Eclipse - Qt Framework - Installation

You like Qt framework and you like Eclipse as well.
So you already developed with Qt Creator, but your favorite IDE is missing you.

I understand.

That's why I will show you how to use Eclipse to compile a project with Qt framework.

1. Using Eclipse and Qt framework on Windows OS

A. Qt for open source C++ development on Windows

Let's start by install the open source Qt libraries.
I suggest you to downlod the .exe with this link: http://qt.nokia.com/downloads/windows-cpp

For our example, it will be: qt-win-opensource-4.7.4-mingw.exe

We will install it in this directory: C:\soft\nokia\qt-opensource\4.7.4

B. MinGW

Let's continue by downloading the Minimalist GNU for Windows, also known as MinGW.
This software will help us to use GNU/Linux tools such as make and others good things.
The official MinGW website: http://www.mingw.org/

The link where to download MinGW:
http://sourceforge.net/projects/mingw/files/ > Automated MinGW Installer > mingw-get-inst > mingw-get-inst-20110802 (of course take the last one of the list if there is more recent) > mingw-get-inst-20110802.exe

Run it and install it.
I suggest you a directory like this: C:\soft\mingw

C. Eclipse

Of course, you already have an Eclipse copy on your hard drive, but it's maybe a 64bit version.
If yes, you will need a 32bit one because the Qt Eclipse integration for C++ is made for a 32bit version of Eclipse.
So let's download this CDT 32bit version on the official website of Eclipse: www.eclipse.org

D. Qt Eclipse integration for C++

We also need the Qt plugin for Eclipse, that we can download on the official website of Nokia: http://qt.nokia.com/products/eclipse-integration/

This installer will ask you where is your MinGW directory and the same for your Eclipse CDT directory.
Just fill these inputs and click install.

Once installed, we can open your CDT Eclipse then:

Window > Preferences > Qt.
On the right panel, click Add...

Fill the inputs with correct paths.
It should be like this:

Version Name: 4.7.4
Bin Path: C:\soft\nokia\qt-opensource\4.7.4\bin
Include Path: C:\soft\nokia\qt-opensource\4.7.4\include

Click Apply and OK.

E. Environment variables

Let's add the environment variables corresponding to MinGW and Qt:

HOME_MINGW
C:\soft\mingw

HOME_QT
C:\soft\nokia\qt-opensource\4.7.4

PATH
%HOME_QT%\bin;%HOME_QT%\lib;%HOME_QT%\include;%PATH%;

If your Eclipse is open, close it and reopen it.
You are now ready to develop with Eclipse, MinGW and Qt framework on Windows OS.
Good job!