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For people interested in an example of a Qt app, check out (my) cross-platform file manager https://fman.io https://fman.io. It currently uses PyQt. I hope Qt f

For people interested in an example of a Qt app, check out (my) cross-platform file manager https://fman.io https://fman.io. It currently uses PyQt. I hope Qt for Python will become stable enough so I can make the switch. Developing cross-platform desktop apps is hard. To help with this, I open sourced my build system [1]. It lets you release (Py)Qt apps in minutes instead of months. It aims to make (Py)Qt a more viable alternative to Electron. It already has preliminary support for Qt for Python, and I want to expand it in the future. [1]: https://build-system.fman.io https://build-system.fman.io

oblio 8y ago
I've been following your project for a while and I wish you good luck. I like what I'm seeing and I hope it succeeds! :)
- mherrmann 8y ago
  Thank you :-)
chaz6 8y ago
What issues have you experienced with PySide2 so far that is preventing the switch?
- mherrmann 8y ago
  To be honest, I'm holding back with switching until Qt for Python is more mature. My app is installed on tens of thousands of machines and I don't dare risk breaking it yet.
donquichotte 8y ago
I just tried fman and it is quite impressive. Fast af and clearly (?) inspiered by Sublime Text. Beautiful!
- mherrmann 8y ago
  Thanks! Yes, my goal is to bring innovation from ST to the file manager niche. Besides the UI, Cmd/Ctrl+P for jumping to folders and a similar Command Palette, this shows in the Python-based plugin API [1]. [1]: https://fman.io/docs/api https://fman.io/docs/api
vanattab 8y ago
Nice work with fman I have been playing with it over the last couple of weeks and like it alot.
- mherrmann 8y ago
  Thank you! I'm very happy to hear you like it.
cup-of-tea 8y ago
> I hope Qt for Python will become stable enough so I can make the switch. Why do you want to switch?
- mherrmann 8y ago
  Actually, I'm very happy with PyQt. It works great. But I'm afraid that its more restrictive licensing limits the global audience of "Qt & Python" users. My hope is that Qt for Python will make the combination even more popular.
  - Longhanks 8y ago
    TL;DR you want avoid paying the PyQT developers for a commercial license.
    - mherrmann 8y ago
      No, that's not it. As I said, PyQt is excellent and I'm happy to be paying for such quality work.
    - jdjb 8y ago
      There's nothing wrong with hoping a freely licensed open source competitor will come along and lower the cost of developing in the space. PyQT are free to extract fees from the ecosystem as long as they can, just as some open source devs are free to try to eat their lunch money.
    - ben509 8y ago
      > its more restrictive licensing limits the global audience That means not everyone has a business model that supports paying a license fee.
  - deleted 8y ago
    [deleted]
roesel 8y ago
Just FYI: I saw this comment and: 1) went to your link -> intensive blinking, firefox reporting that it "forbade access to graphics card" for whichever reason 2) Was impressed that Windows file is only 1 MB (turns out the installer downloads a lot more than that, which is ok but could be mentioned) 3) Started the program and agreed with tutorial 4) Followed tutorial to C:\Users\myusername\Desktop 5) Followed tutorial by pressing Backspace -> program stopped working and crashed No hate intended, but if you want people to use this, you should probably think about fixing some of the steps to be less cumbersome :). FWIW the program looks cool.
- mherrmann 8y ago
  Thank you for the feedback. 1) No idea why that happened. I'm really not doing anything special on the web site. 2) You're right, sorry. The Windows binary is an online installer. I'll update the web site to mention that once the load is off the server. 5) Hm... Sorry about that. Would be extremely interesting to know if this happens on your computer every time. It's probably too much to ask since you already uninstalled, but if you have a few mins, can you try again? > if you want people to use this, you should probably think about fixing some of the steps to be less cumbersome That's literally what I spend my days working on. Desktop apps are a lot of work... > FWIW the program looks cool. Thanks!
  - roesel 8y ago
    Went back and installed a second time. The web page no longer blinks and after the installation finished, the program did not crash and I was able to finish the tutorial. I wanted to try a third time, but after a third reinstall, the tutorial no longer pops up. Is there a way to clear EVERYTHING away and try again as if this was a new computer?
    - mherrmann 8y ago
      Thanks! You can close fman and delete the data directory [1]. Or, you can start the tutorial again via the Command Palette [2]. [1]: https://fman.io/docs/data-directory https://fman.io/docs/data-directory [2]: https://fman.io/docs/tutorial https://fman.io/docs/tutorial
StavrosK 8y ago
How do you package the binary for release? I think that's one of the biggest pain points right now, otherwise I would be much more inclined to do something with Qt. I tried PyInstaller for some scripts a few weeks ago and it worked perfectly and easily, but I don't know if it works with Qt.
- mherrmann 8y ago
  https://build-system.fman.io/ https://build-system.fman.io/
  - StavrosK 8y ago
    I can't believe I read around the important bits of the second paragraph. Thanks. EDIT: Wait, what about BSD/MIT/etc licenses?
    - mherrmann 8y ago
      GPL or commercial only, sorry. I really do need the income.
MaxBarraclough 8y ago
My understanding is that much of the official work on the Qt libraries over the last few years, has been to do with assisting rapid application development. What was your reason for going with Python over the nearest official alternative, 'Qt Quick'? (Qt Quick uses webby technologies like JavaScript, but of course retains support for C++. Incidentally it also seems to be where their backend work is focused - their shiny Direct3D 12 engine is for Qt Quick only, as far as I know.)
- HelloNurse 8y ago
  Rapid application development involves an application, and for the purpose of writing application logic Python tends to be more advanced than Javascript, easier to write than C++, and with a better set of libraries than both.
rkwasny 8y ago
"If you need a special feature .... pressing F10" If only I had F10 on my keyboard ... Is it even possible to use PyQT and have features like touch bar support?

oblio 8y ago

I've been following your project for a while and I wish you good luck. I like what I'm seeing and I hope it succeeds! :)

mherrmann 8y ago
Thank you :-)

chaz6 8y ago

What issues have you experienced with PySide2 so far that is preventing the switch?

mherrmann 8y ago
To be honest, I'm holding back with switching until Qt for Python is more mature. My app is installed on tens of thousands of machines and I don't dare risk breaking it yet.

donquichotte 8y ago

I just tried fman and it is quite impressive. Fast af and clearly (?) inspiered by Sublime Text. Beautiful!

mherrmann 8y ago
Thanks! Yes, my goal is to bring innovation from ST to the file manager niche. Besides the UI, Cmd/Ctrl+P for jumping to folders and a similar Command Palette, this shows in the Python-based plugin API [1]. [1]: https://fman.io/docs/api https://fman.io/docs/api

vanattab 8y ago

Nice work with fman I have been playing with it over the last couple of weeks and like it alot.

mherrmann 8y ago
Thank you! I'm very happy to hear you like it.

cup-of-tea 8y ago

> I hope Qt for Python will become stable enough so I can make the switch. Why do you want to switch?

mherrmann 8y ago
Actually, I'm very happy with PyQt. It works great. But I'm afraid that its more restrictive licensing limits the global audience of "Qt & Python" users. My hope is that Qt for Python will make the combination even more popular.
- Longhanks 8y ago
  TL;DR you want avoid paying the PyQT developers for a commercial license.
  - mherrmann 8y ago
    No, that's not it. As I said, PyQt is excellent and I'm happy to be paying for such quality work.
  - jdjb 8y ago
    There's nothing wrong with hoping a freely licensed open source competitor will come along and lower the cost of developing in the space. PyQT are free to extract fees from the ecosystem as long as they can, just as some open source devs are free to try to eat their lunch money.
  - ben509 8y ago
    > its more restrictive licensing limits the global audience That means not everyone has a business model that supports paying a license fee.
- deleted 8y ago
  [deleted]

roesel 8y ago

Just FYI: I saw this comment and: 1) went to your link -> intensive blinking, firefox reporting that it "forbade access to graphics card" for whichever reason 2) Was impressed that Windows file is only 1 MB (turns out the installer downloads a lot more than that, which is ok but could be mentioned) 3) Started the program and agreed with tutorial 4) Followed tutorial to C:\Users\myusername\Desktop 5) Followed tutorial by pressing Backspace -> program stopped working and crashed No hate intended, but if you want people to use this, you should probably think about fixing some of the steps to be less cumbersome :). FWIW the program looks cool.

mherrmann 8y ago
Thank you for the feedback. 1) No idea why that happened. I'm really not doing anything special on the web site. 2) You're right, sorry. The Windows binary is an online installer. I'll update the web site to mention that once the load is off the server. 5) Hm... Sorry about that. Would be extremely interesting to know if this happens on your computer every time. It's probably too much to ask since you already uninstalled, but if you have a few mins, can you try again? > if you want people to use this, you should probably think about fixing some of the steps to be less cumbersome That's literally what I spend my days working on. Desktop apps are a lot of work... > FWIW the program looks cool. Thanks!
- roesel 8y ago
  Went back and installed a second time. The web page no longer blinks and after the installation finished, the program did not crash and I was able to finish the tutorial. I wanted to try a third time, but after a third reinstall, the tutorial no longer pops up. Is there a way to clear EVERYTHING away and try again as if this was a new computer?
  - mherrmann 8y ago
    Thanks! You can close fman and delete the data directory [1]. Or, you can start the tutorial again via the Command Palette [2]. [1]: https://fman.io/docs/data-directory https://fman.io/docs/data-directory [2]: https://fman.io/docs/tutorial https://fman.io/docs/tutorial

StavrosK 8y ago

How do you package the binary for release? I think that's one of the biggest pain points right now, otherwise I would be much more inclined to do something with Qt. I tried PyInstaller for some scripts a few weeks ago and it worked perfectly and easily, but I don't know if it works with Qt.

mherrmann 8y ago
https://build-system.fman.io/ https://build-system.fman.io/
- StavrosK 8y ago
  I can't believe I read around the important bits of the second paragraph. Thanks. EDIT: Wait, what about BSD/MIT/etc licenses?
  - mherrmann 8y ago
    GPL or commercial only, sorry. I really do need the income.

MaxBarraclough 8y ago

My understanding is that much of the official work on the Qt libraries over the last few years, has been to do with assisting rapid application development. What was your reason for going with Python over the nearest official alternative, 'Qt Quick'? (Qt Quick uses webby technologies like JavaScript, but of course retains support for C++. Incidentally it also seems to be where their backend work is focused - their shiny Direct3D 12 engine is for Qt Quick only, as far as I know.)

HelloNurse 8y ago
Rapid application development involves an application, and for the purpose of writing application logic Python tends to be more advanced than Javascript, easier to write than C++, and with a better set of libraries than both.

rkwasny 8y ago

"If you need a special feature .... pressing F10" If only I had F10 on my keyboard ... Is it even possible to use PyQT and have features like touch bar support?