Refactor codebase to migrate from PyQt5 to QtPy and PySide2 #104

GiulioRomualdi · 2025-10-05T11:22:53Z

Updated imports from PyQt5 to PyQt6 across multiple files including meshcat_provider.py, signal_provider.py, and various autogenerated UI files.
Adjusted signal and slot connections to align with PyQt6 conventions.
Modified widget creation to include parent arguments where necessary.
Changed usage of enums and constants to match the updated PyQt6 API.
Updated setup.cfg to reflect the new dependencies for PyQt6 and PyQt6-WebEngine.

- Updated imports from PyQt5 to PyQt6 across multiple files including meshcat_provider.py, signal_provider.py, and various autogenerated UI files. - Adjusted signal and slot connections to align with PyQt6 conventions. - Modified widget creation to include parent arguments where necessary. - Changed usage of enums and constants to match the updated PyQt6 API. - Updated setup.cfg to reflect the new dependencies for PyQt6 and PyQt6-WebEngine.

GiulioRomualdi

Still I'm afraid that pyqt6 will not be available soon on conda-forge conda-forge/pyqt-feedstock#124

traversaro · 2025-10-05T12:37:48Z

Still I'm afraid that pyqt6 will not be available soon on conda-forge conda-forge/pyqt-feedstock#124

Could it make sense to try to migrate to qtpy so we can keep compat with both pyqt and pyside and 5&6? Or there is any technical reason for which we can't do that?

traversaro · 2025-10-05T12:39:22Z

Or just migrate to pyside6 that anyhow is the official python solution supported by the Qt Company

- Updated CI workflow to install pyside6-tools instead of pyqt6-dev-tools. - Modified generate-ui.sh to support both PySide6 and QtPy for UI file generation. - Changed imports in various Python files from PyQt6 to qtpy for better compatibility. - Updated autogenerated UI files to reflect the new QtPy imports and modified generated comments. - Adjusted setup.cfg to replace PyQt6 with PySide6 and added qtpy as a dependency.

GiulioRomualdi · 2025-10-05T12:51:43Z

Thanks to copilot with GPT-5-Codex, I moved from pyqt6 to pyside6 with qtpy

GiulioRomualdi · 2025-10-05T13:22:26Z

If I try to install all the deps with conda I got

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/home/gromualdi-iit.local/robot-code/robotology-superbuild/build/install/lib/python3.9/site-packages/bin/robot-log-visualizer", line 5, in <module>
    from robot_log_visualizer.__main__ import main
  File "/home/gromualdi-iit.local/robot-code/robotology-superbuild/build/install/lib/python3.9/site-packages/robot_log_visualizer/__main__.py", line 11, in <module>
    from robot_log_visualizer.ui.gui import RobotViewerMainWindow
  File "/home/gromualdi-iit.local/robot-code/robotology-superbuild/build/install/lib/python3.9/site-packages/robot_log_visualizer/ui/gui.py", line 50, in <module>
    from robot_log_visualizer.ui.autogenerated.visualizer import Ui_MainWindow
  File "/home/gromualdi-iit.local/robot-code/robotology-superbuild/build/install/lib/python3.9/site-packages/robot_log_visualizer/ui/autogenerated/visualizer.py", line 19, in <module>
    from PySide6.QtWebEngineWidgets import QWebEngineView
ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'PySide6.QtWebEngineWidgets'

No problem with pip :(

GiulioRomualdi · 2025-10-05T13:25:33Z

conda-forge/qt-webengine-feedstock#42 explains the problem

traversaro · 2025-10-05T17:14:15Z

And qt-webengine is quite required, as we actually use it to show the meshcat visualizer? I can look into conda-forge/qt-webengine-feedstock#42 .

GiulioRomualdi · 2025-10-05T17:41:51Z

In the meantime we can use pyside2 and proceed

Copilot

Pull Request Overview

This PR refactors the codebase to migrate from PyQt5 to a more flexible Qt abstraction layer using qtpy and PySide2. The migration enables better cross-platform compatibility and future-proofs the codebase for different Qt backend support.

Key changes include:

Migration from PyQt5 to qtpy abstraction layer with PySide2 backend
Replacement of autogenerated UI classes with runtime UI loading system
Updates to Qt API usage patterns for compatibility across Qt versions

Reviewed Changes

Copilot reviewed 21 out of 22 changed files in this pull request and generated 3 comments.

Show a summary per file

File	Description
setup.cfg	Updated dependencies from PyQt5/PyQtWebEngine to PySide2/qtpy and added .ui files to package data
robot_log_visualizer/init.py	Added Qt backend preference configuration for PySide2
robot_log_visualizer/ui/ui_loader.py	New utility for runtime loading of .ui files with proxy interface
robot_log_visualizer/ui/gui.py	Updated imports and replaced autogenerated UI classes with runtime loading
robot_log_visualizer/ui/video_item.py	Migrated video player setup to Qt6 multimedia API patterns
robot_log_visualizer/ui/text_logging.py	Updated Qt imports to use qtpy abstraction
robot_log_visualizer/ui/plot_item.py	Replaced autogenerated UI class with runtime loading
robot_log_visualizer/ui/misc/*.ui	Updated UI files to reference qtpy modules instead of PyQt5
robot_log_visualizer/ui/autogenerated/*.py	Removed autogenerated UI classes in favor of runtime loading
robot_log_visualizer/signal_provider/*.py	Updated Qt imports and signal aliases for compatibility
robot_log_visualizer/robot_visualizer/meshcat_provider.py	Updated Qt imports to use qtpy abstraction
robot_log_visualizer/plotter/pyqtgraph_viewer_canvas.py	Updated Qt imports to use qtpy abstraction
robot_log_visualizer/main.py	Updated Qt imports and app execution method for compatibility
generate-ui.sh	Removed build script for autogenerated UI files
.github/workflows/ci.yml	Removed UI generation workflow steps

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Copilot · 2025-10-05T17:55:08Z

setup.cfg

+    idyntree >= 10.2.0
+    meshcat
+    numpy
+    PySide2


The PR description mentions migrating to PyQt6, but the dependencies show PySide2. This inconsistency between the title/description and actual implementation could confuse maintainers and users about which Qt backend is being used.

Suggested change

PySide2

PyQt6

I agree with the bot

Copilot · 2025-10-05T17:55:08Z

robot_log_visualizer/__init__.py

+import os
+
+# Prefer the PySide6 backend when QtPy resolves the Qt binding.
+os.environ.setdefault("QT_API", "pyside2")


The environment variable suggests PySide2, but the PR description mentions PyQt6. This inconsistency should be clarified - either the description should be updated to reflect PySide2 usage, or the backend preference should be changed to match the description.

Suggested change

os.environ.setdefault("QT_API", "pyside2")

os.environ.setdefault("QT_API", "pyside6")

I agree with the bot

Copilot · 2025-10-05T17:55:09Z

robot_log_visualizer/signal_provider/realtime_signal_provider.py


    # TODO: implement a logic to remove signals that are not needed anymore
-    def add_signals_to_buffer(self, signals: list | set | str):
+    def add_signals_to_buffer(self, signals: Union[str, Iterable[str]]):


[nitpick] Using Union[str, Iterable[str]] from typing module while also having from typing import Iterable, Union import is correct, but this could be simplified to use the modern str | Iterable[str] syntax if the codebase supports Python 3.10+.

Suggested change

def add_signals_to_buffer(self, signals: Union[str, Iterable[str]]):

def add_signals_to_buffer(self, signals: str | Iterable[str]):

traversaro · 2025-10-05T18:24:25Z

Ok, but can you explain why we can get rid of autogenerate files?

GiulioRomualdi · 2025-10-05T19:19:00Z

Ok, but can you explain why we can get rid of autogenerate files?

I realized that this was doable also before. In the end we directly load the .ui so there is no need to have the autogenerated py files. This simplifies the ci and remove all the problems we had on the past. See #102

…ease and thread management (#106) Fix regression introduced in #104

GiulioRomualdi commented Oct 5, 2025

View reviewed changes

Upgrade CI workflow to use Ubuntu 24.04

bf40289

GiulioRomualdi changed the title ~~Refactor codebase to migrate from PyQt5 to PyQt6~~ Refactor codebase to migrate from PyQt5 to qtpy and pyside6 Oct 5, 2025

Refactor UI loading mechanism and remove autogenerated files

9988670

Switch from PySide6 to PySide2 in configuration and signal provider

7f0c55f

GiulioRomualdi changed the title ~~Refactor codebase to migrate from PyQt5 to qtpy and pyside6~~ Refactor codebase to migrate from PyQt5 to qtpy and pyside2 Oct 5, 2025

GiulioRomualdi self-assigned this Oct 5, 2025

GiulioRomualdi requested review from Giulero, Copilot and traversaro October 5, 2025 17:54

Copilot AI reviewed Oct 5, 2025

View reviewed changes

traversaro approved these changes Oct 5, 2025

View reviewed changes

GiulioRomualdi changed the title ~~Refactor codebase to migrate from PyQt5 to qtpy and pyside2~~ Refactor codebase to migrate from PyQt5 to QtPy and PySide2 Oct 5, 2025

GiulioRomualdi merged commit dd98467 into main Oct 5, 2025
7 checks passed

GiulioRomualdi deleted the pyqt6 branch October 5, 2025 19:27

This was referenced Oct 5, 2025

Autogenerated push on main CI fails #101

Closed

🐛 Improve cleanup process in closeEvent to ensure proper resource release and thread management #106

Merged

GiulioRomualdi added a commit that referenced this pull request Oct 6, 2025

🐛 Improve cleanup process in closeEvent to ensure proper resource rel…

7f3a88f

…ease and thread management (#106) Fix regression introduced in #104

traversaro mentioned this pull request Oct 16, 2025

Issue with editable install #108

Open

traversaro mentioned this pull request Oct 20, 2025

CI Failure October 2025 robotology/robotology-superbuild#1908

Closed

	os.environ.setdefault("QT_API", "pyside2")
	os.environ.setdefault("QT_API", "pyside6")

	def add_signals_to_buffer(self, signals: Union[str, Iterable[str]]):
	def add_signals_to_buffer(self, signals: str \| Iterable[str]):

Refactor codebase to migrate from PyQt5 to QtPy and PySide2 #104

Refactor codebase to migrate from PyQt5 to QtPy and PySide2 #104

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