QtLite

A lightweight GUI wrapper for compiling and running C++, Qt, and Python projects on Windows without needing a full IDE like Qt Creator or Visual Studio.

The Problem

Sometimes you just want to test a simple code snippet (like a single main.cpp or script.py file) without creating a complex CMake or qmake project, opening an IDE, and managing build configurations.

The Solution

QtLite is a simple tool that does all the work for you. You write your code in the editor, click "Build & Run," and it handles the entire build process behind the scenes.

Key Features

• Multi-Language Support: C++ (Qt), C/C++ (Console), and Python
• Automatic Qt Module Detection: Scans your code for #include directives
• Integrated Code Editor: Syntax highlighting, line numbers, and tab management
• Code Snippets: Pre-built templates for common code patterns
• Code Bundler: Merge multiple files into a single file for easy sharing
• File Browser: Navigate and open project files
• Settings Persistence: Your configurations are saved automatically

How It Works (for C++/Qt)

It automatically:

1. Scans your code for #include directives to detect required Qt modules (e.g., widgets, webenginewidgets).
2. Creates a temporary .pro file.
3. Executes the MSVC build environment (vcvarsall.bat).
4. Runs qmake.exe and nmake.exe (from your MSVC-based Qt install) to build your code.
5. Runs the resulting .exe file.

Prerequisites

To use this tool, you need the MSVC toolchain installed (for C++/Qt development):

• Visual Studio 2022: You must install the "Desktop development with C++" workload.
• Qt 6 (MSVC Version): From the Qt Installer, you must select the MSVC 2022 64-bit component.
• Qt WebEngine: (And any other modules you want to use) installed for the MSVC 2022 64-bit component.

For Python development:

• Python 3.x: Download from https://www.python.org/downloads/

Documentation

For detailed usage instructions, see the Usage Guide.

First-Time Setup

When you first run QtLite, you will need to configure the paths to your build tools. You only need to do this once.

1. Click the "Browse..." button for "Qt Version Directory".
2. Navigate to your Qt version folder (the one containing msvc2022_64).
   • Example: C:\Qt\6.10.0
3. Click the "Browse..." button for "Visual Studio Directory".
4. Navigate to your Visual Studio installation folder (e.g., Community, Professional).
   • Example: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Community

The paths will be saved automatically. Once both paths are set correctly (the text boxes are white), the "Build & Run" button will become enabled.

Running Tests

To run the unit tests, each test is built as a separate executable:

1. Navigate to the tests directory
2. Run qmake for a specific test:

   C:\Qt\6.10.0\mingw_64\bin\qmake.exe "TEST=test_pathvalidator" tests.pro

3. Build and run the test:

   C:\Qt\Tools\mingw1120_64\bin\mingw32-make.exe
   release\test_pathvalidator.exe

See tests/README.md for more details on running all tests.

How to Build QtLite (the Tool Itself)

To compile QtLite.exe from this repository:

1. Qt 6 (MinGW Version): Make sure you also have the MinGW components installed for Qt.
2. Clone this repository.
3. Open a cmd prompt in the repository folder.
4. Run the MinGW qmake (adjust path if needed): C:\Qt\6.10.0\mingw_64\bin\qmake.exe
5. Run the MinGW make (adjust path if needed): C:\Qt\Tools\mingw1120_64\bin\mingw32-make.exe
6. Your QtLite.exe will be in the release folder.

Project Status

Current Version: 1.0.0

QtLite is now at its first stable release! All planned features have been implemented:

• ✅ Core functionality (modular architecture)
• ✅ Multi-language support (C++, Qt, Python)
• ✅ Code editor with syntax highlighting
• ✅ Code snippets library
• ✅ Code bundler utility
• ✅ Unit tests for core components
• ✅ Comprehensive documentation

For the development roadmap and changelog, see CHANGELOG.md.

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please see CONTRIBUTING.md for guidelines.

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.