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# The callback example

Using the Qt signal-slot mechanism to connect a QGLViewer to your scene.

This very simple application uses the Qt signal-slot callback mechanism to link the QGLViewer and your Scene. The two class hence remain totally independent. The `drawNeeded()` QGLViewer signal is connected to the Scene `drawScene()` slot.

## callback.h

    #include <qobject.h>

    class QGLViewer;

    // The Scene class must derive from QObject in order to allow a
    // signal slot mechanism.
    class Scene : public QObject
    {
      Q_OBJECT

    public :
      Scene(const QGLViewer* const v);

    public slots:
      void draw();
    };

## callback.cpp

    #include <QGLViewer/qglviewer.h>
    #include "callback.h"
    #include <math.h>

    Scene::Scene(const QGLViewer* const v)
    {
      // Connect the viewer signal to our draw slot.
      connect(v, SIGNAL(drawNeeded()), this, SLOT(draw()));
    }

    // Draws a spiral
    void Scene::draw()
    {
      const float nbSteps = 200.0;
      glBegin(GL_QUAD_STRIP);
      for (float i=0; i<nbSteps; ++i)
        {
          float ratio = i/nbSteps;
          float angle = 21.0*ratio;
          float c = cos(angle);
          float s = sin(angle);
          float r1 = 1.0 - 0.8*ratio;
          float r2 = 0.8 - 0.8*ratio;
          float alt = ratio - 0.5;
          const float nor = .5;
          const float up = sqrt(1.0-nor*nor);
          glColor3f(1.0-ratio, 0.2f , ratio);
          glNormal3f(nor*c, up, nor*s);
          glVertex3f(r1*c, alt, r1*s);
          glVertex3f(r2*c, alt+0.05, r2*s);
        }
      glEnd();
    }

## main.cpp

    #include "callback.h"
    #include <QGLViewer/qglviewer.h>
    #include <qapplication.h>
    #include <qmessagebox.h>

    using namespace std;

    void help()
    {
      QString text("<h2>C a l l b a c k</h2>");
      text += "This example is conceptually the same as simpleViewer.<br>";
      text += "The difference is that it uses the Qt signal/slot mechanism ";
      text += "instead of deriving the QGLViewer class. ";
      text += "The QGLViewer::drawNeeded() signal is connected to the Scene::draw() method. ";
      text += "The two classes are otherwise completely independant.";

      QMessageBox::information(NULL, "Callback exemple", text);
    }

    int main(int argc, char** argv)
    {
      QApplication application(argc,argv);

      // Instantiate the viewer.
      QGLViewer viewer;

      // Restore the previous viewer state.
      viewer.restoreStateFromFile();

      // Create a scene, giving a pointer to the associated viewer.
      Scene s(&viewer);

    #if QT_VERSION < 0x040000
      application.setMainWidget(&viewer);
    #else
      viewer.setWindowTitle("callback");
    #endif

      help();

      viewer.show();

      return application.exec();
    }

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Last modified on Monday, August 31, 2009.