[Qt-creator] Linux SDK containing Qt Creator doesn't build projects out of the box

[Andre Poenitz]

On Fri, Nov 13, 2009 at 12:52:28PM -0800, David Ching wrote:
> Hello,

Hello David.
 
> I am a Windows developer just getting started with Linux.  This link tells 
> of multiple packages which must be installed on Ubuntu before Qt Creator 
> will successfully link:
> http://blog.dixo.net/2009/03/14/using-qt-creator-with-ubuntu-810
> 
> As a Windows developer, I expect the Qt SDK to include everything needed, 
> and it does on Windows, but apparently not on Linux?  Why is that? 

Because it's a sensible thing to do. Linux distributions come with a
proper package management system where packages just state their
external dependencies and are done. There is no need for applications
to ship all their dependencies themselves.

The real "problem" with the Qt SDK package is that what you download
from the Nokia website is not integrated into your distribution's
packaging system, so you have to intall the dependencies "manually".
One line to copy & paste - big deal...

If you do not want to do that you will have to wait until your
distribution provides packages itself and use these.

> Because not only do I have this problem with Qt Creator, but also my
> own Qt app might have the same distribution issues.  Do I have to
> redist all of these system libraries?

No, it's not Windows. You do not redistribute system libraries. They
are installed already and do not have to be duplicated.

> How do app developers support multiple Linux distros anyway (e.g. how
> does the app run on both Ubuntu and Red Hat?). Any pointers to
> deployment tutorials of Linux software would be greatly appreciated.

You either wait for the distributions to pick up your package, or
provide packages "native" to your distribution (i.e. .deb for Ubuntu,
.rpm for RedHat) yourself, or provide instructions how to install your
package manually.

For Qt Creator the latter method was chosen (instructions being "install
the packages x, y, and z, and run the QtSDK installer"), but judging
from http://packages.ubuntu.com/de/karmic/qt-sdk distributions are
already starting to provide packages themselves. That usually takes an
iteration or two to iron out teething problems, but after a while you
typically only provide source tar balls and the packages appear without
your interaction by pure magic ;-)

Andre'