forked from qt-creator/qt-creator
Doc: update the introduction
Reviewed-by: Carsten Owerfeldt
This commit is contained in:
Leena Miettinen
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\title Introducing Qt Creator
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Qt Creator is an integrated development environment (IDE) that provides you with
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tools to design and develop complex applications for multiple desktop and mobile
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platforms.
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tools to design and develop applications with the Qt application framework. Qt is designed for
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developing applications and user interfaces once and deploying them across several
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desktop and mobile operating systems. Qt Creator provides you with tools for
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accomplishing your tasks throughout the whole application development life-cycle,
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from creating a project to deploying the application on the target platforms.
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\image qtcreator-overview.png "Qt Creator overview"
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@@ -189,41 +192,11 @@
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\l{http://qt.nokia.com/doc/4.7/qmake-tutorial.html#adding-platform-specific-source-files}{scopes}
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to select the file to process depending on which platform qmake is run on.
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Items such as open files, breakpoints, and watches are stored in
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Items such as open files, breakpoints, and watchers are stored in
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sessions. They are not considered to be part of the
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information shared across platforms.
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Qt Creator is integrated with cross-platform systems for build automation:
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qmake and CMake. In addition, you can import generic projects that do not use qmake
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or CMake, and specify that Qt Creator ignores your build system.
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In addition to Qt libraries, you can link your application to other
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libraries, such as system libraries or your own libraries. Further, your
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own libraries might link to other libraries. To be able to compile your
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project, you must add the libraries to your project. This also enables
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code completion and syntax highlighting for the libraries.
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The procedure of adding a library to a project depends on the the build
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system that you use.
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Qt Creator provides support for building and running Qt applications for
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desktop environment and mobile devices. When you install the \QSDK,
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the build and run settings for the Maemo and Symbian targets are set up
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automatically. However, you need to install and configure some additional software
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on the devices.
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\note The only supported build system for mobile applications in Qt
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Creator is qmake.
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Once your mobile application is ready, you can test it in the Qt Simulator.
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You can also connect Maemo and Symbian devices to your development PC and
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debug applications on the devices. After you have tested the application,
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you can deploy it on mobile devices.
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Developing applications for mobile devices is different from developing
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desktop applications. For more information, see
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\l{Optimizing Applications for Mobile Devices}.
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\section1 Projects
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\section1 Creating Projects
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But why do you need projects? To be able to build and run applications,
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Qt Creator needs the same information as a compiler would need. This information
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@@ -243,114 +216,29 @@
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\endlist
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You can either create a project from scratch or import an existing
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project. Qt Creator generates all the necessary files, depending on the type of
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project you create. For example, if you choose to create a graphical user
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interface (GUI) application, Qt Creator generates an empty .ui file
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that you can modify with the integrated \QD.
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Setting up a new project in Qt Creator is aided by a wizard that guides
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you step-by-step through the project creation process. In the first step, you
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select the type of the project from the categories: Qt C++ project, Qt Quick
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Project, or other project. Next, you select a location for the project and
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specify settings for it.
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Qt Creator is integrated with cross-platform systems for build automation: qmake and
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CMake. In addition, you can import generic projects that do not use qmake or CMake,
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and specify that Qt Creator ignores your build system.
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\image qtcreator-new-qt-quick-project-wizard.png
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\section1 Editors
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When you have completed the steps, Qt Creator automatically generates the
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project with required headers, source files, user interface descriptions
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and project files, as defined by the wizard.
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For example, if you choose to create a Qt Quick application, Qt Creator
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generates a QML file that you can modify with the integrated \QMLD.
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Qt Creator comes with a code editor and two integrated visual editors for designing
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and building
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graphical user interfaces (GUIs) from Qt widgets.
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\section2 Adding Libraries
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\section2 Code Editor
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As an IDE, Qt Creator differs from a text editor in that it knows how to build and run
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applications. It understands the C++ and QML languages as code, not just as plain text. This allows
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it to:
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\list
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\o Enable you to write well formatted code
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\o Anticipate what you are going to write and complete the code
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\o Display inline error and warning messages
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\o Enable you to semantically navigate to classes, functions, and symbols
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\o Provide you with context-sensitive help on classes, functions, and symbols
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\o Rename symbols in an intelligent way, so that other symbols with the same name
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that belong to other scopes are not renamed
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\o Show you the locations in code where a function is declared or called
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\endlist
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\section2 UI Designer
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Qt Creator provides two integrated visual editors, \QD and \QMLD.
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\l{Using Qt Designer}{\QD} is a tool for designing and building graphical user
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interfaces (GUIs) from
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Qt widgets. You can compose and customize your widgets or dialogs and test
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them using different styles and resolutions.
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Widgets and forms created with \QD are integrated seamlessly with programmed code,
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using the Qt signals and slots mechanism, that lets you easily assign behavior to
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graphical elements. All properties set in \QD can be changed dynamically within the code.
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Furthermore, features like widget promotion and custom plugins allow you to use your
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own widgets with \QD.
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UIs that use widgets are clearly structured and enforce a platform look and feel,
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which makes them useful for traditional applications. However, they are static, and
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do not fully make use of the large high-resolution screens, touch input, and significant
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graphics power that are becoming common in portable consumer devices, such as mobile
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phones, media players, set-top boxes, and netbooks.
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\l{Using Qt Quick Designer}{\QMLD} allows you to easily develop animations by using a
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declarative programming
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language called \l {http://doc.qt.nokia.com/4.7/qtquick.html}{QML}.
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In QML, a user interface is specified as a tree of objects with properties.
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You use a visual editor to create items, screens, and applications, as well as define changes
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in their state, transitions from one state to another, and user actions that change the
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states. \QMLD generates the necessary code for you.
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You can use Qt or JavaScript to implement the application logic.
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\section1 Languages
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You can use the code editor to write code in Qt C++ or in the
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\l {http://doc.qt.nokia.com/4.7/qtquick.html}{QML} declarative
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programming language.
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\section2 QML
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You can use QML to build highly dynamic, custom user interfaces from a rich set
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of QML elements. Qt Quick helps programmers and designers collaborate to build the
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fluid user interfaces that are becoming common in portable consumer devices, such as
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mobile phones, media players, set-top boxes and netbooks.
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QML is an extension to JavaScript, that provides a mechanism to declaratively build
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an object tree of QML elements. QML improves the integration between JavaScript and
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Qt's existing QObject based type system, adds support for automatic property bindings
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and provides network transparency at the language level.
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\section1 Targets
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Qt Creator provides support for building and running Qt applications for
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desktop environment (Windows, Linux, and Mac OS) and mobile devices (Symbian, Maemo,
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and MeeGo). Build settings allow you to quickly switch between build targets.
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When you run an application for a mobile device target with a device
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connected to the development PC, Qt Creator generates an installation package,
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installs in on the device, and executes it.
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You can publish the installation packages on the \l{https://publish.ovi.com/info/}{Ovi Store}.
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For Symbian devices, the packages must be signed.
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\section1 Tools
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Qt Creator is integrated with a set of helpful tools, such as version control
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systems and Qt Simulator.
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In addition to Qt libraries, you can link your application to other
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libraries, such as system libraries or your own libraries. Further, your
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own libraries might link to other libraries. To be able to compile your
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project, you must add the libraries to your project. This also enables
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code completion and syntax highlighting for the libraries.
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The procedure of adding a library to a project depends on the build
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system that you use.
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\section2 Version Control Systems
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@@ -377,17 +265,95 @@
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differences, viewing versioning history and change details, annotating files,
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and committing and reverting changes.
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\section2 Qt Simulator
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\section1 Designing User Interfaces
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You can use the Qt Simulator to test Qt applications that are intended
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for mobile devices in an environment similar to that of the device. You
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can change the information that the device has about its configuration
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and environment.
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Qt Creator provides two integrated visual editors, \QMLD and \QD.
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The Qt Simulator is installed as part of the \QSDK. After it is
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installed, you can select it as a build target in Qt Creator.
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\image qtcreator-ui-designers.png "Qt Quick Designer and Qt Designer"
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\section1 Debuggers
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Large high-resolution screens, touch input, and significant graphics power
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are becoming common in portable consumer devices, such as mobile
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phones, media players, set-top boxes, and netbooks. To fully benefit from
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these features and to create intuitive, modern-looking, fluid user interfaces,
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you can use \l {http://doc.qt.nokia.com/4.7/qtquick.html}{Qt Quick}.
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Qt Quick consists of a rich set of user interface elements, a declarative
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language for describing user interfaces, and a language runtime. A
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collection of C++ APIs is used to integrate these high level features with
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classic Qt applications.
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You can edit QML code in the code editor or in the integrated \QMLD.
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The integration includes project management and code completion.
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If you need a traditional user interface that is clearly structured and
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enforces a platform look and feel, you can use the integrated \QD. You can
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compose and customize your widgets or dialogs and test them using different
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styles and resolutions.
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\section1 Coding
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As an IDE, Qt Creator differs from a text editor in that it knows how to build and run
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applications. It understands the C++ and QML languages as code, not just as plain text. This allows
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it to:
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\list
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\o Enable you to write well formatted code
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\o Anticipate what you are going to write and complete the code
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\o Display inline error and warning messages
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\o Enable you to semantically navigate to classes, functions, and symbols
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\o Provide you with context-sensitive help on classes, functions, and symbols
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\o Rename symbols in an intelligent way, so that other symbols with the same name
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that belong to other scopes are not renamed
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\o Show you the locations in code where a function is declared or called
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\endlist
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You can use the code editor to write code in Qt C++ or in the
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QML declarative programming language.
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QML is an extension to JavaScript, that provides a mechanism to declaratively build
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an object tree of QML elements. QML improves the integration between JavaScript and
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Qt's existing QObject based type system, adds support for automatic property bindings
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and provides network transparency at the language level.
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\section1 Building
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Qt Creator is integrated with cross-platform systems for build automation:
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qmake and CMake. In addition, you can import generic projects that do not use qmake
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or CMake, and specify that Qt Creator ignores your build system.
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Qt Creator provides support for building and running Qt applications for
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desktop environment (Windows, Linux, and Mac OS) and mobile devices (Symbian and Maemo).
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Build settings allow you to quickly switch between build targets.
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When you install the \QSDK, the build and run settings for the Maemo and Symbian
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targets are set up automatically. However, you need to install and configure some
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additional software on the devices to be able to connect to them from the
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development PC.
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\note The only supported build system for mobile applications in Qt
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Creator is qmake.
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\section1 Testing
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If you install Qt Creator as part of \QSDK, the GNU Symbolic Debugger
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is installed automatically and you should be ready to start debugging after
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you create a new project. However, you can change the setup to use debugging
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tools for Windows, for example.
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You can connect mobile devices to your development PC and debug processes
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running on the devices.
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You can test applications that are intended for mobile devices in the Qt
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Simulator and Maemo Emulator, but you also need to test the applications
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on real devices.
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\section2 Debuggers
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Qt Creator does not include a debugger. It provides a debugger plugin that acts
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as an interface between the Qt Creator core and external native debuggers:
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@@ -434,13 +400,57 @@
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deeper understanding is used to present objects of such classes in
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a useful way.
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If you install Qt Creator as part of a \QSDK, the GNU Symbolic Debugger
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is installed automatically and you should be ready to start debugging after
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you create a new project. However, you can change the setup to use debugging
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tools for Windows, for example.
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\section3 QML Script Console
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You can connect mobile devices to your development PC and debug processes
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running on the devices.
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You can use the Qt Creator \gui Debug mode to inspect the state of
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the application while debugging JavaScript functions. You can set breakpoints,
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view call stack trace, and examine locals and watchers.
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When the application is interrupted by a breakpoint, you can use the \gui {QML
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Script Console} to execute JavaScript expressions in the current context. You can
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type JavaScript expressions and use them to get information about the state of the
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application, such as property values.
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If you change property values or add properties in the code editor, the
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changes are updated in the running application when they are saved.
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\section3 QML Observer
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While the application is running, you can use the \gui {QML Observer} view to
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explore the object structure, debug animations, and inspect colors. When debugging
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complex applications, you can use the observe mode to jump to the position in code
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where an element is defined.
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\section2 Qt Simulator
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You can use the Qt Simulator to test Qt applications that are intended
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for mobile devices in an environment similar to that of the device. You
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can change the information that the device has about its configuration
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and environment.
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The Qt Simulator is installed as part of the \QSDK. After it is
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installed, you can select it as a build target in Qt Creator.
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\section2 Maemo Emulator
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The Maemo emulator emulates the Nokia N900 device environment. You can test
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applications in conditions practically identical to running the application
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on a Nokia N900 device with the software update release 1.2 (V10.2010.19-1).
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However, it is faster to test on a real device connected to the development
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PC.
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The Maemo Emulator is installed as part of the \QSDK. After it is
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installed and configured, you can start it from Qt Creator.
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\section1 Deploying
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Qt Creator deploy configurations handle the packaging of the application as an
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executable and copying it to a location developers want to run the executable at.
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The files can be copied to a location in the file system of the development PC
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or to a mobile device.
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Qt Creator allows you to create installation packages for Symbian and Maemo
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devices that are suitable for publishing on Ovi Store and other channels.
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*/
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