code: def loadSettings(self, groupName=None):
          
          groupName = groupName if groupName else self.settingsGroupName
          settings = QtCore.QSettings()
          logger.info("Reading {!r} from: {}".format(groupName, settings.fileName()))
  
          settings.beginGroup(groupName)
          self.clear()
          try:
              for key in settings.childKeys():
                  if key.startswith('item'):
                      dct = ast.literal_eval(settings.value(key))
                      regItem = self._itemClass.createFromDict(dct)
                      self.registerItem(regItem)
          finally:
              settings.endGroup()
docs: Reads the registry items from the persistent settings store.