QTimeLine

The QTimeLine class provides a timeline for controlling animations. More

Inheritance diagram of PySide2.QtCore.QTimeLine

Synopsis

Functions

Virtual functions

Slots

Detailed Description

It’s most commonly used to animate a GUI control by calling a slot periodically. You can construct a timeline by passing its duration in milliseconds to QTimeLine ‘s constructor. The timeline’s duration describes for how long the animation will run. Then you set a suitable frame range by calling setFrameRange() . Finally connect the frameChanged() signal to a suitable slot in the widget you wish to animate (for example, setValue() in QProgressBar ). When you proceed to calling start() , QTimeLine will enter Running state, and start emitting frameChanged() at regular intervals, causing your widget’s connected property’s value to grow from the lower end to the upper and of your frame range, at a steady rate. You can specify the update interval by calling setUpdateInterval() . When done, QTimeLine enters NotRunning state, and emits finished() .

Example:

...
progressBar = QProgressBar(self)
progressBar.setRange(0, 100)

# Construct a 1-second timeline with a frame range of 0 - 100
timeLine = QTimeLine(1000, self)
timeLine.setFrameRange(0, 100)
timeLine.frameChanged[int].connect(progressBar.setValue)

# Clicking the push button will start the progress bar animation
pushButton = QPushButton(QObject.tr("Start animation"), self)
pushButton.clicked.connect(timeLine.start)
...

By default the timeline runs once, from the beginning and towards the end, upon which you must call start() again to restart from the beginning. To make the timeline loop, you can call setLoopCount() , passing the number of times the timeline should run before finishing. The direction can also be changed, causing the timeline to run backward, by calling setDirection() . You can also pause and unpause the timeline while it’s running by calling setPaused() . For interactive control, the setCurrentTime() function is provided, which sets the time position of the time line directly. Although most useful in NotRunning state, (e.g., connected to a valueChanged() signal in a QSlider ,) this function can be called at any time.

The frame interface is useful for standard widgets, but QTimeLine can be used to control any type of animation. The heart of QTimeLine lies in the valueForTime() function, which generates a value between 0 and 1 for a given time. This value is typically used to describe the steps of an animation, where 0 is the first step of an animation, and 1 is the last step. When running, QTimeLine generates values between 0 and 1 by calling valueForTime() and emitting valueChanged() . By default, valueForTime() applies an interpolation algorithm to generate these value. You can choose from a set of predefined timeline algorithms by calling setCurveShape() .

Note that by default, QTimeLine uses the EaseInOut curve shape, which provides a value that grows slowly, then grows steadily, and finally grows slowly. For a custom timeline, you can reimplement valueForTime() , in which case QTimeLine ‘s curveShape property is ignored.

class QTimeLine([duration=1000[, parent=None]])
param parent

QObject

param duration

int

Constructs a timeline with a duration of duration milliseconds. parent is passed to QObject ‘s constructor. The default duration is 1000 milliseconds.

PySide2.QtCore.QTimeLine.State

This enum describes the state of the timeline.

Constant

Description

QTimeLine.NotRunning

The timeline is not running. This is the initial state of QTimeLine , and the state QTimeLine reenters when finished. The current time, frame and value remain unchanged until either setCurrentTime() is called, or the timeline is started by calling start() .

QTimeLine.Paused

The timeline is paused (i.e., temporarily suspended). Calling setPaused (false) will resume timeline activity.

QTimeLine.Running

The timeline is running. While control is in the event loop, QTimeLine will update its current time at regular intervals, emitting valueChanged() and frameChanged() when appropriate.

See also

state() stateChanged()

PySide2.QtCore.QTimeLine.Direction

This enum describes the direction of the timeline when in Running state.

Constant

Description

QTimeLine.Forward

The current time of the timeline increases with time (i.e., moves from 0 and towards the end / duration).

QTimeLine.Backward

The current time of the timeline decreases with time (i.e., moves from the end / duration and towards 0).

See also

setDirection()

PySide2.QtCore.QTimeLine.CurveShape

This enum describes the default shape of QTimeLine ‘s value curve. The default, shape is . The curve defines the relation between the value and the timeline.

Constant

Description

QTimeLine.EaseInCurve

The value starts growing slowly, then increases in speed.

QTimeLine.EaseOutCurve

The value starts growing steadily, then ends slowly.

QTimeLine.EaseInOutCurve

The value starts growing slowly, then runs steadily, then grows slowly again.

QTimeLine.LinearCurve

The value grows linearly (e.g., if the duration is 1000 ms, the value at time 500 ms is 0.5).

QTimeLine.SineCurve

The value grows sinusoidally.

QTimeLine.CosineCurve

The value grows cosinusoidally.

See also

setCurveShape()

PySide2.QtCore.QTimeLine.currentFrame()
Return type

int

Returns the frame corresponding to the current time.

PySide2.QtCore.QTimeLine.currentTime()
Return type

int

See also

setCurrentTime()

PySide2.QtCore.QTimeLine.currentValue()
Return type

qreal

Returns the value corresponding to the current time.

PySide2.QtCore.QTimeLine.curveShape()
Return type

CurveShape

See also

setCurveShape()

PySide2.QtCore.QTimeLine.direction()
Return type

Direction

See also

setDirection()

PySide2.QtCore.QTimeLine.duration()
Return type

int

See also

setDuration()

PySide2.QtCore.QTimeLine.easingCurve()
Return type

QEasingCurve

See also

setEasingCurve()

PySide2.QtCore.QTimeLine.endFrame()
Return type

int

Returns the end frame, which is the frame corresponding to the end of the timeline (i.e., the frame for which the current value is 1).

PySide2.QtCore.QTimeLine.frameForTime(msec)
Parameters

msecint

Return type

int

Returns the frame corresponding to the time msec . This value is calculated using a linear interpolation of the start and end frame, based on the value returned by valueForTime() .

PySide2.QtCore.QTimeLine.loopCount()
Return type

int

See also

setLoopCount()

PySide2.QtCore.QTimeLine.resume()

Resumes the timeline from the current time. QTimeLine will reenter Running state, and once it enters the event loop, it will update its current time, frame and value at regular intervals.

In contrast to start() , this function does not restart the timeline before it resumes.

See also

start() updateInterval() frameChanged() valueChanged()

PySide2.QtCore.QTimeLine.setCurrentTime(msec)
Parameters

msecint

See also

currentTime()

PySide2.QtCore.QTimeLine.setCurveShape(shape)
Parameters

shapeCurveShape

See also

curveShape()

PySide2.QtCore.QTimeLine.setDirection(direction)
Parameters

directionDirection

See also

direction()

PySide2.QtCore.QTimeLine.setDuration(duration)
Parameters

durationint

See also

duration()

PySide2.QtCore.QTimeLine.setEasingCurve(curve)
Parameters

curveQEasingCurve

See also

easingCurve()

PySide2.QtCore.QTimeLine.setEndFrame(frame)
Parameters

frameint

Sets the end frame, which is the frame corresponding to the end of the timeline (i.e., the frame for which the current value is 1), to frame .

PySide2.QtCore.QTimeLine.setFrameRange(startFrame, endFrame)
Parameters
  • startFrameint

  • endFrameint

Sets the timeline’s frame counter to start at startFrame , and end and endFrame . For each time value, QTimeLine will find the corresponding frame when you call currentFrame() or frameForTime() by interpolating, using the return value of valueForTime() .

When in Running state, QTimeLine also emits the frameChanged() signal when the frame changes.

PySide2.QtCore.QTimeLine.setLoopCount(count)
Parameters

countint

See also

loopCount()

PySide2.QtCore.QTimeLine.setPaused(paused)
Parameters

pausedbool

If paused is true, the timeline is paused, causing QTimeLine to enter Paused state. No updates will be signaled until either start() or (false) is called. If paused is false, the timeline is resumed and continues where it left.

See also

state() start()

PySide2.QtCore.QTimeLine.setStartFrame(frame)
Parameters

frameint

Sets the start frame, which is the frame corresponding to the start of the timeline (i.e., the frame for which the current value is 0), to frame .

PySide2.QtCore.QTimeLine.setUpdateInterval(interval)
Parameters

intervalint

See also

updateInterval()

PySide2.QtCore.QTimeLine.start()

Starts the timeline. QTimeLine will enter Running state, and once it enters the event loop, it will update its current time, frame and value at regular intervals. The default interval is 40 ms (i.e., 25 times per second). You can change the update interval by calling setUpdateInterval() .

The timeline will start from position 0, or the end if going backward. If you want to resume a stopped timeline without restarting, you can call resume() instead.

See also

resume() updateInterval() frameChanged() valueChanged()

PySide2.QtCore.QTimeLine.startFrame()
Return type

int

Returns the start frame, which is the frame corresponding to the start of the timeline (i.e., the frame for which the current value is 0).

PySide2.QtCore.QTimeLine.state()
Return type

State

Returns the state of the timeline.

PySide2.QtCore.QTimeLine.stop()

Stops the timeline, causing QTimeLine to enter NotRunning state.

See also

start()

PySide2.QtCore.QTimeLine.toggleDirection()

Toggles the direction of the timeline. If the direction was Forward, it becomes Backward, and vice verca.

See also

setDirection()

PySide2.QtCore.QTimeLine.updateInterval()
Return type

int

PySide2.QtCore.QTimeLine.valueForTime(msec)
Parameters

msecint

Return type

qreal

Returns the timeline value for the time msec . The returned value, which varies depending on the curve shape, is always between 0 and 1. If msec is 0, the default implementation always returns 0.

Reimplement this function to provide a custom curve shape for your timeline.

See also

CurveShape frameForTime()