Add the whole blog

content/post/2014-01-04-an-expedition-in-the-qml-realm.markdown

@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+---
+author: einar
+categories:
+- KDE
+- Linux
+comments: true
+date: "2014-01-04T08:03:18Z"
+slug: an-expedition-in-the-qml-realm
+tags:
+- KDE
+- Linux
+- plasma
+- QML
+title: An expedition in the QML realm
+disable_share: true
+wordpress_id: 1270
+---
+
+Among the different widgets I use on my desktop, there is a small one which tells me my current public IP address. The reason I'm having it is due to the fact that my own ISP uses a NAT for almost all its customers (don't ask - long story) and so I need to keep tabs on my current IP, because it may have been blacklisted, and so on.
+
+Up to now I was using [this plasmoid](http://kde-apps.org/content/show.php?content=147229) written in Python, but the code had several issues and used its own way of getting the public IP. However, I knew Plasma has **already** a way to give you your IP, that is the _geolocation _DataEngine. I thought of adjusting the current widget to use this engine, but then I thought "_What if I make one in QML?"_.
+
+It turned out to be a rather easy task, which I accomplished in less than one hour, by reading up some documentation, examples and of course pestering people on IRC. ;)
+
+All I needed to have the IP ready was
+
+{{< highlight javascript >}}
+
+PlasmaCore.DataSource {
+        id: dataSource
+        dataEngine: "geolocation"
+        connectedSources: ['location']
+        interval: 500
+
+        onNewData: {
+            if (sourceName == 'location') {
+                ipAddr.text = data.ip
+            }
+        }
+
+{{< / highlight >}}
+
+where `ipAddr` was a Text element.
+
+And that's how is the final result (mimicking the other widget I took it from):
+
+![Plasmoid in action]({{ site.url }}/images/2014/01/ip-monitor.png)
+
+There are still a number of issues, for example getting the right size when started, and ensuring it's not resized to a too little size. But I was surprised that it was so easy.
+
+Interested parties can grab it by cloning and installing:
+
+{{< highlight bash >}}
+git clone https://git.dennogumi.org/kde/ip-address-viewer
+plasmapkg -i ip-address-viewer/
+{{< / highlight >}}
+
+Suggestions on code quality are welcome.