Qt 3.0 includes a platform- and database-independent API for accessing
SQL databases. The API has both ODBC support and database-specific drivers
for Oracle, PostgreSQL and MySQL databases, and custom drivers may be
added. Database-aware controls that provide automatic synchronization
between GUI and database are included in Qt 3.0. The Qt Designer has full
support for these new controls, resulting in a RAD solution for database
applications.
Qt Designer
Qt Designer has now evolved from a dialog editor to a true GUI builder. It
supports interactive construction of the application main windows with
menus and tool bars. It also has true support for custom-made widgets,
including preview. Qt Designer provides a built-in C++ editor, which allows
the user to edit source code, directly in the RAD environment.
Qt Linguist
Qt Linguist, a localization tool, allows users to seamlessly convert
Qt-based programs from one language to another, simply and intelligently.
Qt Linguist helps with the translation of all visible text in a program, to
and from any language supported by Unicode and the target platforms. A key
feature in Qt Linguist is a specialized editing tool, with many features to
help the translators be more productive and get better results. Qt Linguist
fully supports Unicode 3.
Qt Assistant
Qt 3.0 features a separate application called Qt Assistant, which can be
used to browse the Qt Class Documentation, as well as the Qt Designer and
the Qt Linguist manuals. Qt Assistant offers index search, contents
overview, bookmarks, history and search in pages.
International Text Display
Qt 3.0 has a radically improved support for display of non-western
alphabets. Characters of different international alphabets may now be
freely mixed in the same text, even without Unicode fonts installed. Also
included is full support for right-to-left and bi-directional languages,
like Hebrew and Arabic.
Regular Expressions
Qt-3.0 features a new and powerful regular expression engine greatly
simplifying complex text manipulation operations. The syntax is compatible
to and as powerful as Perl regular expressions while at the same time
including full support for Unicode.
HTTP network protocol support
The Qt Internet programming module now provides an API that lets
applications exchange data over the HTTP protocol. (FTP support is already
available).
Multiple monitor support
Qt 3.0 allows applications to utilize multiple screens. On Unix, this
supports both Xinerama and the traditional multi-screen technology,
while on Windows, the "virtual desktop" technology of Windows 98
and 2000 is supported. Qt 3.0 provides a platform-independent API for
these technologies.
New Component model
Qt 3.0 provides a platform-independent API for runtime loading of
shared libraries and accessing of their functionality using a COM-like
interface concept.
Support for the latest evolutions in GUIs.
Qt 3.0 supports the docking/floating window concept of modern, complex
GUIs. It also adds a GUI control for interactive editing of rich-text.
Accessibility Support
Qt controls provide information for accessibility architectures, so that
visual- or mobile-impaired people can use applications written in Qt with
the standard tools provided (e.g. the Windows Magnifier and Narrator).
64bit Safety
The emerging, next generation of 64bit hardware is supported by Qt 3.0.
Themeing
The Qt style engine has been extended and supports a wider range of
standard widgets, including progressbars, spinboxes, and table headers.