Not sure about how to use the INSTALLS functionality of the project file

alexandros

Are you sure about this?
docfiles.path = $(PWD)/usr/share/doc/

-$(INSTALL_DIR) $(PWD)/data/doc/wallch $(INSTALL_ROOT)/usr/share/doc/

lgeyer

Actually you'll need to add a preceding slash to make it an absolute path, otherwise qmake will append the working directory and as long as you guarantee that INSTALL_ROOT is empty it will expand to the correct path.

alexandros

So has it to be
docfiles.path = /$(PWD)/usr/share/doc/ ?

lgeyer

Yes. Is there a reason you do not want to distribute the .pro file along with your application?

alexandros

What make you believe I DO NOT want to do so?

lgeyer

Because all this stuff isn't needed if you use "qmake's variables":http://doc.qt.nokia.com/latest/qmake-variable-reference.html directly and the user just runs qmake to generate proper makefiles.

I probably misunderstood your inital question which led to the slightly confusing response.

There are two types of variables you can use with qmake

qmake variables, which are processed when qmake is run, like $$PWD
environment variables, which are processed when make is run, like $(PWD)

As qmake creates makefiles with absolute pathes (relative ones are automatically expanded by $PWD) you will have to either re-run qmake if your pathes change or you will have to rely on environment variables (which can be a bit tricky as you can see).

So the most simple answer to your question is: Yes. Everybody will have to run qmake.
At least there is no option to qmake I know of which prohibits the generation of absolute pathes.

When talking about INSTALLS one should further mention that if you want to install files which are generated during build (for example generated help files or such) you will have to prepend your relative pathes with $$OUT_PWD to support out of source builds.

alexandros

Ok, thanks for this.
Something else, because it is similar and I don't want to start another thread...
In my project file I have:
@DEFINES +="PREFIX="/usr/local""@
How do I use this definition in my program?
For example:
@ cout << PREFIX;@
gives error:
@ /usr/local was not declared in this scope@
and when I use:
@ cout << "PREFIX";@
of course it outputs
@ PREFIX@

I don't know what to do :/

lgeyer

Just add an escaped backslash to DEFINES so the quotation marks correctly pass through
@
DEFINES += "PREFIX=\"/usr/local\""
...
std::cout << PREFIX;
@
or quote the preprocessor macro in your code correctly.
@
DEFINES +="PREFIX="/usr/local""
...
#define QUOTE(string) _QUOTE(string)
#define _QUOTE(string) #string
...
std::cout << QUOTE(PREFIX);
@

alexandros

Thanks Lukas, the former worked OK!
Something else, can I use the definition PREFIX on my INSTALLS rules inside the project file?
For example, can I say
@configfiles.path = $$PREFIX@ (meaning configfiles.path = /usr/local)
and if yes, how?

lgeyer

For sure.
@
PREFIX = /usr/local
DEFINES += "PREFIX=\"$$PREFIX\""
configfiles.path = $$PREFIX
@

alexandros

Good ;)