[Qt-creator] QTCreator + CMAKE Project View.

[Tobias Hunger]

Hi Michael,

On Mon, Jul 3, 2017 at 4:45 PM, Michael Jackson
<mike.jackson at bluequartz.net> wrote:
> I am not sure what you are seeing but this is what I see with QtCreator
> 4.3.0 on macOS 10.10.x

Creator does not show how files relate to targets in the old tea-leaf
mode (the one relying on Codeblocks files and a bunch of others).
Server-mode does show this information though. For server-mode to be
used in creator 4.3 you need cmake >= 3.7 with server-mode enabled
(the default when building cmake).

Server-mode is getting adopted by other projects and is not exclusive
to Creator anymore. I had hoped that this would be the case when I
implemented it based on a prototype by Steven Kelly. These projects
recently have started to contribute new functionality they need to
cmake upsteam! I want to spend my time enabling support those
improvements in Creator, so I do want to deprecate tea-leaf mode from
creator as soon as possible and I will not spend time on bringing
features to tea-leaf mode.

> When you go between Visual Studio and QtCreator (We do all the time) there
> is a "mental mapping" that one needs to do.
>
> QtCreator Project = Visual Studio Solution
> QtCreator Target = Visual Studio Project.
>
> Maybe there needs to be a "Target View" in QtCreator that just lists the
> targets in alphabetical order?

How would that be useful? You say yourself that the current view is
cluttered and reports seem to indicate that much of the clutter is due
to too many targets being displayed.

> I like the hierarchy view but with the latest
> use of CMake-Server there is a lot of clutter to get around.

Any ideas to de-clutter it that still leaves the targets in and shows
how files relate to targets? Maybe I could move all the utility
targets into a subfolder?

I have tried hiding the utility targets, but users that trigger these
utility targets via the context menu of the project view complained
about that.

> I know the QtCreator Devs work *hard* on good CMake support.

Actually that is just me working on CMake support:-/ Any help is appreciated!

> It has gotten
> better and better over the years and they do respond well to feedback that
> includes concrete cases and reproducible bugs.

Thanks!

> I would suggest starting a topic about your concerns and having a discussion
> about features that would enhance the CMake/QtCreator experience.

Yes, please!

I do not use CMake that often -- I spent most of my time working on Qt
Creator, using qmake. I do miss paper cuts (or even real big problems)
that are obvious to more cmake-centric users. Please tell me about
those so that they can get fixed! :-)

Best Regards,
Tobias