Preventing UI_HEADERS_DIR from being added to include path

[extronus]

Hi,

I have a mid scale project which i recently decided to move from lumbering netbeans to qtcreator and change the build system to qmake. It consists of a core library, a gui library, various tests and executables.

Directory structure goes like this

libcore
           string.h
           signal.h
           a.h
           b.h
           a.cpp
           b.cpp
       libgui
           widget_a.h
           widget_a.cpp
           form_a.ui
           form_a.h
           form_a.cpp
           form_b.ui
           form_b.h
           form_b.cpp
       tests and executables
           test directory
              test_a.h
              test_a.cpp
           executable directory
              exe_a.h
              exe_a.cpp

libcore
           string.h
           signal.h
           a.h
           b.h
           a.cpp
           b.cpp
       libgui
           widget_a.h
           widget_a.cpp
           form_a.ui
           form_a.h
           form_a.cpp
           form_b.ui
           form_b.h
           form_b.cpp
       tests and executables
           test directory
              test_a.h
              test_a.cpp
           executable directory
              exe_a.h
              exe_a.cpp

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As you can see, i have some header names like "string.h" and "signal.h" and because of that, when a library is built, it is supposed to go into build directory like this.

build_direcotory
      include
         tbs
           string.h
           signal.h
           widget_a.h
           ui_widget_a.h   // Generated as result of uic causes directory
                                // to be added to include path
           etc...
      lib
         libcore.a

build_direcotory
      include
         tbs
           string.h
           signal.h
           widget_a.h
           ui_widget_a.h   // Generated as result of uic causes directory
                                // to be added to include path
           etc...
      lib
         libcore.a

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To achieve this, i have an pri file and a function in it. (macro / test ?)
which does configuration _almost_ correctly

# ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
header_copy.input = HEADERS
header_copy.commands = @$$QMAKE_COPY ${QMAKE_FILE_NAME} ${QMAKE_FILE_OUT}
header_copy.output = ../include/tbs/${QMAKE_FILE_BASE}.h
 
# ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
defineTest(configuration) {
    target_name      = $$1
    target_type      = $$2
    output_directory = $$3
 
    TARGET = $$target_name
    INCLUDEPATH = $$output_directory/include
    LIBS += -L$$output_directory/lib
 
    contains(target_type, lib) {
        TEMPLATE = lib
        CONFIG += staticlib
        DESTDIR = $$output_directory/lib
        UI_DIR = $$output_directory/obj/ui
        #UI_HEADERS_DIR = $$output_directory/include/tbs
       QMAKE_EXTRA_COMPILERS += header_copy
    }
    else:contains(target_type, exe) {
        DESTDIR = $$output_directory/bin
        TEMPLATE = app
        debug {
          CONFIG += console
        }
    }
 
    export(TARGET)
    export(TEMPLATE)
    export(CONFIG)
    export(DESTDIR)
    export(UI_DIR)
    export(UI_HEADERS_DIR)
    export(INCLUDEPATH)
    export(LIBS)
    export(HEADERS)
    export(QMAKE_EXTRA_COMPILERS)
}

# ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
header_copy.input = HEADERS
header_copy.commands = @$$QMAKE_COPY ${QMAKE_FILE_NAME} ${QMAKE_FILE_OUT}
header_copy.output = ../include/tbs/${QMAKE_FILE_BASE}.h

# ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
defineTest(configuration) {
    target_name      = $$1
    target_type      = $$2
    output_directory = $$3

    TARGET = $$target_name
    INCLUDEPATH = $$output_directory/include
    LIBS += -L$$output_directory/lib

    contains(target_type, lib) {
        TEMPLATE = lib
        CONFIG += staticlib
        DESTDIR = $$output_directory/lib
        UI_DIR = $$output_directory/obj/ui
        #UI_HEADERS_DIR = $$output_directory/include/tbs
       QMAKE_EXTRA_COMPILERS += header_copy
    }
    else:contains(target_type, exe) {
        DESTDIR = $$output_directory/bin
        TEMPLATE = app
        debug {
          CONFIG += console
        }
    }

    export(TARGET)
    export(TEMPLATE)
    export(CONFIG)
    export(DESTDIR)
    export(UI_DIR)
    export(UI_HEADERS_DIR)
    export(INCLUDEPATH)
    export(LIBS)
    export(HEADERS)
    export(QMAKE_EXTRA_COMPILERS)
}

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Which is called from each "pro" file like this

include (../tbs_desktop.pri)
configuration(tbs, lib, ..)

include (../tbs_desktop.pri)
configuration(tbs, lib, ..)

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This does most of the job as intended. However the commented out line which places generated headers to their correct place, also adds that directory to include path. Resulting headers like "string.h" and "signal.h" to be included from standart library and Qt in place of intended headers. Creating a thousand lines long compile time mess.

I've tried :

INCLUDEPATH -= $$UI_HEADERS_DIR

INCLUDEPATH -= $$UI_HEADERS_DIR

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which had no effect, and attempted to replace command that executes uic with

# ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
UIC.input = FORMS
UIC.commands = @$$QMAKE_UIC ${QMAKE_FILE_NAME} -o ../include/tbs/${QMAKE_FILE_BASE}.h && echo ehore
UIC.output = ../include/tbs/${QMAKE_FILE_BASE}.h
QMAKE_EXTRA_COMPILERS += UIC

# ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
UIC.input = FORMS
UIC.commands = @$$QMAKE_UIC ${QMAKE_FILE_NAME} -o ../include/tbs/${QMAKE_FILE_BASE}.h && echo ehore
UIC.output = ../include/tbs/${QMAKE_FILE_BASE}.h
QMAKE_EXTRA_COMPILERS += UIC

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but this created another mess.

Is there a way to prevent UI_HEADERS_DIR from being added to include path or any other way to work around this issue?

* autotools is not an option as it is not really cross platform. (it requires a full blown unix environment to work)
* CMake is an option but it requires re-write of build system and i'm a total newbie to it.

[tbscope]

Do I understand you right that you want to have a separate build dir?
If so, use OBJECTS_DIR = ... in your .pro file.

[extronus]

Do I understand you right that you want to have a separate build dir?

Uh.. no. I'm already building in to a seperate dir. I just want to prevent the direcotry pointed by UI_HEADERS_DIR to being added to INCLUDEPATH.

[tbscope]

Sorry for asking stupid questions, but I don't understand your problem.
Are you trying to build separate targets? Why do you want to copy headers?

Edit: well, I do understand what your problem is, but not why.

[extronus]

As i said, i have two types of libraries, core and gui. Let's say core library (libtbs) has a signal class resides in "signal.h" and "signal.cpp" both are in "source/libtbs" directory. To use signal class from within signal.cpp or any other file within core library i'm including it like #include "signal.h"

That's ok. But when i need to use signal class from one of the unit tests or from a gui library, #include "signal.h" will not work. Since they are not in the same directory. Adding "source/libtbs" to include path (-I../libtbs) will not work either as "signal.h" from libtbs and "signal.h" of POSIX will be included in place of each other... So, the headers of libtbs must be copied to "builddir/include/tbs" and "builddir/include" must be added to include path then users of core library can include and use "signal.h" as #include <tbs/signal.h>

Setting UI_HEADERS_DIR to builddir/include/tbs also enables -I builddir/include/tbs causing "signal.h" of core library to be included in place of POSIX one.

[squidge]

Wouldn't it be easier to just rename your signal.h to tbs_signal.h ? Then you have no collisions to worry about and can just use the paths as normal without copying header files around.

[extronus]

It is. However this will move signal.h from it's own _namespace_ to global one. ( #include <tbs/signal.h> | #include <tbs_signal.h> ) breaking source consistency with previous versions etc... Isn't it correct way to shape the build system for project instead of shaping the project for build system?

[extronus]

I've managed to solve the problem by overriding uic.

The key point is disabling the uic by adding "CONFIG -= uic" then using a custom compiler. I'm posting both full configuration file and another that uses it.

pri file.

# Public domain.
# Turns off warnings about strict aliasing
QMAKE_CXXFLAGS += -Wstrict-aliasing=0 -Wno-unused-parameter
CONFIG += no_include_pwd silent
CONFIG -= uic
 
# ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Header copier
header_copy.input = HEADERS
header_copy.CONFIG += no_link target_predeps
header_copy.variable_out = GENERATED_FILES
 
# ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
# UI compiler
tbsuic.input = FORMS
tbsuic.variable_out = GENERATED_FILES
tbsuic.CONFIG += no_link target_predeps
 
# ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
defineTest(configuration) {
    target_name      = $$1
    target_type      = $$2
    output_directory = $$3
 
    TARGET = $$target_name
    INCLUDEPATH = $$output_directory/include
    LIBS += -L$$output_directory/lib
    UI_DIR = $$output_directory/obj/ui
    UI_HEADERS_DIR = $$output_directory/include/tbs
    QMAKE_EXTRA_COMPILERS += tbsuic header_copy
 
    # Relative part of header _compiler_
    header_copy.output = $$output_directory/include/tbs/${QMAKE_FILE_BASE}.h
    header_copy.commands = @$$QMAKE_COPY ${QMAKE_FILE_NAME} ${QMAKE_FILE_OUT}
 
    # Relative part of ui compiler
    tbsuic.output = $$output_directory/include/tbs/ui_${QMAKE_FILE_BASE}.h
    tbsuic.commands = @$$QMAKE_UIC ${QMAKE_FILE_NAME} -o $$output_directory/include/tbs/ui_${QMAKE_FILE_BASE}.h
 
    contains(target_type, lib) {
        TEMPLATE = lib
        CONFIG += staticlib
        DESTDIR = $$output_directory/lib
    }
    else:contains(target_type, exe) {
        DESTDIR = $$output_directory/bin
        TEMPLATE = app
        debug {
          CONFIG += console
        }
    }
 
    export(TARGET)
    export(TEMPLATE)
    export(CONFIG)
    export(DESTDIR)
    export(UI_DIR)
    export(UI_HEADERS_DIR)
    export(INCLUDEPATH)
    export(LIBS)
    export(HEADERS)
    export(header_copy.output)
    export(header_copy.commands)
    export(tbsuic.output)
    export(tbsuic.commands)
    export(QMAKE_EXTRA_COMPILERS)
}

# Public domain.
# Turns off warnings about strict aliasing
QMAKE_CXXFLAGS += -Wstrict-aliasing=0 -Wno-unused-parameter
CONFIG += no_include_pwd silent
CONFIG -= uic

# ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Header copier
header_copy.input = HEADERS
header_copy.CONFIG += no_link target_predeps
header_copy.variable_out = GENERATED_FILES

# ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
# UI compiler
tbsuic.input = FORMS
tbsuic.variable_out = GENERATED_FILES
tbsuic.CONFIG += no_link target_predeps

# ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
defineTest(configuration) {
    target_name      = $$1
    target_type      = $$2
    output_directory = $$3

    TARGET = $$target_name
    INCLUDEPATH = $$output_directory/include
    LIBS += -L$$output_directory/lib
    UI_DIR = $$output_directory/obj/ui
    UI_HEADERS_DIR = $$output_directory/include/tbs
    QMAKE_EXTRA_COMPILERS += tbsuic header_copy

    # Relative part of header _compiler_
    header_copy.output = $$output_directory/include/tbs/${QMAKE_FILE_BASE}.h
    header_copy.commands = @$$QMAKE_COPY ${QMAKE_FILE_NAME} ${QMAKE_FILE_OUT}

    # Relative part of ui compiler
    tbsuic.output = $$output_directory/include/tbs/ui_${QMAKE_FILE_BASE}.h
    tbsuic.commands = @$$QMAKE_UIC ${QMAKE_FILE_NAME} -o $$output_directory/include/tbs/ui_${QMAKE_FILE_BASE}.h

    contains(target_type, lib) {
        TEMPLATE = lib
        CONFIG += staticlib
        DESTDIR = $$output_directory/lib
    }
    else:contains(target_type, exe) {
        DESTDIR = $$output_directory/bin
        TEMPLATE = app
        debug {
          CONFIG += console
        }
    }

    export(TARGET)
    export(TEMPLATE)
    export(CONFIG)
    export(DESTDIR)
    export(UI_DIR)
    export(UI_HEADERS_DIR)
    export(INCLUDEPATH)
    export(LIBS)
    export(HEADERS)
    export(header_copy.output)
    export(header_copy.commands)
    export(tbsuic.output)
    export(tbsuic.commands)
    export(QMAKE_EXTRA_COMPILERS)
}

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Pro file that uses configuration file

include (../tbs_desktop.pri) #Inclusion
 
#First parameter is target's name, second is it's type, and third is source root relative
#to project
configuration(tbs_forms, lib, ..)
 
SOURCES += \
    point_list_model.cpp \
    tabular_data_editor.cpp \
    route_editor.cpp \
    .....
 
HEADERS += \
    vertex.h \
    tabular_data_editor.h \
    route_editor.h \
    point_list_model.h \
    ...
 
FORMS += \
    route_editor.ui \
    line_property_editor.ui \
    .....

include (../tbs_desktop.pri) #Inclusion

#First parameter is target's name, second is it's type, and third is source root relative
#to project
configuration(tbs_forms, lib, ..)

SOURCES += \
    point_list_model.cpp \
    tabular_data_editor.cpp \
    route_editor.cpp \
    .....

HEADERS += \
    vertex.h \
    tabular_data_editor.h \
    route_editor.h \
    point_list_model.h \
    ...

FORMS += \
    route_editor.ui \
    line_property_editor.ui \
    .....

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"CONFIG -= uic" is suggested at irc.freenode.net#qt by someone which his/her nick name is
eluding my memory at the moment.