Programming with Qt (2nd Edition) (Paperback)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

For anyone programming Qt, Programming with Qt, Second Edition provides an excellent one-volume tutorial and reference to virtually all the features and APIs available in the powerful Qt C++ GUI cross-platform library. Whether you are just starting out with Qt, or want to catch up on new and advanced features, this title offers an invaluable resource for readers.

The no-nonsense approach and right-on-target examples help distinguish this text. The book begins by making a case for cross-platform development. (Qt shows that Java is not the only game in town in this regard.) A later section on good GUI design and some hints for better portability help make this title a good way to learn GUI programming from the ground up.

Short, clear examples show off the basics, starting with a "Hello World" application. Emphasis is on using the Qt APIs effectively rather than getting bogged down in C++ syntax. Since GUI programming is a strength, the author covers the built-in "widgets" available in Qt in excellent detail, including fancier controls like tables and new dial components. The Qt library is also a general-purpose application framework, and there's coverage here for file APIs, collections, and late-breaking support for XML processing.

The basics are augmented here with short sections showing particular APIs at work. Most readers will likely find the material on Qt's SQL Module for database programming indispensable. A section on custom controls is also a standout and more advanced readers will learn how to using OpenGL calls in Qt as well as how to interoperate with Perl modules.

The book closes with sections that will benefit the less experienced Qt developer, including how to use Visual C++ 6 to let you build Qt executables, and how to take advantage of Qt's Designer tool to simplify designing forms and components visually.

Right up to date with the latest on Qt from top to bottom, this text really shines with its notably concise and authoritative style that readers will have come to expect from O'Reilly titles. For anyone tackling Qt development, the second edition of Programming Qt is sure to be a necessary addition to your programming bookshelf. --Richard Dragan

Review

"This is a very well-written book, and a worthwhile read for all but the most advanced Qt programmers. It requires knowledge of C++, but QT concepts are brought up from a basic level and are easy to get to grips with." Verdict: Considering the freely available reference material this is probably the only Qt book you will ever need to buy. 9/10 Linux Format, August 2002

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Product Details

• Paperback: 512 pages
• Publisher: O'Reilly Media; 2nd edition (January 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0596000642
• ISBN-13: 978-0596000646
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #240,706 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very good book, October 26, 2003

By A Customer

I am new to Linux programming (I'm a .Net developer) and was a bit frustrated with the online tutorials for Qt and decided to give this book a try. I am very happy with the decision, this book is very well written. I like the style of the author, giving us some practical exercises after each topic, so we can improve the application he develops throughout the book (a "paintbrush"). Now that I understood the basics I can use the Qt documentation to do my own apps.

People who like those huge, "step-by-step" ("click File->Quit to exit the application...") books might be a bit disappointed with this one though, the author assumes that the reader knows some C++ and can figure out some stuff by himself/herself, so be warned. Not that he skips any information needed, but he doesn't repeat the same thing 10x either, so you gotta be a bit "smart" to read this book.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Handy Programming Help, August 9, 2002

By	Oliver Ruf (Basel, Switzerland) - See all my reviews

I find this book is very good. It provides quick help while programming, gives a lot of ideas how to solve problems, and a quick overview how the most common problems have to be dealt with.
But - yes, there is a 'but' - it is definitively not a book about GUI programming, it's about QT! If you are familiar with GUI development, such as java/swing programming or similar, and you are also familiar with C++, this book can be a great help for development.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A better version of the documentation, July 20, 2003

By	C. McManis "Chuck McManis" (Sunnyvale, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

One reviewer slams this book because it just rehashes the freely available help files and tutorials. That is not a fair assesment as Matthias does a good job of explaining what he is doing and how. The "free" help pages are pretty terse in this regard.

I can't give it 5 stars however because it doesn't take the time to talk about *how* to get your programs to compile in various environments (I use FreeBSD) and that can leave the reader very unsatisfied. There is enough on-line documentation to figure it out, but some pointers in this book would have really enhanced the experience.

Of course, if you aer using the KDE desktop this book is essential. This combined with the book on KDE is a good set for anyone who wants to develop applications for Linux (or FreeBSD).