On 2013-01-23, anika200 <anika200@no-mx.forums.opensuse.org> wrote:
>
> I am just starting down the road to make a ‘hazel’
> (Noodlesoft – Noodlesoft – Simply Useful Software) knockoff for KDE and want to use
> Qt for the front end. I really have no experience so I need some
> suggestions on what language to use on the back end. I have some limited
> experience with python 2.6 and was considering using Python as the code
> that does all the hard work.
Stop! If you’re considering python 2.6, install python 2.7.3 (though not
3.X). There are several bug-fixes in Python 2.7 and if you want your Qt
(version 4) bindings to play nicely with Python, don’t use 2.6.
> I also wonder if QML would be a viable
> alternative? Does anyone know if Python or QML has all the abilities
> needed to do what hazel does?
I don’t know what is needed for hazel but if you know Python, stick to
Python.
> So essentially this language needs to be able to do the following:
>
> 1) I have to be able to write/understand it without professional
> training ( to me python fits this bill but QML may be within my grasp)
In the U.K., they teach Python to kids, so you shouldn’t have a problem.
If you want to quickly become reasonably adept in a short space of time,
try going through Zed Shaw’s book:
Learn Python the Hard Way - but if you use KDE, use kate
rather than gedit as a code editor (although he recommends gedit)
> 2) monitor a folder for changes without a ton of cpu usage (maybe kde
> has an api which python/QML can use)?
I don’t know know what you mean by `monitoring’. If you are looking to
write a program to check whether any data within one of 1,000,000 files
within a single directory has changed slightly, then you’re probably up
to no good anyway. You need to log file changes rather perform interval
sweeps. Interval sweeps are fine for integrity checks.
- use metadata to figure out which files to move and maybe move by
time stamps
Python can set and get file attributes using its `os’ module.
> 4) variable substitution — have not figured this out yet but when the
> different rules are changed in the GUI they need to be easily changed in
> the running backend.??
I have no idea what you mean by variable substitution'. You might find Python
dictionaries’ provide a nice way of being able to map one group
variables onto others but I’m only guessing.
> I am thinking this could be a plasmoid or maybe a full app type thing,
> I have not decided.
Constructing the front-end and back-end are two entirely different
processes. I start with the back-end before worrying about the
front-end, because it’s easier that way round. Also bear in mind you
don’t have to code the front-end and back-end in the same language, and
the back-end (not so much the front-end) can be coded using a mixture of
languages.
> Also, can Qt Quick be used as the front end?
I’m not sure; I’ve never seen it in PyQT4.