This Linux Deployment Tool for Qt, `linuxdeployqt`, takes an application as input and makes it self-contained by copying in the Qt libraries and plugins that the application uses into a bundle. This can optionally be put into an [AppImage](http://appimage.org/), and, using [fpm](https://github.com/probonopd/linuxdeployqt/issues/9), into cross-distro deb and rpm packages.
This tool is conceptually based on the [Mac Deployment Tool](http://doc.qt.io/qt-5/osx-deployment.html), `macdeployqt` in the tools applications of the Qt Toolkit, but has been changed to a slightly different logic and other tools needed for Linux.
* Instead of an `.app` bundle for macOS, this produces an [AppDir](http://rox.sourceforge.net/desktop/AppDirs.html) for Linux
* Instead of a `.dmg` disk image for macOS, this produces an [AppImage](http://appimage.org/) for Linux which is quite similar to a dmg but executes the contained application rather than just opening a window on the desktop from where the application can be launched
__This may not be fully working yet.__ See [GitHub Issues](https://github.com/probonopd/linuxdeployqt/issues) for known issues. Use with care, run with maximum verbosity, submit issues and pull requests. Help is appreciated.
Please download __linuxdeployqt-x86_64.AppImage__ from the [Releases](https://github.com/probonopd/linuxdeployqt/releases) page and `chmod a+x` it. If you would like to build `linuxdeployqt` from source instead, see [BUILDING.md](https://github.com/probonopd/linuxdeployqt/blob/master/BUILDING.md).
Open in Qt Creator and build your application. Run it from the command line and inspect it with `ldd` to make sure the correct libraries from the correct locations are getting loaded, as `linuxdeployqt` will use `ldd` internally to determine from where to copy libraries into the bundle.
__Important:__ `linuxdeployqt` deploys the Qt instance that qmake on the $PATH points to, so make sure that it is the correct one. Verify that qmake finds the correct Qt instance like this before running the `linuxdeployqt` tool:
```
qmake -v
QMake version 3.0
Using Qt version 5.7.0 in /tmp/.mount_QtCreator-5.7.0-x86_64/5.7/gcc_64/lib
```
If this does not show the correct path to your Qt instance that you want to be bundled, then adjust your `$PATH` to find the correct `qmake`.
Before running linuxdeployqt it may be wise to delete unneeded files that you do not wish to distribute from the build directory. These may be autogenerated during the build. You can delete them like so:
A common use case for `linuxdeployqt` is to use it on Travis CI after the `make` command. The following example illustrates how to use `linuxdeployqt` with Travis CI. Create a `.travis.yml` file similar to this one (be sure to customize it, e.g., change `APPNAME` to the name of your application as it is spelled in the `Name=` entry of the `.desktop` file):
When you save your change, then Travis CI should build and upload an AppImage for you. More likely than not, some fine-tuning will still be required.
For this to work, you need to enable Travis CI for your repository as [described here](https://travis-ci.org/getting_started) __prior to merging this__, if you haven't already done so.
If `qmake` does not allow for `make install` or does not install the desktop file and icon, then you need to change your `.pro` file it similar to https://github.com/probonopd/FeedTheMonkey/blob/master/FeedTheMonkey.pro.
__autotools__ (the dinosaur that spends precious minutes "checking...") wants `DESTDIR` too but insists on an absolute link which we can feed it using readlink:
Here, `CONFIG+=use_qt_paths` needs to be removed, otherwise it will install everything under the Qt installation paths in `/opt/qt58` when using the beineri ppa.
The exception is that you are building Qt libraries that _should_ be installed to the same location where Qt resides on your system, from where it will be picked up by `linuxdeployqt`.
### Sending Pull Requests on GitHub
`linuxdeployqt` is great for upstream application projects that want to release their software in binary form to Linux users quickly and without much overhead. If you would like to see a particular application use `linuxdeployqt`, then sending a Pull Request may be an option to get the upstream application project to consider it. You can use the following template text for Pull Requests but make sure to customize it to the project in question.
```
This PR, when merged, will compile this application on [Travis CI](https://travis-ci.org/) upon each `git push`, and upload an [AppImage](http://appimage.org/) to a temporary download URL on transfer.sh (available for 14 days). The download URL is toward the end of each Travis CI build log of each build (see below for how to set up automatic uploading to your GitHub Releases page).
For this to work, you need to enable Travis CI for your repository as [described here](https://travis-ci.org/getting_started) __prior to merging this__, if you haven't already done so.
Providing an [AppImage](http://appimage.org/) would have, among others, these advantages:
- Applications packaged as an AppImage can run on many distributions (including Ubuntu, Fedora, openSUSE, CentOS, elementaryOS, Linux Mint, and others)
- One app = one file = super simple for users: just download one AppImage file, [make it executable](http://discourse.appimage.org/t/how-to-make-an-appimage-executable/80), and run
[Here is an overview](https://github.com/probonopd/AppImageKit/wiki/AppImages) of projects that are already distributing upstream-provided, official AppImages.
__Please note:__ Instead of storing AppImage builds temporarily for 14 days each on transfer.sh, you could use GitHub Releases to store the binaries permanently. This way, they would be visible on the Releases page of your project. This is what I recommend. See https://docs.travis-ci.com/user/deployment/releases/. If you want to do this for continuous builds, also see https://github.com/probonopd/uploadtool.
If you would like to see only one entry for the Pull Request in your project's history, then please enable [this GitHub functionality](https://help.github.com/articles/configuring-commit-squashing-for-pull-requests/) on your repo. It allows you to squash (combine) the commits when merging.
If you have questions, AppImage developers are on #AppImage on irc.freenode.net.
One great way to contribute is to send Pull Requests to the application projects you'd like to see use linuxdeployqt, as described above. You are also welcome to contribute to linuxdeployqt development itself. Please discuss in the [forum](http://discourse.appimage.org/t/linuxdeployqt-new-linux-deployment-tool-for-qt/57) or using GitHub issues and Pull Requests.
## Contact
The developers are in the channel #AppImage on irc.freenode.net
