MVC and Subject-Observer pattern in C++ & QT

Question

I am trying to implement the MVC pattern in C++ & QT, similar to the question here:

Other MVC Questions

The program has 2 line edits:

• mHexLineEdit
• mDecLineEdit

3 buttons

• mConvertToHexButton
• mConvertoDecButton
• mClearButton

and just modifies strings.

The difference with the other question is that I am trying to implement the Subject/Observer pattern to update the View once the Model is changed.

Model.h

#ifndef MODEL_H
#define MODEL_H

#include <QString>
#include <Subject>

class Model : virtual public Subject
{
public:
    Model();
    ~Model();
    void convertDecToHex(QString iDec);
    void convertHexToDec(QString iHex);
    void clear();

    QString getDecValue() {return mDecValue;}
    QString getHexValue() {return mHexValue;}
private:
    QString mDecValue;
    QString mHexValue;
};
#endif // MODEL_H

Model.cpp

#include "Model.h"

Model::Model():mDecValue(""),mHexValue(""){}
Model::~Model(){}

void Model::convertDecToHex(QString iDec)
{
    mHexValue = iDec + "Hex";

    notify("HexValue");
}

void Model::convertHexToDec(QString iHex)
{
    mDecValue = iHex + "Dec";

    notify("DecValue");
}

void Model::clear()
{
  mHexValue = "";
  mDecValue = "";

  notify("AllValues");
}

View.h

#ifndef VIEW_H
#define VIEW_H

#include <QtGui/QMainWindow>
#include "ui_View.h"
#include <Observer>

class Controller;
class Model;
class View : public QMainWindow, public Observer
{
    Q_OBJECT

public:
    View(QWidget *parent = 0, Qt::WFlags flags = 0);
    ~View();
    void setController(VController* iController);
    void setModel(VModel* iModel);
    QString getDecValue();
    QString getHexValue();
public slots:
    void ConvertToDecButtonClicked();
    void ConvertToHexButtonClicked();
    void ClearButtonClicked();
private:

    virtual void update(Subject* iChangedSubject, std::string iNotification);

    Ui::ViewClass ui;

    Controller*  mController;
    Model*        mModel;
};

#endif // VIEW_H

View.cpp

#include "View.h"
#include "Model.h"
#include "Controller.h"
#include <QSignalMapper>

VWorld::VWorld(QWidget *parent, Qt::WFlags flags)
: QMainWindow(parent, flags)
{
    ui.setupUi(this);

    connect(ui.mConvertToHexButton,SIGNAL(clicked(bool)),this,SLOT(ConvertToHexButtonClicked()));
    connect(ui.mConvertToDecButton,SIGNAL(clicked(bool)),this,SLOT(ConvertToDecButtonClicked()));
    connect(ui.mClearButton,SIGNAL(clicked(bool)),this,SLOT(ClearButtonClicked()));
}

View::~View(){}

void View::setController(Controller* iController)
{
    mController = iController;

    //connect(ui.mConvertToHexButton,SIGNAL(clicked(bool)),this,SLOT(mController->OnConvertToHexButtonClicked(this)));
    //connect(ui.mConvertToDecButton,SIGNAL(clicked(bool)),this,SLOT(mController->OnConvertToDecButtonClicked(this)));
    //connect(ui.mClearButton,SIGNAL(clicked(bool)),this,SLOT(mController->OnClearButtonClicked(this)));
}

void View::setModel(Model* iModel)
{
    mModel = iModel;

    mModel->attach(this);
}

QString View::getDecValue()
{
    return ui.mDecLineEdit->text();
}

QString View::getHexValue()
{
    return ui.mHexLineEdit->text();
}

void View::ConvertToHexButtonClicked()
{
    mController->OnConvertToHexButtonClicked(this);
}

void View::ConvertToDecButtonClicked()
{
    mController->OnConvertToDecButtonClicked(this);
}

void VWorld::ClearButtonClicked() 
{
    mController->OnClearButtonClicked(this);
}

void View::update(Subject* iChangedSubject, std::string     iNotification)
{
    if(iNotification.compare("DecValue") == 0)
    {
        ui.mDecLineEdit->setText(mModel->getDecValue());
    }
    else if(iNotification.compare("HexValue") == 0)
    {
        ui.mHexLineEdit->setText(mModel->getHexValue());
    }
    else if(iNotification.compare("AllValues") == 0)
    {
        ui.mDecLineEdit->setText(mModel->getDecValue());
        ui.mHexLineEdit->setText(mModel->getHexValue());
    }
    else
    {
        //Unknown notification;
    }
}

Controller.h

#ifndef CONTROLLER_H
#define CONTROLLER_H

//Forward Declaration
class Model;
class View;

class Controller 
{
public:
    Controller(Model* iModel);
    virtual ~Controller();
    void OnConvertToDecButtonClicked(View* iView);
    void OnConvertToHexButtonClicked(View* iView);
    void OnClearButtonClicked(View* iView);
private:
    Model* mModel;
};
#endif // CONTROLLER_H

Controller.cpp

#include "Controller.h"
#include "Model.h"
#include "View.h"

Controller::Controller(Model* iModel):mModel(iModel){}

Controller::~Controller(){}

void Controller::OnConvertToDecButtonClicked(View* iView) 
{
  QString wHexValue = iView->getHexValue();

  mModel->convertHexToDec(wHexValue);
}

void Controller::OnConvertToHexButtonClicked(View* iView) 
{
  QString wDecValue = iView->getDecValue();

  mModel->convertDecToHex(wDecValue);
}

void Controller::OnClearButtonClicked(View* iView) 
{
  mModel->clear();
}

main.cpp

#include "View.h"
#include "Model.h"
#include "Controller.h"
#include <QtGui/QApplication>

int main(int argc, char *argv[])
{
    QApplication a(argc, argv);
    Model wModel;
    View wView;
    Controller wCtrl(&wModel);
    wView.setController(&wCtrl);
    wView.setModel(&wModel);
    wView.show();
    return a.exec();
}

I can post the Subject/Observer files later if they become relevant.

Asides from general comments, can someone please answer these questions:

1) Would it be better to connect the buttons signals to the Controller slots directly (like in the portion commented out in View::setController)? The Controller needs to know which View called so it can use the proper information from the View doesn't it? This would mean either:

a) Reimplement a QSignalMapper or

b) Upgrade to Qt5 and VS2012 in order to connect directly with lambdas (C++11);

2) What is optimal way to know what has changed when update is called by the Model ? Is it a switch/looping through all possibilities, a predefined map... ?

3) Also, should I pass the necessary info through the update function, or let View check the required values the of Model once it gets notified ?

In the second case the View needs access the Model data...

4) Should the View need to have a reference to the Model ? since it only acts with on controller? (View::setModel())

If not, how does it register itself as an observer to the Model ?