Qt and QM

[stupomer]

Hi Gintaras,
I will be working with a major application at my institution that is using the Qt cross-platform C++ framework (Qt - see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qt_(software)) for it's onscreen elemetns/widgets. I am seeing that tje standard Win32 hooks for events and window management are not likely workable - lots of 'empty' elements:


child("ExBaseViewerRenderWidgetWindow" "Qt5QWindowIcon" {window} 0x0 "" 8)

Some accessibility seems to be there - a way to pry open these widgets: 
https://blog.qt.io/blog/2018/02/20/qt-5-...d-windows/

I am sure that being busy with QM3/C# for native Windows apps, this wouldn't be high on your list of priorities (!!!) but just wondering if you have encountered this environment and had any success?
I didn't see anything else on the forum.

Stuart

[Gintaras]

I tested several Qt programs. Accessible objects work well. Maybe they use older Qt versions. I don't know how to find a program that uses Qt 5.11 or later.

QM2 will not support UI Automation.

[stupomer]

Thanks Gintaras. I will investigate further the specific app. I am encouraged by your success. I will try and find out which version they are using.
I am not sure I understand what you mean when you say QM2 will not support UI automation. I think of QM as a form of UI automation already, so I am confused.
Do you mean QM3 will not support UI automation or that QM2 will not get UI automation in the way QM3 will.
Sorry, I may be using wrong definition of UI automation.
Thanks for any clarificaiton,
Stuart

[Gintaras]

MSAA and UI Automation are two main accessibility API of Windows. In the Qt 5.11 article I read it does not support MSAA directly (but older versions did), only UI Automation. QM2 supports only MSAA. QM3 both.

[stupomer]

FANTASTIC explanation - and additional reason to be excited for QM3!

Your explanation led me to this very helpful article from Windows Dev Center:

Microsoft Active Accessibility and UI Automation Compared

I finally understand a bit better the amazing thing you have done with this aspect of windows.
Since I learned to code through QM, I just figured that was a major aspect coding in general, rather than something unique that you accomplished...transforming MSAA  into an entre tool to programming ("the ultimate can-opener") without which I would never have conceived of doing the things that are always within my reach (given enough time and loss of sleep) with QM!
Thanks again,
Stuart

[r0n]

Very interesting this!
Thanks!