[Qt-creator] Suggestions for 'new class' dialog

[Eike Ziller]

> On Dec 8, 2020, at 00:27, Kevin André <hyperquantum at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Hi,
> 
> Every time I use the dialog for adding a new class, there is still a
> lot that I need to do manually after the files were generated:
> 
> 1. Add cpp file and often the header file as well to CMakeLists.txt

Unfortunately automatically adapting CMakeLists.txt files is a bit difficult.

> 2. Add GPL header to each file (copy from another file and update the
> year if necessary)

In Options > C++ > File Naming (not the best heading), there is “license template” where you can point Qt Creator to a file that should be copied to the top of generated source files. Unfortunately that is not available as a project setting, only globally.

> 3. Add namespace to each file

You can type MyNameSpace::MyClass for the class name to generate it in a namespace.

> 4. Change naming of include guards (add prefix)
> 5. Remove comment "// MYCLASS_H" at the #endif line
> 6. Change "signals" to "Q_SIGNALS" in the header file
> 7. Change "ClassName *parent" to "ClassName* parent" in the
> constructor (if it inherits QObject)

Hm, not sure, can’t you specify that in C++ > Coding Style ?

> 
> It would be really useful if these actions could be automated as well.
> 
> 1. It may be possible to add the new files everywhere its peers are
> mentioned as well. So add "newclass.cpp" everywhere
> "existingclass.cpp" occurs and add "newclass.h" everywhere
> "existingclass.h" is found. The existing class should be a similar
> class in the same directory.
> 
> 2. I guess it should be possible to automatically extract the GPL from
> an existing file, copy it to the new file, find the copyright line and
> change the year(s) mentioned there to the current year.
> 
> 3. By looking in the bug database I discovered that the wizard already
> provides this in a very obscure way. This should be made explicit in
> the user interface, either by adding a separate "namespace: " field or
> by a visible note mentioning that the namespace can be specified along
> the class name.
> 
> 4. It would be really great if a heuristic could figure out the naming
> scheme for include guards from existing header files in the same
> directory.
> 
> 5. I wouldn't mind the comment so much if I didn't have to fix the
> name of the include guard several times for each header.
> 
> 6. Maybe add a code style setting that says "don't use the Qt
> keywords" and obey that setting.
> 
> 7. This can be fixed by taking the code style settings into account
> when generating the files.
> 
> Should I add a separate suggestion for each of these to the bug database?

1+2: No.
3: Not sure. What where the arguments against a separate namespace field? I don’t see any issues with adding one.
4+5: Yes, though we usually don’t like magic so much, so an explicit setting providing a template would be preferred IMO.
6: Yes, could be done.
7: I see, so we don’t apply the code style after generation? Yes -> bug.

> 
> I've already seen multiple bugs mentioning the third item but they all
> seem to be closed. Adding yet another might result in it getting
> dismissed again I'm afraid(?)
> 
> All issues aside, thanks for this great IDE!
> 
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Kevin
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-- 
Eike Ziller
Principal Software Engineer

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