Hacking:Tools:QtCreator:Windows10

About this page

This page contains steps to:

• Install Qt 5.8 on 64-bit 4-processor desktop with Windows 10. Note that Qt 5.8 contains Qt Creator 4.2.0.
• Confirm Qt installation of MinGW
• Configure Seamly2D project with compiler build options for Release and Debug

Qt Framework and Qt Creator are built to work with 32-bit MinGW (Minimalist GNU C/C++ compiler for Windows).

Note: There are projects which have built Qt using the 64-bit MinGW compiler, but these don't seem to be kept up to date. And they may produce unexpected results for Seamly2D.

Install Qt 5.8

Create a Qt account at https://account.qt.io/, then login.

Go to https://www.qt.io/download-open-source/ and click on the Download button. The correct file to download for your operating system will be downloaded, in this case the file qt-unified-windows-x86-2.0.4-online was downloaded..

Open your Downloads folder, right click on the file, and select Run as administrator. Follow the install instructions.

During installation you may accept the defaults for components to install, or you may select what you need but do not change any options for MinGW. . In this case I deselected all Qt versions except 5.8. Under the Tools section QtCreator is unselectable -- it will always be installed.

Installation components

Confirm C++ compiler

Open Qt Creator and select Tools from the top bar menu. Select Options from the picklist. Select Build & Run from the left side menu.

Select the Compilers tab.

Confirm compiler was detected

The Auto-detected section should list the C++ compiler as MinGW 5.8.0 32bit2. Note the directory for the C++ compiler.

Confirm qmake

Select the Qt Version tab.

The Auto-detected section should list Qt 5.8.0 MinGW 32bit. Note the directory for qmake.

Confirm qmake was detected

Confirm compiler kit

Select the Kits tab.
The Auto-detected kit should be Desktop Qt 5.8 MinGW 32bit (default). Note the directory for the compiler kit.

Confirm compiler kit was detected

Configure the Seamly2D project

Select the General tab.

In the Directory field, select the directory containing your local clone of Seamly2D, or if you have multiple Qt projects select the parent directory of your projects.
Check the Open Compile Output pane when building option, leave all other options at default settings.
Click Apply and OK to close the Tools/Options window.

Select Seamly2D directory, check Open Compile Output pane when building

Click the green Welcome icon in the left side menu.

Select Welcome icon

The Projects Window will appear, click the Open Project button, browse to your local clone of Seamly2D and select the Seamly2D file.
The Configure Project window opens, click the Configure Project button.
Click on the Projects wrench icon in the left side menu, then select the Build hammer icon to open the Build Settings options.

Select Projects, Build

Next to Edit Build Configuration, select Debug from the picklist.

Select Debug from picklist

Click on the Details button for the Make section under Build Steps.
Enter -j2 in the Make Arguments field to enable use of 2 processors (change this to match your system - don't use all your processors!).

Debug Build settings

Go back to Edit Build Configuration, select Release, and enter -j2 in Make Arguments field of Make/Details section.

Select Release from picklist

Select the Run green triangle icon to open the Run Settings options.

Select Run green triangle icon

Next to Run Configuration select Seamly2D from the picklist.

Select Seamly2D from picklist

Save configuration and build Seamly2D

Select File from the main top bar menu and select Save All.

From the Build menu, select Run qmake followed by Build Seamly2D.
Subsequent builds require Clean Project Seamly2D, Run qmake, Rebuild Project Seamly2D.

Build menu

Now smile and relax, you're done!