KInterfaceDesigner Library API Documentation
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The %KInterfaceDesigner Library

Version CVS

Link with: -lkinterfacedesigner

Include path: -I$(kde_includes)/kinterfacedesigner

Overview of GUI designer integration process

Each KPart that wants to act as a GUI Designer must implement KInterfaceDesigner::Designer interface. It defines necessary signals to communicate with an IDE and abstract virtual functions to determine designer type.

If a part which can "design" user interface files of a certain mimetype implements this interface and sets itself as a default handler for that mimetype then it becomes automatically integrated into KDevelop IDE.

When a part is embedded into KDevelop shell, its signals (defined in KInterfaceDesigner::Designer interface):

    void addedFunction(DesignerType type, const QString &formName, Function function)
    void removedFunction(DesignerType type, const QString &formName, Function function)
    void editedFunction(DesignerType type, const QString &formName, Function oldFunction, Function function)
    void editFunction(DesignerType type, const QString &formName, const QString &functionName)
    void editSource(DesignerType type, const QString &formName);

are connected to corresponding slots of KDevelop designer integration engine which can be implemented in KDevelop language support plugin.

Each language support which wants to use integrated designer, must reimplement

virtual KDevDesignerIntegration *KDevLanguageSupport::designer(KInterfaceDesigner::DesignerType type)

method and return designer integration object.

Convenience designer integration support library is available for programming language support developers. With the convenience library writing Qt designer integration for the language is a trivial task.

KDevelop Designer technical overview

KDevelop version >= 3.1 comes with a customized version (fork ;)) of Qt Designer. It is called KDevelop Designer (KDevDesigner, kdevdesigner from the command line). KDevDesigner has some important differences:

• KDevDesigner provides a read/write KPart which can be embedded into any application which wants to edit .ui files. KDevelop IDE embeds KDevDesigner this way.
• KDevDesigner uses KDE icons and dialogs and thus provides better integration with a system.

It is safe to preview forms with some KDE widgets from kdeui and kio libraries - KDevDesigner part is linked to those libraries so it will not crash under some circumstances.

KDevDesigner will not create .ui.h files - this feature is completely disabled. Integrated KDevDesigner will use subclassing approach, standalone does not allow to enter code.

Other information

Note:

It is technically possible to integrate not only Qt Designer, but also, for example, Glade. Glade-3 can be compiled as a library and probably be embedded via XParts technology.

This file is part of the documentation for KInterfaceDesigner Library Version CVS.

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