Compiling for Windows

Author: Kang Lin kl222.nosp@m.@126.nosp@m..com
Translator: Allan Nordhøy epost.nosp@m.@ano.nosp@m.thera.nosp@m.genc.nosp@m.y.no

Environment

Operating system

Windows 10, version 20H2 (19042.985)

QtCreator

Version: v14.0.2 It is recommended to use version v5.0.2 or later.
Prior versions don't have CMake support.

Tools

• Compiler
  • Visual Studio
    • Home
      • https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/vs/
      • http://msdn.microsoft.com/zh-cn/vstudio
      • https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/zh-hans/downloads/
    • Version：
      • Visual Studio 2013
      • Visual Studio 2015
      • Visual Studio 2017
      • Visual Studio 2019
      • Visual Studio 2022
    • Visual Studio Key：https://github.com/KangLin/Documents/blob/master/c/VisualStudioKey.md
    • Current version：VS 2017
• Windows SDK: https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/downloads/sdk-archive
  Install the SDK that corresponds to your operating system. (CDB must be installed, and Qt debugging is required.)
• [OPTIONAL] Windows Driver Kit: https://docs.microsoft.com/zh-cn/windows-hardware/drivers/download-the-wdk
• DirectX: https://support.microsoft.com/zh-cn/topic/%E5%A6%82%E4%BD%95%E5%AE%89%E8%A3%85%E6%9C%80%E6%96%B0%E7%89%88%E6%9C%AC%E7%9A%84-directx-d1f5ffa5-dae2-246c-91b1-ee1e973ed8c2
  Required to run Qt.
• Qt
  • Qt (official release): https://download.qt.io/official_releases/qt/
    Current version: Qt 6.8.2
    • Set environment variable or cmake parameters: QT_ROOT, Qt6_DIR or Qt6_DIR
      • Environment variable

        export QT_ROOT=Qt install root
        # When Qt6
        export Qt6_DIR=$QT_ROOT
        # When Qt5
        export Qt5_DIR=$QT_ROOT
        

      • CMAKE parameters

        # Qt6
        cmake -DQT_ROOT=[Qt install root] -DQt6_DIR=[Qt install root] ......
        # Qt5 
        cmake -DQT_ROOT=[Qt install root] -DQt5_DIR=[Qt install root] ......
        

  • IDE: Qt Creator. It is recommended to use version v5.0.2 or later.
    Current version: 14.0.2 Prior versions don't have CMake support.
• Git: https://www.git-scm.com/
  
• CMake: https://www.cmake.org/ Version: 3.27.0
• Doxygen: http://www.doxygen.nl/
• Nsis: https://nsis.sourceforge.io/Download
• vcpkg: https://github.com/microsoft/vcpkg

Compilation

See: Compile integration

Library dependencies

• [MUST] RabbitCommon: https://github.com/KangLin/RabbitCommon
• [MUST] Openssl: Required to run Qt.
• [OPTIONAL] RFB
  • [OPTIONAL] RabbitVNC: https://github.com/KangLin/RabbitVNC
  • [OPTIONAL] LibVNCServer: https://github.com/LibVNC/libvncserver
  • [OPTIONAL] TigerVNC: https://github.com/KangLin/tigervnc
• [OPTIONAL] FreeRDP: https://github.com/FreeRDP/FreeRDP
• [OPTIONAL] SSH
  • libssh:
    • https://www.libssh.org
    • libssh API
  • libssh2:
    • https://www.libssh2.org/
      
    • https://github.com/libssh2/libssh2
• [OPTIONAL] QTermWidget: https://github.com/lxqt/qtermwidget
• [OPTIONAL] libtelnet: https://github.com/seanmiddleditch/libtelnet
• [OPTIONAL] libdatachannel: https://github.com/paullouisageneau/libdatachannel
• [OPTIONAL] QXmpp: https://github.com/qxmpp-project/qxmpp
• [OPTIONAL] QtService: https://github.com/KangLin/qt-solutions/
• [OPTIONAL] PcapPlusPlus: https://github.com/seladb/PcapPlusPlus
• [OPTIONAL] FFMPEG: Multimedia capabilities required

RabbitCommon

• This library is placed in the same directory level as the project by default.

  git clone https://github.com/KangLin/RabbitRemoteControl.git
  git clone https://github.com/KangLin/RabbitCommon.git
  

• If not, you must specify the CMake parameters or environment variable:

  git clone https://github.com/KangLin/RabbitRemoteControl.git
  ; Set environment variable
  set RabbitCommon_ROOT=[RabbitCommon install root]
  cd RabbitRemoteControl
  ; Or set CMake parameters
  cmake -DRabbitCommon_ROOT=[RabbitCommon installation path] ......
  

FreeRDP

• Use vcpkg
  • Source-code location: https://github.com/microsoft/vcpkg/

    git clone https://github.com/microsoft/vcpkg.git
    cd vcpkg
    bootstrap-vcpkg.bat
    vcpkg install freerdp
    

  • Specify the CMake parameters: -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE=[vcpkg installation path]/scripts/buildsystems/vcpkg.cmake
  • With vcpk, the FreeRDP service is not a default feature, so you need to specify it manually.
• Compile from source code
  • Source-code location: https://github.com/FreeRDP/FreeRDP
  • Compilation instructions: https://github.com/FreeRDP/FreeRDP/wiki/Compilation

      git clone https://github.com/FreeRDP/FreeRDP.git
      cd FreeRDP
      mkdir build
      cmake .. -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=%CD%/install -DWITH_SERVER=ON
      cmake --build . --config Release --target install
    

• When FreeRDP is compiled from source, the CMake parameter needs to be specified to compile this project:
  • -DBUILD_FREERDP=ON
  • -DFreeRDP-Client_DIR=[freerdp installation path]/lib/cmake/FreeRDP-Client3
  • -DFreeRDP_DIR=[freerdp installation path]/lib/cmake/FreeRDP3
  • -DWinPR_DIR=[freerdp installation path]/lib/cmake/WinPR3
  • -DFreeRDP-Shadow_DIR=[freerdp installation path]/lib/cmake/FreeRDP-Shadow3
  • -DFreeRDP-Server_DIR=[freerdp installation path]/lib/cmake/FreeRDP-Server3

LibVNCServer

• Compile from source code
  • Source-code location: https://github.com/LibVNC/libvncserver
    It is recommended to use the patches from: https://github.com/KangLin/libvncserver

    cd vcpkg
    vcpkg install zlib openssl libjpeg-turbo
    git clone https://github.com/KangLin/libvncserver.git
    cd libvncserver
    mkdir build
    cmake .. -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=%CD%/install -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE=[vcpkg installation path]/scripts/buildsystems/vcpkg.cmake
    cmake --build . --config Release --target install
    

• When LibVNCServer is compiled from source, the CMake parameter needs to be specified to compile this project:

  -DLibVNCServer_DIR=[LibVNCServer installation path]/lib/cmake/LibVNCServer
  

RabbitVNC

• Compile from source code
  • Source-code location: https://github.com/KangLin/RabbitVNC
    

    cd vcpkg
    vcpkg install zlib openssl libjpeg-turbo pixman
    git clone https://github.com/KangLin/RabbitVNC.git
    cd RabbitVNC
    mkdir build
    cmake .. -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=%CD%/install -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE=[vcpkg 安装目录]/scripts/buildsystems/vcpkg.cmake
    cmake --build . --config Release --target install
    

• When RabbitVNC is compiled from source, the CMake parameter needs to be specified to compile this project:

  -DRabbitVNC_DIR=[RabbitVNC installation path]/lib/cmake/tigervnc
  

TigerVNC

• Compile from source code

The official program does not support libraries.
See: https://github.com/TigerVNC/tigervnc/issues/1123
The Kanglin fork has support.
Source-code location: https://github.com/KangLin/tigervnc

cd vcpkg
vcpkg install zlib openssl pixman libjpeg-turbo
git clone https://github.com/KangLin/tigervnc.git
cd tigervnc
mkdir build
cmake .. -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=%CD%/install -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE=[vcpkg installation path]/scripts/buildsystems/vcpkg.cmake
cmake --build . --config Release --target install

• When TigerVNC is compiled from source, the CMake parameter needs to be specified to compile this project:

  -Dtigervnc_DIR=[TigerVNC installation path]/lib/cmake/tigervnc
  

libdatachannel

• Use vcpkg
  • Source-code location: https://github.com/microsoft/vcpkg/

    cd vcpkg
    vcpkg install libdatachannel
    

  • Specify the CMake parameters: -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE=[vcpkg installation path]/scripts/buildsystems/vcpkg.cmake
• Compile from source code
  • Source-code location: https://github.com/paullouisageneau/libdatachannel
  • Compilation instructions: https://github.com/paullouisageneau/libdatachannel/blob/master/BUILDING.md

    git clone https://github.com/paullouisageneau/libdatachannel.git
    cd libdatachannel
    git submodule update --init --recursive
    mkdir build
    cd build
    cmake .. -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=%CD%/install
    cmake --build . --config Release --target install
    

• When libdatachannel is compiled from source, the CMake parameter needs to be specified to compile this project:

  -DLibDataChannel_DIR=[libdatachannel installation path]/lib/cmake/LibDataChannel
  

QXmpp

• Compile from source code
  • Source-code location: https://github.com/qxmpp-project/qxmpp

    git clone https://github.com/qxmpp-project/qxmpp.git
    cd qxmpp
    mkdir build
    cd build
    cmake .. -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=%CD%/install -DQt5_DIR=[Qt install path]/lib/cmake/Qt5
    cmake --build . --config Release --target install
    

• When QXmpp is compiled from source, the CMake parameter needs to be specified to compile this project:

  -DQXmpp_DIR=[QXmpp installation path]/lib/cmake/qxmpp
  

QTermWidget (Not currently supported on Windows)

• Compile from source code
  • Source-code location: https://github.com/lxqt/qtermwidget
• When QTermWidget is compiled from source, the CMake parameter needs to be specified to compile this project:

  -Dqtermwidget5_DIR=[qtermwidget installation path]/lib/cmake/qtermwidget5
  

libssh

• Use vcpkg
  • Source-code location: https://github.com/microsoft/vcpkg/

    cd vcpkg
    vcpkg install libssh
    

  • Specify the CMake parameters: -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE=[vcpkg installation path]/scripts/buildsystems/vcpkg.cmake
• Compile from source code
  • Source code location: https://www.libssh.org
• When libssh is compiled from source, the CMake parameter needs to be specified to compile this project:

  -Dlibssh_DIR=[libssh installation path]/lib/cmake/libssh
  

QtService

• Compile from source code
  • Source-code location: https://github.com/KangLin/qt-solutions/

    git clone https://github.com/KangLin/qt-solutions.git
    cd qt-solutions
    mkdir build
    cd build
    cmake .. -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=%CD%/install
    cmake --build . --config Release --target install
    

• When QtService is compiled from source, the CMake parameter needs to be specified to compile this project:

  -DQtService_DIR=[QtService installation path]/lib/cmake/QtService
  

PcapPlusPlus

• Compile from source code
  • Source-code location: https://github.com/seladb/PcapPlusPlus

    git clone https://github.com/seladb/PcapPlusPlus.git
    

• Use vcpkg
  • Source-code location: https://github.com/microsoft/vcpkg/

    git clone https://github.com/microsoft/vcpkg.git
    cd vcpkg
    vcpkg install pcapplusplus
    

    Note: PcapPlusPlus in vcpkg relies on WinPcap, but WinPcap does not work in Windows 10. So compile from source, relying on the npcap library.
• When PcapPlusPlus is compiled from source, the CMake parameter needs to be specified to compile this project:

  -DPcapPlusPlus_DIR=[PcapPlusPlus install path]/lib/cmake/pcapplusplus
  

Compile this project

• Project location: https://github.com/KangLin/RabbitRemoteControl
• Download the source code:

  git clone https://github.com/KangLin/RabbitRemoteControl.git
  

• The CMake parameters:
  • QT_ROOT: Qt install root
  • Qt6_DIR or Qt5_DIR: Is same QT_ROOT
  • RabbitCommon_ROOT: RabbitCommon source-code location
  • BUILD_CLIENT: Compile client. the default is ON
  • BUILD_SERVICE: Compile service. the default dependency is whether there is a QtService
  • BUILD_PLUGINS: Compile plugins. the default is ON
  • BUILD_APP: Compile applaction. the default is ON
  • BUILD_DOCS: Build docmenets. the default is OFF
  • BUILD_SHARED_LIBS: Compile shared libraries. the default is ON
  • BUILD_FREERDP：If compile FreeRDP. the default is OFF
  • WinPR_DIR: [FreeRDP installation path]/lib/cmake/WinPR2
  • FreeRDP_DIR: [FreeRDP installation path]/lib/cmake/FreeRDP2
  • FreeRDP-Client_DIR: [FreeFRP installation path]/lib/cmake/FreeRDP-Client2
  • BUILD_RABBITVNC: Compile RabbitVNC. the default is ON
  • RabbitVNC_DIR: [RabbitVNC installation path]/lib/cmake/RabbitVNC
  • BUILD_TigerVNC: Compile TigerVNC. the default is ON
  • TigerVNC_DIR: [TigerVNC installation path]/lib/cmake/tigervnc
  • BUILD_LibVNCServer: Compile LibVNCServer. the default is ON
  • LibVNCServer_DIR: [libvncserver installation path]/lib/cmake/LibVNCServer
  • libdatachannel_DIR: [libdatachannel installation path]/lib/cmake/LibDataChannel
  • QXmpp_DIR=[QXmpp installation path]/lib/cmake/qxmpp
  • QTermWidget5_DIR: [QTermWidget installation path]/lib/cmake/qtermwidget5
  • libssh_DIR: [libssh installation path]/lib/cmake/libssh
  • QtService_DIR: [QtService installation path]/lib/cmake/QtService
• If using vcpkg, please set the CMake parameters:
  • Because of using vcpkg manifest mode, so the depend libraries in vcpkg.json
  • CMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE: [vcpkg installation path]/scripts/buildsystems/vcpkg.cmake
  • X_VCPKG_APPLOCAL_DEPS_INSTALL: ON #When installing, copy the dependent libraries to the installation directory
  • VCPKG_MANIFEST_FEATURES: This variable can be set to a list of features to activate when installing from your manifest. Note: All vcpkg-affecting variables must be defined before the first project() directive such as in a CMakePresets.json's "cacheVariables" map, via the command line, or set() statements. So don't place it in CMakeLists.txt of the project. See: https://learn.microsoft.com/vcpkg/users/buildsystems/cmake-integration#settings-reference
• Compile
  • Compile from the command-line

      cd RabbitRemoteControl
      mkdir build
      cmake .. -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release ^
          -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=%CD%/install ^
          -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE=[vcpkg installation path]/scripts/buildsystems/vcpkg.cmake ^
          -DX_VCPKG_APPLOCAL_DEPS_INSTALL=ON ^
          -DBUILD_FREERDP=ON [options libraries]
      cmake --build . --config Release --target install
    
      ; Package
      cmake --install . --config Release --component Runtime --strip
      cmake --install . --config Release --component Application --strip
      cmake --install . --config Release --component Plugin --strip
      cmake --install . --config Release --component DependLibraries --strip
      makensis Windows.nsi
    

  • Using an IDE (Qt Creator)
    • Set vcpkg: Menu→Edit→Preferences→Kits→Cmake Configuration:
      • Add CMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE=[vcpkg installation path]/scripts/buildsystems/vcpkg.cmake
      • Set X_VCPKG_APPLOCAL_DEPS_INSTALL=ON
    • Open project: Menu→File→Open File or project, Select the CMakeLists.txt of the project
    • Configure: Click Project→"Build & Run" in the toolbar on the left to configure CMake parameters
      • If need install: select install in target
    • Compile and run: Click "Start Debugging of startup project" in the left toolbar, or press the shortcut key (F5)

Note: If the plugin does not load. It may be that the plugin's dependencies are not installed on the system. You can copy the dependency libraries into the application's bin directory.

See: Compile integration