qt-creator/doc/src/projects/creator-projects-settings-build.qdoc

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/*!
    \contentspage index.html
    \previouspage creator-configuring-projects.html
    \page creator-build-settings.html
    \nextpage creator-project-qmake.html

    \title Specifying Build Settings

    Different build configurations allow you to quickly switch between
    different build settings. By default, \QC creates \bold debug
    and \bold release build configurations. A debug build contains additional
    debug symbols that you need for debugging the application but that you
    can leave out from the release version. Generally, you use the debug
    configuration for testing and the release configuration for creating
    the final installation file.

    You specify build settings in the \gui Projects mode.

    \image qtcreator-projectpane.png

    To add a new build configuration, click \gui Add and select the type of
    configuration you would like to add. You can add as many build
    configurations as you need.

    To delete the build configuration currently selected, click \gui Remove.

    \section1 Editing Build Configurations

    To edit a build configuration:

    \list 1

        \o  Select the build configuration you want to edit in
            \gui{Edit Build Configuration}.

        \o  In the \gui {Qt version} field, select the Qt version to use for
            building project. You can add Qt versions to the list if they are
            installed on the development PC, but were not detected
            automatically. For more information, see \l{Adding Qt Versions}.

        \o  In the \gui {Tool chain} field, select the tool chain required
            to build the project. The tool chains that are compatible with the
            selected Qt version are listed. You can add tool chains to the list
            if they are not automatically detected. For more information, see
            \l{Adding Tool Chains}.

        \o  In the \gui {Build directory} field, specify the build directory for
            the project. By default, projects are built in a separate directory
            from the source directory, as \l{glossary-shadow-build}
            {shadow builds}. This keeps the files generated for each
            \l{glossary-development-target}{target} platform separate.
            If you only build for one target platform, you can deselect the
            \gui{Shadow build} checkbox.

            \if defined(qcmanual)
            \note Shadow building is not supported for Maemo or MeeGo Harmattan
            on Windows. Also, shadow building is not supported by the Symbian
            build system.
            \endif


    \endlist

    \if defined(qcmanual)
    \note The build configuration for the \gui{Symbian Device} target
    uses the GCCE tool chain by default. If you want to build
    for the device using RVCT, install the RVCT tool chain, and then
    select it in the \gui {Tool chain} field. RVCT 2.2 is supported on Symbian^3
    and earlier. RVCT 4.0 b902 or later is required for Symbian Belle.
    \endif


    \section1 Starting External Processes

    \QC executes external processes to accomplish tasks such as building
    and running applications. To execute the processes, \QC uses shell
    commands that are native to the system. It constructs the commands from
    an executable name and optional command line arguments.

    The executable name is specified in the executable fields: \gui qmake,
    \gui Make, \gui Command, or \gui Executable. It is either derived from the
    project or specified manually. When you specify executables manually, you
    can reference environment variables and \QC variables. However, no
    quoting rules
    apply.

    You can specify command-line arguments in the arguments fields:
    \gui {Additional arguments}, \gui {Command arguments},
    \gui {Make arguments}, or \gui Arguments. You can create shell command lines
    that can contain redirection and other advanced constructs. However, some
    more complex use cases, such as piping test data into the application being
    tested or grouping commands, are not supported because the value of the
    \gui Executable field is always placed first when constructing the command.

    \section2 Using Environment Variables

    You can use any environment variables as values in the fields. For a list
    of variable names, click \gui {Build Environment > Details} in the
    \gui {Build Settings}. Environment variables are referenced using the native
    syntax: $VARNAME or ${VARNAME} on Unix and %VARNAME% on Windows.

    \section2 Using Qt Creator Variables

    You can use \QC variables in arguments, executable paths, and working
    directories. The variables take care of quoting their expansions, so you do
    not need to put them in quotes.

    The following \QC variables are available:

    \list

        \o %{buildDir}

        \o %{sourceDir}

    \endlist

    \section1 Build Steps

    The build system of \QC is built on qmake and make. In \gui{Build Steps} you
    can change the settings for qmake and make. \QC runs the make command using
    the Qt version defined for the current build configuration.

    \image qtcreator-build-steps.png "Build steps"

    To override the shell command that \QC constructs by default, remove
    the build step and add a custom build step that specifies another shell
    command.

    \section2 Adding Custom Build Steps

    To add custom steps to the build settings, select \gui {Add Build Step >
    Custom Process Step}.

    By default, custom steps are disabled. To activate a custom step, select
    the \gui{Enable custom process step} check-box.

    \image qtcreator-build-steps-custom.png "Custom Process Step"

    \section1 Clean Steps

    You can use the cleaning process to remove intermediate files. This process
    might help you to fix obscure issues during the process of building a
    project.

    \image qtcreator-clean-steps.png "Clean steps"

    You can define the cleaning steps for your builds in the \gui{Clean Steps}:

    \list

        \o  To add a clean step using make or a custom process, click
            \gui{Add Clean Step} and select the type of step you want to add.

            By default, custom steps are disabled. To activate a custom step,
            select the \gui{Enable custom process step} check-box.

        \o  To remove a clean step, click \gui{Remove Item}.

        \o  To change the order of steps, click
            \inlineimage qtcreator-movestep.png
            .
    \endlist

    \section1 Build Environment

    You can specify the environment you want to use for building in the
    \bold{Build Environment} section. By default, the environment in which \QC
    was started is used and modified to include the Qt version.
    Depending on the selected Qt version, \QC automatically sets the
    necessary environment variables. You can edit existing environment
    variables or add, reset and unset new variables based on your project
    requirements.

    \image qtcreator-build-environment.png "Build Environment"

    \note The changes are stored in the local project specific \c{.pro.user}
    file. Therefore, they are not suitable for sharing between developers or
    development PCs. To share settings, incorporate them into the build system.
    For example, if you use qmake, make the changes in the \c{.pro} file.

    \section2 Clearing the System Environment

    To build with a clean system environment, select the \gui {Clear system
    environment} check box. \QC discards the current environment, and
    populates a clean system environment with the environment variables that the
    compilers and tools need. Therefore, the environment is never totally empty,
    even after you clear it.

*/