**Course Title:** Qt 6 Application Development with C++ **Section Title:** Deploying Qt Applications **Topic:** Packaging Qt applications for distribution (using Qt Installer Framework and CMake) **Overview** In this topic, we will cover the essential steps and tools required for packaging and distributing Qt applications. We'll focus on the Qt Installer Framework and CMake, two powerful tools that simplify the process of creating and deploying Qt applications across various platforms. **Understanding the Qt Installer Framework** The Qt Installer Framework (IFW) is a set of tools and libraries that enable you to create and deploy Qt applications. It provides a convenient and platform-agnostic way to manage installer packages, updates, and maintenance. The IFW consists of the following components: * **Installer Creator**: A tool for creating and configuring installer packages. * **Installer Base**: A core library that handles the installation process. * **Installer Framework**: A collection of plugins and libraries for customizing the installer. **Setting Up the Qt Installer Framework** Before we begin, make sure you have Qt 6.5 or later installed. You can download the Qt Online Installer from the official Qt website: <https://www.qt.io/download-qt-installer> 1. Install the Qt Installer Framework module using the Qt Online Installer or by running the following command in your terminal: ```bash sudo apt-get install qt5-ifw-3.0 ``` **Creating an Installer Package** To create an installer package using IFW, follow these steps: 1. Open the Qt Creator IDE and create a new Qt project. 2. Set up your project structure, including the `CMakeLists.txt` file. 3. Configure CMake to generate the necessary files for the IFW. **Using CMake with the Qt Installer Framework** To use CMake with the Qt Installer Framework, you'll need to include the `QtIFW` module in your `CMakeLists.txt` file. Here's a basic example: ```cmake cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.10) project(MyProject) set(QtIFW_REQUIRED_VERSION "3.0") find_package(QtIFW 3.0 REQUIRED) include(QtIFWInstaller) ``` **Adding Components to the Installer** Components are the actual files and dependencies that make up your application. You'll need to add these to the installer package. Create a new file called `config.xml` in the same directory as your project, and add the following content: ```xml <!-- Components section --> <component type="group"> <script>installscript.qs</script> <includeFile installPath="path/to/your/files.pem" content="your/files.pem">.files.pem</includeFile> <exec postinstallscript="script2.qs"/> </component> <!-- Grouping components --> <group type="group"> <component name="mycomponent" install="true" uninstall="true"> <includeFile installPath="%targetDir%/MyComponent">path/to/your/MyComponent.dll</includeFile> </component> </group> ``` **Building and Bundling the Installer** Once you've created your installer package and added the necessary components, you can build and bundle the installer using the `Repository Builder` tool. Open a terminal, navigate to the repository builder's working directory (`qt-installer-framework/` folder), and run the following command: ```bash make build_image cp packages/"main-package-qt"*.[mM][eE][tT][aA] . ``` **Example Bundle to Create a .exe Installer for Windows** Here is a basic command that bundles your config.xml project into a Windows (exe) installer package. ```bash ..\..\bin\binarycreator -c config.xml -p packages -e packages main-package.7z main-package.exe ``` After the process is done, you'll see a new `.exe` package of your application installer. Have some fun and test running it! **Conclusion and Key Takeaways** In this topic, we covered the basics of packaging and distributing Qt applications using the Qt Installer Framework and CMake. We walked through the steps to create an installer package, add components to the installer, build and bundle the installer, and finally, create an executable package of your application installer. By following this guide, you should be able to create and deploy your own Qt applications using the Qt Installer Framework and CMake. Key takeaways from this topic include: * **Understand the Qt Installer Framework**: Familiarize yourself with the Qt Installer Framework's components and their functions. * **Set up the Qt Installer Framework**: Install and configure the Qt Installer Framework on your system. * **Use CMake with the Qt Installer Framework**: Understand how to use CMake to generate the necessary files for the Qt Installer Framework. * **Add components to the installer**: Add your application's files and dependencies to the installer package. * **Build and bundle the installer**: Use the `Repository Builder` tool to build and bundle the installer. If you didn't follow this tutorial in peace due to my verbose expression, please leave a comment. Another topic is coming where we will explore [Cross-platform considerations (Windows, macOS, Linux).](link coming soon)