Using PyQt5 Virtual Keyboard in Tinker Board with Armbian Bionic OS

Question

I'm trying to use a virtual keyboard for a touchscreen, using python 3.6 and PyQt5.10 on Armbian Bionic (Linux for ARM development boards). My hardware is ASUS Tinker Board.

I checked the answer by @eyllanesc in this Link. It's worked fine when I follow the instruction in Windows 10, but I do the same in the Armbian Bionic but had no luck. It seems this answer's work for x86 and x64 architecture. I also tried to install the latest version of PyQt5-5.15.0 after updating python3 and pip with the following command:

pip3 install pyqt5

But it encounters the following errors:

So finally I searched the web and find out I need to cross-compile the PyQt5 in the host Linux!

Can anyone help me find the quickest and easiest solution? Thanks

I installed the PyQt5.5.10.1 with the apt, but I need the virtual keyboard module and this module is not included — Ali Rohanizadeh, Jul 19 '20 at 06:17
neither does pyqt5 have it installed with pip ...., you have to compile Qt Virtualkeyboard, do you have Qt5 installed with apt-get? — eyllanesc, Jul 19 '20 at 06:19
Yes: python3-pyqt5 is already the newest version (5.10.1+dfsg-1ubuntu2). — Ali Rohanizadeh, Jul 19 '20 at 06:21
no, one thing is pyqt5 and another is Qt5. try with: `sudo apt-get install qt5-default` — eyllanesc, Jul 19 '20 at 06:23
Thank you very much, I installed the qt5-default, I guess now I can use your answer in this [link](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/62473386/pyqt5-show-virtual-keyboard) — Ali Rohanizadeh, Jul 19 '20 at 06:34
try wih:`sudo apt-get install qml-module-qtquick-virtualkeyboard`. I think that your OS has the compiled package of qt virtualkeyboard and it is not necessary to compile it. — eyllanesc, Jul 19 '20 at 06:35
It encounters the following error: E: Unable to locate package qml-module-qtquick-virtualkeyboard — Ali Rohanizadeh, Jul 19 '20 at 06:38
the link commands will not work for you, since in those steps I use the compiled Qt that already has virtualkeyboard and I only copy the necessary files. — eyllanesc, Jul 19 '20 at 06:43
Yes, you're right, after running sudo apt update, it installed the module with this: sudo apt-get install qml-module-qtquick-virtualkeyboard — Ali Rohanizadeh, Jul 19 '20 at 06:44
Thank you very much for your fast response and your kindness. I will try and will send the result here. — Ali Rohanizadeh, Jul 19 '20 at 06:47
Let us [continue this discussion in chat](https://chat.stackoverflow.com/rooms/218129/discussion-between-ali-rohanizadeh-and-eyllanesc). — Ali Rohanizadeh, Jul 19 '20 at 07:08

eyllanesc · Accepted Answer · 2020-07-19T08:20:33.447

In my previous solution just point out how to install Qt and what files should be copied but in this case it is not possible to apply that solution since Qt does not provide binaries for your OS. Generally the OS already provides compiled Qt so you must install it with:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install python3-pyqt5 qt5-default qtdeclarative5-dev libqt5svg5-dev qtbase5-private-dev qml-module-qtquick-controls2 qml-module-qtquick-controls qml-module-qt-labs-folderlistmodel
git clone -b 5.9.8 https://github.com/qt/qtvirtualkeyboard.git
cd qtvirtualkeyboard
qmake 
make
sudo make install

Qt and PyQt5 usually share the same libraries and plugins so it should work.

Using PyQt5 Virtual Keyboard in Tinker Board with Armbian Bionic OS

1 Answers1