Search code examples
c++qtqmlinteractionstackview

I have multiple qml Files that get pushed via StackView. How do I connect them to C++


My Projects contains 6 qml Files: The main.qml opens a new ApplicationWindow and declares the toolbar. It also initalizes StackView with the initalItem homescreen.qml. On the Home Screen I have different buttons which open different qml Files, via stack.push("URL"). Besides the main.qml all Files start with Item{}. I've been able to connect signals from the main.qml and the home.qml. But I've been unable to access Objects that are deeper in the stack. I don't know if I hvae to change my .cpp code to access the other objects, or if I should change the Initalization of StackView, so that all Files are loaded and accessible at the beginning. Here is the code, broke down to the very basics:

  • main.qml

    ApplicationWindow {
          Rectangle{
                    id: homeButton
                    objectName: "homeButton"
                    signal qmlSignal(string msg)
                    MouseArea {
                         onClicked:  {stack.push({item:"qrc:/home.qml}); homeButton.qmlSignal("Hello")}
                    }
          }
          StackView{
               initalItem: "qrc:/home.qml"
          }
    

    }

  • secondframe.qml // A randomw qml File that comes after the Home Screen

    Item {
          Rectangle{
                    id: test
                    objectName: "test"
                    signal qmlSignal(string msg)
                    MouseArea {
                         onClicked:  {stack.push({item:"qrc:/thirdframe.qml}); test.qmlSignal("Hello")}
                    }
          }
    }
    
  • main.cpp

    QApplication app (argc, argv);
    QQmlEngine enigne;
    QQmlComponent component(&engine, QUrl(QStringLiteral("qrl:/main.qml")));
    QObject *object = componet.create();
    QQmlComponent newcomponent(&engine, QUrl(QStringLiteral("qrl:/secondframe.qml")));
    QObject *newobject = newcomponet.create();
    
    MyClass myClass
    QObject *home = object->findChild<QObject*>("homeButton");    // I'm able to connect to every Object in the main.qml or home.qml
    QObject::connect(home,SIGNAL(qmlSignal(Qstring)), &myClass, SLOT(cppSlot(QString)));
    QObject *test = newobject->findChild<QObject*>("test");       // Can't connect to the Objects in secondframe.qml
    QObject::connect(test,SIGNAL(qmlSignal(Qstring)), &myClass, SLOT(cppSlot(QString)));
    

Solution

  • A way better approach than to reach into the QML tree and pull out objects that might or might not be there is to provide C++ based API to QML.

    1. Create a QObject based class that has the methods QML needs to be able to call as slots or Q_INVOKABLE

      class MyAPI : public QObject
      {
          Q_OBJECT
      public slots:
          void cppSlot(const QString &text);
      };
      
    2. Create an instance of that and expose it to QML

      MyAPI myApi;
      QQmlEngine engine;
      engine.rootContext()->setContextProperty("_cppApi", &myApi);
      
    3. Use in QML as if "_cppApi" is an object id

      MouseArea {
           onClicked:  {stack.push({item:"qrc:/thirdframe.qml}); _cppApi.cppSlot("Hello")}
      }