WLAN Messaging App Using PyQt

In this article, we will explore how to create a WLAN messaging app using PyQt’s QTcpServer and QTcpSocket. PyQt is a set of Python bindings for the Qt application framework, which allows you to create cross-platform GUI applications.

Setting Up the Server

To get started, we will first create a server using the QTcpServer class. The server will listen for connections from clients and route messages between them.


import sys
from PyQt5.QtWidgets import QApplication
from PyQt5.QtNetwork import QTcpServer

class Server(QTcpServer):
def __init__(self):
super().__init__()
self.newConnection.connect(self.on_new_connection)

def start_server(self):
if not self.listen():
print("Unable to start the server")
self.close()
return


In the code snippet above, we create a custom Server class that inherits from QTcpServer. We connect the newConnection signal to a method that will be called whenever a new client connects to the server. The start_server method starts the server and listens for incoming connections.

Setting Up the Client

Next, we will create a client using the QTcpSocket class. The client will connect to the server and send and receive messages.


from PyQt5.QtNetwork import QTcpSocket

class Client(QTcpSocket):
def __init__(self):
super().__init__()
self.connected.connect(self.on_connected)
self.readyRead.connect(self.on_ready_read)

def connect_to_server(self, host, port):
self.connectToHost(host, port)


In the code snippet above, we create a custom Client class that inherits from QTcpSocket. We connect the connected signal to a method that will be called when the client successfully connects to the server. We also connect the readyRead signal to a method that will be called when there is data available to read from the socket. The connect_to_server method connects the client to the server using the host and port provided.

Creating the User Interface

Finally, we will create a user interface for our WLAN messaging app using PyQt’s QWidget and QLineEdit classes.


from PyQt5.QtWidgets import QWidget, QVBoxLayout, QLineEdit

class ChatApp(QWidget):
def __init__(self):
super().__init__()
self.setWindowTitle("WLAN Messaging App")
layout = QVBoxLayout()
self.input_field = QLineEdit()
layout.addWidget(self.input_field)
self.setLayout(layout)


In the code snippet above, we create a custom ChatApp class that inherits from QWidget. We set the window title to “WLAN Messaging App” and create a QVBoxLayout to arrange the user interface elements. We also add a QLineEdit widget to allow users to input messages.

Conclusion

In this article, we have explored how to create a WLAN messaging app using PyQt’s QTcpServer and QTcpSocket classes. By combining these classes with a custom user interface, you can create a fully functional messaging app that allows users to communicate over a local network.