Mastering GUI Programming with Python

An advanced guide to creating powerful high-performance GUIs for modern, media-rich applications in various domains such as business and game development

Key Features

• Gain comprehensive knowledge of Python GUI development using PyQt 5.12
• Explore advanced topics including multithreaded programming, 3D animation, and SQL databases
• Build cross-platform GUIs for Windows, macOS, Linux, and Raspberry Pi

Book Description

PyQt5 has long been the most powerful and comprehensive GUI framework available for Python, yet there is a lack of cohesive resources available to teach Python programmers how to use it. This book aims to remedy the problem by providing comprehensive coverage of GUI development with PyQt5.

You will get started with an introduction to PyQt5, before going on to develop stunning GUIs with modern features. You will then learn how to build forms using QWidgets and learn about important aspects of GUI development such as layouts, size policies, and event-driven programming. Moving ahead, you'll discover PyQt5's most powerful features through chapters on audio-visual programming with QtMultimedia, database-driven software with QtSQL, and web browsing with QtWebEngine. Next, in-depth coverage of multithreading and asynchronous programming will help you run tasks asynchronously and build high-concurrency processes with ease. In later chapters, you'll gain insights into QOpenGLWidget, along with mastering techniques for creating 2D graphics with QPainter. You'll also explore PyQt on a Raspberry Pi and interface it with remote systems using QtNetwork. Finally, you will learn how to distribute your applications using setuptools and PyInstaller.

By the end of this book, you will have the skills you need to develop robust GUI applications using PyQt.

What you will learn

• Get to grips with the inner workings of PyQt5
• Learn how elements in a GUI application communicate with signals and slots
• Learn techniques for styling an application
• Explore database-driven applications with the QtSQL module
• Create 2D graphics with QPainter
• Delve into 3D graphics with QOpenGLWidget
• Build network and web-aware applications with QtNetwork and QtWebEngine

Who this book is for

This book is for programmers who want to create attractive, functional, and powerful GUIs using the Python language. You'll also find this book useful if you are a student, professional, or anyone who wants to start exploring GUIs or take your skills to the next level. Although prior knowledge of the Python language is assumed, experience with PyQt, Qt, or GUI programming is not required.

Table of Contents

1. Getting Started with PyQt
2. Building Forms with QtWidgets
3. Handling events with signals and slots
4. Building applications with QMainWindow
5. Creating data interfaces with Model/View classes
6. Styling Qt Applications
7. Working with Audio-visual Using QtMultimedia
8. Networking with QtNetwork
9. Exploring SQL with QtSQL
10. Multithreading with QTimer and Qthread
11. Creating Rich text with QTextDocument
12. Creating 2D graphics with Qpainter
13. Creating 3D graphics with QtOpenGL
14. Embedding data plots with QtCharts
15. PyQt Raspberry Pi
16. Web browsing with QtWebEngine
17. Preparing Your Software for Distribution
18. Appendix A: Answers to Questions
19. Appendix B: Upgrading Raspbian 9 to Raspbian 10

Alan D. Moore is a data analyst and software developer who has been solving problems with Python since 2006. He's developed both open source and private code using frameworks like Django, Flask, Qt, and, Tkinter, and contributes to various open source Python and Javascript projects. Alan is the author of Python GUI Programming with Tkinter.