Copying .dlls into target directory

mzimmers

@kshegunov - thank you for the suggestion. I tried this and got ~6700 error messages; I'm not sure I did it correctly.

I do have another question: my build steps are to run make first, then qmake. If qmake is a "meta-make" tool, shouldn't the order be 1) qmake and 2) make?

Thank you.

jsulm

@mzimmers Yes qmake should be the first one

mzimmers

Well, somehow they got switched (I probably fat-fingered it). I put them in the correct order (qmake, make, make install) and still it doesn't copy the files. Here's the compiler output:

08:42:17: Running steps for project storefile_client...
08:42:17: Configuration unchanged, skipping qmake step.
08:42:17: Starting: "C:\Qt\Tools\mingw530_32\bin\mingw32-make.exe" 
C:/Qt/Tools/mingw530_32/bin/mingw32-make -f Makefile.Debug
mingw32-make[1]: Entering directory 'C:/Users/mzimmers/Wideband/Peninsula/build-storefile_client-Desktop_Qt_5_7_0_MinGW_32bit-Debug'
g++ -c -pipe -fno-keep-inline-dllexport -g -std=gnu++11 -frtti -Wall -Wextra -fexceptions -mthreads -DUNICODE -DQT_QML_DEBUG -I..\storefile_client -I. -I..\ARM\inc -IC:\Qt\5.7\mingw53_32\mkspecs\win32-g++  -o debug\storefile_client.o ..\storefile_client\storefile_client.cpp
g++ -Wl,-subsystem,console -mthreads -o debug\storefile.exe debug/storefile_client.o  "C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.0\Lib\win8\um\x86\ws2_32.lib" 
mingw32-make[1]: Leaving directory 'C:/Users/mzimmers/Wideband/Peninsula/build-storefile_client-Desktop_Qt_5_7_0_MinGW_32bit-Debug'
08:42:18: The process "C:\Qt\Tools\mingw530_32\bin\mingw32-make.exe" exited normally.
08:42:18: Starting: "C:\Qt\Tools\mingw530_32\bin\mingw32-make.exe" install
C:/Qt/Tools/mingw530_32/bin/mingw32-make -f Makefile.Debug install
mingw32-make[1]: Entering directory 'C:/Users/mzimmers/Wideband/Peninsula/build-storefile_client-Desktop_Qt_5_7_0_MinGW_32bit-Debug'
**mingw32-make[1]: Nothing to be done for 'install'.**
mingw32-make[1]: Leaving directory 'C:/Users/mzimmers/Wideband/Peninsula/build-storefile_client-Desktop_Qt_5_7_0_MinGW_32bit-Debug'
08:42:19: The process "C:\Qt\Tools\mingw530_32\bin\mingw32-make.exe" exited normally.
08:42:19: Elapsed time: 00:02.

To my layman eyes, it's looking more like the make that comes with mingw doesn't honor installs?

kshegunov

Honestly, I have no idea. Could you attach the make file and the pro you're currently using?

mzimmers

@kshegunov : I don't know how to attach files, so I uploaded them to here.

You should be able to view and/or download from there. If not, please let me know.

Thanks...

kshegunov

I don't know how to attach files

That's what I meant - upload and post the link.

From what I can see in the makefile your install target is empty (FORCE goes to the end):

install:  FORCE

And there's something suspicious about the .pro, you've commented INSTALLS += libs_to_copy and used INSTALLS += C:\Qt\5.7\mingw53_32\bin\libgcc_s_dw2-1.dll instead.

I suggest setting a hard path (not through a var) for the libs_to_copy contents and trying with INSTALLS += libs_to_copy. After modifying the file, don't forget to run qmake and then make, make install.

mzimmers

I tried this:

libs_to_copy = "C:/Qt/5.7/mingw53_32/bin/libgcc_s_dw2-1.dll"
INSTALLS += libs_to_copy

and I get this error:

:-1: warning: libs_to_copy.path is not defined: install target not created

When I do this:
libs_to_copy.files = $$(QMAKE_LIBDIR_QT)/libgcc_s_dw2-1.dll
libs_to_copy.path = $$(OUT_PWD)/$$(OUTDIR)
INSTALLS += libs_to_copy

I don't get the error, but the file doesn't copy.

kshegunov

@mzimmers said in Copying .dlls into target directory:

libs_to_copy.files = $$(QMAKE_LIBDIR_QT)/libgcc_s_dw2-1.dll
libs_to_copy.path = $$(OUT_PWD)/$$(OUTDIR)
INSTALLS += libs_to_copy

I don't get the error, but the file doesn't copy.

What about this:

libs_to_copy.files = C:/Qt/5.7/mingw53_32/bin/libgcc_s_dw2-1.dll
libs_to_copy.path = $$(OUT_PWD)

INSTALLS += libs_to_copy

?

Alternatively you could try to add an additional target.

mzimmers

@kshegunov said in Copying .dlls into target directory:

@mzimmers said in Copying .dlls into target directory:
libs_to_copy.files = $$(QMAKE_LIBDIR_QT)/libgcc_s_dw2-1.dll
libs_to_copy.path = $$(OUT_PWD)/$$(OUTDIR)
INSTALLS += libs_to_copy
I don't get the error, but the file doesn't copy.
What about this:
libs_to_copy.files = C:/Qt/5.7/mingw53_32/bin/libgcc_s_dw2-1.dll
libs_to_copy.path = $$(OUT_PWD)

INSTALLS += libs_to_copy
?

That gives me this error:

:-1: warning: libs_to_copy.path is not defined: install target not created

Alternatively you could try to add an additional target.

I may have to fall back to this, if it turns out that the INSTALLS directive doesn't work.

Thanks...

Buckwheat

@mzimmers ... Your solution for copying looks pretty good. I am going to remember it. You mentioned modifying DESTDIR. I actually prefer doing that as well as setting the MOC_DIR and OBJECTS_DIR to make the build where I know things are located. It also makes it clean. When doing this, I turn off the shadow build into that horrendously long path. My structure is typically as follows (only release config):

<root>
   bin
      plugins
      ,,,
   build
      <subproject>
         release
            moc
            obj
      ...
      <main app>
         release
            moc
            obj
   lib
      release

As you can see it is relatively clean and you know where things are built. I use MSYS2 for development because I can get 32 and 64 bit development. QtCreator 4.1.x for IDE.

I copy my 3rd party DLLs (except MSYS) into bin for testing. Typically I have only needed a few MSYS dlls so it is not too hateful.

[edit: code tags added: mrjj]

Buckwheat

@Buckwheat I wish I knew how to make indents in the forum ;D

mrjj

@Buckwheat
use the code tag ``` ( before and after)
and it wont eat indentation :)

Buckwheat

@mrjj Thanks!

kshegunov

@mzimmers said in Copying .dlls into target directory:

That gives me this error:
:-1: warning: libs_to_copy.path is not defined: install target not created

Sorry, I might've mislead you. Try with:

libs_to_copy.path = $$OUT_PWD

Notice the lack of parenthesis. It's a bit cumbersome like this, but I don't have a windows machine on hand to test. If you continue to get an error run qmake with -d and attach the output, e.g.

qmake -d myproject.pro

mzimmers

@kshegunov said in Copying .dlls into target directory:

Notice the lack of parenthesis. It's a bit cumbersome like this, but I don't have a windows machine on hand to test. If you continue to get an error run qmake with -d and attach the output, e.g.
qmake -d myproject.pro

Here's the output:

link text

LOTS of stuff there, and I don't understand most of it.

kshegunov

@mzimmers said in Copying .dlls into target directory:

and I don't understand most of it.

No one does, perhaps with the exception of the qmake's developers. ;)
Anyway, there seems to be a problem with the paths:

DEBUG 1: C:/Users/mzimmers/Wideband/Peninsula/storefile_client/storefile_client.pro:17: libs_to_copy.files := /libgcc_s_dw2-1.dll
DEBUG 1: C:/Users/mzimmers/Wideband/Peninsula/storefile_client/storefile_client.pro:19: libs_to_copy.path := C:/Users/mzimmers/Wideband/Peninsula/build-storefile_client-Desktop_Qt_5_7_0_MinGW_32bit-Debug
...
DEBUG 1: Dependency Directories: ..\storefile_client :: . :: ..\ARM\inc :: C:\Qt\5.7\mingw53_32\mkspecs\win32-g++
DEBUG 1: c:\Users\qt\work\qt\qtbase/qmake/generators/makefile.cpp:321 Failure to find /libgcc_s_dw2-1.dll in vpath ()
DEBUG 1: no definition for install libs_to_copy: install target not created

See that the dll file's path is truncated for some reason.

mzimmers

Well, look at that...it sure is.

I don't know what to make of that (so to speak). Is it possible we've uncovered a bug?

VRonin

It's probably one of those lovely windows gotchas, I think it does not like the dot in 5.7, try adding quotes

libs_to_copy.files = "C:/Qt/5.7/mingw53_32/bin/libgcc_s_dw2-1.dll"

and make sure you rerun qmake!

mzimmers

Hi, Vronin -

This is somewhat embarrassing. I tried your suggestion, and it worked. I looked at the compiler output and actually saw the xcopy command, and the file did copy.

Unfortunately, it was copying to:

C:\Users\mzimmers\build-storefile_client-Desktop_Qt_5_7_0_MinGW_32bit-Debug

instead of to:

C:\Users\mzimmers\build-storefile_client-Desktop_Qt_5_7_0_MinGW_32bit-Debug\debug

So, I went in and fiddled with it, to no avail. I tried to put it back so it would at least re-copy, and...I can't make it work again!!

I'm still encouraged, because it shows that the INSTALLS part of MinGW make does work. It's just a matter of getting the syntax in the .pro file correct.

I'm trying to understand the libs_to_copy construct that I copied from somewhere else. This doesn't seem to be an ordinary qmake variable, and I can't get it to display using message(). Can you possibly point me to an explanation of it?

Thanks a lot...I do think we're getting close.

mzimmers

Found it!

The problem was the trailing backslash in the definition of:

libs_to_copy.path = "C:\Users\mzimmers\Wideband\Peninsula\build-storefile_client-Desktop_Qt_5_7_0_MinGW_32bit-Debug\"

This occurs whether or not I enclose the path in double quotes. Seems like a bug to me...anyone disagree?

There's also the issue of why this line:

libs_to_copy.path = $$(OUT_PWD)

results in an error message ":-1: warning: libs_to_copy.path is not defined: install target not created."

But, at least I've solved the problem that prompted me to start this thread.

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO PARTICIPATED IN THIS.