Utilizing PyQt with VFX AI Framework – Part 4

In this tutorial, we will continue exploring the VFX AI Framework by integrating PyQt, a popular Python library for creating graphical user interfaces. PyQt allows us to easily create interactive and custom GUIs for our VFX projects, making it an essential tool for any VFX artist or developer.

Step 1: Installing PyQt

Before we can start using PyQt in our VFX AI Framework project, we need to install the library. PyQt can be installed using pip, the Python package manager. To install PyQt, run the following command in your terminal:

pip install PyQt5

This will install the PyQt5 library and all its dependencies on your system.

Step 2: Creating a PyQt Application

To create a PyQt application, we need to import the necessary modules in our Python script. Create a new Python file and add the following code:

import sys
from PyQt5.QtWidgets import QApplication, QMainWindow

class MainWindow(QMainWindow):
    def __init__(self):
        super().__init__()
        self.setWindowTitle("VFX AI Framework")
        self.setGeometry(100, 100, 800, 600)

if __name__ == '__main__':
    app = QApplication(sys.argv)
    window = MainWindow()
    window.show()
    sys.exit(app.exec_())

In this code, we are creating a simple PyQt application with a main window. We set the window title to "VFX AI Framework" and specify its initial position and size. The QApplication object is created to manage the application’s event loop, while the MainWindow class defines the main window of our application.

Step 3: Adding Widgets to the Main Window

Now that we have created a basic PyQt application, let’s add some widgets to the main window. Widgets are GUI elements such as buttons, labels, and input fields that allow users to interact with the application. In the __init__ method of the MainWindow class, add the following code to create a button widget:

from PyQt5.QtWidgets import QPushButton

class MainWindow(QMainWindow):
    def __init__(self):
        super().__init__()
        self.setWindowTitle("VFX AI Framework")
        self.setGeometry(100, 100, 800, 600)

        button = QPushButton("Click me", self)
        button.setGeometry(100, 100, 100, 50)

In this code, we create a push button widget with the text "Click me" and add it to the main window. We also set the position and size of the button using the setGeometry method.

Step 4: Connecting Signals and Slots

One of the key features of PyQt is its signal and slot mechanism, which allows us to connect events (signals) emitted by widgets to methods (slots) that handle those events. Let’s modify our code to connect the button’s clicked signal to a custom method:

class MainWindow(QMainWindow):
    def __init__(self):
        super().__init__()
        self.setWindowTitle("VFX AI Framework")
        self.setGeometry(100, 100, 800, 600)

        button = QPushButton("Click me", self)
        button.setGeometry(100, 100, 100, 50)
        button.clicked.connect(self.on_button_clicked)

    def on_button_clicked(self):
        print("Button clicked!")

In this code, we connect the clicked signal of the button widget to the on_button_clicked method of the MainWindow class. When the button is clicked, the on_button_clicked method is called, and the message "Button clicked!" is printed to the console.

Step 5: Running the Application

To run the PyQt application, simply execute the Python script from your terminal. The main window of the application will appear, with a button labeled "Click me". When you click the button, the message "Button clicked!" will be printed to the console.

That’s it for this tutorial! By using PyQt in the VFX AI Framework, we can create custom GUIs for our VFX projects and add interactive elements to enhance user experience. Experiment with different PyQt widgets and event handling to create more advanced GUIs for your VFX applications. Happy coding!