How to publish an app?

[mrjj]

@tomy
Those with d is debug version.
Normally you only make deployment folders for Release version but
a debug version is also possible. Just dont mix it :)

[tomy]

@mrjj
Thanks.

What I have done are as follows:
1- I read the instructions carefully and on a virtual machine (Win 10 x64) created a folder named test. Then I went to the path C:\Qt\Qt5.5.1\5.5\mingw492_32 (on my real machine, a Windows 7 x64) .
2- Then I copied 10 .dll files from there into the test folder of virtual machine.
3- There are two .exe files on my system. One of the Debug mode with size about 1.4MB and one for the release mode wih size about 49KB. (Very smaller)
Since we need the release files I copied that .exe files into the test folder.
4- Then I double clicked on that file (in the test folder) but an error was shown up. I clicked on OK button of the error message and another error!

http://uploads.im/HJ3nO.jpg
http://uploads.im/OEXcL.jpg

My questions:
Why do I get these errors?
Consider the .exe file works well there, OK, so what is the rest of the process?

[mrjj]

Hi
As should be clear from the link,
you need sub folder too called
platforms and dll in there.

[tomy]

@mrjj

Hi
As should be clear from the link,
you need sub folder too called

Hi,
What sub folder do you mean?
Where my Qt projects are stored there are My_First_Calculator, build-My_First_Calculator-Desktop-Debug and build-My_First_Calculator-Desktop-Release folders.

platforms and dll in there.

All the mentioned .dll files are pasted into the test folder (as shown in the images above).
And what platforms?

[mrjj]

@tomy

inside test, you must have platforms
and inside platforms u must have the dll as shown and written in the link / picture.

So your test folder is the deployment folder.

the
build-My_First_Calculator-Desktop-Debug and
build-My_First_Calculator-Desktop-Release
are the build folders.

[tomy]

I got it. :)

I created a folder named platforms inside test and copied the qwindows into it. Now the app works well. Thanks so much.

This step is finished. Now the main goal. How to make one .exe file or installer file or whatsoever, for publishing the app to others please?

[mrjj]

@tomy said in How to publish an app:

How to make one .exe file or installer file or whatsoever, for publishing the app to others please?

There are many install makers.

I like this one
http://www.innosetup.com/isinfo.php
for windows deployment

but Qt also have its own
http://doc.qt.io/qtinstallerframework/

That works cross platform etc.

So use what ever fit the goal.

This one i have been told is epic easy
http://installforge.net/features/
but I have not tested that claim.

[tomy]

@mrjj
Thank you. I went for Qt's one. I'm in Setting up Qt Installer Framework.
There it says:
"Clone the Qt Installer Framework source code from http://code.qt.io/cgit/installer-framework/installer-framework.git/ to get the sources for the tools."
And when I go to there and click on clones at the bottom of the page, nothing will be done.

[mrjj]

@tomy
well that do not work anymore as far as i know.
You must use a git client.

[tomy]

I found this page but there are only codes there seemingly. Is a git a tool/program to use it for making the installer? If so, where to download it?

[mrjj]

@tomy
GIT is the world most used tool for source code revision control.
It will download the source code.

https://backlogtool.com/git-guide/en/
http://rogerdudler.github.io/git-guide/

Make sure u understand what it is. you just need it for download.

But are u sure u need to build it ?
Its include in the installer.
(

[tomy]

@mrjj said in How to publish an app:

@tomy
GIT is the world most used tool for source code revision control.
It will download the source code.

https://backlogtool.com/git-guide/en/
http://rogerdudler.github.io/git-guide/

Make sure u understand what it is. you just need it for download.

Honestly I don't know what it is but something to make an installer for my app :)

But are u sure u need to build it ?

I can't remember if I downloaded it at the times of downloading and installing Qt Creatro or not. If it's installed perhaps, where to find it?

Its include in the installer.
(

[mrjj]

@tomy
Use the maintenance tool found with the rest of Qt and check.

[tomy]

@mrjj said in How to publish an app:

@tomy
Use the maintenance tool found with the rest of Qt and check.

Sorry but I didn't get it!!
I searched that maintenance tool in tools tab of Qt Creator and also the page http://doc.qt.io/qtinstallerframework/
but couldn't find it.
I downloaded the Git using the second link and installed it and have this window now:

http://uploads.im/EK0bB.jpg

[mrjj]

@tomy

No, the maintenance tool is a standalone application.
Its not inside Creator
Mine is here
"D:\Qt\MaintenanceTool.exe"

[tomy]

@mrjj said in How to publish an app:

@tomy

No, the maintenance tool is a standalone application.
Its not inside Creator
Mine is here
"D:\Qt\MaintenanceTool.exe"

I found it and created a temporary repository (just clicked Add and set a password) on it. Then pressed "Add or Remove" option there. Now I'm to select some components as follows:
http://uploads.im/5FWui.jpg

[mrjj]

Super. Not sure if there for 5.5 but maybe u can just use never Qt ?

[tomy]

@mrjj said in How to publish an app:

Super. Not sure if there for 5.5 but maybe u can just use never Qt ?

??
There isn't Qt Installer Framework on the list.
http://uploads.im/4uCsN.jpg

[mrjj]

@tomy
Ok, then it was not added back in Qt5.5
Then you must download and compile it or
simply install Qt5.7 where i know its there. maybe even 5.6

There is also
https://download.qt.io/official_releases/qt-installer-framework/2.0.1/

[tomy]

@mrjj

@mrjj said in How to publish an app:

@tomy
Ok, then it was not added back in Qt5.5
Then you must download and compile it or
simply install Qt5.7 where i know its there. maybe even 5.6

There is also
https://download.qt.io/official_releases/qt-installer-framework/2.0.1/

I downloaded and installed Qt Installer Framework Opensource 2.0.1 from that address.

Now the next step is maybe returning to this page and following instructions from number 2, yes?

It says: 2- Build the tools by running the "qmake" from the static Qt, followed by "make" or "nmake".
Again, how to run "qmake" from the static Qt, followed by "make" or "nmake".?

I've just run qmake from a command line for creating .pro files for my projects so far.