Note to Self

Problem 1 - Android: Exclude Files From Build in Gradle

I recently added Firebase messaging support to qutils. But I had no idea how to exclude the Firebase related files when I’m not using Firebase on my project. I finally figured it out.

I could exclude them by using the following code in build.gradle file.

java {
    exclude "**/notification/QutilsFirebase**"
}

Problem 2 - QML: How to Disable QML File Caching

You just need to put the following code before QApplication in your main.cpp file.

qputenv("QML_DISABLE_DISK_CACHE", "1");

Problem 3 - QML: Text’s fontSizeMode Property Doesn’t Work

I’ve encountered with this recently. I was setting the fontSizeMode: Text.HorizontalFit but the text was seamingly the same size and was the drawn text was overflowing from the container. But when I set elide: Text.ElideRight, it worked perfectly. When I checked with the documentation nothing caught my eye at first but I read it again and I found the following:

The font size of fitted text has a minimum bound specified by the minimumPointSize or minimumPixelSize property and maximum bound specified by either the font.pointSize or font.pixelSize properties.

This meant that the size of the text cannot be smaller than the minimumPixelSize or minimumPointSize, in my case they were high enough that setting the fontSizeMode did not make any difference. Let’s read on:

If the text does not fit within the item bounds with the minimum font size the text will be elided as per the elide property.

And I did not have the elide property set. So I wasn’t seeing the effects. After lowering the minimumPixelSize and adding in the elide property, things worked as expected.

Here’s a poorly designed visual to help you understand it better.

Problem 4 - QML: Handle the Focus In an App With SwipeView and StackView

I’ve had this problem using the NativeUtils in my library qutils. Here’s the general type of app you develop: You have a top StackView along with a menu bar. Each item in the StackView has its own navigation system.

Item {
    id: root

    SwipeView {
        id: swipeView

        ViewOne { }

        ViewTwo { }

        ViewThree { }

        ViewFour { }
    }

    MenuBar {
        id: menubar
    }
}

And in each view, you have a StackView for navigation.

Item {
    id: root

    NavigationBar {
        id: navBar
    }

    NavigationStack {
        id: navStack
        initialItem: cmp
    }

    Component {
        id: cmp

        InnerViewOne { }
    }
}

And here’s InnerViewOne.

NavigationPage {
    id: root

    NativeUtils {
        buttonEventsEnabled: true
        onBackButtonPressed: {
            root.navigationStack.pop();
        }
    }
}

Now, all four of those views are initialized. When you are in ViewOne you need to be able to tell that the focus is in this view even though the other items are also created. Now, when the currentIndex of SwipeView changes the focus property of the current item is set automatically. So when currentIndex is 0, ViewOne’s focus property will be true. Here’s where the problem starts, within ViewOne you also have a StackView and that StackView can contain multiple items. And those items are where the real logic happens. So, If you are on Android and want to pop the stack you need to hook to the back button event and also need to know that InnerViewOne is the main visible item, that menu bar is not showing another view.

Since buttonEventsEnabled is set to true, this instance will receive the events no matter the focus of the NavigationPage. To solve the problem, you need to make use of the FocusScope and bind to its focus property with the NavigationStack. And whenever the focus property of the NavigationStack changes, you need to get the last item in the stack and change its focus too.

Problem 5 - QML Android: Call a number, or start an email activity for an email address

This is really easu using the right URI and Qt.openUrlExternally.

To open the dialar app for a specified number, use the following:

Qt.openUrlExternally("tel:" + phoneNumber);

To open the email app for a specified email, use the following:

Qt.openUrlExternally("mailto:email@address.com");

You can learn more about the mailto syntax here.