How to install a Qt application on a customers system?

Question

I've got a Qt app that I need installed on a customers computer, which I can't assume has Qt installed on it. I'm on a Mac OSX and the computer I will be installing it on some Unix based system. I will be installing it myself so I don't need a GUI installation wizard or anything like that. Ideally I'd like to end up with a script or makefile, along with a folder of all the sources and necessary libraries, I just don't know where to start. References would be much appreciated, I haven't found anything useful after many google searches.

My question lies somewhere between these two:
Can you create a setup.exe in qt to install your app on a client computer?
Create Linux install for Qt application?

I don't need a full-blown install wizard (question 1), but I also won't have my machine at the installation site to just keep copying libraries until all dependencies are met (question 2). Basically I need to have everything on a CD ready to install when I get there. Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

There are two ways to install a Qt application on a system:

1 - You can compile Qt statically. This will allow you to deploy you app without any qt dependencies.

2 - You need to deploy your app with Qt librairy files you need (like qtcore.dll on Windows)

You will find all explications for each platform in the Qt documentation : http://qt-project.org/doc/qt-4.8/deployment.html.

To create installer you can use InstallJammer for Windows and Unix.

For MacOSX you need to create a dmg image. This is very simple. Read the following web page for help : http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-DMG-File-on-a-Mac. By using apple script you can customize dmg (like an Application folder link into the dmg).

My preference for Win32 installer is NSIS.

Hope that helps!