**Course Title:** Qt 6 Application Development with C++ **Section Title:** Deploying Qt Applications **Topic:** Packaging a Qt application for deployment and creating an installer.(Lab topic) **Introduction** Congratulations on completing the development of your Qt application. Now it's time to package and deploy it for users. In this lab, we'll explore the process of packaging a Qt application for deployment and creating an installer. We'll use CMake and the Qt Installer Framework to create a cross-platform installer for our application. **Prerequisites** Before we begin, ensure that you have the following: * A working Qt 6 application * CMake 3.10 or later installed * Qt 6 and Qt Installer Framework **Packaging a Qt Application** To package a Qt application, we need to create a build configuration that includes our application's dependencies. This involves setting up CMake to generate a package that can be installed on various platforms. **Step 1: Create a CMake Configuration** Create a new file called `CMakeLists.txt` in the root directory of your project. This file will define the build configuration for your package. Add the following code: ```cmake cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.10) project(MyApplication) # Enable the Qt framework find_package(Qt6 REQUIRED) # Define the application add_executable(${PROJECT_NAME} main.cpp) # Define the package set(CPACK_PACKAGE_NAME "MyApplication") set(CPACK_PACKAGE_VERSION "1.0.0") set(CPACK_PACKAGE_DESCRIPTION "My Qt Application") set(CPACK_GENERATOR "TGZ;STGZ;BUNDLE" ) # Include Qt dependencies target_include_directories(${PROJECT_NAME} PUBLIC Qt6 :: Core Qt6 :: Widgets Qt6 :: Gui ) # Include Qt libraries target_link_libraries(${PROJECT_NAME} Qt6::Core Qt6::Widgets Qt6::Gui ) # Enable CPack include(CPack) ``` This configuration defines a package called `MyApplication` with version `1.0.0`. We've also included the necessary Qt dependencies and libraries. **Step 2: Build and Package the Application** Run the following command to build and package the application: ```bash cmake -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release . cmake --build . cpack . ``` This will generate a package file named `MyApplication-1.0.0.tgz`. **Creating an Installer with Qt Installer Framework** Qt Installer Framework is a powerful tool for creating cross-platform installers. To use it, we need to create a configuration file and then build the installer. **Step 1: Create a Configuration File** Create a new file called `installer.xml` in the root directory of your project. This file defines the installer configuration. Add the following code: ```xml <Installer> <Title>My Qt Application</Title> <Version>1.0.0</Version> <Component mode="Full"> <Directory> <Name>MyApplication</Name> <Path> @AppDir@ </Path> </Directory> </Component> <Dependencies> <Dependency> <Name>MyApplication</Name> <Version>1.0.0</Version> <Package name="MyApplication" packageVersion="1.0.0"> <Binary> "@OUTPDir@/@Name@.@Version@" </Binary> </Package> </Dependency> </Dependencies> </Installer> ``` This configuration defines a simple installer for our application. **Step 2: Build the Installer** Run the following command to build the installer: ```bash qt-installer --install-config installer.xml ``` This will generate an installer file named `MyApplication-1.0.0 installer.exe`. **Conclusion** In this lab, we've explored the process of packaging a Qt application for deployment and creating an installer using CMake and Qt Installer Framework. These tools enable you to create cross-platform installers that simplify the deployment process for your users. **Additional Resources** * [Qt Installer Framework Documentation](https://doc.qt.io/qtinstallerframework/) * [CMake Documentation](https://cmake.org/cmake/help/latest/man/cmake.1.html) **Homework** Create a new project that generates an installer for your application. Experiment with different configuration options and test the installer on multiple platforms. **Leave a comment/Ask for help** Please leave a comment below with your questions or feedback on this lab topic. We're here to help. We'll be happy to answer any questions you may have. No other discussion boards than this forum. Next topic: Exploring platform-specific features in Qt (system tray, notifications). > Note: Before you start exploring the next topic make sure you have tested the above and ask for help if necessary.