Control c++ application remotely via web interface

Question

I created a C++ QT application on Linux with a simple visual interface with three buttons. This application runs on a machine with a certain IP address in my wifi network. I want to be able to access such visual interface from the browser of a smartphone and click the buttons.

To accomplish this I used a remote desktop connection, but it's just a temporary solution as I want to be able to access my GUI from any smartphone without the need of installing anything, and also without offering other functionalities... the client should be able to press the three buttons and nothing more.

In other words, I would like to be able to do the following:

• After I type the IP address of the linux machine in the browser of my smartphone, a html page opens up with my visual interface with three buttons;

• When I press one button, my C++ code starts running in the background;

• When I press again the buttons, the C++ app receives the commands and acts accordingly.

• And so on until I click the button that closes my C++ App.

Now, is there a way to accomplish this? In a few words, is it possible to have a web interface to act as a GUI for my C++ app? I must admit I am really ignorant in web applications :) But maybe you know about a QT widget that solves my problems.

Thanks!

Answer 1

There are a lot of ways to accomplish this.

A simple way is to use QtHttpServer to talk to the objects inside your Qt Application to do the work you asked it to.

You can quickly get started by adapting the example here to your use case.

Answer 2

You may want to check out https://sourceforge.net/projects/conair/ - this lib allows you to communicate with your c++ qt code via javascript. You would, however, have to replicate your existing qt gui with a traditional web front-end technology - some straight forward HTML and javascript would probably suffice.