QtPDF not availabel on mac?

artwaw

@J-Hilk I checked that QtCharts are now also a pricey addon - but sample project revealed that the module can be freely used under Open Source licence I have, both macOS and Windows. I don't get it. At all.

J.Hilk

@artwaw yep, not a fan either, the only thing it will lead to is a reduced user base -> less people who buy the license -> increased prices -> and the vicious cycle is in full motion.

Those are not the only 2 modules, I know for a fact that the QML TreeView component will be pay only as well (for Qt5 at least) a view that is missing for 4 years now, I think, the quick controls 2 one at least

artwaw

@J-Hilk I wholeheartedly agree with the direction it leads to as you described it.

But I still don't know why the QtPDF doesn't work for me - is it because of the "add on" (but then again Charts work!) or because I missed something.
For now I will just test if I can continue with manual compile process... Or try to use poppler or something (again, manual compile, feels like I am running linux in '90s). It's inconvenient, for not to use stronger phrase.

SimonSchroeder

@artwaw said in QtPDF not availabel on mac?:

I checked that QtCharts are now also a pricey addon

As far as I remember QtCharts has always been an add-on (or GPL). You really have to be careful with licenses. For commercial software you can use the LGPL-part of Qt. If you are using GPL-modules all your software needs to be under the GPL (meaning everyone who gets your software has also a right to get your source code). So, as long as your software is not GPL you cannot use either QtCharts or QtPDF. (Unless you pay for the commercial license.)

artwaw

@SimonSchroeder Thank you, I am aware of that.
My point is - assuming I am GPL user, which I am indeed - why is QtPDF not visible on Mac while QtCharts is?

artwaw

So according to all the sources I could find QtPDF is commercial OR GPL. So it should work yet my installation can't find it. I am puzzled now.

Bonnie

I haven't found that module in Windows, either.
Maybe it is not released in the installer since it is still in technology preview?

SimonSchroeder

After a quick search I've found that indeed it might still be in Tech Preview. Most notably I have found that for now it seems to be part of QtWebEngine. As far as I remember QtWebEngine needs to be installed separately when using the online installer.

I have also found build instruction for QtPDF: https://wiki.qt.io/QtPDF_Build_Instructions
Maybe this helps if it is not yet included in any installers.

artwaw

@SimonSchroeder QtPDF is included in stable 5.15.0 as a part of the QtWebEngine. I have that installed and as I wrote the .framework files are present on the disk. That's the whole reason for this post, files are there, Qt doesn't seem to "see" them.

zhenghan

@artwaw Hi, sir. I have met the same problem. Did you solve it yet? I use qtcreator on windows, and I have a Qt5Pdf.dll in my bin directory. But when I use QT += pdf, I got the same error, Unknown modules in QT: pdf.

JoeCFD

Use free poppler for pdf( under GPLv2 or GPLv3) . It is not hard to add it.
Qt uses PDFium. https://wiki.qt.io/Handling_PDF
Poppler seems even better than PDFium
https://hub.alfresco.com/t5/alfresco-content-services-blog/pdf-rendering-engine-performance-and-fidelity-comparison/ba-p/287618

JoeCFD

Qt PDF is available under both GPLv3 and LGPLv3.
https://marketplace.qt.io/products/qtpdf

JoeCFD

can you run the example?
qt-examples/Qt-5.15.2/pdf/pdfviewer

no problem to run it on Ubuntu.

zhenghan

@JoeCFD Thanks for your reply. I can't run the example with error "Unknown modules in Qt: pdf". It is wired why Qt can't find the module, because the Qt5Pdf.dll is in msvc2019_64/bin directory, and Qt5Pdf.lib in msvc2019_64/lib directory. But in msvc2019_64/include directory there is no subfolder named Qt5Pdf.

JoeCFD

You have to install this component
https://wiki.qt.io/QtPDF_Build_Instructions

zhenghan

@JoeCFD said in QtPDF not availabel on mac?:

https://wiki.qt.io/QtPDF_Build_Instructions

Thanks for your reply. I have complied this component. And it works.

zhenghan

@JoeCFD I want develop a pdf application in which I want to edit the pdf file, adding a digit signature in the pdf. What pdf library do you think is proper for the purpose?
I have find PoDoFo, and poppler, QtPdf(seems can't modify pdf). Again thanks for your time.

JoeCFD

MuPDF is the best. PDFium(Qt) is second. XPDF(Poppler) is third. You choose the better one for your app. You need to pay attention to license issue.

artwaw

@zhenghan Hi, sorry for late reply - I just built it from source, signed and installed. Like you did, from what I see.

DerReisende

I am successfully using PoDoFo from vcpkg for manipulating PDF (merging files, adding text content ,etc) files in my Qt 6.1 cmake project. Adding digital signatures with it should be possible ( I have read some code for it in the library but I don't have a use-case currently).
Be sure to install the [fontconfig] version of podofo otherwise you will get unexpected crashes on windows when drawing text with fonts.
Coding with it is quite straightforward although the documentation could be better - but I am no fluent c++ coder.