QML iterating over custom elements and calling function - qt

Question

I have a custom element called MenuButton:
import QtQuick 1.1
import VPlay 1.0
Image {
property alias text: buttontext.text
property alias mouseArea: area
property alias fontBold: buttontext.font.bold
property alias textSize: buttontext.font.pixelSize
id: button
source: "img/cloudButton.png"
opacity: 1
Text {
id: buttontext
color: "black"
anchors.verticalCenter: parent.verticalCenter
anchors.left: parent.left
anchors.leftMargin: 50
font.bold: true
}
MouseArea {
id: area
anchors.fill: parent
onPressed: button.opacity = 0.7
onReleased: button.opacity = 1.0
onCanceled: button.opacity = 1.0
}
function doStuff {
// do something here
}
width: 200
height: 60
}
Now, in my main View, I have a Column with 5 of those MenuButtons. And I want to iterate over them and call the function doStuff(). How do I do that?
I tried with column.childAt(i) and stuff like that, nothing worked.
MainView.qml
Rectangle {
width: 480; height: 320
// HERE IS MY PROBLEM, how do I iterate over all my elements in the column?
function update() {
for(var i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
column.childAt(i).doStuff(); // THIS IS WHAT I WANT TO DO
}
}
Column {
id: column
spacing: 5
anchors.centerIn: parent
Repeater {
id: repeater
model: 5
MenuButton {
id: levelbutton
text: "Level " + (modelData+1);
source: "img/cloud4.png"
}
}
}
}
The problem is in my update function in the MainView.qml
I dont know how to iterate over the elements and call the doStuff() function.

Answer 1

You may use Component.onCompleted attached signal, like this:
import QtQuick 1.0
Rectangle {
height: 600
width: 600
Repeater {
model: 5
Item {
Component.onCompleted: console.log('Component ' + index + ' completed!')
}
}
}
However, please consider, that this imperative operation is not good, because it will be called all time after model update. Probably you have problem X and asking how to get Y, that (you think) will solve your X?

Answer 2

From what I've seen in the source code in the QDeclarativePositioners class you cannot access the children elements!
But you could turn the way you call your doStuff() method: when do you want it to be called? After some time has passed (then add a Timer element to your MenuButton), or when a signal occurs? In the latter case, you could use the Connections element and listen to the signal beign emitted in your calling qml file where you use the Column and Repeater.
Cheers, Chris

Answer 3

You can access the children of an element via the children property that exists on all QtObjects. It contains an array of child elements and can be freely acccessed in javascript.
eg. element.children[0].doStuff()
Generally speaking, you should avoid actions that require you to manually iterate over the children. However, if you are attempting to write code that generically calls something on each of the children you do not always have a choice.