# CPack IFW Generator

New in version 3.1.

Configure and run the Qt Installer Framework to generate a Qt installer.

Contents

- CPack IFW Generator

  - Overview

  - Variables

    - Debug

    - Package

    - Components

    - QtIFW Tools

    - Hints for Finding QtIFW

  - Other Settings

    - Online installer

    - Internationalization

  - See Also

## Overview

This `cpack generator` generates configuration and meta information for the Qt Installer Framework (QtIFW), and runs QtIFW tools to generate a Qt installer.

QtIFW provides tools and utilities to create installers for the platforms supported by Qt: Linux, Microsoft Windows, and macOS.

To make use of this generator, QtIFW needs to be installed. The `CPackIFW` module looks for the location of the QtIFW command-line utilities, and defines several commands to control the behavior of this generator. See Hints for Finding QtIFW.

## Variables

You can use the following variables to change the behavior of the CPack `IFW` generator.

### Debug

`CPACK_IFW_VERBOSE`

  New in version 3.3.

  Set to `ON` to enable addition debug output. By default is `OFF`.

### Package

`CPACK_IFW_PACKAGE_TITLE`

  Name of the installer as displayed on the title bar. If not specified, it defaults to `CPACK_PACKAGE_DESCRIPTION_SUMMARY`.

`CPACK_IFW_PACKAGE_PUBLISHER`

  Publisher of the software (as shown in the Windows Control Panel). If not specified, it defaults to `CPACK_PACKAGE_VENDOR`.

`CPACK_IFW_PRODUCT_URL`

  URL to a page that contains product information on your web site.

`CPACK_IFW_PACKAGE_ICON`

  Filename for a custom installer icon. It must be an absolute path. This should be a `.icns` file on macOS and a `.ico` file on Windows. It is ignored on other platforms.

`CPACK_IFW_PACKAGE_WINDOW_ICON`

  Filename for a custom window icon in PNG format for the Installer application. It must be an absolute path.

`CPACK_IFW_PACKAGE_LOGO`

  Filename for a logo image in PNG format, used as `QWizard::LogoPixmap`. It must be an absolute path.

`CPACK_IFW_PACKAGE_WATERMARK`

  New in version 3.8.

  Filename for a watermark image in PNG format, used as `QWizard::WatermarkPixmap`. It must be an absolute path.

`CPACK_IFW_PACKAGE_BANNER`

  New in version 3.8.

  Filename for a banner image in PNG format, used as `QWizard::BannerPixmap`. It must be an absolute path.

`CPACK_IFW_PACKAGE_BACKGROUND`

  New in version 3.8.

  Filename for a background image in PNG format, used as `QWizard::BackgroundPixmap` (only used by `MacStyle`). It must be an absolute path.

`CPACK_IFW_PACKAGE_WIZARD_STYLE`

  New in version 3.8.

  Wizard style to be used (`Modern`, `Mac`, `Aero` or `Classic`).

`CPACK_IFW_PACKAGE_WIZARD_DEFAULT_WIDTH`

  New in version 3.8.

  Default width of the wizard in pixels. Setting a banner image will override this.

`CPACK_IFW_PACKAGE_WIZARD_DEFAULT_HEIGHT`

  New in version 3.8.

  Default height of the wizard in pixels. Setting a watermark image will override this.

`CPACK_IFW_PACKAGE_WIZARD_SHOW_PAGE_LIST`

  New in version 3.20.

  Set to `OFF` if the widget listing installer pages on the left side of the wizard should not be shown.

  It is `ON` by default, but will only have an effect if using QtIFW 4.0 or later.

`CPACK_IFW_PACKAGE_TITLE_COLOR`

  New in version 3.8.

  Color of the titles and subtitles (takes an HTML color code, such as `#88FF33`).

`CPACK_IFW_PACKAGE_STYLE_SHEET`

  New in version 3.15.

  Filename for a stylesheet. It must be an absolute path.

`CPACK_IFW_TARGET_DIRECTORY`

  Default target directory for installation. If `CPACK_PACKAGE_INSTALL_DIRECTORY` is set, this defaults to `@ApplicationsDir@/${CPACK_PACKAGE_INSTALL_DIRECTORY}`. If that variable isn't set either, the default used is `@RootDir@/usr/local`. Predefined variables of the form `@...@` are expanded by the QtIFW scripting engine.

`CPACK_IFW_ADMIN_TARGET_DIRECTORY`

  Default target directory for installation with administrator rights.

  You can use predefined variables.

`CPACK_IFW_PACKAGE_REMOVE_TARGET_DIR`

  New in version 3.11.

  Set to `OFF` if the target directory should not be deleted when uninstalling.

  Is `ON` by default

`CPACK_IFW_PACKAGE_GROUP`

  The group, which will be used to configure the root package.

`CPACK_IFW_PACKAGE_NAME`

  The root package name, which will be used if the configuration group is not specified.

`CPACK_IFW_PACKAGE_START_MENU_DIRECTORY`

  New in version 3.3.

  Name of the default program group for the product in the Windows Start menu. If not specified, it defaults to `CPACK_IFW_PACKAGE_NAME`.

`CPACK_IFW_PACKAGE_MAINTENANCE_TOOL_NAME`

  New in version 3.3.

  Filename of the generated maintenance tool. The platform-specific executable file extension will be appended.

  If not specified, QtIFW provides a default name (`maintenancetool`).

`CPACK_IFW_PACKAGE_MAINTENANCE_TOOL_INI_FILE`

  New in version 3.3.

  Filename for the configuration of the generated maintenance tool.

  If not specified, QtIFW uses a default file name (`maintenancetool.ini`).

`CPACK_IFW_PACKAGE_ALLOW_NON_ASCII_CHARACTERS`

  New in version 3.3.

  Set to `ON` if the installation path can contain non-ASCII characters. Only supported for QtIFW 2.0 and later. Older QtIFW versions will always allow non-ASCII characters.

`CPACK_IFW_PACKAGE_ALLOW_SPACE_IN_PATH`

  New in version 3.3.

  Set to `OFF` if the installation path cannot contain space characters.

  Is `ON` for QtIFW less 2.0 tools.

`CPACK_IFW_PACKAGE_DISABLE_COMMAND_LINE_INTERFACE`

  New in version 3.23.

  Set to `ON` if command line interface features should be disabled. It is `OFF` by default and will only have an effect if using QtIFW 4.0 or later.

`CPACK_IFW_PACKAGE_CONTROL_SCRIPT`

  New in version 3.3.

  Filename for a custom installer control script.

`CPACK_IFW_PACKAGE_RESOURCES`

  New in version 3.7.

  List of additional resources (`.qrc` files) to include in the installer binary. They should be specified as absolute paths and no two resource files can have the same file name.

  You can use the `cpack_ifw_add_package_resources()` command to resolve relative paths.

`CPACK_IFW_PACKAGE_FILE_EXTENSION`

  New in version 3.10.

  The target binary extension.

  On Linux, the name of the target binary is automatically extended with `.run`, if you do not specify the extension.

  On Windows, the target is created as an application with the extension `.exe`, which is automatically added, if not supplied.

  On Mac, the target is created as an DMG disk image with the extension `.dmg`, which is automatically added, if not supplied.

`CPACK_IFW_REPOSITORIES_ALL`

  The list of remote repositories.

  The default value of this variable is computed by CPack and contains all repositories added with `cpack_ifw_add_repository()` or updated with `cpack_ifw_update_repository()`.

`CPACK_IFW_DOWNLOAD_ALL`

  If this is `ON`, all components will be downloaded. If not set, the behavior is determined by whether `cpack_configure_downloads()` has been called with the `ALL` option or not.

`CPACK_IFW_PACKAGE_PRODUCT_IMAGES`

  New in version 3.23.

  A list of images to be shown on the `PerformInstallationPage`. These must be absolute paths and the images must be in PNG format.

  This feature is available for QtIFW 4.0.0 and later.

`CPACK_IFW_PACKAGE_RUN_PROGRAM`

  New in version 3.23.

  Command executed after the installer is finished, if the user accepts the action. Provide the full path to the application, as found when installed. This typically means the path should begin with the QtIFW predefined variable `@TargetDir@`.

  This feature is available for QtIFW 4.0.0 and later.

`CPACK_IFW_PACKAGE_RUN_PROGRAM_ARGUMENTS`

  New in version 3.23.

  List of arguments passed to the program specified in `CPACK_IFW_PACKAGE_RUN_PROGRAM`.

  This feature is available for QtIFW 4.0.0 and later.

`CPACK_IFW_PACKAGE_RUN_PROGRAM_DESCRIPTION`

  New in version 3.23.

  Text shown next to the check box for running the program after the installation. If `CPACK_IFW_PACKAGE_RUN_PROGRAM` is set but no description is provided, QtIFW will use a default message like `Run <Name> now`.

  This feature is available for QtIFW 4.0.0 and later.

`CPACK_IFW_PACKAGE_SIGNING_IDENTITY`

  New in version 3.23.

  Allows specifying a code signing identity to be used for signing the generated app bundle. Only available on macOS, ignored on other platforms.

`CPACK_IFW_ARCHIVE_FORMAT`

  New in version 3.23.

  Set the format used when packaging new component data archives. If you omit this option, the `7z` format will be used as a default. Supported formats:

  - 7z

  - zip

  - tar.gz

  - tar.bz2

  - tar.xz

  Note

  If the Qt Installer Framework tools were built without libarchive support, only `7z` format is supported.

  This feature is available for QtIFW 4.2.0 and later.

`CPACK_IFW_ARCHIVE_COMPRESSION`

  New in version 3.23.

  Archive compression level. The allowable values are:

  > - 0 (No compression)

  > - 1 (Fastest compression)

  > - 3 (Fast compression)

  > - 5 (Normal compression)

  > - 7 (Maximum compression)

  > - 9 (Ultra compression)

  If this variable is not set, QtIFW will use a default compression level, which will typically be 5 (Normal compression).

  Note

  Some formats do not support all the possible values. For example `zip` compression only supports values from 1 to 7.

  This feature is available for QtIFW 4.2.0 and later.

### Components

`CPACK_IFW_RESOLVE_DUPLICATE_NAMES`

  Resolve duplicate names when installing components with groups.

`CPACK_IFW_PACKAGES_DIRECTORIES`

  Additional prepared packages directories that will be used to resolve dependent components.

`CPACK_IFW_REPOSITORIES_DIRECTORIES`

  New in version 3.10.

  Additional prepared repository directories that will be used to resolve and repack dependent components.

  This feature is available for QtIFW 3.1 and later.

### QtIFW Tools

`CPACK_IFW_FRAMEWORK_VERSION`

  New in version 3.3.

  The version of the QtIFW tools that will be used. This variable is set by the `CPackIFW` module.

The following variables provide the locations of the QtIFW command-line tools as discovered by the `CPackIFW` module. These variables are cached, and may be configured if needed.

`CPACK_IFW_ARCHIVEGEN_EXECUTABLE`

  New in version 3.19.

  The path to `archivegen`.

`CPACK_IFW_BINARYCREATOR_EXECUTABLE`

  The path to `binarycreator`.

`CPACK_IFW_REPOGEN_EXECUTABLE`

  The path to `repogen`.

`CPACK_IFW_INSTALLERBASE_EXECUTABLE`

  The path to `installerbase`.

`CPACK_IFW_DEVTOOL_EXECUTABLE`

  The path to `devtool`.

### Hints for Finding QtIFW

Generally, the CPack `IFW` generator automatically finds QtIFW tools. The following (in order of precedence) can also be set to augment the locations normally searched by `find_program()`:

`CPACK_IFW_ROOT`

  New in version 3.9.

  CMake variable

`CPACK_IFW_ROOT`

  New in version 3.9.

  Environment variable

`QTIFWDIR`

  CMake variable

`QTIFWDIR`

  Environment variable

Note

The specified path should not contain `bin` at the end (for example: `D:\\DevTools\\QtIFW2.0.5`).

## Other Settings

### Online installer

By default, this generator generates an offline installer. This means that all packaged files are fully contained in the installer executable.

In contrast, an online installer will download some or all components from a remote server.

The `DOWNLOADED` option in the `cpack_add_component()` command specifies that a component is to be downloaded. Alternatively, the `ALL` option in the `cpack_configure_downloads()` command specifies that all components are to be be downloaded.

The `cpack_ifw_add_repository()` command and the `CPACK_IFW_DOWNLOAD_ALL` variable allow for more specific configuration.

When there are online components, CPack will write them to archive files. The help page of the `CPackComponent` module, especially the section on the `cpack_configure_downloads()` function, explains how to make these files accessible from a download URL.

### Internationalization

New in version 3.9.

Some variables and command arguments support internationalization via CMake script. This is an optional feature.

Installers created by QtIFW tools have built-in support for internationalization and many phrases are localized to many languages, but this does not apply to the description of your components and groups.

Localization of the description of your components and groups is useful for users of your installers.

A localized variable or argument can contain a single default value, and after that a set of pairs with the name of the locale and the localized value.

For example:

    set(LOCALIZABLE_VARIABLE "Default value"
      en "English value"
      en_US "American value"
      en_GB "Great Britain value"
      )

## See Also

Qt Installer Framework Manual:

- Index page: https://doc.qt.io/qtinstallerframework/index.html

- Component Scripting: https://doc.qt.io/qtinstallerframework/scripting.html

- Predefined Variables: https://doc.qt.io/qtinstallerframework/scripting.html#predefined-variables

- Promoting Updates: https://doc.qt.io/qtinstallerframework/ifw-updates.html

Download Qt Installer Framework for your platform from Qt site:

  https://download.qt.io/official_releases/qt-installer-framework