Queries regarding the running the init-repository after downloading the Qt source code

Pradeep Kumar

hello,

I have downloaded Qt source code and ran ./init-repository,
but i observed in https://wiki.qt.io/Building_Qt_5_from_Git documentation , under the topic Getting the source code about cloning the Qt source code . Again why do we need to provide following commands.

$ cd qt5
$ perl init-repository

In order to build a specific release of Qt, you can checkout the desired tag (but only after init-repository has been run):

$ cd qt5
$ git checkout v5.7.0

Should the above method fail, an alternative way to build a specific release or branch of Qt5 (although without linking of the gerrit account for code reviewing) is to use git submodule update --init in place of the init-repository script. That translates to:

$ git clone https://code.qt.io/qt/qt5.git # cloning the repo
$ cd qt5
$ git checkout v5.7.0 # checking out the specific release or branch
$ git submodule update --init # updating each submodule to match the supermodule

Question is : already we have qt5 folder the above stated commands will create one more qt5 folder and to run again init-repository for cloning sub modules. then to checkout branch. is it necessary to have a clone of clone again, please suggest me . The answer will help me out to configure and build the source code.

Thanks,
Pradeep Kumar

SGaist

Hi,

No there no need to re-clone. Call git pull to update your tree and git submodule update to update the submodules.

Pradeep Kumar

@SGaist

thank you for the reply , i will run the following commands. and proceed to build the source code

Pradeep Kumar

@SGaist

it is updated, thanks for the reply.

Now i need to configure http://doc.qt.io/qt-5/configure-options.html
is the steps mandatory to configure.

Thanks,

SGaist

Yes, the first time you build Qt you have to call configure.

Pradeep Kumar

i am using the command

configure -developer-build -opensource -nomake examples -nomake tests -confirm-license

for configuring in Qt path and it specified that

Qt is configured.

after configuration it specified to use * make * command.

is the steps correct.

After configure is completed should i have to use make command or can i use Qt creator to build the source code. both the ways can it be done.

Thanks,

SGaist

Unless you plan to add features/fix bugs in Qt, drop the -developer-build option.

Since you will build all of Qt, just use the make -jX command where X is num_of_core * 2 + 1. That will keep your machine busy.

Pradeep Kumar

I want to contribute to Qt so asking the questions, will you guide me. I have configured, now i am trying to build it. was my analysis correct about building using make .
second question is how to clean the Qt source code , so that i can configure in another build directory and use make.

SGaist

What analysis ?

The best way is to do out of source builds so you don't have any artifacts in the sources and if there's a problem you can just nuke the folder and start again or have several parallel builds.

Pradeep Kumar

i used git submodule foreach --recursive "git clean -dfx" command to clean the clone , so my previous second question is solved.

and as you specified i used another build folder and made it separate it separate from source folder.
coming to previous first question i used configure command to configure.
then i used simply make instead of make -jx , so is their any problem ?.

make files got created in build directory.

SGaist

No problem with calling only make. The downside is that the compilation will take way longer than if you put all the available power of your machine on it.

Pradeep Kumar

i have few questions

I didnt run ./init-repository for QtWebkit,QWebkit-examples,QtWebEngine, is this required for building source code through Qt Creator.
And can we run Qt source code from Qt Creator as Desktop kit configured for linux.
3)I am facing issues using Qt creator, i am getting connection terminated, but using make command through terminal, i didnt get connection terminated.

please guide me , require your assisstance in building source code through Qt Creator.

SGaist

No, they are optional modules. If you don't use them, just don't build them as they are pretty big and expensive to build.
Don't open the whole Qt project in Qt Creator. Only the part you'll be working on. The qtbase module itself is composed of more than 18000 files.

Personally, I always build Qt on the console.

Pradeep Kumar

@SGaist

thanks you for your answer,

But still if i do the changes and want to compile and see the changes what do i do.

SGaist

What do you mean by that ?

You'll need to run a unit test or a small application that validates your changes.

Pradeep Kumar

i have taken sub modules in Qt, having a query.

do we need to have desktop kit configured for compiling source code.
or do we need to configure using the qmake , generated by qt source code. ( i am using linux machine).

SGaist

If you want to build one of the modules through Qt Creator, you have to make a kit with your custom built Qt.

Pradeep Kumar

yes i have configured the kit with custom built of Qt, i have compiled few modules , thanks for the answer.

i found that qtbase submodule is not compiling, because qconfig.h and qconfig.cpp is not found, but when i used make command to build the Qt source code through terminal, i found those classes in build folder, but not in Qt source code.

do i have to copy from build folder to Qt source code, or do i have to run , update and ./init-repository once again for getting those classes for qtbase.?.

the answer will be valuable for compiling the qtbase submodule.

SGaist

For the qtbase module, do the initial build on the command line. Once it's done you can start hacking on it.

Pradeep Kumar

i have two folders qt5 (which is the source folder) and qt-build(which is the build folder)
i am using qt-build folder to use make command for compilation.
after moving into directory qt-build.

cd qt-build:
after moving to qt-build folder , i used the following command to compile in terminal.

qt-build : make module-qtbase ,

and opened qtbase submodule from qt5(source folder) in Qt creator for compilation, again its showing qconfig.cpp and qconfig.h is not present connection terminated.

so what do i need to do for getting qconfig.h and qconfig.cpp files to qtbase of qt5(source folder) , i observed qconfig.h and qconfig.cpp files are present in qtbase of qt-build folder.

even though compiling in terminal , not able to view in Qt as files are not present.
please guide me o compile this submodule in Qt creator, rest of the sub modules compiled in Qt creator without any errors.