Add 32-bit versions of Qt 5.7 on a 64-bit machine

Question

Want to manually install 32-bit versions of Qt 5.7 so that I will be able to deploy my app to not only 32-bit but 64-bit machines as well.

Initially when I installed it on my 64-bit Windows 7 machine, I only selected the 64-bit components and, hence, I can only select the MSVC2015_64 bit kits in Qt Creator to build my app with.

Since I want to deploy my app to a 32-bit Windows 10 machine, I am trying to add the 32-bit Qt versions to my installation; tried through Tools > Options > Build & Run > Add... with no success. Searched for some answer/guide to the documentation and to other online sources but could not find how to achieve this in Windows.

Is it possible to manually add other Qt versions on a current install or is do I have to reinstall Qt? Also, could I simple install Qt with the desired Qt versions on a different directory than the first installation or will that mess up the PATH variables?

Solution 1

You have to launch Qt Maintenance Tool : Start -> Programs -> Qt -> Qt Maintenance Tool.

Skip the Qt login (unless you are using a commercial version of Qt).

Select "Add or remove components" and click yes. You'll be able to select other kits to download and install*.

Then Qt Creator should automatically add those kits, you'll just have to add them to your project : go to project settings once your project is open, and you'll find "Add kit" button in the upper left corner.

*Qt Maintenance Tool may prompt you to update components first if there's a new version available.

Solution 2

Kits are the key to your problem. A kit in Qt is composed of:

• Version of Qt (and i'm not talking about Qt creator)
• Compiler (you have to choose the correct compiler corresponding to your Qt Version, i will explain that more in detail, below )
• Debugger (correct version 32 or 64 bits).

You can install as many versions of Qt as you wish Qt Creator will usually autodetect them all. Don't worry it won't damage your path, you can also install 2 different compilers (MingW and MSVC a.k.a VS compiler for example).

in Qt site : https://www.qt.io/download-open-source/

pick the version or versions of Qt you want to install and install them (the package include Qt Creator so no need to install it twice)

you also download the correct version of your compilers and debbuggers (if you don't already have them) and install them.

Once you've downloaded all the components and installed them, you go to Qt Creator :

• Tools -> Options

  in the lhs menu select Build & Run

you can go and check Qt Versions, Compiler and debugger to see if everything was auto-detected well.

if it's ok you can then create your kit :

• go to the kits Tab
• you can either add a new kit, but i prefer cloning an existing one and then edit it.
• select the clone and choose the correct compiler, the correct version of Qt and the correct Debugger, rename your kit so you can recognize it. Save and close.

to use the kit you created you have to choose it in the project menu see the screenshot below :

you can create as many kits as you wish, so you can have different configurations.

Comments

[Max Yaffe]

Maintenance tool not on my start menu. I found it using Win7 Programs & features. Doubleclick on Qt 5.12.4. Maintenance tool launches and then switch to Add or remove components