Updated documentation

This commit is contained in:
Itay Grudev 2016-05-04 20:40:03 +01:00
parent 84d86455e7
commit 8c9327036e

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@ -3,30 +3,44 @@ SingleApplication
This is a replacement of the QSingleApplication for `Qt5`.
Keeps the Primary Instance of your Application and kills each subsequent instances.
Keeps the Primary Instance of your Application and kills each subsequent
instances. It can (if enabled) spawn a certain number of secondary instances
(with the `--secondary` command line argument).
Usage
-----
The `SingleApplication` class inherits from whatever `Q[Core|Gui]Application` class you specify in the `*.pro` file. Further usage is similar to use one of the `Q[Core|Gui]Application` classes.
The library uses your `Organization Name` and `Application Name` to set up a `QLocalServer` and a `QSharedMemory` block. The first instance of your Application would check if the shared memory block exists and if not it will start a `QLocalServer` and then listen for connections on it. Each subsequent instance of your application would check if the shared memory block exists and if it does, it will connect to the QLocalServer to notify it that a new instance had been started, after which would terminate the new instance with status code `0`. The Primary Instance, `SingleApplication` would emmit the `showUp()` signal upon detecting that a new instance had been started.
The `SingleApplication` class inherits from whatever `Q[Core|Gui]Application`
class you specify. Further usage is similar to the use of the
`Q[Core|Gui]Application` classes.
The library uses your `Organization Name` and `Application Name` to set up a
`QLocalServer` and a `QSharedMemory` block. The first instance of your
Application is your Primary Instance. It would check if the shared memory block
exists and if not it will start a `QLocalServer` and then listen for connections
on it. Each subsequent instance of your application would check if the shared
memory block exists and if it does, it will connect to the QLocalServer to
notify it that a new instance had been started, after which it would terminate
with status code `0`. The Primary Instance, `SingleApplication` would emit the
`showUp()` signal upon detecting that a new instance had been started.
The library uses `stdlib` to terminate the program with the `exit()` function.
Here is an example usage of the library:
```cpp
// project.pro
DEFINES += QAPPLICATION_CLASS=QApplication # or whatever app class you want
// In your Project.pro
DEFINES += QAPPLICATION_CLASS=QGuiApplication # QApplication is the default
// main.cpp
#include "singleapplication.h"
int main(int argc, char *argv[])
int main( int argc, char* argv[] )
{
QApplication::setApplicationName("{Your App Name}");
QApplication::setOrganizationName("{Your Organization Name}");
SingleApplication app(argc, argv);
SingleApplication app( argc, argv );
return app.exec();
}
@ -34,27 +48,57 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
The `Show Up` signal
------------------------
The SingleApplication class implements a `showUp()` signal. You can bind to that signal to raise your application's window when a new instance had been started.
Note that since `SingleApplication` extends the `QApplication` class you can do the following:
The SingleApplication class implements a `showUp()` signal. You can bind to that
signal to raise your application's window when a new instance had been started.
Note that since `SingleApplication` extends the `QApplication` class you can do
the following:
```cpp
// Truly raise your window.
QObject::connect(&app, &SingleApplication::showUp, [&]
{
window.show();
window.raise();
window.activateWindow();
}); // 'window' is your QWindow instance
// window is a QWindow instance
QObject::connect( &app, &SingleApplication::showUp, window, &QWindow::raise );
```
Using `QApplication::instance()` is a neat way to get the `SingleApplication` instance at any place in your program.
Using `QApplication::instance()` is a neat way to get the `SingleApplication`
instance anywhere in your program.
Secondary Instances
-------------------
If you want to be able to launch additional Secondary Instances (not related to
your Primary Instance) you have to enable that with the third parameter of the
`SingleApplication` constructor. The default is `0` meaning no Secondary
Instances. Here is an example allowing spawning up to `2` Secondary Instances.
```cpp
SingleApplication app( argc, argv, 2 );
```
After which just call your program with the `--secondary` argument to launch a
secondary instance.
__*Note:*__ If your Primary Instance is terminated upon launch of a new one it
will replace it as Primary even if the `--secondary` argument has been set.
*P.S. If you think this behavior could be improved create an issue and explain
why.*
Implementation
--------------
The library is implemented with a QSharedMemory block which is thread safe and guarantees a race condition will not occur. It also uses a QLocalSocket to notify the main process that a new instance had been spawned and thus invoke the `showUp()` signal.
To handle an issue on `*nix` systems, where the operating system owns the shared memory block and if the program crashes the memory remains untouched, the library binds to the following signals and closes the program with error code = `128 + signum` where signum is the number representation of the signal listed below. Handling the signal is required in order to safely delete the `QSharedMemory` block. Each of these signals are potentially lethal and will results in process termination.
The library is implemented with a QSharedMemory block which is thread safe and
guarantees a race condition will not occur. It also uses a QLocalSocket to
notify the main process that a new instance had been spawned and thus invoke the
`showUp()` signal.
To handle an issue on `*nix` systems, where the operating system owns the shared
memory block and if the program crashes the memory remains untouched, the
library binds to the following signals and closes the program with error code =
`128 + signum` where signum is the number representation of the signal listed
below. Handling the signal is required in order to safely delete the
`QSharedMemory` block. Each of these signals are potentially lethal and will
results in process termination.
* `SIGHUP` - `1`, Hangup.
* `SIGINT` - `2`, Terminal interrupt signal