Windows Based Library System

A comprehensive Windows-based Library Management System built with C++ and Qt Framework, demonstrating advanced object-oriented programming concepts, template usage, and custom library integration.

Project Setup

Prerequisites

• Qt Framework 6.x or 5.x
• CMake 3.16 or higher
• C++ Compiler with C++17 support (MinGW, MSVC, or GCC)
• Qt Creator (recommended IDE)

Project Structure Requirements

This project consists of two separate components that must be set up correctly:

1. Main Application - Library Management System
2. Custom Library - LibraryUtils (separate project)

Setup Instructions

Step 1 Download project

downloaded_project/
├── Windows-Based-Library-Management-System/  (Main project)
└── LibraryUtils/                             (Custom library)

Step 2: Build the Custom Library First

• Open Qt Creator
• File → Open File or Project
• Navigate to LibraryUtils folder
• Open CMakeLists.txt
• Configure with your Qt kit
• Build the library (Ctrl+B)
• Note the build output path

Step 3: Build the Main Application

• In Qt Creator, File → Open File or Project
• Navigate to Windows-Based-Library-Management-System folder
• Open CMakeLists.txt
• Configure with your Qt kit
• Verify library path in CMakeLists.txt matches your LibraryUtils - build location
• Build the main application (Ctrl+B)
• Run the application (Ctrl+R)

Important Notes

• Both projects must be built for the application to work
• Relative paths are used - maintain the folder structure as shown
• Library builds first - the main application depends on LibraryUtils
• Build configurations must match (Debug/Release) between library and main app

Features

Core Functionality

• Add Books and Magazines - Easy input with validation
• Search Functionality - Find items by title with real-time filtering
• Sort Operations - Sort by title or author alphabetically
• Data Persistence - Automatic save/load functionality
• Input Validation - Popup warnings for invalid entries

Technical Features

• Object-Oriented Design - Inheritance hierarchy with LibraryItem base class
• Template Programming - Generic Storage class for type-safe containers
• Custom Qt Library - Separate LibraryUtils library for utility functions
• Professional GUI - Clean interface with Qt Widgets
• File Handling - Persistent data storage between sessions

Usage

Adding Items

1. Enter Title and Author
2. Select Book or Magazine radio button
3. Click Add Item
4. Item appears in the list below

Searching

1. Type search term in the search box
2. Click Search button
3. Results are filtered and displayed

Sorting

• Click Sort by Title for alphabetical title sorting
• Click Sort by Author for author name sorting

Data Persistence

• Data is automatically saved when adding items
• Data is automatically loaded when starting the application
• Stored in library_data.txt in the application directory

Technical Implementation

Object-Oriented Programming

• Inheritance - LibraryItem → Book/Magazine hierarchy
• Polymorphism - Virtual displayInfo() methods
• Encapsulation - Protected member variables with proper access

Template Programming

• Generic Storage class for type-safe containers
• Template functions for adding, removing, and searching
• STL integration with std::vector

Custom Library Usage

• LibraryUtils separate library for utility functions
• Static methods for file operations, searching, and sorting
• Clean separation of concerns between GUI and business logic

Requirements Fulfilled

• Class Design (OOP Concepts)
• Use of Qt Lists and Containers
• Use of Custom Qt Library
• Implementation of Generics (Templates)
• Graphical User Interface using Qt Widgets
• File Handling for Data Persistence