easy-to-use container classes

• Contains completely updated material in every chapter

• Presents advanced Qt 4 techniques covered in no other book, from creating both Qt and application plugins to interfacing with native APIs

• Contains an in-depth appendix on C++/Qt programming for experienced Java developers

The accompanying CD-ROM includes the open source edition of Qt 4.1.1 for Windows, Mac, Linux, and many Unixes, as well as MinGW, a set of freely available development tools that can be used to build Qt applications on Windows, and also the source code for the book's examples.

Reviews From AMAZON.COM

a comprehensive widget set for C++

When C++ was first put together in the 80s, it was just before the advent of GUIs for many programs. But as Java arose in the 90s, and then C#, the need for easy UI coding in C++ became very clear. Hence Qt was developed. Now in its 4th version. And available for Microsoft Windows, linux, Macintosh and several unixes. The accompanying CD has version 4.1.1. Though by the time you get this book, you might want to scout the Web, either for patches to this version, or a more recent version.

The text takes you thru Qt 4. Showing that it is a fairly complete set of widgets for making a UI front end to your C++ code. Basically, if you have coded in any other UI package, like Java, then you can quickly find the equivalent functionality of many common types of widgets. For such things as drop down menus or toolbars. Or a layout manager for a composite window that will hold several widgets.

Some of you will be glad to see that the Qt widgets can be subclassed or extended, for your custom needs.

For actual rendering of images, Qt can also interact with OpenGL. Which is good because OpenGL is widely used, and there was little point to Qt reimplementing that functionality.

There are also some non-graphical classes that perhaps strictly do not belong in Qt. But which have been added due to perceived user demands. Notably a SAX parser for reading XML data files. It seems competent enough. Though I am unsure why the Qt designers didn't just refer programmers to other SAX parsers that have been written for C++.