Dynamically add functions to qt program

[sincnarf]

Anybody here can point me to examples of how a user can create his/her own pure C++ function then the newly created function can be dynamically added to a list of functions available for use within the qt program. The list of functions are available in a menu. The user can also delete functions from (and add functions to) the menu.

[marcel]

You mean something like some sort of application plugins?

[Wizard]

Or you mean something like dynamic C++ ? It's very difficult to implement this idea. It's better to try QtScript if you wish some kind of self-modifying application...

[sincnarf]

This is indeed a hard task. In any case, my ears are open to all your ideas. Someone in another forum site told me to do the following:

1. Define your function/method.

2. Use the QMenu::addAction(QString) method to add a new action to a menu. It returns a pointer to the action.

3. Use the connect() method to connect the triggerer() Signal of the new QAction object to the function/method that you defined.

Now every time you click on the menu item that was added your function/method will be executed.

The main problem though is No. 1

1. Define your function/method.

, I can't Imagine how I can do this. My objective is that for example my application has a "Create Function" button, on clicking, some kind of dialog will appear and that's where the user can create his or her own function. But he/she can only do this if he/she creates his/her own library! How can that user do that?


For example, the user created binary.h and binary.cpp (assuming imports/includes for these are already part of the application). How can these libraries be integrated in the program while the program is already running?

binary.cpp

binary.h

[marcel]

I told you.
You need an application plugin( you know, something like eclipse or designer plugins).
Read http://doc.trolltech.com/4.3/plugins-howto.html and additionally you can search this forum.

Regards

[Kumosan]

For example, the user created binary.h and binary.cpp (assuming imports/includes for these are already part of the application). How can these libraries be integrated in the program while the program is already running?

I would say: Forget it. Your user would have to write C++ within you application, compile it with an external compiler, link it during runtime to the application he is currently in?

What on earth are you doing? What user base do you have? Did you think of the security implications of such a model?

Nevertheless, I suppose you thought of all this. It can be done using QProcess to compile your stuff and using plugins to add the freshly compiled lib to your running application.

For an example of plugins:

http://spectrascan.svn.sourceforge.n...52&view=markup
Method 'ExportPluginList::loadPlugins()'
and
http://spectrascan.svn.sourceforge.n.../ExportFilter/
for examples of plugins, which are used with above code.

There a several other examples for plugins in this code, e.g. dynamically added functions to QComboBoxes.

[magland]

ChainLink is an example of such a program (chainlink.sourceforge.net).... users write arbitrary C++/Qt functions, compile them within the program, and then access those functions via Matlab-style syntax. Functions are loaded internally using QLibrary::load.

[sincnarf]

What on earth are you doing? What user base do you have? Did you think of the security implications of such a model?

I'm trying to create general image processing and image analysis framework that'll be used for teaching students in our university. It'll be used by the students (like me). The users are the ones who will create their own image processing functions. The qt project will be the one responsible for adding/deleting the users' functions. The whole project will be used for easier image manipulation, comparison, feature extraction etc. (hopefully)

Sorry but I haven't thought of security implications.

[marcel]

But you don't need to request source code from your users.
You should establish an interface for the user functions, have the users write their plugins while respecting that interface and compile them.

All your application has to do is load and use them.

You don't need anything as complicated as chainlinik or dynamic code replacement.
All you need is something as simple and common as a plugin system.
You can find a lot of examples, including in the Qt documentation.

For example, you could define the interface to consist in some resize functions, functions that provide image info, some raster manipulation like converting between color spaces, etc... The other students should provide these functions in their plugins(identified by name).

Regards

[sincnarf]

ok. currently studying plugins

[sincnarf]

But you don't need to request source code from your users.
You should establish an interface for the user functions, have the users write their plugins while respecting that interface and compile them.

All your application has to do is load and use them.

I sort of need a standard template for the creation of the plugins. Up to now, I have no idea.

[sincnarf]

I would say: Forget it. Your user would have to write C++ within you application, compile it with an external compiler, link it during runtime to the application he is currently in?

What on earth are you doing? What user base do you have? Did you think of the security implications of such a model?

Nevertheless, I suppose you thought of all this. It can be done using QProcess to compile your stuff and using plugins to add the freshly compiled lib to your running application.

For an example of plugins:

http://spectrascan.svn.sourceforge.n...52&view=markup
Method 'ExportPluginList::loadPlugins()'
and
http://spectrascan.svn.sourceforge.n.../ExportFilter/
for examples of plugins, which are used with above code.

There a several other examples for plugins in this code, e.g. dynamically added functions to QComboBoxes.

I can't get to run spectrascan that I got from sourceforge. Hmmm. No progress still

[wysota]

To be honest QtScript seems perfect for you. It has a C/C++-like syntax, so students should be able to use it easily. If you want to stick with C++ nevertheless, you can always recompile and relink the application after adding the new function (Qt and qmake will make it trivial). That's what we do in our university during a similar course (without using Qt though).

[magland]

sincnarf,

How much of this app do you want to build yourself? If you want something that's ready out of the box to start with, I suggest (as I did before) chainlink. I can help you get started if you like - i.e. with installation, and creating first plugin functions. It may also give you some ideas for your app.

We use it in our MRI imaging process lab - and it was designed for this purpose.

It's a matlab console. So it could be used in this kind of way:

.................................................. .
Welcome to ChainLink Console
> X = read('myimage.jpg');
> Y = my_processing_function(X)
> viewimage(X); viewimge(Y);
.................................................. .

Here, "my_processing_function" is a C++ function that can be modified and recompiled from within user interface itself.

JM

[sincnarf]

To be honest QtScript seems perfect for you. It has a C/C++-like syntax, so students should be able to use it easily. If you want to stick with C++ nevertheless, you can always recompile and relink the application after adding the new function (Qt and qmake will make it trivial). That's what we do in our university during a similar course (without using Qt though).

guru wysota, I really would like things to be dynamic, after all, Qt can do what I am trying to implement. My question on plugins: what file format will my plugins be in the end? DLL? .a? .win? .cpp? .h? I don't know.

How much of this app do you want to build yourself?

any help will be greatly appreciated

I can help you get started if you like - i.e. with installation, and creating first plugin functions. It may also give you some ideas for your app.

what are the examples of the plugin functions? I need to teach the students how to create their own plugins too so I need to document it. I sort of need to create my own API for it.

.................................................. .
Welcome to ChainLink Console
> X = read('myimage.jpg');
> Y = my_processing_function(X)
> viewimage(X); viewimge(Y);
.................................................. .

I really would like to get everything going with the QGraphicsView Framework, even the application of the image processing function. But if there's no other way to use the functions, the second step, "> Y = my_processing_function(X)" is alright

[wysota]

My question on plugins: what file format will my plugins be in the end? DLL? .a? .win? .cpp? .h? I don't know.

Real plugins will be dynamic loaded objects (dll). But if you go for the script approach, they will be text files which you'll be able to reload on demand from within your application. An option is to use Python as well, but this requires students to be able to implement Python programs.

I suggest you start from thinking what features would you like the "added functionality" to have. Because if you're just after writing simple image processing functions, using javascript is the best way. When you use C++ plugins you still have to compile and reload them. Of course it's not that hard to do this, but still you have to implement it on your own. That's not a problem with using QtScript - you just load and run a script on demand (and they can be updated live). The only work you need is to create QAction objects for the menu based on available scripts.

[sincnarf]

I suggest you start from thinking what features would you like the "added functionality" to have.

I still don't know what functions to use. All I know is the users are the ones who will create such image processing functions (C++). Of course I know that I need to test the simple scripts, I'm thinking of simple things like binarization of an image or grayscaling or conversion to other image color modes.

With my current application, I need to create a template for the QtScripts that I will create. the template must be able to
1. accept an image from qt
2. use variables from my qt application.
Can qtScript do that?

void binarize(Image imageFromQt){
	//manipulate pixels of imageFromQt using variables from my Qt Application
	//pass the manipulated Image to a QIcon or QGraphicsView
}
 
void grayScale(Image imageFromQt){
	//manipulate pixels of imageFromQt using variables from my Qt Application
	//pass the manipulated Image to a QIcon or QGraphicsView
}

void binarize(Image imageFromQt){
	//manipulate pixels of imageFromQt using variables from my Qt Application
	//pass the manipulated Image to a QIcon or QGraphicsView
}

void grayScale(Image imageFromQt){
	//manipulate pixels of imageFromQt using variables from my Qt Application
	//pass the manipulated Image to a QIcon or QGraphicsView
}

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A final requirement is the students that will create the image processing functions must use C++ and only C++. Most examples of QtScript I see make use of JavaScript . . .

Also, can I use methods that are declared within my QtApplication to be used by the QtScript codes?

[wysota]

Well.. QtScript is javascript-like, so if the requirement is to use C++ then you have to go for real plugins. But first verify if that is a real requirement or just because someone said "hey let's make students implement their image processing functions in C++". If the goal is to implement an image processing function, then it really doesn't matter what language is used.

[magland]

what are the examples of the plugin functions? I need to teach the students how to create their own plugins too so I need to document it. I sort of need to create my own API for it.

Here is an example of the ChainLink "rand" plugin function which returns a random multi-dimensional array of numbers.

//[function] rand
//input: integer [N1], integer [N2], integer [N3], integer [N4], integer [N5], integer [N6]
//output: mda ret
//description: define a multidimensional array of random numbers
bool rand(mda &ret, integer N1=-1, integer N2=-1, integer N3=-1, integer N4=-1, integer N5=-1,integer N6=-1);

//[function] rand
//input: integer [N1], integer [N2], integer [N3], integer [N4], integer [N5], integer [N6]
//output: mda ret
//description: define a multidimensional array of random numbers
bool rand(mda &ret, integer N1=-1, integer N2=-1, integer N3=-1, integer N4=-1, integer N5=-1,integer N6=-1);

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... and the implementation ...

bool rand(mda &ret, integer N1, integer N2, integer N3, integer N4, integer N5,integer N6) {
	ret.allocate(MDA_TYPE_REAL,N1,N2,N3,N4,N5,N6);
	int32 j;
	for (j=0; j<ret.size(); j++)
		ret.set((real)rand()/RAND_MAX,j);
	return true;
}

bool rand(mda &ret, integer N1, integer N2, integer N3, integer N4, integer N5,integer N6) {
	ret.allocate(MDA_TYPE_REAL,N1,N2,N3,N4,N5,N6);
	int32 j;
	for (j=0; j<ret.size(); j++)
		ret.set((real)rand()/RAND_MAX,j);
	return true;
}

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This is the kind of thing that the students would need to write to create custom functions. Here mda is a fundamental datatype in chaninlink (multi-dimensional array).

From the console it would just be

> X=rand(100,100);
> viewmda(X);

I really would like to get everything going with the QGraphicsView Framework, even the application of the image processing function. But if there's no other way to use the functions, the second step, "> Y = my_processing_function(X)" is alright

The QGraphicsView framework would certainly be possible even from within chainlink.

JM