[Interest] Which "Widget" technology to use when starting a new desktop app

[Jason H]

> Sent: Thursday, January 05, 2017 at 11:19 AM
> From: "Bob Hood" <bhood2 at comcast.net>
> To: interest at qt-project.org
> Subject: Re: [Interest] Which "Widget" technology to use when starting a new desktop app
>
> On 1/5/2017 8:51 AM, william.crocker at analog.com wrote:
> > On 01/05/2017 10:29 AM, Bob Hood wrote:
> >> On 1/5/2017 8:03 AM, Jason H wrote:
> >>> The mantra is to use QML.
> >>
> >> I just wrote a wonderful utility using Qt 5.6.2 and Widgets for the 
> >> desktop, and
> >> there's no hint of QML in it.  It functions beautifully, is easily 
> >> maintainable,
> >> and even has full animations.
> >>
> >> I don't think the mantra is QML.  The mantra is: Look at your need, your goal,
> >> and choose the Qt technology that best fits it. If that's QML, fine. If that's
> >> Widgets, fine.  Unless Qt reps step up here and support your statement (which
> >> will have ramifications for me and, I'm sure, many others), summarily 
> >> stating to
> >> somebody that they should use QML as the primary tech for a new desktop app 
> >> is,
> >
> >> I think, dogmatic, at best, and continues to fuel the anxiety that Qt is 
> >> pouring
> >> all the love into a QML/mobile focus.
> >
> > ... you mean, it isn't ?
> 
> 
> Certainly, it would seem to be the case, but if that's also an official 
> position, then I'd appreciate a representative of Qt stepping up and saying so 
> publicly.  I would have decisions to make concerning my project's commercial 
> license, and my product's future direction, based upon it.

Well with the QtQuick Controls 2 of 5.7, I think the future is slanted to QML. Having extensively coded in both, I do prefer QML, though I still wax nostalgic over Widgets. Those layouts were amazing and I wasn't plagued with binding loops for width or height. (The implicitHeight/implicitWidth vs actual height/width vs preferred (from Widgets)  is still a rough edge that needs to worked out. There's not consistency on implicits vs actual vs others (painted).

QML is almost "there" in terms of it's original dream of having Designers worry about appearance while letting the Engineers be decoupled to focus on the logic. I think I'm one intermediate QtObject away from being able to do that. 

I've also used PyQt to do a precurosr to QML w.r.t the ease of a scripting language but being able to use Qt's widgets. QML satisfies that niche, and is sufficiently supported.