Handling Middle Mouse Button Clicks in QWebEngineView with Python3/Qt6

Learn how to effectively intercept middle mouse button clicks in QWebEngineView when migrating from GTK to Qt6 using PyQt6.
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Handling Middle Mouse Button Clicks in QWebEngineView with Python3/Qt6

As developers, we often come across the challenge of adapting our applications when switching between different frameworks or libraries. If you've been working with GTK and now find yourself migrating to Qt6, you might run into some hurdles—especially when it comes to user input handling. A common issue that many face is intercepting mouse button events, particularly the middle mouse button click, within a QWebEngineView.

The Problem

In your original GTK application, you were able to control link navigation based on which mouse button was clicked. The left mouse button navigated within the same window, while the middle mouse button opened links in a new window. However, when transitioning to PyQt6 and QWebEngineView, you discover that the acceptNavigationRequest() function does not get triggered for middle mouse button clicks, making it impossible to replicate the desired behavior.

Understanding the Solution

To solve this issue, you need to create a mechanism that allows the program to recognize when the middle mouse button is clicked while interacting with links in QWebEngineView. This involves utilizing an event filter to capture mouse events and modify the behavior of QWebEnginePage.

Step-by-Step Breakdown

Here’s how you can implement the solution in your code:

Global Variable: Start by defining a global variable to store the mouse button state.

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Custom Classes: Create custom classes that inherit from QWebEngineView, QObject, and QWebEnginePage.

MyWebEngineView:
This class is a direct subclass of QWebEngineView, which allows you to leverage all of its functionality.

MyEventFilter:
This class is used for filtering events. Here you will track mouse button clicks.

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

MyWebEnginePage:
In this class, override the acceptNavigationRequest method to implement custom navigation logic based on the mouse button clicked.

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Window Creation Method: Override the createWindow method to open new windows as specified.

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Main Application Logic: Finally, integrate everything into your main application logic, installing the event filter to your application instance.

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Conclusion

By defining a global variable to track the mouse button state, implementing an event filter, and overriding the necessary methods within your web engine page, you can seamlessly handle middle mouse button clicks just like in your previous GTK application. This approach not only enhances user experience but also enables you to customize navigation behavior effectively.

As you continue to enhance and expand your application, keep experimenting with the capabilities of Qt6 and PyQt6 to make the most of your development efforts!