[scribus] Setting up to build from scratch (XP32)

Mike mike at hersham.net
Sat Jul 16 11:42:58 UTC 2011


Hi guys

It's about time I started to contribute so I decided to attempt a build from 
svn ('trunk' aka 1.5.0) on Windows XP (32 bit).
(Once I've suceeded with that I'll also try XP64 and a couple of Linux 
flavours - eg  Debian and Redhat)

I found the instructions in the BUILDING_win2.txt  file very complicated and 
in some parts misleading, so I think it would be good to provide some new 
improved instructions to make the process simpler. In particular the list 
of dependancies and guidance on installing them.

I've had to go 'off-script' and I'm carefully recording the steps I go 
through and compiling a detailed set of notes to help anyone attempting this 
task. Having built successfully I intend to review the steps and reduce them 
to the minimum.

Before 'publishing' my notes I have a few observations and questions. Please 
respond if you have answers or can give reasoning behind some of the quirks.

1. The instructions refer to Jean Ghali's Visual studio projects being more 
stable than using CMAKE, but then the instructions go on to describe using 
CMAKE to prepare the VS project?

2. However I found the CMAKE instructions (in build.cmd script) to be packed 
with difficult issues so I reverted to the vc9 project from svn. This route 
seems much easier. However the vsprops has hard-coded paths based on 
"F:\Libraries-vc9" whereas the instrcutions recommend installing the 
libraries in "C:\developer\lib"

3. BUILDING_win2.txt recommends "A recent Qt 4.3 snapshot built with Visual 
Studio 8 2005". I downloaded QT 4.5.3 - as the only version for which I 
could find source code only. Unfortunately, Scribus uses the QT's 
UniqueConnection property which was first created in version 4.6. I now know 
to download the windows installer version of 4.7.3.

4. BUILDING_win2.txt specifies "- PoDoFo 0.5.0 (and ONLY 0.5.0) sources from 
podofo.sourceforge.net"
I note from the vsprops file that Jean has been building against 
podofo-0.8.2. I am attempting with 0.9.1.

5. Some scribus source files have an include link for tiffio.h as
#include "tiffio.h"
whereas I would have thought we should have
#include <tiffio.h>
the first didn't work for me whereas the second, not surprisingly found the 
header file.


As I write this I am still attempting to fix my first build, but when I've 
succeeded I'll follow up with a post containing my initial recommendations. 
This will include exact links of where to download the dependency libraries 
using versions that work for my compilation.

Then I guess it'll be up to me (if I can obtain commit privileges to SVN) to 
update the BUILDING_win2.txt file.

Mike 




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