Creating Files

Use wizard templates to add individual files to your projects. Select File > New File and select the type of the file:

• C/C++: header and source files for new classes.
• Modeling: State Chart XML (SCXML) files, Universal Modeling Language (UML) style models, and scratch models that use a temporary file.
• Qt: source and header files for item, table, or list models, Qt Designer forms and a matching classes for Qt Widgets projects, Qt resource files, as well as QML and JavaScript files for Qt Quick projects.
• GLSL: fragment and vertex shaders.
• General: markdown files, empty files that you can save with any filename extension, and scratch buffers that use temporary files.
• Java: class files.
• Python: class and script files for Python projects.
• vcpkg (experimental): vcpkg package manager manifest files (vcpkg.json).
• Nim (experimental): empty Nim source and script files.

The New File dialog shows detailed information about each file wizard template.

C++ Classes

The C++ Class Wizard allows you to create a C++ header and source file for a new class that you can add to a C++ project. Specify the class name, base class, and header and source files for the class.

The wizard supports namespaces. To use a namespace, enter a qualified class name in the Class name field. For example: MyNamespace::MySubNamespace::MyClass. The wizard suggests existing namespaces and class names as you type.

The names of the header and source file are based on the class name. To change the default suffix of a file, select Edit > Preferences > C++ > File Naming.

In the License template field, you can use predefined wizard variables to specify the path and filename of the license to use in the source and header files.

You can create your own project and class wizards. For more information, see Adding New Custom Wizards.

Resource Files

Qt Creator supports the Qt Resource System, which is a platform-independent mechanism for storing files in the application's executable.

The wizard creates a resource collection file (.qrc) that you can manage in the resource editor.

Select Add Files to locate and add individual files.

To list the folders and files in ascending alphabetic order in the source tree, select Sort Alphabetically in the context menu.

By default, resources are accessible in the application under the same file name as they have in the source tree, with a :/ prefix, or by a URL with a qrc scheme. To specify a path prefix for all files in the .qrc file, select Add Prefix and enter the prefix in the Prefix field.

Some resources need to change based on the user's locale, such as translation files or icons. You can specify a locale in the Language field.

Select Remove to remove the selected file from the resource collection. In the Remove File dialog, select the Delete file permanently check box to remove the file from the file system. To remove files that cannot be found in the file system, select Remove Missing Files.

The above functions are also available in the context menu in the Projects view.

OpenGL Fragment and Vertex Shaders

Qt supports integration with OpenGL implementations on all platforms, which allows you to display hardware accelerated 3D graphics alongside a more conventional user interface. For more information, see Qt GUI.

You can use the QOpenGLShader class to compile OpenGL shaders written in the OpenGL Shading Language (GLSL) and in the OpenGL/ES Shading Language (GLSL/ES). QOpenGLShader and QOpenGLShaderProgram shelter you from the details of compiling and linking vertex and fragment shaders.

You can use Qt Creator code editor to write fragment and vertex shaders in GLSL or GLSL/ES. The code editor offers syntax highlighting and code completion for the files.