I have three main sections of a main window, where the left side (critical data) should take the entire height of the window, while the data on the right should be split between top and bottom. Data in the lower right is related, but not critical - which is why I'd like it to be un-dockable/closable.
The Qt documentation shows an example of this in C++, but I have no idea how to turn this into Python code, as I have no C++ experience.
The Qt Designer application limits the user to Left/Right/Top/Bottom, and limiting the maximum width of the widget doesn't allow me to occupy the un-used space (i.e. doesn't allow the list widget on the left to take up the full height of the main window)
Long story short, to get a Qdockwidget into the lower right corner, you have to put another dock widget above it (it's still limited to Right/Left/Top/Bottom DockWidgetArea). After looking at the answer from eyllanesc below, I'll post two solutions. First, a simplified version of his code and then a modified version of the code I originally posted.
Eyllanesc's translation from the C++ example from I mentioned above:
from PyQt4 import QtCore, QtGui
class MainWindow(QtGui.QMainWindow):
def __init__(self, parent=None):
QtGui.QMainWindow.__init__(self, parent)
self.resize(600, 600)
self.centralWidget = QtGui.QTextEdit()
self.setCentralWidget(self.centralWidget)
# Upper table widget
dock = QtGui.QDockWidget("Upper", self.centralWidget)
dock.setAllowedAreas(QtCore.Qt.RightDockWidgetArea)
self.tableWidget = QtGui.QTableWidget(dock)
self.tableWidget.setObjectName("tableWidget")
self.tableWidget.setColumnCount(6)
self.tableWidget.setRowCount(7)
for i in range(7):
item = QtGui.QTableWidgetItem()
self.tableWidget.setVerticalHeaderItem(i, item)
self.tableWidget.verticalHeaderItem(i).setText("Item " + str(i + 1))
for i in range(6):
item = QtGui.QTableWidgetItem()
self.tableWidget.setHorizontalHeaderItem(i, item)
dock.setWidget(self.tableWidget)
self.addDockWidget(QtCore.Qt.RightDockWidgetArea, dock)
# Lower table widget
dock = QtGui.QDockWidget("Lower", self.centralWidget)
self.tableWidget_2 = QtGui.QTableWidget(dock)
self.tableWidget_2.setObjectName("tableWidget_2")
self.tableWidget_2.setColumnCount(6)
self.tableWidget_2.setRowCount(7)
for i in range(7):
item = QtGui.QTableWidgetItem()
self.tableWidget_2.setVerticalHeaderItem(i, item)
for i in range(6):
item = QtGui.QTableWidgetItem()
self.tableWidget_2.setHorizontalHeaderItem(i, item)
dock.setWidget(self.tableWidget_2);
self.addDockWidget(QtCore.Qt.RightDockWidgetArea, dock)
self.listWidget = QtGui.QListWidget(self.centralWidget)
self.listWidget.setLayoutDirection(QtCore.Qt.RightToLeft)
self.listWidget.setObjectName("listWidget")
for i in range(10):
item = QtGui.QListWidgetItem()
self.listWidget.addItem(item)
item = self.listWidget.item(i)
item.setText("Item " + str(i + 1))
self.listWidget.setMinimumSize(QtCore.QSize(340, 600))
self.setWindowTitle("Dock Widgets")
if __name__ == '__main__':
import sys
app = QtGui.QApplication(sys.argv)
w = MainWindow()
w.show()
sys.exit(app.exec_())
And the modified version of the code I originally used:
from PyQt4 import QtCore, QtGui
class Ui_MainWindow(object):
def setupUi(self, MainWindow):
MainWindow.setObjectName("MainWindow")
MainWindow.resize(800, 600)
self.centralwidget = QtGui.QWidget(MainWindow)
self.centralwidget.setObjectName("centralwidget")
self.gridLayout = QtGui.QGridLayout(self.centralwidget)
self.gridLayout.setObjectName("gridLayout")
self.listWidget = QtGui.QListWidget(self.centralwidget)
self.listWidget.setObjectName("listWidget")
self.gridLayout.addWidget(self.listWidget, 0, 0, 1, 1)
self.listWidget.setLayoutDirection(QtCore.Qt.RightToLeft)
for i in range(10):
item = QtGui.QListWidgetItem()
self.listWidget.addItem(item)
item = self.listWidget.item(i)
item.setText("Item " + str(i + 1))
MainWindow.setCentralWidget(self.centralwidget)
self.menubar = QtGui.QMenuBar(MainWindow)
self.menubar.setGeometry(QtCore.QRect(0, 0, 800, 26))
self.menubar.setObjectName("menubar")
MainWindow.setMenuBar(self.menubar)
self.statusbar = QtGui.QStatusBar(MainWindow)
self.statusbar.setObjectName("statusbar")
MainWindow.setStatusBar(self.statusbar)
self.dockWidget = QtGui.QDockWidget(MainWindow)
self.dockWidget.setFeatures(QtGui.QDockWidget.DockWidgetFloatable)
self.dockWidget.setObjectName("dockWidget")
self.dockWidgetContents = QtGui.QWidget()
self.dockWidgetContents.setObjectName("dockWidgetContents")
self.tableWidget = QtGui.QTableWidget(self.dockWidgetContents)
self.tableWidget.setObjectName("tableWidget")
self.tableWidget.setColumnCount(6)
self.tableWidget.setRowCount(7)
for i in range(7):
item = QtGui.QTableWidgetItem()
self.tableWidget.setVerticalHeaderItem(i, item)
self.tableWidget.verticalHeaderItem(i).setText("Item " + str(i + 1))
for i in range(6):
item = QtGui.QTableWidgetItem()
self.tableWidget.setHorizontalHeaderItem(i, item)
self.gridLayout_2 = QtGui.QGridLayout(self.dockWidgetContents)
self.gridLayout_2.setObjectName("gridLayout_2")
self.gridLayout_2.addWidget(self.tableWidget, 0, 0, 1, 1)
self.dockWidget.setWidget(self.dockWidgetContents)
MainWindow.addDockWidget(QtCore.Qt.DockWidgetArea(2), self.dockWidget)
self.dockWidget_2 = QtGui.QDockWidget(MainWindow)
self.dockWidget_2.setFeatures(QtGui.QDockWidget.DockWidgetClosable|QtGui.QDockWidget.DockWidgetFloatable)
self.dockWidget_2.setObjectName("dockWidget_2")
self.dockWidgetContents_2 = QtGui.QWidget()
self.dockWidgetContents_2.setObjectName("dockWidgetContents_2")
self.gridLayout_3 = QtGui.QGridLayout(self.dockWidgetContents_2)
self.gridLayout_3.setObjectName("gridLayout_3")
self.tableWidget_2 = QtGui.QTableWidget(self.dockWidgetContents)
self.tableWidget_2.setObjectName("tableWidget_2")
self.tableWidget_2.setColumnCount(6)
self.tableWidget_2.setRowCount(7)
for i in range(7):
item = QtGui.QTableWidgetItem()
self.tableWidget_2.setVerticalHeaderItem(i, item)
for i in range(6):
item = QtGui.QTableWidgetItem()
self.tableWidget_2.setHorizontalHeaderItem(i, item)
self.gridLayout_3.addWidget(self.tableWidget_2, 0, 0, 1, 1)
self.dockWidget_2.setWidget(self.dockWidgetContents_2)
MainWindow.addDockWidget(QtCore.Qt.DockWidgetArea(2), self.dockWidget_2)
MainWindow.setWindowTitle("MainWindow")
QtCore.QMetaObject.connectSlotsByName(MainWindow)
if __name__ == "__main__":
import sys
app = QtGui.QApplication(sys.argv)
MainWindow = QtGui.QMainWindow()
ui = Ui_MainWindow()
ui.setupUi(MainWindow)
MainWindow.show()
sys.exit(app.exec_())## Heading ##
My answer is a translation of this example: http://doc.qt.io/qt-5/qtwidgets-mainwindows-dockwidgets-example.html, so future readers can use it to make a translation from the C++ code to Python.
from PyQt4 import QtCore, QtGui
class MainWindow(QtGui.QMainWindow):
def __init__(self, parent=None):
QtGui.QMainWindow.__init__(self, parent)
self.textEdit = QtGui.QTextEdit()
self.setCentralWidget(self.textEdit)
self.createActions()
self.createStatusBar()
self.createDockWindows()
self.setWindowTitle("Dock Widgets")
self.newLetter()
self.setUnifiedTitleAndToolBarOnMac(True)
def newLetter(self):
self.textEdit.clear()
cursor = QtGui.QTextCursor(self.textEdit.textCursor())
cursor.movePosition(QtGui.QTextCursor.Start)
topFrame = cursor.currentFrame()
topFrameFormat = topFrame.frameFormat()
topFrameFormat.setPadding(16)
topFrame.setFrameFormat(topFrameFormat)
textFormat = QtGui.QTextCharFormat()
boldFormat = QtGui.QTextCharFormat()
boldFormat.setFontWeight(QtGui.QFont.Bold)
italicFormat = QtGui.QTextCharFormat()
italicFormat.setFontItalic(True)
tableFormat = QtGui.QTextTableFormat()
tableFormat.setBorder(1)
tableFormat.setCellPadding(16)
tableFormat.setAlignment(QtCore.Qt.AlignRight)
cursor.insertTable(1, 1, tableFormat)
cursor.insertText("The Firm", boldFormat)
cursor.insertBlock()
cursor.insertText("321 City Street", textFormat)
cursor.insertBlock()
cursor.insertText("Industry Park")
cursor.insertBlock()
cursor.insertText("Some Country")
cursor.setPosition(topFrame.lastPosition())
cursor.insertText(QtCore.QDate.currentDate().toString("d MMMM yyyy"), textFormat)
cursor.insertBlock()
cursor.insertBlock()
cursor.insertText("Dear ", textFormat)
cursor.insertText("NAME", italicFormat)
cursor.insertText(",", textFormat)
for i in range(3):
cursor.insertBlock()
cursor.insertText("Yours sincerely,", textFormat)
for i in range(3):
cursor.insertBlock()
cursor.insertText("The Boss", textFormat)
cursor.insertBlock()
cursor.insertText("ADDRESS", italicFormat)
def print_(self):
document = self.textEdit.document()
printer = QtGui.QPrinter()
dlg = QtGui.QPrintDialog(printer, self)
if dlg.exec() != QtGui.QDialog.Accepted:
return
document.print_(printer)
self.statusBar().showMessage("Ready", 2000)
def save(self):
fileName = QtGui.QFileDialog.getSaveFileName(self,
"Choose a file name", ".", "HTML document (*.html *.htm)")
if not fileName:
return
file = QtCore.QFile(fileName)
if not file.open(QtCore.QFile.WriteOnly | QtCore.QFile.Text):
QtGui.QMessageBox.warning(self, "Dock Widgets",
"Cannot write file {}:\n{}."
.format(QtCore.QDir.toNativeSeparators(fileName), file.errorString()))
return
out = QTextStream(file)
QtGui.QApplication.setOverrideCursor(QtCore.Qt.WaitCursor)
out << textEdit.toHtml()
QtGui.QApplication.restoreOverrideCursor()
self.statusBar().showMessage("Saved '{}'".format(fileName), 2000)
def undo(self):
document = self.textEdit.document()
document.undo()
def insertCustomer(self, customer):
if not customer:
return
customerList = customer.split(", ")
document = self.textEdit.document()
cursor = document.find("NAME")
if not cursor.isNull():
cursor.beginEditBlock()
cursor.insertText(customerList[0])
oldcursor = cursor
cursor = document.find("ADDRESS")
if not cursor.isNull():
for c in customerList:
cursor.insertBlock()
cursor.insertText(c)
cursor.endEditBlock()
else:
oldcursor.endEditBlock()
def addParagraph(self, paragraph):
if not paragraph:
return
document = self.textEdit.document()
cursor = document.find("Yours sincerely,")
if cursor.isNull():
return
cursor.beginEditBlock()
cursor.movePosition(QtGui.QTextCursor.PreviousBlock, QtGui.QTextCursor.MoveAnchor, 2)
cursor.insertBlock()
cursor.insertText(paragraph)
cursor.insertBlock()
cursor.endEditBlock()
def about(self):
QtGui.QMessageBox.about(self, "About Dock Widgets",
"The <b>Dock Widgets</b> example demonstrates how to "
"use Qt's dock widgets. You can enter your own text, "
"click a customer to add a customer name and "
"address, and click standard paragraphs to add them.")
def createActions(self):
fileMenu = self.menuBar().addMenu("&File")
fileToolBar = self.addToolBar("File")
newIcon = QtGui.QIcon.fromTheme("document-new", QtGui.QIcon(":/images/new.png"))
newLetterAct = QtGui.QAction(newIcon, "&New Letter", self)
newLetterAct.setShortcuts(QtGui.QKeySequence.New)
newLetterAct.setStatusTip("Create a new form letter")
newLetterAct.triggered.connect(self.newLetter)
fileMenu.addAction(newLetterAct)
fileToolBar.addAction(newLetterAct)
saveIcon = QtGui.QIcon.fromTheme("document-save", QtGui.QIcon(":/images/save.png"))
saveAct = QtGui.QAction(saveIcon, "&Save...", self)
saveAct.setShortcuts(QtGui.QKeySequence.Save)
saveAct.setStatusTip("Save the current form letter")
saveAct.triggered.connect(self.save)
fileMenu.addAction(saveAct)
fileToolBar.addAction(saveAct)
printIcon = QtGui.QIcon.fromTheme("document-print", QtGui.QIcon(":/images/print.png"))
printAct = QtGui.QAction(printIcon,"&Print...", self)
printAct.setShortcuts(QtGui.QKeySequence.Print)
printAct.setStatusTip("Print the current form letter")
printAct.triggered.connect(self.print_)
fileMenu.addAction(printAct)
fileToolBar.addAction(printAct)
fileMenu.addSeparator()
quitAct = fileMenu.addAction("&Quit", self.close)
quitAct.setShortcuts(QtGui.QKeySequence.Quit)
quitAct.setStatusTip("Quit the application")
editMenu = self.menuBar().addMenu("&Edit")
editToolBar = self.addToolBar("Edit")
undoIcon = QtGui.QIcon.fromTheme("edit-undo", QtGui.QIcon(":/images/undo.png"))
undoAct = QtGui.QAction(undoIcon, "&Undo", self)
undoAct.setShortcuts(QtGui.QKeySequence.Undo)
undoAct.setStatusTip("Undo the last editing action")
undoAct.triggered.connect(self.undo)
editMenu.addAction(undoAct)
editToolBar.addAction(undoAct)
self.viewMenu = self.menuBar().addMenu("&View")
self.menuBar().addSeparator()
helpMenu = self.menuBar().addMenu("&Help")
aboutAct = helpMenu.addAction("&About", self.about)
aboutAct.setStatusTip("Show the application's About box")
aboutQtAct = helpMenu.addAction("About &Qt", QtGui.qApp.aboutQt)
aboutQtAct.setStatusTip("Show the Qt library's About box")
def createStatusBar(self):
self.statusBar().showMessage("Ready")
def createDockWindows(self):
dock = QtGui.QDockWidget("Customers", self)
dock.setAllowedAreas(QtCore.Qt.LeftDockWidgetArea | QtCore.Qt.RightDockWidgetArea)
self.customerList = QtGui.QListWidget(dock)
self.customerList.addItems([
"John Doe, Harmony Enterprises, 12 Lakeside, Ambleton",
"Jane Doe, Memorabilia, 23 Watersedge, Beaton",
"Tammy Shea, Tiblanka, 38 Sea Views, Carlton",
"Tim Sheen, Caraba Gifts, 48 Ocean Way, Deal",
"Sol Harvey, Chicos Coffee, 53 New Springs, Eccleston",
"Sally Hobart, Tiroli Tea, 67 Long River, Fedula"])
dock.setWidget(self.customerList)
self.addDockWidget(QtCore.Qt.RightDockWidgetArea, dock)
self.viewMenu.addAction(dock.toggleViewAction())
dock = QtGui.QDockWidget("Paragraphs", self)
self.paragraphsList = QtGui.QListWidget(dock)
self.paragraphsList.addItems([
"""Thank you for your payment which we have received today.""",
"""Your order has been dispatched and should be with you \
within 28 days.""",
"""We have dispatched those items that were in stock. The \
rest of your order will be dispatched once all the \
remaining items have arrived at our warehouse. No \
additional shipping charges will be made.""",
"""You made a small overpayment (less than $5) which we \
will keep on account for you, or return at your request.""",
"""You made a small underpayment (less than $1), but we have \
sent your order anyway. We'll add this underpayment to \
your next bill.""",
"""Unfortunately you did not send enough money. Please remit \
an additional $. Your order will be dispatched as soon as \
the complete amount has been received.""",
"""You made an overpayment (more than $5). Do you wish to \
buy more items, or should we return the excess to you?"""])
dock.setWidget(self.paragraphsList);
self.addDockWidget(QtCore.Qt.RightDockWidgetArea, dock)
self.viewMenu.addAction(dock.toggleViewAction())
self.customerList.currentTextChanged.connect(self.insertCustomer)
self.paragraphsList.currentTextChanged.connect(self.addParagraph)
# import dockwidgets_rc
if __name__ == '__main__':
import sys
app = QtGui.QApplication(sys.argv)
w = MainWindow()
w.show()
sys.exit(app.exec_())
The complete example can be found at the following link. The .qrc file has been compiled for Python 2 (dockwidgets_rc.py), but for Python 3 you must recompile the file.