Configuring Qt 6.x and CMake for windows 10

If you want to create a redistributable installer for a Qt app with Cmake then youve come to the right place... I ve been struggling to make Qt work with cmake on windows, and finally figure out something that works:

Go ahead and download Qt: https://www.qt.io/download-qt-installer
Start the install and select "Custom installation"
Select a version of Qt with MingGW 64 (and any other lib you need like openssl for example...)
Also download the installer framework:
Setup windows environment vars (note that the order matters...) for the power shell to find the tools and libs that you need.

Ensure you have powershell installed or get the latest version here: https://github.com/PowerShell/PowerShell
You need vcredist_x64_2010.exe to be included with your package so get it here: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=26999
Now that everyting is installed you can create the CMakeLists.txt code to generate an installer:

# Add your classic CMake stuffs...
cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.20)

if(${CMAKE_VERSION} VERSION_GREATER_EQUAL "3.20")
	cmake_policy(SET CMP0115 NEW)
endif()

project(
	"My Cool Project"
	VERSION 1.0.1
	DESCRIPTION "Some really awesome project that one day will change the world..."
	LANGUAGES C CXX
)

set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 20)
set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD_REQUIRED ON)

message(STATUS "${PROJECT_NAME} ${PROJECT_VERSION} for ${CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME} ${CMAKE_SYSTEM_PROCESSOR}")
string(TIMESTAMP PROJECT_BUILD_DATE "%Y-%m-%d")
string(TIMESTAMP PROJECT_BUILD_YEAR "%Y")
configure_file(src/build.h)

# add warnings
add_compile_options(
	-Wall
	-Wpedantic
	-Wextra
	-Wshadow
	-Wformat=2
	-Wstrict-overflow
	-fvisibility=hidden
	-fno-strict-aliasing
	-Werror
)

if(DEBUG)
	message(STATUS "DEBUG MODE: DO NOT RELEASE ANYTHING FROM THIS BUILD!")
	add_compile_options(
		-g
		-O0
	)
else()
	message(STATUS "RELEASE MODE")
	add_compile_options(
		-s
		-Os
		-DNDEBUG
	)
	set(CMAKE_POSITION_INDEPENDENT_CODE ON)
endif()

set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS_RELEASE "${CMAKE_C_FLAGS_RELEASE} -s")

set(THREADS_PREFER_PTHREAD_FLAG ON)
find_package(Threads REQUIRED)

# Now for the Qt specific stuffs...

# Tells CMake where to find Qt, it need to be set right!
set(QT_PATH "C:/QT")
message(STATUS "QT Path: ${QT_PATH}")
set(QT_ENV_PATH "C:/QT/6.2.4/mingw_64")
message(STATUS "QT Env: ${QT_ENV_PATH}")

# MS Redistributable path
set(MS_VCR100 "C:/Windows/System32")

# If you are using some libraries provided by Qt, here with OpenSSL:
target_include_directories(encryption PUBLIC "${QT_PATH}/Tools/OpenSSL/Win_x64/include")
target_link_directories(encryption PUBLIC "${QT_PATH}/Tools/OpenSSL/Win_x64/lib" "${QT_PATH}/Tools/OpenSSL/Win_x64/bin")


set(CMAKE_AUTOMOC ON)
find_package(Qt6 REQUIRED COMPONENTS Core Widgets)


# Add you beautifull executable
add_executable(
	my_exe
	WIN32
	src/build.h
	src/main.cxx
	src/something.cxx
	src/something.hxx
)

set_target_properties(my_exe PROPERTIES
	WIN32_EXECUTABLE TRUE
)
target_link_libraries(
	my_exe
	PUBLIC
	Qt6::Widgets
	Qt6::Core
	encryption
)

install(
	TARGETS my_exe
	RUNTIME DESTINATION .
	COMPONENT my_exe_installer
	BUNDLE DESTINATION .
	COMPONENT my_exe_installer
)

function(CPACKIFW_COMMON)
	set(CPACK_PACKAGE_NAME my_exe)
	set(CPACK_PACKAGE_FILE_NAME "setup_${CPACK_PACKAGE_NAME}V${PROJECT_VERSION}")
	set(CPACK_PACKAGE_DESCRIPTION_SUMMARY "A beautifull program")
	set(CPACK_PACKAGE_VERSION "${PROJECT_VERSION}")
	set(CPACK_PACKAGE_INSTALL_DIRECTORY "${CPACK_PACKAGE_NAME}")
	set(CPACK_COMPONENTS_ALL my_exe_installer)
	set(CPACK_IFW_PACKAGE_START_MENU_DIRECTORY "My Exe")
	set(CPACK_IFW_PACKAGE_PUBLISHER "Fred")
	set(CPACK_GENERATOR IFW)
	set(CPACK_IFW_VERBOSE ON)
	set(CPACK_IFW_PACKAGE_WIZARD_STYLE Classic)
	set(CPACK_CREATE_DESKTOP_LINKS "My Exe")

	include(CPack REQUIRED)
	include(CPackIFW REQUIRED)

	cpack_add_component(
		my_exe_installer
		DISPLAY_NAME "My Exe"
		DESCRIPTION "My Exe description"
		REQUIRED
	)

	cpack_ifw_configure_component(
		my_exe_installer
		FORCED_INSTALLATION
		NAME qt.my_exe.installer
		VERSION ${PROJECT_VERSION} # Version of component
		DEFAULT TRUE
	)
endfunction()

add_custom_command(
	TARGET my_exe POST_BUILD
	COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E remove_directory ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/windeployqt_stuff
	COMMAND windeployqt.exe --compiler-runtime --dir ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/windeployqt_stuff $<TARGET_FILE:my_exe>
)

# some required Qt components
install(
	DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/windeployqt_stuff/
	DESTINATION .
	COMPONENT my_exe_installer
)

# optionally add some custom DLLs
install(
	DIRECTORY "src/dll/"
	DESTINATION .
	COMPONENT my_exe_installer
	FILES_MATCHING PATTERN "*"
)

# optionally adds some files, here a default config file that goes in the config directory
install(
	FILES "src/pkg/config.ini"
	DESTINATION config
	COMPONENT my_exe_installer
)

# optionally add some of Qt DLLs
install(
	DIRECTORY "${QT_PATH}/Tools/OpenSSL/Win_x64/bin/"
	DESTINATION .
	COMPONENT my_exe_installer
	FILES_MATCHING PATTERN "*.dll"
)

# required platforms plugins
install(
	DIRECTORY "${QT_ENV_PATH}/plugins/platforms/"
	DESTINATION .
	COMPONENT my_exe_installer
	FILES_MATCHING PATTERN "*.dll"
)

# required redistributables
install(
	FILES
	"${MS_VCR100}/msvcr100.dll"
	"${MS_VCR100}/msvcr100_clr0400.dll"
	"${MS_VCR100}/msvcrt.dll"
	DESTINATION .
	COMPONENT my_exe_installer
)

CPACKIFW_COMMON()

Now that you have a working CMake file you can go ahead and build your project:

# always use a new dir for the build
mkdir build
cd build

# gen the cmake environment
cmake ../ -G "MinGW Makefiles"

# compile
mingw32-make.exe -j 4

# generate the installer package
mingw32-make.exe package

Enjoy your new installer package!

fdelbos/Configuring Qt 6.x and CMake for windows 10.md

Configuring Qt 6.x and CMake for windows 10