[Python] GUI Program Development Tutorial

Want to build a GUI program with Python but not sure where to start?  

This post walks you through the entire process of creating a GUI application using PySide6.

From designing the interface to wiring up events, you’ll learn everything step by step!

---

1. Designing the UI with QtDesigner

Start by designing the look and feel of your application using QtDesigner.

You can easily drag and drop widgets like buttons and text boxes, then save the layout as a `.ui` file.

---

2. Converting the UI File to Python Code

To use the `.ui` file in Python, you need to convert it.  

Run the following command in your terminal:

pyside6-uic xxx.ui -o xxx.py

This generates a Python file that contains your UI layout.

---

3. Integrating the UI into MainWindow

Now let’s create the main window of your application:

from PySide6.QtWidgets import QMainWindow 
from ui.ui_main import Ui_MainWindow

class MainWindow(QMainWindow): 
    def init(self): 
        super(MainWindow, self).init() self.ui = Ui_MainWindow() 
        self.ui.setupUi(self) 
        self.setWindowTitle("PLC Emulator v1.0") self.show() 

The setupUi(self) method connects the UI elements to the main window.

---

4. Running the Application

Time to launch your app! Create a main.py file and write:

from PySide6.QtWidgets import QApplication 
from ui.MainWindow import MainWindow 
import sys

if name == 'main': 
    app = QApplication(sys.argv) 
    window = MainWindow() 
    sys.exit(app.exec()) 

Then run it with:

python main.py 

---

5. Registering Events for Buttons and Controls

To make your UI interactive, connect events to your widgets. For example, to trigger an action when a refresh button is clicked:

class MainWindow(QMainWindow):
     def __init__(self):
         ...
         self.ui.pushButton_refresh.clicked.connect(self.refreshPressed) 
         ...


     def refreshPressed(self): 
         print("refreshPressed was invoked") 

Now clicking the button will call the refreshPressed function!

---

Wrapping Up

By following this tutorial, you can build a complete PySide6-based GUI application from scratch. Design your interface, wire up the logic, and bring your ideas to life!