Learn how to change Build Directory in Qmake. Our Server Management Support team is here to help you with your questions and concerns.

How to change Build Directory in Qmake

There are several reasons to change the build directory. This includes keeping our source directory clean, having multiple build configurations, or building the same project for different target platforms without interfering with each other.

According to our experts, we can change the build directory in a qmake project, with the CONFIG option shadow or out_of_source. Let’s take a look at how to get this done:

1. First, we have to open the .pro file to configure the build process. We can open this file in a text editor or in the Qt Creator IDE.
2. Then, we have to add the CONFIG option with shadow or out_of_source to our .pro file to enable the shadow build. For example:

   CONFIG += shadow

   Alternatively, we can mention the build directory by adding the path:

   DESTDIR = /path/to/ourbuilddirectory
3. Now, we have to save the changes in the file.
4. After that, we have to regenerate the build files. We can do this by using Qt Creator and triggering this by right-clicking on the project and selecting “Run qmake” or “Build”.
5. Now, we can build our project. The build artifacts are stored in the build directory.

   Our experts would like to point out that after we change the build directory, we should not mix it with a build from the original source directory. This will help avoid conflicts and confusion in the build process.

Using a shadow build directory with qmake is considered good practice for managing larger projects or projects with multiple configurations. It helps keep the source directory organized and keep the build environment cleaner.

Furthermore, it also makes it easier to manage the project with version control systems like Git. In other words, we can exclude the build directory from the repository and prevent unnecessary additions of build artifacts.

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Conclusion

In summary, our Support Techs demonstrated how to change Build Directory in Qmake.