Solved: installing 4.8.4 libraries on MacOS

mzimmers

I really should know how to do this by now, but...I just ran the (binary) installer. Seemed to work fine, but...where did the files go? All the installer told me was what drive. Creator can't find them. Help?

Thanks.

EDIT:

Cliff Notes for those encountering similar problems: this is probably more accurately considered a problem with accessing, rather than installing, the Qt libraries. The problem evidently exists because the Mac OS architecture forces the Qt installation to be scattered all over the directory structure, including into directories that are invisible to Qt (and the typical user). Creating a soft link to the /usr directory seems to have solved this.

sierdzio

They are basically scattered all over the OS.

Some files are in /Library/Frameworks, some in /Developer, some in /usr/bin. This is one of the reasons why I prefer prefixed builds from source. Takes more time, but gives greater control.

mzimmers

Sigh. OK, well, let me ask this, then...now that I've used the binary installation, can I still find the MinGW library through Creator?

Or, am I better off to bite the bullet and go the source route?

sierdzio

I think qmake is in /usr/bin, but cannot check now. You can search for qmake in Finder, and then feed that path to Qt Creator in Tools>Options>Build & Run>Qt Versions.

And it's not minGW, Mac uses g++ and/ or clang.

mzimmers

I just did a search from terminal, on the entire drive, and found only the qmake file for 4.8.1. And...not a single file name containing "4.8.4" on the entire disk...they must have changed naming conventions for this version.

I don't suppose that 5.0 has simplified the installation process? I'm tempted to just tear out all of this and start over.

sierdzio

Apple is not making it all easier either :) Recent releases of Xcode and changes in file structure have messed up a lot. I do not know about Qt5 on Mac, I have tested it on Linux and Windows only. You can give Qt5 RC a try. It includes a full SDK, so maybe it would be more straightforward.

What output do you get when you run:
@
which qmake
@

from terminal? Also, run
@
qmake -v
@

Maybe that would help.

mzimmers

Oho...this is interesting:

@unknownd49a20f3c0dc:64_GB_SSD mzimmers$ which qmake
/usr/bin/qmake
unknownd49a20f3c0dc:64_GB_SSD mzimmers$ qmake -v
QMake version 2.01a
Using Qt version 4.8.4 in /Library/Frameworks
unknownd49a20f3c0dc:64_GB_SSD mzimmers$
@

Yet a search in /Library/Frameworks reveals no qmake file.

sierdzio

So the /usr/bin/qmake is the binary for 4.8.4, but the libraries (dylibs/ frameworks) reside in /Library/Frameworks. That's the standard Mac mess ;) If Qt Creator still does not see qmake, add the one from /usr/bin and see what happens.

mzimmers

Well, that presents a problem of its own: Creator won't let me into the /usr directory (probably because it's invisible). I created an alias, but the Qt Versions ->Add... dialog evidently won't accept an alias.

sierdzio

:( Symlink will work perhaps?

This is bad. I'm sure there was another qmake somewhere else, but as said - can't check now, I've only got a Mac machine at work (luckily ;) ). Or we are back at compiling from source.

mzimmers

Using the link did seem to work. I modified my default kit to run with the 4.8.4 libraries and didn't get any complaints.

Thanks for the help. I do look forward for the day when the Mac OS architecture doesn't require the Qt installer to be so cumbersome.

sierdzio

Good to hear that. Per aspera ad astra, as they say :)

hmariod

Same problem, but I don't realize how do you solve.
Could you explain for me?
Thank you.

SGaist

Hi and welcome to devnet,

If you need to get qmake from /usr/bin:

Do as before (click on choose)
Go to Macintosh HD
Presss CMD + SHIFT + .

That will temporarily show hidden folders. Then you can access /usr

Hope it helps

hmariod

SGaist,
Thank you very much!!!
You are my hero.

vwcc

Hi I have the same problem here:

I followed the suggestion there and indeed find that there is /usr/bin/qmake and it is indeed "Using Qt version 4.8.5 in /Library/Frameworks"

Following the SGaist's advice I use the command+shift+. to reveal hidden files.

Now I can see both qmake under /usr/bin BUT it is greyed out and I just CANNOT select it.

Can someone help?

vwcc

Hi I have the same problem here:

I followed the suggestion there and indeed find that there is /usr/bin/qmake and it is indeed "Using Qt version 4.8.x in /Library/Frameworks"

Following the SGaist's advice I use the command+shift+. to reveal hidden files.

Now I can see both qmake under /usr/bin BUT it is greyed out and I just CANNOT select it.

Can someone help?

SGaist

What version of Qt Creator are you using ?

afifer

Not the same person, but I have the same issue with usr/bin/qmake being greyed out. I'm using Qt Creator 3.0.1.

SGaist

Are you sure that /usr/bin/qmake is not a symbolic link that points to nowhere ?