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Qt for Visual Studio 2019: The Ultimate Guide for Windows Developers



How to Download and Install Qt for Visual Studio 2019




If you are looking for a way to create cross-platform GUI applications using Microsoft Visual Studio 2019, you might want to consider using Qt. Qt is a popular framework that provides a rich set of tools and libraries for creating user interfaces, graphics, multimedia, networking, and more. In this article, we will show you how to download and install Qt for Visual Studio 2019, how to create and run a simple Qt project, and how to troubleshoot some common errors and solutions.


What is Qt and why use it with Visual Studio 2019?




Qt is a cross-platform framework for creating GUI applications




Qt is an open source framework that allows you to create applications that run on various platforms, such as Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, iOS, and more. Qt supports C++, QML, JavaScript, Python, and other languages, and provides a comprehensive set of modules and components for creating GUIs, graphics, multimedia, networking, databases, web services, and more. You can also use Qt Creator, an integrated development environment (IDE) that comes with Qt, to design, code, debug, and test your applications.




download qt for visual studio 2019



Qt VS Tools is an extension that integrates Qt development tools into Visual Studio 2019




If you prefer to use Microsoft Visual Studio 2019 as your IDE, you can still use Qt by installing the Qt VS Tools extension. This extension enables you to create, build, debug, and run Qt applications from within Visual Studio 2019. It also provides features such as:


  • Wizards for creating new Qt projects and files



  • Automated build setup for the Meta-Object Compiler (moc), User Interface Compiler (uic), and Resource Compiler (rcc)



  • Import and export of Qt project files (.pro) and project include files (.pri)



  • Integrated Qt resource management



  • Integrated Qt documentation



  • Debugging extensions for Qt data types



  • QML debug engine for debugging Qt Quick applications



Benefits of using Qt VS Tools with Visual Studio 2019




By using Qt VS Tools with Visual Studio 2019, you can enjoy the following benefits:


  • You can use the standard Windows development environment without having to worry about Qt-related build steps or tools



  • You can leverage the powerful features of Visual Studio 2019, such as IntelliSense, code analysis, refactoring, testing, version control, etc.



  • You can easily switch between C++ and QML code in the same project



  • You can access the Qt documentation directly from Visual Studio 2019



  • You can debug your Qt applications using the familiar Visual Studio debugger



  • You can create cross-platform applications that run on various devices and platforms



How to download and install Qt for Visual Studio 2019?How to download and install Qt for Visual Studio 2019?




To use Qt with Visual Studio 2019, you need to download and install two components: Qt itself and the Qt VS Tools extension. Here are the steps to do so:


Download Qt from the official website




The first step is to download Qt from the official website. You can choose either the online installer or the offline installer, depending on your preference and internet connection. The online installer allows you to select the components you want to install, while the offline installer contains all the components for a specific version of Qt. You can find both installers on this page:


If you are not sure which version of Qt to download, you can check the compatibility table on this page: . For Visual Studio 2019, you need Qt 5.12 or later.


Install Qt and select the components for Visual Studio 2019




After downloading Qt, you need to run the installer and follow the instructions. You will need to accept the license agreement, create or log in to your Qt account, and select the installation directory. Then, you will need to select the components you want to install. For Visual Studio 2019, you need to select at least one of the following components:


  • Qt 5.12 or later for Windows 64-bit (MSVC 2019)



  • Qt 5.12 or later for Windows 32-bit (MSVC 2019)



You can also select other components, such as Qt Creator, Qt Charts, Qt WebEngine, etc., depending on your needs. However, note that some components may require additional dependencies or licenses.


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After selecting the components, you can proceed with the installation. This may take some time depending on your internet speed and the number of components you selected.


Install Qt VS Tools from the Visual Studio Marketplace




The next step is to install the Qt VS Tools extension from the Visual Studio Marketplace. You can find it on this page: . You can either download it and run it manually, or install it directly from Visual Studio 2019.


To install it from Visual Studio 2019, you need to go to Extensions > Manage Extensions > Online > Search and type "Qt VS Tools". Then, you need to select it and click on Download. After downloading it, you need to close Visual Studio 2019 and run the installer. You will need to accept the license agreement and click on Install.


Add a Qt version to the Qt VS Tools options




The final step is to add a Qt version to the Qt VS Tools options in Visual Studio 2019. This will allow you to use Qt in your projects. To do this, you need to go to Extensions > Qt VS Tools > Qt Options. Then, you need to click on Add and browse to the directory where you installed Qt. For example, if you installed Qt 5.15.2 for Windows 64-bit (MSVC 2019), you need to browse to C:\Qt\5.15.2\msvc2019_64.


After selecting the directory, you need to click on OK and then on Apply. You should see your Qt version listed in the options window. You can also rename it or set it as default if you want. How to create and run a Qt project in Visual Studio 2019?




Now that you have installed Qt and the Qt VS Tools extension, you are ready to create and run your first Qt project in Visual Studio 2019. Here are the steps to do so:


Create a new Qt project using the project wizard




To create a new Qt project, you need to go to File > New > Project and select Qt from the left pane. Then, you need to choose one of the templates available, such as Qt GUI Application, Qt Console Application, Qt Widgets Application, etc. You can also filter the templates by language, platform, and project type.


After selecting a template, you need to click on Next and enter a name and location for your project. You can also change the solution name and the target framework if you want. Then, you need to click on Create.


The project wizard will then ask you to select a Qt version for your project. You can choose one of the versions you added in the previous step, or add a new one if you want. You can also specify some additional options, such as precompiled headers, Qt modules, and QML debugging. After selecting the options, you need to click on OK.


The project wizard will then create your project and add the necessary files and settings for using Qt. You should see your project structure in the Solution Explorer window.


Build and debug the project using the standard Visual Studio tools




To build and debug your project, you can use the standard Visual Studio tools, such as Build Solution, Start Debugging, Start Without Debugging, etc. You can also use the toolbar buttons or the keyboard shortcuts for these commands.


When you build your project, the Qt VS Tools extension will automatically invoke the Qt tools, such as moc, uic, and rcc, to generate the required files and resources for your application. You can see the output of these tools in the Output window.


When you debug your project, the Visual Studio debugger will attach to your application and allow you to set breakpoints, inspect variables, watch expressions, etc. You can also use the Debug menu or the toolbar buttons to control the debugging session.


Run the project and see the result




To run your project, you can either use the Start Debugging or Start Without Debugging commands, or press F5 or Ctrl+F5 keys respectively. This will launch your application in a separate window and show you the result.


Depending on the template you chose, you may see different results. For example, if you chose Qt GUI Application, you may see a simple window with a menu bar and a status bar. If you chose Qt Console Application, you may see a console window with some output text. If you chose Qt Widgets Application, you may see a window with some widgets, such as buttons, labels, etc.


You can also interact with your application and test its functionality. For example, if you chose Qt GUI Application, you can click on File > Exit to close the application. If you chose Qt Console Application, you can press any key to exit. If you chose Qt Widgets Application, you can click on some of the widgets and see their effects. How to troubleshoot common errors and solutions for Qt for Visual Studio 2019?




While using Qt with Visual Studio 2019, you may encounter some errors or issues that prevent you from building or running your project. Here are some of the common errors and solutions that you can try:


Error: An item with the same key has already been added




This error may occur when you try to add a new Qt version to the Qt VS Tools options, or when you try to create a new Qt project. It means that there is a duplicate entry in the Qt versions list, which causes a conflict.


To fix this error, you need to remove the duplicate entry from the Qt versions list. To do this, you need to go to Extensions > Qt VS Tools > Qt Options and select the duplicate entry. Then, you need to click on Remove and then on Apply. You should see the error message disappear and be able to add a new Qt version or create a new Qt project.


Error: Qt GUI Application template is missing




This error may occur when you try to create a new Qt GUI Application project, but you don't see the template in the project wizard. It means that the template is not installed or registered properly.


To fix this error, you need to reinstall or repair the Qt VS Tools extension. To do this, you need to go to Extensions > Manage Extensions > Installed and select Qt VS Tools. Then, you need to click on Uninstall and then on Modify. You will need to close Visual Studio 2019 and run the installer again. You should see the option to repair or reinstall the extension. After completing the process, you should see the Qt GUI Application template in the project wizard.


Error: Could not load file or assembly 'Microsoft.VisualStudio.Threading'




This error may occur when you try to build or run your Qt project, but you get an exception message saying that the assembly 'Microsoft.VisualStudio.Threading' could not be loaded. It means that there is a mismatch between the version of the assembly and the version of Visual Studio 2019.


To fix this error, you need to update the assembly to match the version of Visual Studio 2019. To do this, you need to go to Tools > NuGet Package Manager > Package Manager Console and type the following command:


Install-Package Microsoft.VisualStudio.Threading -Version 16.10.56


This will install the latest version of the assembly that is compatible with Visual Studio 2019. You should be able to build and run your Qt project without any errors.


Conclusion and FAQs




In this article, we have shown you how to download and install Qt for Visual Studio 2019, how to create and run a simple Qt project, and how to troubleshoot some common errors and solutions. We hope that this article has helped you to get started with using Qt with Visual Studio 2019 and create cross-platform GUI applications.


If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to leave a comment below. You can also check out the following FAQs for more information:


Q: How can I update Qt or Qt VS Tools?




A: To update Qt, you can use the online installer or download the latest version from the official website. To update Qt VS Tools, you can use the Visual Studio Marketplace or download the latest version from . You may need to uninstall the previous version before installing the new one.


Q: How can I use QML with Visual Studio 2019?




A: To use QML with Visual Studio 2019, you need to enable QML debugging in your project settings. To do this, you need to go to Project > Properties > Debugging and set QML Debugging Enabled to Yes. You also need to install QML Debugging Support from . This will allow you to debug QML code using breakpoints, watches, locals, etc.


Q: How can I use CMake with Qt and Visual Studio 2019?




A: To use CMake with Qt and Visual Studio 2019, you need to install CMake Support for Visual Studio from . This will allow you to open CMake projects in Visual Studio 2019 and configure them using CMake settings. You also need to add find_package(Qt Q: How can I use CMake with Qt and Visual Studio 2019?




A: To use CMake with Qt and Visual Studio 2019, you need to install CMake Support for Visual Studio from .


Q: How can I use Qt Designer with Visual Studio 2019?




A: To use Qt Designer with Visual Studio 2019, you need to install Qt Designer from the Qt installer or download it from . This will allow you to create and edit UI files (.ui) using a graphical interface. You can also launch Qt Designer from Visual Studio 2019 by right-clicking on a UI file and selecting Open With > Qt Designer.


Q: How can I use Qt Linguist with Visual Studio 2019?




A: To use Qt Linguist with Visual Studio 2019, you need to install Qt Linguist from the Qt installer or download it from . This will allow you to create and edit translation files (.ts) using a graphical interface. You can also launch Qt Linguist from Visual Studio 2019 by right-clicking on a TS file and selecting Open With > Qt Linguist.


Q: How can I learn more about Qt and Visual Studio 2019?




A: To learn more about Qt and Visual Studio 2019, you can check out the following resources:


  • The official documentation of Qt VS Tools:



  • The official documentation of Qt:



  • The official documentation of Visual Studio 2019:



  • The official blog of Qt:



  • The official blog of Visual Studio:



  • The official forums of Qt:



  • The official forums of Visual Studio:



  • The official YouTube channel of Qt:



  • The official YouTube channel of Visual Studio:



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