I have some source code that was built with qmake. Compiling it is supposed to be done with qmake qmakefile.pro.
I'd like to compile it without using qmake. Is that even possible? What would the steps be?
Edit: Here's the .pro file.
Yes, you can compile files without qmake.
You need to get any specific compiler settings from qmake and convert them to the other compiler as necessary.
Or you can convert the contents of the qmake.pro file into a makefile or your IDE's project settings.
If the qmake.pro is not a human readable text file, you will have to launch qmake and retrieve the settings. Otherwise search for a conversion tool.
While it is technically possible to translate the .pro file into something else, I would not advise it.
Why?
QMake does a lot of work behind the scenes.
In the case of the .pro file you referenced (http://pastebin.com/viv204Fv), QMake is invoking meta-tools (uic, moc) to create the code for the UI and adding build rules to compile it. You will need to manually code those in your build script.
-. QMake also solves issues of choosing the right compiler and linker options (including the right include files). You will need to determine them yourself and add them to your build script.
The project is already using Qt, so why not use Qt's build script generating tool, QMake? If you have installed a Qt development environment, you should already have qmake installed.
Related
I'm building some custom Qt components as a static library, but I can't get past the compilation phase.
My project is structured as follows:
Root:
- .h and . cpp files of the custom Qt components
- GeneratedFiles/Debug/ <-- here the MOC compiler puts the generated moc_*.cpp files ("Debug" is automatically deducted from the build configuration, so it's Release for release builds)
That's a pretty standard folder setup, but for whatever reason the compiler can't find only the moc files. Anything that is in the root folder builds just fine, but the moc files are not found. Please note, the moc_ files are generated just fine and exist where they're supposed to be, with the correct content. The problem seems to be in the evaluation of the path GeneratedFiles\Debug\moc_whatever.cpp.
Interestingly enough, if I move a moc file (say, moc_example.cpp) in the root folder and manually adapt the call to CL.exe to compile moc_example.cpp instead of GeneratedFiles\Debug\moc_example.cpp, the file gets built.
I'm using VS 2017 version 15.7.1, CL is version 19.00.24215.1 for x64 and I'll update the question with any other detail might be useful, just add ask in a comment.
So... Why is the compiler telling me those files do not exist?
I finally solved this rebuilding the directory structure in a new directory. Apparently, using WSL's git to check out repositories under Windows breaks something in the filesystem in a way that is invisible from Explorer or Ubuntu's command line, but that breaks the compiler (and Visual Studio's intellisense).
Checking out the repository with Git for Windows seems to avoid causing the same problem.
I would like to compile staticly my Qt 5 application. I used this link :
Qt static linking and deployment
The problem is that I don't know where is the "configure" file or how to generate it ?
ps: the old option to add "CONFIG = static" in the .pro file doesn't work with Qt5
You have to first compile the whole Qt library statically. Then, use that configuration in your projects. Then, your application will be statically compiled.
Qt (when using qmake) takes the compilation configuration from its qmakespec, which is defined during compilation of the Qt library. This includes all the parameters that are used by default.
Keep in mind that this has a learning curve. You have to try and fail a few times. It'll cost you some time to get this right. That link I provided should make this effort easier.
The problem is that I don't know where is the "configure" file or how to generate it ?
QMake make use of several type of files:
.pro
.pri
.prf
The most common is the .pro used for pro-jects. You can find/create it at the root of your project directory.
Creating a QtCreator project will automatically generate one. Be aware that there is also the qbs alternative.
the old option to add "CONFIG = static" in the .pro file doesn't work with Qt5
CONFIG *= static still works, are you sure about any other issue somewhere else?
CONFIG = static will override any previous value, using the * will append the new value without deleting previous configurations. I suggest you to use 'message( $$CONFIG)' to ensure the content is correct.
I have a Qt project with QML files. Whenever I change these files, I have to manually right click the .qrc (resources) file and recompile it.
How do I tell visual studio to always compile a certain file, not only when it thinks it has changed?
(Here are similar questions others have asked for eclipse and flashdevelop)
I encountered the same problem while building qt apps using Qt Creator.(Especially while using QML files as resources.) I solved the problem using a little hack.
Created a batch file say touch.bat in my source directory.
This batch file contains a single line copy qml.qrc /B+ ,,/Y where qml.qrc is the resource file name.
Opened my project in QtCreator and went to Project->Build Steps->Add Build Step->Custom process step and entered touch.bat
Whenever the project build starts, the qml.qrc is touched. The build system thinks that qml.qrc is modified and builds it.
You can modify this hack for Visual Studio also.(I have not tried). Try adding touch.bat as a build step in Visual studio. The idea is to fool the build system to think that your .qrc is modified.
I guess this is a known bug which remains unresolved. Check this bug report.
Thanks.
I recently started using Qt library and I've got a question.
Is this possible to use Qt with Visual Studio without special add-in?
I want to just design the UI using qt designer and do the rest in VS Express.
How do I do that?
Thanks.
Yes you can, if you would prefer not to use the QtVSAddin it is very easy to use Qt with VS Express without the VS add-in and without having to do any of the uic or moc steps manually. Let QMake (installed with Qt but not part of the QtVSAddin) create your VS project file and do all your project setup in a qmake project file. Whenever you make a change like adding/removing a form or source, modify the qmake project file and regenerate the VS project. Don't modify the VS project file at all, treat it only as a temporary item. QMake will add the rules automatically to the VS project file to rerun uic and moc, you don't need to do anything if you're just modifying source code or forms.
For configuration management purposes I find this a much cleaner approach to use this workflow as you treat the VS project file as only a temporary item (they tend to diff badly and are a pain to maintain in version control).
A couple snippets to help you out:
In your qmake project file ensure you add the following line into it so that VS project files are generated when running on Windows (qmake defaults to generating a makefile).
your_qmake_proj.pro
win32: TEMPLATE = vcapp
Additionally, it's convenient to have a batch file to rerun qmake so you don't have to bring up a command prompt and set environment up (or change directory to your project in a command prompt that already has the environment setup). If you haven't set the various Qt environment variables with Windows (or prefer not to) make sure to add them to your batch file.
makevcproj.bat
set QTDIR=C:\Qt\x.y.z
set PATH=%PATH%;%QTDIR%\bin
set QMAKESPEC=win32-msvcXXXX
qmake your_qmake_proj.pro
pause
CMake is also an answer and it does work with express versions of Visual Studio. I mean if you use the Qt support in CMake you can develop Qt projects in Visual Studio (like I have done for years) without the Qt Addon. I install the addon just for the debug expansion that comes in the same package.
It is certainly possible, but without the add-in you will need to UI and MOC the needed files either before you compile the rest within VS, or through pre-compile scripting.
Specifically:
uic generates the headers from .ui files.
and
moc generates the additional implementation files for classes that has Qt macros in it.
The add-in helps you call these smoothly on the required files before compiling the rest.
It's is possible if you create the UI in QtCreator and manually setup VS in a way that generate the UI and MOC files.
But it's too much work and you can use QtCreator which is an amazing light IDE.
So I have started a new Qt console project;
everything so far has been working fine. I have eclipse set up with the integration, but i'm not actually using it, i have just included the relevant Qt directories so that my #include <QtGui> calls work.
These have all worked perfectly so far.
i can compile it either using eclipse's build option, or by doing
qmake -project
qmake
make
from the command line. Both work.
the include statements i have; are:
#include <QtGui>
#include <QApplication>
In two different files.
If i add anotherone though, i.e. #include <QSqlDatabase> then eclipse recognises the include, and lets me initialise new variables, and use the QSqlDatabase classes. Everything seems fine - see here - eclipse screenshot
When i build the project though, it decides it can't see the files even though they are all there, see them here in the terminal too. And then eclipse puts red lines everywhere.
If i go into the directory, and attempt to do it all via the terminal, using the qmake -project; qmake; make then i get the same errors.
If however, I go into the .pro file created by qmake -project, and add the line QT += sql, and then do qmake; make, then all is fine and it works.
Why is qmake -project leaving out these files from the project file? I'd really rather not have to go in and manually add that line every time I build it...
Why is qmake -project leaving out these files from the project file?
As far as I know, qmake isn't supposed to replace human programmer. If you want to know WHY it doesn't detect SQL dependency, you can read qmake source code.
I'd really rather not have to go in and manually add that line every time I build it...
It sounds like you're trying to do something weird here. You don't need to call qmake -project before every build.
qmake -project generates initial project - *pro file. Once initial project has been generated, you can tweak it, and add options or some macro magic if you want. Then, using *.pro file, you generate script for your build system (vcproj for windows, makefiles for windows/*nix, nmake make files, etc).
Workflow goes like this:
qmake -project.
Repeat forever:
2.1. modify generated *.pro file to your liking.
2.2 qmake
2.3 Build using your build system. (nmake, make, visual studio, etc.)
To simply "build" all you have to do is #2.3. You call qmake (without -project) switch only if you modified *.pro file.
See qt documentation and tutorials for more info.