CMake doesn't seem fully supported by Qt Creator

Stokestack

Hi all.

I just downloaded Qt 6.1.2 and went to create a new "subdirs" project in Qt Creator, but it still insists on using QMake. I thought CMake was the native project format in Qt 6.

Is there still no support for managing CMake-based projects in the IDE?

Thanks!

VRonin

CMake projects are not managed directly by Qt Creator, Qt Creator uses the CMake file API to ask CMake infos about your project. CMake project files then require the user to write them manually rather than have QtC create them (for a subdir project it's straightforward and it's just about using add_subdirectory). If you start a project from scratch (i.e. don't add a subproject to an existing one) you can chose CMake as build system and a default project will be populated

Stokestack

Thanks for that reply. That doesn't quite make sense though. Why can you create a single-level project and have Creator build you a CMakeLists file then?

With CMake becoming the native build system, I would expect Qt Creator to offer the same functionality it does today. That means (among other things) letting you create a "subdirs" project, which would add add_subdirectory to CMakeLists. Why doesn't it simply do that? What happens when QMake goes away?

I don't see how Qt can competitively proceed into the future if its IDE doesn't even let you manage your project. Furthermore, it's a huge missed opportunity to clarify CMake usage and expose its many functions in an orderly UI.