- Qt 5.3
- Qt UI Tools
- Multiple Inheritance Example
- Qt 5.3.2 Reference Documentation

# Multiple Inheritance Example

Using a form created with Qt Designer in an application.

The Multiple Inheritance Example shows how to use a form created with Qt Designer in an application by subclassing both QWidget and the user interface class, which is `Ui::CalculatorForm`.

To subclass the `calculatorform.ui` file and ensure that `qmake` processes it with the `uic`, we have to include `calculatorform.ui` in the `.pro` file, as shown below:

    SOURCES = calculatorform.cpp main.cpp
    HEADERS = calculatorform.h
    FORMS = calculatorform.ui

When the project is compiled, the `uic` will generate a corresponding `ui_calculatorform.h`.

## CalculatorForm Definition

In the `CalculatorForm` definition, we include the `ui_calculatorform.h` that was generated earlier.

    #include "ui_calculatorform.h"

As mentioned earlier, the class is a subclass of both QWidget and `Ui::CalculatorForm`.

    class CalculatorForm : public QWidget, private Ui::CalculatorForm
    {
        Q_OBJECT

    public:
        CalculatorForm(QWidget *parent = 0);

    private slots:
        void on_inputSpinBox1_valueChanged(int value);
        void on_inputSpinBox2_valueChanged(int value);
    };

Two slots are defined according to the automatic connection naming convention required by `uic`. This is to ensure that QMetaObject's auto-connection facilities connect all the signals and slots involved automatically.

## CalculatorForm Implementation

In the constructor, we call `setupUi()` to load the user interface file. Note that we do not need the `ui` prefix as `CalculatorForm` is a subclass of the user interface class.

    CalculatorForm::CalculatorForm(QWidget *parent)
        : QWidget(parent)
    {
        setupUi(this);
    }

We include two slots, `on_inputSpinBox1_valueChanged()` and `on_inputSpinBox2_valueChanged()`. These slots respond to the valueChanged() signal that both spin boxes emit. Whenever there is a change in one spin box's value, we take that value and add it to whatever value the other spin box has.

    void CalculatorForm::on_inputSpinBox1_valueChanged(int value)
    {
        outputWidget->setText(QString::number(value + inputSpinBox2->value()));
    }

    void CalculatorForm::on_inputSpinBox2_valueChanged(int value)
    {
        outputWidget->setText(QString::number(value + inputSpinBox1->value()));
    }

## `main()` Function

The `main()` function instantiates QApplication and `CalculatorForm`. The `calculator` object is displayed by invoking the show() function.

    int main(int argc, char *argv[])
    {
        QApplication app(argc, argv);
        CalculatorForm calculator;
    #if defined(Q_OS_SYMBIAN)
        calculator.showMaximized();
    #else
        calculator.show();
    #endif
        return app.exec();
    }

There are various approaches to include forms into applications. The Multiple Inheritance approach is just one of them. See Using a Designer UI File in Your Application for more information on the other approaches available.

Files:

- multipleinheritance/calculatorform.cpp
- multipleinheritance/calculatorform.h
- multipleinheritance/calculatorform.ui
- multipleinheritance/main.cpp
- multipleinheritance/multipleinheritance.pro