How to avoid waitForStarted with QProcess to stop GUI from freezing? - c++

I am running wscript with QProcess to run a VB Script that converts Excel files to tab delimited text files. The script runs fine and everything, but the GUI freezes and the user is unable to interact with it for a significant amount of time. Here is the code:
/* Create txt files and store paths */
for (int i = 0; i < excelFilepaths.size(); ++i) {
wscript->start("wscript.exe", QStringList() << vbs.fileName() << excelFilepaths.at(i) << newDir.absolutePath() + "/" + QString::number(i + 1));
wscript->waitForFinished();
payloadPaths.push_back(newDir.absolutePath() + "/" + QString::number(i + 1));
}
So whats going on is that I have multiple excel file paths and a QProcess allocated on the heap. This QProcess runs the VB Script that converts the excel files into text files and then stores the path of the new text file. This takes a long time (about 20 seconds for 4 excel files). During this time the GUI is frozen. I would like the user to be able to use parts of the GUI that don't interfere with the process.
Now I suspect that the cause of this issue is
QProcess::waitForFinished()
And I've read online about connecting the finished() and error() signals of QProcess to remove this problem. However I've been having difficulty doing so. I'm running this code as a method of a class that inherits from QObject and containst the Q_OBJECT macro, so everything should be set. I just need some help putting the rest of the pieces together. How can I make it so my GUI does not freeze while QProcess is running? Please help.

To quote the documentation at the section called Synchronous Process API:
waitForStarted() blocks until the process has started.
waitForReadyRead() blocks until new data is available for reading on the current read channel.
waitForBytesWritten() blocks until one payload of data has been written to the process.
waitForFinished() blocks until the process has finished.
Calling these functions from the main thread (the thread that calls QApplication::exec()) may cause your user interface to freeze.
Keep that in mind. However you may overcome this issue using something like that:
connect(process, static_cast<void(QProcess::*)(int, QProcess::ExitStatus)>(&QProcess::finished),
[=](int exitCode, QProcess::ExitStatus exitStatus){ /* ... */ });
Note that there are some more signals which may suite any desired purpose.

I had the same problem but with QSerialPort. However, i think the solution is the same. I couldn't find a way to have "serial->waitForReadyRead()" not freezing the GUI, so, I implemented my own function.
void Research::WaitSerial(int MilliSecondsToWait)
{
QTime DieTime = QTime::currentTime().addMSecs(MilliSecondsToWait);
flag = 0;
while(QTime::currentTime() < DieTime && !flag)
{
QCoreApplication::processEvents(QEventLoop::AllEvents,100);
if(BufferSerial != "")
{
flag++;
}
}
}
Of course, your problem is similar but not the same. Just change the ifto have your "stopping condition". Hope this helps.
EDIT: This was not originally my ideia. I found it on a forum somewhere. So I don't take the credits.

Related

Track the script execution progress in the progressBar Qt

In my program, I run the execution of a Python script:
void analysis::on_pB_start_clicked()
{
QString file = ui->lE_path->text();
if (file.size() == 0)
{
QMessageBox::warning(this, "warning", "");
return;
}
QProcess analyse;
QString cArg;
cArg="/tmp/pixmap.py -f " + file;
analyse.start("python3 "+cArg);
analyse.waitForFinished();
analyse.close();
}
This process is running in the background and I can't track the execution time of this process.
Please tell me how I can track the execution of this script through the progressBar in Qt on the program form?
I think that in the Python script being run, me need to draw conclusions at some stage of the code, for example, Print ("1"), Print ("2"), and so on, and track these conclusions in your program and pass them to the progressBar, but these are just my assumptions... I could be wrong... please tell me how to act correctly and productively in this case.
And yet, when executing the above code, the program window freezes (waiting) for the duration of the execution of this script.
In the Python script, I use the matplotlib.pyplot library, and it is called there several times, several graphs are created and saved to a directory, which in the next I use these graphs in my Qt program.

Using QProcess to read standard output

In my QT widget application I am attempting to run a shellscript that opens a C++ program and provides inputs to the program as well. The program starts a command prompt that requires the users input to start. Once the program is started the output of the program is redirected via the standard output to a text file. I am attempting to use QProcess to open and run this shellscript, then read the standard output that is being used to print the result of the C++ program to the text file. The shell script only runs this process and does not terminate it. This is because I need to continuously read this output into the GUI as the program is running. It will not be sufficient to wait until the program is finished to read this information. I am fairly new to QT and C++ programming. I was hoping that someone could help me with my implementation of this.
QProcess process;
process.start("/home/pi/Desktop/ShellScripts/RunTutorial3.sh");
QString output =process.readAllStandardOutput();
qDebug() << output;
QString err = process.readAllStandardError();
qDebug() << err;
I have experimented with using other read function such as readline and also trying to start the process as a detatched process. I have not had success with any of my experimentations. Is it possible to do what I am attempting in QT. I just need the program to run continuously and for QT to read this output every so often.
Shell script:
#!/bin/bash
cd
cd Desktop
cd tutorial3App
cd bin
echo "start" | ./tutorial3
C++ code: I need the meanTOE value to be captured in standard output to use in my GUI.
/ Calculate average time to end of discharge
double meanToE = std::accumulate(ToESamples.begin(), ToESamples.end(), 0.0)/ToESamples.size();
file << ": EOL in " << meanToE << " s" << std::endl;
As I said in my comments one of the main problems is that when you run tutorial3 that process is separated so you can not get the output. Therefore, I recommend executing it directly, and QProcess is probably a local variable, eliminating after printing an empty text, a possible solution is to create a pointer. Another improvement would be to use the readyReadStandardOutput and readyReadStandardError signals since the impressions are not automatic.
QProcess *process = new QProcess(this);
connect(process, &QProcess::readyReadStandardOutput, [process, this](){
QString output =process->readAllStandardOutput();
qDebug() << "output: "<< output;
});
connect(process, &QProcess::readyReadStandardError, [process](){
QString err = process->readAllStandardError();
qDebug() << "error: "<<err;
});
process->setWorkingDirectory("/home/pi/Desktop/tutorial3App/bin/")
process->start("tutorial3", QStringList() << "start");
I think you have to read about signals and slots in Qt. QProcess has got a signal readyReadStandardOutput. So you have to connect to this signal and in your slot you should use QProcess function readAllStandardOutput. In other words when your shell programm outputs something you catch it in your slot and dump it or whatever you want.
Check the answer on this question. It might help you.
reading and writing to QProcess in Qt Console Application

Qt QProcess how to write to standard in?

I am starting a QProcess to open cmd.exe.
I want to write to std in to send commands to cmd.exe, and I want to recieve it's output.
QProcess mProcess = new QProcess(this);
mProcess->setReadChannelMode(QProcess::SeparateChannels);
mProcess->start("cmd");
QApplication::processEvents();
QString s(mProcess->readAllStandardOutput());
writeToConsole(s);
This all works just fine. The process starts, I get output. However, I can't now write to the process anymore. I have looked over QProcess documentation and I don't see any way to write to standard in. I've tried mProcess->write(data); but that didn't do anything.
How do I write to standard in to the running process?
You have to use write function only to write in to the standard in.
But the important thing is you have to close the write channel using void QProcess::closeWriteChannel().
Look into below documentation.
http://doc.qt.io/qt-5/qprocess.html#closeWriteChannel
You should wait for operations to finish before moving on to the next action.
QProcess mProcess = new QProcess(this);
mProcess->setReadChannelMode(QProcess::SeparateChannels);
//Start the process
mProcess->start("cmd");
QApplication::processEvents();
mProcess->waitForStarted();
// Read the output
mProcess->waitForReadyRead();
QString output(mProcess->readAllStandardOutput());
mProcess->closeReadChannel();
// Write the data
mProcess->write(output);
mProcess->waitForBytesWritten();
mProcess->closeWriteChannel();
// Wait for finished
mProcess->waitForFinished();
It seems strange to send the output directly back into the program being executed. Alternatively you could connect the void QIODevice::readyRead() signal to a slot where the output can be handled elsewhere.
The mistake I was making here was not putting \n on the end of the multiple commands.
''''
// 1st command
mProcess->write(output1 + "\n");
mProcess->waitForBytesWritten();
// 2nd command
mProcess->write(output1 + "\n");
mProcess->waitForBytesWritten();
// Wait for finished
mProcess->waitForFinished();
mProcess->closeWriteChannel();
''''

Qt program freezes every time

I'm making a C++ GUI program in Qt using qtcreator its not complete yet but when ever I build and run to test the program it runs then if i click buttons that open a file or write something in a file, the button does that and then the program freezes. Why this happens, What I'm doing wrong or what's the issue.
It mainly freezes in theses two functions:
void MainWindow::on_kmpOpenButton_clicked()
{
QString kmplayerloc = "\"F:\\Program Files\\The KMPlayer\\KMPlayer.exe\"";
QProcess::execute(kmplayerloc);
}
void MainWindow::on_nbopenbutton_clicked()
{
// Remember tha if you have to insert " in a string \"....location of file or anything u want to put.......\"
QString netbeansloc = "\"F:\\Program Files\\NetBeans 7.4\\bin\\netbeans.exe\"";
QProcess::execute(netbeansloc);
}
From the documentation
Starts the program program [..] in a new
process, waits for it to finish, and then returns the exit code of the
process.
The calling thread freezes until the external process is finished. If you don't want this, use the method start or startDetached.

How to stop a process running in a shell in a different system?

Ok, so I am executing a program ./led.sh present in my SBC6845, from my host system using a qt-C++ program. This program basically connects my SBC to my host system. It is the equivalent of "hyperterminal" or "Minicom". I obtained this program (the example code) "uartassistant" inside "qextserialport-1.2rc.zip" from http://code.google.com/p/qextserialport/ .
I came across this link: Running shell command in QT c++ in ubuntu , while searching how to execute a shell command from inside the qt program. I tried and succeeded in executing ./led.sh. Thanks to the link.
I declared
void someaction(); // in the dialog.h
then in dialog.cpp I add this
connect(ui->pushButton, SIGNAL(clicked()), SLOT(someaction()));
and this
void Dialog::someaction()
{
QString command = "sh ./led.sh\r\n"; const char* command2;
command2 = command.toLocal8Bit().data();
port->write(command2);
I was able to do the ledflash in my SBC.
But the problem occurs when I try to stop ./led.sh, I am unable to do so in the uartassistant (bugs, need modification, still working).
But for the time being I am trying to make another pushbutton_1 and put something like "Ctrl+Z" inside and ask ./led.sh to stop.
I came across some other links which I am unable to put due to low reputation points.
I have no idea how to use SIGTERM / kill option[from other links] inside qt app and execute on pushbutton click.
Say if I used kill how would I determine the pidof of multiple such pushbutton actions and assign whom to kill.
Also I would like to add that my SBC has ash [Almquist shell]. So it being low memory clone of Bourne shell, I don't know if it would support normal commands for exiting led.sh.
I have no idea how to use SIGTERM / kill option[from other links]
inside qt app and execute on pushbutton click.
As with so much, Qt gives you an intuitive abstraction that allows you to not have to worry about any of this, namely QProcess. In your case you'd want something like this:
QProcess proc;
proc.start("led.sh");
...
//handle Ctrl-Z event
proc.close();
The first answer here has several other techniques for executing more complicated shell commands.
I have found a temporary solution for my problem. I am yet to try the qprocess action.
In dialog.h I added another function:
void someotheraction();
then in dialog.cpp I did this:
connect(ui->pushButton_2,SIGNAL(clicked()), SLOT(someotheraction()));
and this:
void Dialog::someotheraction()
{
QString command = "\x001a \r\n"; const char* command2; // Ctrl-Z = \x001a
command2 = command.toLocal8Bit().data();
port->write(command2);}
The fifth reply here gave me the idea. I don't know how, but it did the job maybe some one can explain it better.