Generate Visual Studio Project File to build a library with qmake syntax and where to find the project file? - visual-studio

I have an old script to create Visual Studio Project Files to build libraries. The syntax is
cd Kernel
cd core
qmake -t vclib
cd ccMigration
qmake -t vclib
cd ..
and so on for all of the different directories.
I understand why we use qmake and vclib, but what I am not sure is what is the use of -t in this line:
qmake -t vclib
Looking at this : http://doc.qt.io/archives/qt-5.5/qmake-platform-notes.html it says:
Creating Visual Studio Project Files This section describes how to
import an existing qmake project into Visual Studio. qmake is able to
take a project file and create a Visual Studio project that contains
all the necessary information required by the development environment.
This is achieved by setting the qmake project template to either vcapp
(for application projects) or vclib (for library projects).
This can also be set using a command line option, for example:
qmake -tp vc
Why do they use -tp and is the old script syntax correct by using -t?
After I run the script it takes about 1/2 seconds and where can I find the project files for Visual Studio?
Finally, When I open the project files how can I build a library using Visual Studio? Can someone point me to a place where I can read some material?
Thank you for all the help!
Edit: I ran the script and it created .vcproj files in the directories that qmake was run. Example: In folder Kernel -> core it created ccCore.vcproj project file. When I open the file in Visual Studio 2017 it wanted me to perform a One-way upgrade that will automatically make functional changes to the project in order to open it. Is this okay?

Related

Select MSVS build configuration when generating a buildsystem with CMake

I have a multiplatform CMake project, and occasionally I have to build it manually for Windows. I generate a buildsystem like this:
cmake -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release -G"Visual Studio 16 2019" -A x64 ../path/to/source
Then I open *sln file and press F7 to build. It runs for 40 minutes, and after that I understand that I didn't select proper configuration in the combobox. It's annoying! When command line option was -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release, but combobox was set to Debug, build fails after spending a decent time.
Is it possible to generate an MSVS project with build configuration selected from command line?
Note that I'm aware of msbuild command and it's -p:Configuration=xxxxx flag. The question is about cases when for some reason you need to build from Visual Studio's GUI.
Changing the selected configuration for the GUI is not possible with CMake at this moment.
The main reason for this is that this information is stored in the .suo file generated by Visual Studio. CMake itself only generates the project and solution files, while the .suo file will be generated by Visual Studio itself.
Alternatively, use CMake's command line build option for this. After configuring your project and generating the VS .sln file from CMake as usual, simply run:
cmake --build <path_to_build_directory> --config Release
This works independently of the selected generator and is the most reliable way of building CMake projects.

Visual Studio 2017 - How to create a project from the source using CMake?

I have a pretty large software library using CMake to be compiled. We use Linux mostly, but now a new colleague wants to use Visual Studio.
Is there any way to create a new VS 2017 project from the existing source codes with CMake structure?
I know, it's possible to do it with CLion, but I have no idea about VS, as I have a very little experience with it.
Other questions seem to focus on creating an empty project, which will use CMake, but not on creating a project from already existing source files.
Creating a cmake project with visual studio
Creating a project with visual studio 2017
I'm not sure why you asked for details but...
Assuming you are using cmake 3.13 then you can do the following in a command shell:
cmake -G "Visual Studio 15 2017" -S path_to_source -B path_to_build
This will then create a solution file. Actually it creates a solution file for every project() command that is issued in CMakeLists.txt.
You can then open the solution file in Visual Studio, and build the project as usual.
You don't even need to do this in the Visual Studio GUI. After creating the initial project you can also issue the command:
cmake --build path_to_build
Which will kick off the build at the command line.
Now if your CMakeLists.txt in path_to_source is using Linux specific libraries or gcc specific compiler settings then the CMakeLists.txt will have to get updated to the Windows equivalent.
The alternative is to start Visual Studio and then use File->Open->CMake and open the CMakeLists.txt file in path_to_source. It'll then start to generate the project. But I prefer using the command line method.

How to debug cmake target after install

I have a cross-platform project which uses cmake in order to generate Visual Studio solution files. The project has external dependencies (.dlls, resources etc) and the only place where the executable can be run is the installation directory. In that directory I have access all the resources, plugins, translations etc. I can install the project both in debug or release in that directory.
How can I debug a project in the installed location?
There are two problems with this case:
Sometimes I may debug the main application (Main.exe) (a target in cmake project)
Sometimes I may debug some plugins that Main.exe loads when started (I have a different cmake project for the plugins)
Is there a clean way of doing this in Visual C++ without actually create some custom project that is configured to start each time the Main.exe from the installed location? ("C:\Program Files\MainProject\Main.exe" )
Thank you,
Iulian
I managed to do it by 'configuring' with cmake a .user file for the specified project.
The only thing that the user needs to do is to use a template like in this bitbucket project.
In the project you can find a template file.
The cmake script command needed is:
CONFIGURE_FILE(
"${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/scripts/windows/VS201x_Template.vcxproj.user.in"
"${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/INSTALL.vcxproj.user"
)
If you need a custom .user file you can always do it manually by saving the generated Visual Studio and creating a template from it similarly to the above example.

qmake TEMPLATE = subdirs visual studio project generation

in my project I'm using in my "main" .pro file TEMPLATE = subdirs that includes other sub-projects(2 additional libraries + target executable). As an outcome I would like to have an application that is linked against those 2 libraries. Based on my pro files structure I would like to generate visual studio 2008 or 2010 project file as some people prefer visual studio than Qt Creator as their IDE. What I have tried was:
qmake -t vcapp -spec win32-msvc2008 main.pro
but it gives some kind of an empty visual project file. If I repeat the same step for all my subdir project everything is fine. Only creating "the main one" that should have sub-projects in dependencies is not working correctly. I'm using qmake that comes with qt 4.7.3 release on Windows.
Use this:
qmake main.pro -tp vc -r

Compiling a simple Qt "Hello World!" application within Visual Studio 2010 Express?

I'm trying to build a basic Qt "Hello, world!" application inside Visual Studio.
I got the moc step to work (I think), but now I am at a loss as to how to fix this linker error:
1>moc_mainwindow.obj : error LNK2001: unresolved external symbol "public:
static struct QMetaObject const QMainWindow::staticMetaObject"
(?staticMetaObject#QMainWindow##2UQMetaObject##B)
I've done a lot of searching but I am at a loss.
Here are my include directories:
i:\Qt\4.6.3\include\QtCore;
i:\Qt\4.6.3\include\QtGui;
i:\Qt\4.6.3\include;
i:\Qt\4.6.3\include\ActiveQt;
reease;
.;
i:\Qt\4.6.3\mkspecs\win32-msvc2008
Here are the libraries I am linking against:
i:\Qt\4.6.3\lib\QtGui4.lib;
i:\Qt\4.6.3\lib\QtCore4.lib;
gdi32.lib;
comdlg32.lib;
oleaut32.lib;
imm32.lib;
winmm.lib;
winspool.lib;
ws2_32.lib;
ole32.lib;
user32.lib;
advapi32.lib;
libpng.lib;
msimg32.lib;
shell32.lib;
kernel32.lib;
uuid.lib;
Does anyone have any ideas?
qmake will generate the moc voodoo from the header file in .pro file. As you aren't using qmake, by the sound of it, but a native visual studio project, this is probably the cause of the problem.
If you use qmake to generate your visual studio project all your problems will go away and life will be sweet. Probably!
I am using the open 2010.05; obviously you want to substitute the correct path for your version.
set up the environment
start 2010 command environment from the start menu
-set include=%include%;C:\Qt\2010.05\qt\include
-set lib=%lib%;C:\Qt\2010.05\qt\lib
-set path=%path%;C:\Qt\2010.05\qt\bin
-set QMAKESPEC=win32-msvc2010
write code, create files etc
generate the initial pro and makefile and fire up VS
-qmake -tp vc
-qmake
you should now have a makefile - check that it works by running:
-nmake
now launch visual studio
-VCExpress.exe /useenv
-XXX.vcxproj can now be opened
If this doesn't work you may need to build qt at against visual studio. This is very straightforward - go to the qt directory (from within the visual studio express command window) and type:
configure.exe -platform win32-msvc2010 -no-webkit -no-phonon -no-phonon-backend -no-script -no-scripttools -no-multimedia -no-qt3support -fast
You cannot install the Qt VS plugin on the Express edition of VC++. Assuming you got the moc to compile, you also need to make sure you're including the appropriate libraries (*.lib files) at link time. This goes under Project properties > Linker > Input > Additional Dependencies.
You will need qtcore4.lib at a minimum.
Also make sure the Qt library path is in your library search path. On my computer it's c:\qt\4.6.2\lib.
I was able to get QT to work with Visual C++ Express 2010 using http://rajorshi.net/blog/2009/01/using-qt-with-msvc-express-2008/ and http://portfolio.delinkx.com/files/Qt.pdf as guides. Just in case anyone still is having problems.
Have you create the visual studio project using qmake first? The problem seems to be the moc compilation. Do you have qt plug-in installed and the qt path in enviromental variables? Can you add you hello world code so I can have a look at it?
You need to add commands to generate QT metaclasses, then also include the generated files in your project as c++ code.
Generating the QT metaclasses:
First, add your QT bin path into the Executable Directory. (This is in Configuration Properties > VC++ Directories)
Add your Header files that contain Q_OBJECT macros to the project.
Multi-select your header files, then right click on a header file, click Properties.
Change "Item Type" from "C/C++ Header" to "Custom Build Tool".
Set Command line to this: moc.exe "%(FullPath)" > "$(ProjectDir)MetaObjects\moc_%(Filename).cpp"
Set Description to this: QT: Generate $(ProjectDir)MetaObjects\moc_%(Filename).cpp (optional)
Set Outputs to this: $(ProjectDir)MetaObjects\moc_%(Filename).cpp
Run Build just to make it generate the metaobject code
Add the generated C++ files from the Project Directory Metaobjects folder into your project

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