[PySide] New Qt for Python release: 6.3.0 is out!

[Cristián Maureira-Fredes]

Dear Community,

we are really happy to let you know that 6.3.0 is finally out.
The whole team worked really hard on this release, due to all
the changes related to Qt/C++ 6.3, but also with new features
we are including.

A blog post with all the details was just published here:
https://www.qt.io/blog/qt-for-python-details-on-the-new-6.3-release

In case you are already reading this email,
let me summarize the release highlights :)

# Python compatibility

The 6.3.x series will be the last one supporting Python 3.6
because it reached the end-of-life. From 6.4.0 the minimum
required Python version will be 3.7

# Package Structure and Installation

Our wheels increased it size significantly after we included
the Apple Silicon compatibility, due to that, the same approach
would not escalate in our PyPi project, due to the hard 10G limit.

So we decided to split the wheels into Essentials, and Addons.
https://code.qt.io/cgit/pyside/pyside-setup.git/tree/README.pyside6_essentials.md
https://code.qt.io/cgit/pyside/pyside-setup.git/tree/README.pyside6_addons.md

This change might be incremental, but for you as end user it should
not affect you at all, neither if you are building from source.
Because a package called 'pyside6' remained, and that has a dependency
both Essentials and Addons wheels.

Sadly with this change, we didn't get the approval from the PyPi
team in time for the release, so the usual 'pip install'
requires an additional '--index-url' parameter to use Qt's servers
to get the latest version.


You can run:

     pip install pyside6 \
 
--index-url=https://download.qt.io/official_releases/QtForPython/split-wheels/

To get the 6.3.0 release. As soon as we get an approval, we will be
uploading the packages to PyPi.
We are sorry for this inconvenience.


The good aspect for this approach, is that you can use a reduced amount 
of modules only installing the 'pyside6_essentials' wheel:

     pip install pyside6_essentials \
 
--index-url=https://download.qt.io/official_releases/QtForPython/split-wheels/

Reducing the amount of extra large modules that maybe you application
was not using at all.



# Cross compilation

You can now cross compile Shiboken and PySide to a linux-based
embedded system.

A detailed tutorial can be found here:
https://doc.qt.io/qtforpython/gettingstarted.html#cross-compilation

This was released as a technical preview due to the limitations,
but we are looking forward to hear back from you.

Our development and testing was targeting Raspberry Pi 4 Model B,
in case your device is not supported, let us know to work on that!

# PyPy Compatibility

Well, this speaks on its own ;)
You can get the wheels from here:
https://download.qt.io/official_releases/QtForPython/pypy/

# pyside6-project

a new tool was added to automatically convert the .ui and .qrc
files, using the information from the .pyproject files.

Additionally, if you work with QML, the tool will search
for QML types and generate the .qmltypes file in case you want
to include qmllint into your workflow

# New look for the docs

After the change in the Qt documentation theme,
we needed to find a new look which provided a similar
experience.
You can check the new theme here:
https://doc.qt.io/qtforpython/

(Keep an eye for the upper-right icon to change between
light, dark and automatic themes)



As always, give us a hand by reporting bugs, asking for new examples, 
tutorials, videos, etc on JIRA https://bugreports.qt.io/projects/PYSIDE

and drop by our community platforms in
https://wiki.qt.io/Qt_for_Python#Community

We hope you enjoy 6.3!

Cheers

-- 
Dr. Cristián Maureira-Fredes
R&D Manager

The Qt Company GmbH
Erich-Thilo-Str. 10
D-12489 Berlin

Geschäftsführer: Mika Pälsi,
Juha Varelius, Jouni Lintunen
Sitz der Gesellschaft: Berlin,
Registergericht: Amtsgericht
Charlottenburg, HRB 144331 B