Imagine Style

The Imagine Style is based on configurable image assets. More…

Attached Properties

• path :ref:` <Imagine-Style>` : string

Detailed Description

The Imagine style is based on image assets. The style comes with a default set of images, but the images can be easily changed by providing a directory with images using a predefined naming convention.

The Imagine style with the default images

To run an application with the Imagine style, see Using Styles in Qt Quick Controls .

File Names

The image files are named using the following convention:

<control>-<element>-<states>

The <control> and <element> sections are mandatory, but the <states> section is optional. For example, if a single file named "button-background.9.png" is provided for Button , it will be used for every state that Button supports. It is up to the developer to decide the set of states that they will provide images for. However, it is recommended to provide images for the most common control states where possible, such as disabled, pressed, etc. This will ensure that interactive controls visually behave as the end user would expect them to.

Element Reference

The following table lists which elements are supported for each control, along with the possible states for that element, and the file extension that it expects. An element is an image that represents a certain visual part of the control. For example, Button's "background" element represents its background .

Control	Element	States	Extension
ApplicationWindow	background	active	.9.png (or .png)
BusyIndicator	animation	disabled, running, mirrored, hovered	.webp
	background	same as above	.webp
Button	background	disabled, pressed, checked, checkable, focused, highlighted, flat, mirrored, hovered	.9.png
CheckBox	background	disabled, pressed, checked, partially-checked, focused, mirrored, hovered	.9.png (or .png)
	indicator	same as above	.png
CheckDelegate	background	disabled, pressed, checked, partially-checked, focused, highlighted, mirrored, hovered	.9.png (or .png)
	indicator	same as above	.png
ComboBox	background	disabled, pressed, editable, open, focused, mirrored, hovered, flat	.9.png (or .png)
	indicator	same as above	.png
	popup	same as above	.9.png (or .png)
DelayButton	background	disabled, pressed, checked, checkable, focused, mirrored, hovered	.9.png (or .png)
	progress	same as above	.9.png (or .png)
	mask	same as above	.9.png (or .png)
Dial	background 1	disabled, pressed, focused, mirrored, hovered	.9.png (or .png)
	handle	same as above	.9.png (or .png)
Dialog	background	modal, dim	.9.png (or .png)
	title	same as above	.9.png (or .png)
	overlay	modal	.9.png (or .png)
DialogButtonBox	background	disabled, mirrored	.9.png (or .png)
Drawer	background	modal, dim, top, left, right, bottom	.9.png (or .png)
	overlay	modal	.9.png (or .png)
Frame	background	disabled, mirrored	.9.png (or .png)
GroupBox	background	disabled, mirrored	.9.png (or .png)
	title	same as above	.9.png (or .png)
ItemDelegate	background	disabled, pressed, focused, highlighted, mirrored, hovered	.9.png (or .png)
Label	background	disabled, mirrored, hovered	.9.png (or .png)
Menu	background	modal, dim	.9.png (or .png)
	overlay	modal	.9.png (or .png)
MenuItem	arrow	disabled, pressed, checked, focused, highlighted, mirrored, hovered	.png
	background	same as above	.9.png (or .png)
	indicator	same as above	.png
MenuSeparator	background	disabled, mirrored	.9.png (or .png)
	separator	same as above	.9.png (or .png)
Page	background	disabled, mirrored	.9.png (or .png)
PageIndicator	background	disabled, mirrored, hovered	.9.png (or .png)
	delegate	disabled, pressed, current, mirrored, hovered	.png
Pane	background	disabled, mirrored	.9.png (or .png)
Popup	background	modal, dim	.9.png (or .png)
	overlay	modal	.9.png (or .png)
ProgressBar	animation	disabled, mirrored, hovered	.png
	background	disabled, indeterminate, mirrored, hovered	.9.png (or .png)
	mask	same as above	.9.png (or .png)
	progress	same as above	.9.png (or .png)
RadioButton	background	disabled, pressed, checked, focused, mirrored, hovered	.9.png (or .png)
	indicator	same as above	.png
RadioDelegate	background	disabled, pressed, checked, focused, highlighted, mirrored, hovered	.9.png (or .png)
	indicator	same as above	.png
RangeSlider	background	vertical, horizontal, disabled, focused, mirrored, hovered	.9.png (or .png)
RangeSlider	progress	same as above	.9.png (or .png)
	handle	first, second, vertical, horizontal, disabled, pressed, focused, mirrored, hovered	.png
RoundButton	background	disabled, pressed, checked, checkable, focused, highlighted, flat, mirrored, hovered	.9.png (or .png)
ScrollBar	background	vertical, horizontal, disabled, interactive, pressed, mirrored, hovered	.9.png (or .png)
	handle	same as above	.9.png (or .png)
ScrollIndicator	background	vertical, horizontal, disabled, mirrored, hovered	.9.png (or .png)
	handle	same as above	.9.png (or .png)
ScrollView	background	disabled, mirrored	.9.png (or .png)
Slider	background	vertical, horizontal, disabled, pressed, focused, mirrored, hovered	.9.png (or .png)
	handle	same as above	.9.png (or .png)
	progress	same as above	.9.png (or .png)
SpinBox	background	disabled, editable, focused, mirrored, hovered	.9.png (or .png)
	editor	disabled, focused, mirrored, hovered	.9.png (or .png)
	indicator	up, down, disabled, editable, pressed, focused, mirrored, hovered	.9.png (or .png)
StackView	background	disabled, mirrored	.9.png (or .png)
SwipeDelegate	background	disabled, pressed, focused, highlighted, mirrored, hovered	.9.png (or .png)
SwipeView	background	vertical, horizontal, disabled, interactive, focused, mirrored	.9.png (or .png)
Switch	background	disabled, pressed, checked, focused, mirrored, hovered	.9.png (or .png)
	handle	same as above	.9.png (or .png)
	indicator	same as above	.9.png (or .png)
SwitchDelegate	background	disabled, pressed, checked, focused, highlighted, mirrored, hovered	.9.png (or .png)
	handle	same as above	.9.png (or .png)
	indicator	same as above	.9.png (or .png)
TabBar	background	disabled, header, footer, mirrored	.9.png (or .png)
TabButton	background	disabled, pressed, checked, focused, mirrored, hovered	.9.png (or .png)
TextArea	background	disabled, focused, mirrored, hovered	.9.png (or .png)
TextField	background	disabled, focused, mirrored, hovered	.9.png (or .png)
ToolBar	background	disabled, header, footer, mirrored	.9.png (or .png)
ToolButton	background	disabled, pressed, checked, checkable, focused, highlighted, flat, mirrored, hovered	.9.png (or .png)
ToolSeparator	background	vertical, horizontal, disabled, mirrored	.9.png (or .png)
	separator	same as above	.9.png (or .png)
ToolTip	background		.9.png (or .png)
Tumbler	background	disabled, focused, mirrored, hovered	.9.png (or .png)

Note

¹) The Imagine style Dial does not yet support the startAngle and endAngle properties that were introduced in Qt 6.6, and instead uses a fixed background image.

Asset Examples

The following table lists examples of assets (taken from the default Imagine style assets ) for all controls. The list is not exhaustive, as not all elements need assets, but it can be used as a guide when creating your own assets.

The template that these assets were exported from is available as a Sketch project .

Control	Element	States	Asset	Notes
ApplicationWindow	background			See footnote 1
	overlay			See footnote 1
	overlay	modal		See footnote 1
Button	background
	background	disabled
	background	focused
	background	pressed
	background	checked
	background	checked, disabled
	background	checked, focused
	background	checked, hovered
	background	highlighted
	background	highlighted, disabled
	background	highlighted, focused
	background	highlighted, hovered
	background	highlighted, pressed
	background	highlighted, checked
	background	hovered
	background	flat
	background	flat, disabled
	background	flat, hovered
	background	flat, pressed
	background	flat, checked
CheckBox	indicator
	indicator	disabled
	indicator	pressed
	indicator	checked
	indicator	checked, pressed
	indicator	checked, hovered
	indicator	checked, focused
	indicator	partially, checked
	indicator	partially, checked, pressed
	indicator	partially, checked, focused
	indicator	partially, checked, hovered
	indicator	focused
	indicator	hovered
CheckDelegate	background
	background	disabled
	background	pressed
	background	focused
	background	hovered
	indicator
	indicator	disabled
	indicator	pressed
	indicator	checked
	indicator	checked, pressed
	indicator	checked, focused
	indicator	checked, hovered
	indicator	focused
	indicator	hovered
	indicator	partially, checked
	indicator	partially, checked, pressed
	indicator	partially, checked, focused
	indicator	partially, checked, hovered
	indicator	hovered
ComboBox	background
	background	disabled
	background	focused
	background	hovered
	background	pressed
	background	open
	background	editable
	background	editable, focused
	background	editable, disabled
	indicator
	indicator	disabled
	indicator	editable
	indicator	editable, disabled
	indicator	editable, mirrored
	indicator	editable, mirrored, disabled
	popup
DelayButton	background
	background	disabled
	background	disabled, checked
	background	focused
	background	pressed
	background	checked
	background	checked, focused
	background	checked, hovered
	background	hovered
	progress
	progress	disabled
	mask
Dial	background
	background	disabled
	background	focused
	handle
	handle	disabled
	handle	focused
	handle	focused, pressed
	handle	focused, hovered
	handle	pressed
	handle	hovered
Dialog	background
	overlay			See footnote 1
	overlay	modal		See footnote 1
DialogButtonBox	background
Drawer	background	left
	background	right
	background	top
	background	bottom
	overlay			See footnote 1
	overlay	modal		See footnote 1
Frame	background
GroupBox	background
	title
ItemDelegate	background
	background	disabled
	background	pressed
	background	focused
	background	hovered
	background	highlighted
Menu	background
MenuItem	background
	background	highlighted
	arrow
	arrow	mirrored
	arrow	disabled
	arrow	mirrored, disabled
	indicator
	indicator	disabled
	indicator	pressed
	indicator	checked
	indicator	checked, pressed
	indicator	checked, focused
	indicator	checked, hovered
	indicator	focused
	indicator	hovered
MenuSeparator	separator
Page	background			See footnote 1
PageIndicator	delegate
	delegate	disabled
	delegate	disabled, current
	delegate	pressed
	delegate	current
Pane	background
Popup	background			See footnote 1
	overlay			See footnote 1
	overlay	modal
ProgressBar	background
	progress
	mask
RadioButton	indicator
	indicator	disabled
	indicator	pressed
	indicator	checked
	indicator	checked, focused
	indicator	checked, hovered
	indicator	checked, pressed
	indicator	focused
	indicator	hovered
RadioDelegate	background
	background	disabled
	background	pressed
	background	focused
	background	hovered
	indicator
	indicator	disabled
	indicator	pressed
	indicator	checked
	indicator	checked, focused
	indicator	checked, hovered
	indicator	checked, pressed
	indicator	focused
	indicator	hovered
RangeSlider	background	vertical
	background	horizontal
	progress	vertical
	progress	vertical, disabled
	progress	horizontal
	progress	horizontal, disabled
	handle
	handle	disabled
	handle	focused
	handle	focused, hovered
	handle	focused, pressed
	handle	hovered
	handle	pressed
RoundButton	background
	background	disabled
	background	disabled, checked
	background	focused
	background	pressed
	background	checked
	background	checked, focused
	background	checked, hovered
	background	highlighted
	background	highlighted, pressed
	background	highlighted, focused
	background	highlighted, hovered
	background	hovered
ScrollBar	handle
	handle	disabled
	handle	interactive
	handle	interactive, disabled
	handle	interactive, pressed
	handle	interactive, hovered
ScrollIndicator	handle
Slider	background	vertical
	background	horizontal
	progress	vertical
	progress	vertical, disabled
	progress	horizontal
	progress	horizontal, disabled
	handle
	handle	disabled
	handle	focused
	handle	focused, hovered
	handle	focused, pressed
	handle	hovered
	handle	pressed
SpinBox	background
	background	disabled
	background	focused
	background	editable
	indicator	up
	indicator	up, disabled
	indicator	up, pressed
	indicator	up, focused
	indicator	up, mirrored
	indicator	up, hovered
	indicator	up, editable
	indicator	up, editable, pressed
	indicator	up, editable, focused
	indicator	up, editable, mirrored
	indicator	up, editable, hovered
	indicator	down
	indicator	down, disabled
	indicator	down, pressed
	indicator	down, focused
	indicator	down, mirrored
	indicator	down, hovered
	indicator	down, editable
	indicator	down, editable, pressed
	indicator	down, editable, focused
	indicator	down, editable, mirrored
	indicator	down, editable, hovered
SwipeDelegate	background
	background	disabled
	background	pressed
	background	focused
	background	hovered
Switch	indicator
	indicator	disabled
	indicator	pressed
	indicator	checked
	indicator	checked, focused
	indicator	checked, hovered
	indicator	checked, pressed
	indicator	focused
	indicator	hovered
	handle
	handle	disabled
	handle	pressed
SwitchDelegate	background
	background	disabled
	background	pressed
	background	focused
	background	hovered
	indicator
	indicator	disabled
	indicator	pressed
	indicator	checked
	indicator	checked, focused
	indicator	checked, hovered
	indicator	checked, pressed
	indicator	focused
	indicator	hovered
	handle
	handle	disabled
TabBar	background
TabButton	background
	background	disabled
	background	pressed
	background	checked
	background	hovered
	background	disabled, checked
TextArea	background
	background	disabled
	background	focused
TextField	background
	background	disabled
	background	focused
ToolBar	background
ToolButton	background
	background	disabled, checked
	background	focused
	background	pressed
	background	checked
	background	checked, focused
	background	checked, hovered
	background	hovered
ToolSeparator	separator	horizontal
	separator	vertical
ToolTip	background

¹ A 1x1 image containing one color, stretched to fill the control.

9-Patch Images

The Imagine style uses 9-patch images in order to give designers control over how a particular element responds to being resized. Here is an example of a 9-patch image that represents a Button ‘s background , alongside a magnified version (to make it easier to see the 9-patch lines):

The content of the image is 44 pixels wide by 32 pixels high. Every 9-patch image needs a one pixel thick line (collectively referred to as “9-patch lines”) around every side, so the actual size of the image becomes 46 pixels wide by 34 pixels high. Note that the 9-patch lines must be one pixel thick regardless of the target DPI of the image. For example, the 9-patch lines for button-background.9.png and button-background@2x.9.png must both be one pixel thick.

The 9-patch lines must be black, and the remaining areas must be transparent or white:

Stretchable Areas

The 9-patch lines on the top and left edges determine which parts of the image are stretched when it is resized.

Below are examples of the 9-patch image being resized to one and a half times its original size in various dimensions:

Notice how the the rounded corners keep their original size, as they are outside the range of the lines.

Padding Areas

The 9-patch lines on the right and bottom edges determine how much space is available for the control’s contentItem , which means it can also be thought of as controlling the padding . For a diagram that illustrates padding, see Control Layout .

Below are more examples of the 9-patch image being resized, but this time demonstrating how the padding 9-patch lines work.

The contentItem can take up as much space as it needs within the shaded areas. If the padding lines are left out, the contentItem will take as much space as it needs without exceeding the stretchable areas.

Inset Areas

In some cases it is necessary for a control to have a drop shadow, for example. However, if we were to add a drop shadow to the button above, it would affect its size, which presents problems for both layouting and mouse/touch input boundaries.

Inset areas accounts for this by telling the control that a certain area of the 9-patch image should go outside of the control:

In the image below, the dashed line represents the button’s clickable area, as well as the space that it will take up in a layout. The shadow is marked by the striped area behind it:

Exporting 9-Patch Images

Various vector and bitmap editors can be used to create 9-patch images suitable for use with the Imagine style. The following sections briefly explain the export process for each editor, and the last section explains how to ensure the exported images are 9-patch-conformant.

Affinity Designer

See Affinity’s Export Settings documentation.

Adobe Illustrator

See Adobe’s Asset Export panel documentation.

Adobe Photoshop

See Adobe’s Generate image assets from layers documentation.

Inkscape

The Inkscape 9-Patch Export Extension can be used to export assets with Inkscape.

Sketch

See Sketch’s Exporting documentation.

Qt Quick Controls also provides a plugin for Sketch that automatically fixes the thickness of the 9-patch lines after the assets are exported. To install this file, double-click on it. Once Sketch has confirmed that the 9-patch export plugin has been installed, the plugin will automatically process images when they are exported.

Fixing 9-Patch Lines

When exporting 9-patch images in several DPI variants (@2x, @3x, etc.), the 9-patch lines will typically be scaled up along with the image. There are several ways to fix this, but perhaps the simplest approach is to use ImageMagick’s mogrify tool. The tool has a -shave feature that can be used to crop the image to reduce the thickness of the 9-patch lines:

mogrify -shave 1x1 -path path/to/images *@2x.9.png
mogrify -shave 2x2 -path path/to/images *@3x.9.png
mogrify -shave 3x3 -path path/to/images *@4x.9.png

Regular DPI images (those without the @Nx prefix) are not affected, so it is only necessary to run the command on images intended for high DPI displays.

Animated Images

The WebP and GIF animated image formats are supported by the Imagine style.

Customization

Path

The Imagine style allows customizing the path that is used to do the image asset selection. The path can be specified for any window or item, and it automatically propagates to children in the same manner as fonts . In the following example, the window and all three radio buttons appear with dark image assets (files that are located in “qrc:/themes/dark”).

++——————————————————————–+ || .. image:: images/qtquickcontrols-imagine-customization-dark.png| ++——————————————————————–+

In addition to specifying the path in QML, it is also possible to specify it via an environment variable or in a configuration file . Attributes specified in QML take precedence over all other methods.

Configuration File

Variable

Description

Path

Specifies the path to the directory that contains the Imagine style assets. If not specified, the built-in assets are used. For example, to specify a path to a directory stored in the resource system: [Imagine] Path=:/imagine-assets To specify a relative path to a local directory: [Imagine] Path=imagine-assets Note Due to a technical limitation, the path should not be named “imagine” if it is relative to the qtquickcontrols2.conf file.

See Qt Quick Controls Configuration File for more details about the configuration file.

Environment Variables

Variable	Description
QT_QUICK_CONTROLS_IMAGINE_PATH	Specifies the path to the directory that contains the Imagine style assets. If not specified, the built-in assets are used. For example, to specify a path to a directory stored in the resource system: QT_QUICK_CONTROLS_IMAGINE_PATH=:/imagine-assets To specify a relative path to a local directory: QT_QUICK_CONTROLS_IMAGINE_PATH=imagine-assets Note Due to a technical limitation, the path should not be named “imagine” if it is relative to the qtquickcontrols2.conf file.
QT_QUICK_CONTROLS_IMAGINE_SMOOTH	Set to 1 to enable smooth scaling for 9-patch images. This environment variable was added in Qt 6.5.

See Supported Environment Variables in Qt Quick Controls for the full list of supported environment variables.

Palette

The Imagine style supports palette customization via the palette property and the qtquickcontrols2.conf file. As with other styles, the exact palette roles that the Imagine style uses are style-dependent. However, as most of the visual appearance of controls (for example: backgrounds) are managed through image assets, only the roles that are typically used for text will have an effect.

Font

Custom fonts can be set via the font property and the configuration file.

Dependency

The Imagine style must be separately imported to gain access to the attributes that are specific to the Imagine style. It should be noted that regardless of the references to the Imagine style, the same application code runs with any other style. Imagine-specific attributes only have an effect when the application is run with the Imagine style.

If the Imagine style is imported in a QML file that is always loaded, the Imagine style must be deployed with the application in order to be able to run the application regardless of which style the application is run with. By using file selectors , style-specific tweaks can be applied without creating a hard dependency to a style.

See also Styling Qt Quick Controls

Attached Property Documentation

This attached property holds the path to the image assets…

Button {
    Imagine.path: "qrc:/themes/dark"
}

Related Information

• Styling Qt Quick Controls

• Automotive Example