Building headless Bitcoin and Bitcoin-qt on Windows

[mmortal03]

I'm able to build Linux executables just fine using Bash for Windows but, I can't seem to figure out how to build executables that can run on Windows.

I'm not sure what those errors above mean but, I had a lot of trouble running any script until I realized the issue was related to extra CR (or LF) characters added by Windows to all these files that I obtained using Git for Windows.  To solve this, I deleted the project that I cloned using Windows and used Git on the Bash environment itself to obtain a fresh copy of the bitcoin 0.13 project.

Those errors are from trying to follow the following instructions: https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/blob/master/doc/build-windows.md

[1715042726]

1715042726

[EpyxZ]

Yeah, bash for windows didn't work for me.

To cross compile, you need to use the depends system.

Bash has worked for me to create the daemon but have not been able to build the qt as of yet. but each time i reset bash to try and fresh install qt i get different error for qt so seems to be more of a problem with bash for me atleast.

trying something different with bash

[kenpat06]

I figured out my confusion after some research

Apparently code block uses it's project files in lieu of make files, but there are ways to use make files when compiling in code blocks, go it.

My confusion was when I've compiled stuff using codeblocks I never needed a makefile, but now I see why. I just got my hands on VS12 so eventually I'll have to learn how to use that.

Apologize, I havn't done C++ in 10 years since college and back in those days I used a borland compiler on a unix server and never did anything that complex.

Right now I'm re-learning everything and getting a crash course in Programming, Cryptography and Bitcoin source code. Although I have learned a lot in a short period of time although this project will take awhile but my current goal is to successfully compile Litecoin so I can see how it's done, then understand the genesis block code which I conceptually am starting to get now it's just a matter of seeing how it translates in code.

(spent the weekend reading on the history and concept of proof of work, etc.)

Can you possibly list the courses you have taken and in what order, also if a course requires any prereq? could be helpful to new entrants like me and others.
T
Ken

[person1030]

Thought I would necro this thread incase someone is stuck.

If you're trying to build a previous version and are getting stuck with config errors,
try and replace bitcoin_qt.m4 with the newest bitcoin/src/m4/bitcoin_qt.m4.

# Using a fresh install Ubuntu 14.04 x64,
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install -y build-essential libtool autotools-dev autoconf automake \
libqt5gui5 libqt5dbus5 qttools5-dev qttools5-dev-tools libprotobuf-dev \
libqt5core5a:i386 libqt5core5a pkg-config git \
g++-mingw-w64-i686 mingw-w64-i686-dev g++-mingw-w64-x86-64 mingw-w64-x86-64-dev curl
cd
git clone https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin.git
cd bitcoin/depends
make HOST=i686-w64-mingw32
#or 64 bit setup :  make HOST=x86_64-w64-mingw32
cd ..
./configure --prefix=`pwd`/depends/i686-w64-mingw32 --with-gui=qt5 --enable-tests=no
#or 64 bit setup :  ./configure --prefix=`pwd`/depends/x86_64-w64-mingw32 --with-gui=qt5 --enable-tests=no
make

[awais3344_1]

while compiling qteverywhere from page 42.

Code:

 -I"." -I"..\3rdparty\double-conversion" -I"debugger" -I"animations" -I"C:\Qt\qt-everywhere-opensource-src-5.3.2\qtbase\include\QtNetwork'python' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.
" -I"C:\Qt\qt-everywhere-opensource-src-5.3.2\qtbase\include\QtCore\5.3.2" -I"C:\Qt\qt-everywhere-opensource-src-5.3.2\qtbase\include\QtCore\5.3.2\QtCore" -I"C:\Qt\qt-everywhere-opensource-src-5.3.2\qtbase\include\QtCore" -I".moc\release" -I"C:\deps\openssl-1.0.1j\include" -I"C:\deps\icu\dist\include" -I"C:\Qt\qt-everywhere-opensource-src-5.3.2\qtbase\mkspecs\win32-g++" -o .obj\release\YarrSyntaxChecker.o ..\3rdparty\masm\yarr\YarrSyntaxChecker.cpp
Makefile.Release:599: recipe for target 'RegExpJitTables.h' failed
mingw32-make[4]: *** [RegExpJitTables.h] Error 1
mingw32-make[4]: *** Waiting for unfinished jobs....
mingw32-make[4]: Leaving directory 'C:/Qt/qt-everywhere-opensource-src-5.3.2/qtdeclarative/src/qml'
Makefile:34: recipe for target 'release' failed
mingw32-make[3]: *** [release] Error 2
mingw32-make[3]: Leaving directory 'C:/Qt/qt-everywhere-opensource-src-5.3.2/qtdeclarative/src/qml'
Makefile:41: recipe for target 'sub-qml-make_first-ordered' failed
mingw32-make[2]: *** [sub-qml-make_first-ordered] Error 2
mingw32-make[2]: Leaving directory 'C:/Qt/qt-everywhere-opensource-src-5.3.2/qtdeclarative/src'
Makefile:41: recipe for target 'sub-src-make_first' failed
mingw32-make[1]: *** [sub-src-make_first] Error 2
mingw32-make[1]: Leaving directory 'C:/Qt/qt-everywhere-opensource-src-5.3.2/qtdeclarative'
makefile:215: recipe for target 'module-qtdeclarative-make_first' failed
mingw32-make: *** [module-qtdeclarative-make_first] Error 2

py output in cmd says

Code:

C:\Qt\qt-everywhere-opensource-src-5.3.2>py
Python 3.5.3rc1 (v3.5.3rc1:de530d7f21c0, Jan  2 2017, 06:41:25) [MSC v.1900 64 bit (AMD64)] on win32
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
>>>

Edit: I think I am supposed to use python27. beause python 35 uses 'py' instead of 'python' to look for python. will report back what happens.

[awais3344_1]

so I continued to build right from there after adding python27 to environment.

i run the mingw32-make -j5

and it continues from there but I do not understand this new error. is this a problem in the qt_everywhere release?
 

Code:

./.obj\release\YarrInterpreter.o:YarrInterpreter.cpp:(.text+0x622): undefined reference to `JSC::Yarr::wordcharCreate()'
./.obj\release\YarrInterpreter.o:YarrInterpreter.cpp:(.text+0x693): undefined reference to `JSC::Yarr::newlineCreate()'
C:/MingW/bin/../lib/gcc/i686-w64-mingw32/4.9.2/../../../../i686-w64-mingw32/bin/ld.exe: ./.obj\release\YarrInterpreter.o: bad reloc address 0x12 in section `.text$_ZN3WTF15BumpPointerPool6createEj[__ZN3WTF15BumpPointerPool6createEj]'
collect2.exe: error: ld returned 1 exit status
Makefile.Release:534: recipe for target 'C:\Qt\qt-everywhere-opensource-src-5.3.2\qtbase\lib\Qt5Qml.dll' failed
mingw32-make[4]: *** [C:\Qt\qt-everywhere-opensource-src-5.3.2\qtbase\lib\Qt5Qml.dll] Error 1
mingw32-make[4]: Leaving directory 'C:/Qt/qt-everywhere-opensource-src-5.3.2/qtdeclarative/src/qml'
Makefile:34: recipe for target 'release' failed
mingw32-make[3]: *** [release] Error 2
mingw32-make[3]: Leaving directory 'C:/Qt/qt-everywhere-opensource-src-5.3.2/qtdeclarative/src/qml'
Makefile:41: recipe for target 'sub-qml-make_first-ordered' failed
mingw32-make[2]: *** [sub-qml-make_first-ordered] Error 2
mingw32-make[2]: Leaving directory 'C:/Qt/qt-everywhere-opensource-src-5.3.2/qtdeclarative/src'
Makefile:41: recipe for target 'sub-src-make_first' failed
mingw32-make[1]: *** [sub-src-make_first] Error 2
mingw32-make[1]: Leaving directory 'C:/Qt/qt-everywhere-opensource-src-5.3.2/qtdeclarative'
makefile:215: recipe for target 'module-qtdeclarative-make_first' failed
mingw32-make: *** [module-qtdeclarative-make_first] Error 2

[awais3344_1]

okay, so qt-everywhere-opensource-src-5.2.1 works.

but the compilation still says unknown module webkitwidgets

so how does one add this qt-everywhere to PATH?


Edit: I added C:\Qt\Qt5.3.2new\5.3\mingw482_32\bin to path environment. I am now only using qtcreator 5.3 instead of qt everywhere

[awais3344_1]

How does one build qt 4.8 projects on qt 5?
I use the greaterThan(QT_MAJOR_VERSION, 4): QT += widgets and added -static but the compiled file throws runtime errors on opening or sometimes closing. Is there anything else to do?

[old c coder]

How does one build qt 4.8 projects on qt 5?
I use the greaterThan(QT_MAJOR_VERSION, 4): QT += widgets and added -static but the compiled file throws runtime errors on opening or sometimes closing. Is there anything else to do?

I don't know about building a 4.8.x bitcoinQt on a Qt 5.x system?  But when I build 4.8.x on a 4.8.x (Windows 8.1) system, I found I got similar errors if I didn't delete all the .obj & other files in the build directory.  The make file isn't too bright about what needs to be compiled and what doesn't.

Ron

[awais3344_1]

How does one build qt 4.8 projects on qt 5?
I use the greaterThan(QT_MAJOR_VERSION, 4): QT += widgets and added -static but the compiled file throws runtime errors on opening or sometimes closing. Is there anything else to do?

I don't know about building a 4.8.x bitcoinQt on a Qt 5.x system?  But when I build 4.8.x on a 4.8.x (Windows 8.1) system, I found I got similar errors if I didn't delete all the .obj & other files in the build directory.  The make file isn't too bright about what needs to be compiled and what doesn't.

Ron

My build dir is already clean. I compiled a clean source. No luck so far. I think this runtime has to do with how qt is not statically linking libs. I pasted some dlls into the coins release folder but no dice.

[old c coder]

How does one build qt 4.8 projects on qt 5?
I use the greaterThan(QT_MAJOR_VERSION, 4): QT += widgets and added -static but the compiled file throws runtime errors on opening or sometimes closing. Is there anything else to do?

I don't know about building a 4.8.x bitcoinQt on a Qt 5.x system?  But when I build 4.8.x on a 4.8.x (Windows 8.1) system, I found I got similar errors if I didn't delete all the .obj & other files in the build directory.  The make file isn't too bright about what needs to be compiled and what doesn't.

Ron

My build dir is already clean. I compiled a clean source. No luck so far. I think this runtime has to do with how qt is not statically linking libs. I pasted some dlls into the coins release folder but no dice.

Looking at http://www.qtcentre.org/threads/27729-statically-link-Qt-libraries-%28not-build-static-library%29 I tried the suggestions there and I still ended up with a dynamically linked bitcoin-qt.exe or *coin-qt.exe

If you look at message #1 in this forum it is not clear what Qt is created on one's system.  I did read, but can't find the link now, that one needs to build a set of libraries for Qt that are dynamic for the use of Qt creator and Qt designer (if you use them) and a set that is static for building one's applications.  I don't know if that is so, nor how one would keep the environment straight

Ron

[awais3344_1]

How does one build qt 4.8 projects on qt 5?
I use the greaterThan(QT_MAJOR_VERSION, 4): QT += widgets and added -static but the compiled file throws runtime errors on opening or sometimes closing. Is there anything else to do?

I don't know about building a 4.8.x bitcoinQt on a Qt 5.x system?  But when I build 4.8.x on a 4.8.x (Windows 8.1) system, I found I got similar errors if I didn't delete all the .obj & other files in the build directory.  The make file isn't too bright about what needs to be compiled and what doesn't.

Ron

My build dir is already clean. I compiled a clean source. No luck so far. I think this runtime has to do with how qt is not statically linking libs. I pasted some dlls into the coins release folder but no dice.

Looking at http://www.qtcentre.org/threads/27729-statically-link-Qt-libraries-%28not-build-static-library%29 I tried the suggestions there and I still ended up with a dynamically linked bitcoin-qt.exe or *coin-qt.exe

If you look at message #1 in this forum it is not clear what Qt is created on one's system.  I did read, but can't find the link now, that one needs to build a set of libraries for Qt that are dynamic for the use of Qt creator and Qt designer (if you use them) and a set that is static for building one's applications.  I don't know if that is so, nor how one would keep the environment straight

Ron

I still haven't figured this one out. And I stopped hacking at it for now. Did you find anything helpful?

[dfox101]

How does one build qt 4.8 projects on qt 5?
I use the greaterThan(QT_MAJOR_VERSION, 4): QT += widgets and added -static but the compiled file throws runtime errors on opening or sometimes closing. Is there anything else to do?

I don't know about building a 4.8.x bitcoinQt on a Qt 5.x system?  But when I build 4.8.x on a 4.8.x (Windows 8.1) system, I found I got similar errors if I didn't delete all the .obj & other files in the build directory.  The make file isn't too bright about what needs to be compiled and what doesn't.

Ron

My build dir is already clean. I compiled a clean source. No luck so far. I think this runtime has to do with how qt is not statically linking libs. I pasted some dlls into the coins release folder but no dice.

Looking at http://www.qtcentre.org/threads/27729-statically-link-Qt-libraries-%28not-build-static-library%29 I tried the suggestions there and I still ended up with a dynamically linked bitcoin-qt.exe or *coin-qt.exe

If you look at message #1 in this forum it is not clear what Qt is created on one's system.  I did read, but can't find the link now, that one needs to build a set of libraries for Qt that are dynamic for the use of Qt creator and Qt designer (if you use them) and a set that is static for building one's applications.  I don't know if that is so, nor how one would keep the environment straight

Ron

I still haven't figured this one out. And I stopped hacking at it for now. Did you find anything helpful?

I use this and it works fine

greaterThan(QT_MAJOR_VERSION, 4) {
    QT += widgets
    DEFINES += QT_DISABLE_DEPRECATED_BEFORE=0
}

if you have errors, post them here, so people can help you.

[awais3344_1]

How does one build qt 4.8 projects on qt 5?
I use the greaterThan(QT_MAJOR_VERSION, 4): QT += widgets and added -static but the compiled file throws runtime errors on opening or sometimes closing. Is there anything else to do?

I don't know about building a 4.8.x bitcoinQt on a Qt 5.x system?  But when I build 4.8.x on a 4.8.x (Windows 8.1) system, I found I got similar errors if I didn't delete all the .obj & other files in the build directory.  The make file isn't too bright about what needs to be compiled and what doesn't.

Ron

My build dir is already clean. I compiled a clean source. No luck so far. I think this runtime has to do with how qt is not statically linking libs. I pasted some dlls into the coins release folder but no dice.

Looking at http://www.qtcentre.org/threads/27729-statically-link-Qt-libraries-%28not-build-static-library%29 I tried the suggestions there and I still ended up with a dynamically linked bitcoin-qt.exe or *coin-qt.exe

If you look at message #1 in this forum it is not clear what Qt is created on one's system.  I did read, but can't find the link now, that one needs to build a set of libraries for Qt that are dynamic for the use of Qt creator and Qt designer (if you use them) and a set that is static for building one's applications.  I don't know if that is so, nor how one would keep the environment straight

Ron

I still haven't figured this one out. And I stopped hacking at it for now. Did you find anything helpful?

I use this and it works fine

greaterThan(QT_MAJOR_VERSION, 4) {
    QT += widgets
    DEFINES += QT_DISABLE_DEPRECATED_BEFORE=0
}

if you have errors, post them here, so people can help you.

I have that in my code. My qt version is 5.3. The app starts fine. When I open debug window and enter any word or whenever I close the wallet. it closes with generic "this application has requested the runtime to terminate in an unusual way"
I noticed the final qt file size is only 9.few mb which is low if qt would statically link libs.

[old c coder]

How does one build qt 4.8 projects on qt 5?
I use the greaterThan(QT_MAJOR_VERSION, 4): QT += widgets and added -static but the compiled file throws runtime errors on opening or sometimes closing. Is there anything else to do?

I don't know about building a 4.8.x bitcoinQt on a Qt 5.x system?  But when I build 4.8.x on a 4.8.x (Windows 8.1) system, I found I got similar errors if I didn't delete all the .obj & other files in the build directory.  The make file isn't too bright about what needs to be compiled and what doesn't.

Ron

My build dir is already clean. I compiled a clean source. No luck so far. I think this runtime has to do with how qt is not statically linking libs. I pasted some dlls into the coins release folder but no dice.

Looking at http://www.qtcentre.org/threads/27729-statically-link-Qt-libraries-%28not-build-static-library%29 I tried the suggestions there and I still ended up with a dynamically linked bitcoin-qt.exe or *coin-qt.exe

If you look at message #1 in this forum it is not clear what Qt is created on one's system.  I did read, but can't find the link now, that one needs to build a set of libraries for Qt that are dynamic for the use of Qt creator and Qt designer (if you use them) and a set that is static for building one's applications.  I don't know if that is so, nor how one would keep the environment straight

Ron

I still haven't figured this one out. And I stopped hacking at it for now. Did you find anything helpful?

I use this and it works fine

greaterThan(QT_MAJOR_VERSION, 4) {
    QT += widgets
    DEFINES += QT_DISABLE_DEPRECATED_BEFORE=0
}

if you have errors, post them here, so people can help you.

I have that in my code. My qt version is 5.3. The app starts fine. When I open debug window and enter any word or whenever I close the wallet. it closes with generic "this application has requested the runtime to terminate in an unusual way"
I noticed the final qt file size is only 9.few mb which is low if qt would statically link libs.

Hello,

How big is your Qt exe? ~7MB?  27MB?

I can't find the actual link, but here is a parallel discussion,
http://tdm-gcc.tdragon.net/quirks
which I think is apropos.  It seems that there are some exceptions being thrown due to the Qt linking perhaps?

I found similar errors going back to linking bitcoin-qt 0.8.1!  I was able to get rid of them and get a stable exe by removing the link arguments
 

Code:

	-static-libgcc \
	-static-libstdc++ \
	-static \

The test for me was using any command in the help->debug window->console, in addition to your actions.  But this is for Qt 4.8.4, not 5.x

Ron

[Varuna]

Hi, I tried this instructions but:

1. after make HOST, I have to perform ./autogen.sh in order to get a configure file
2. the ./configure thing produces this error:

    checking for static Qt plugins: -lqwindows... no
    configure: error: Could not resolve: -lqwindows

What I'm supposed to do?

P.S. The line

    ./configure --prefix=`pwd`/depends/x86_64-w64-mingw32 --with-gui=qt5 --enable-tests=no

has to be corrected this way:

    ./configure --prefix=$PWD/depends/x86_64-w64-mingw32 --with-gui=qt5 --enable-tests=no

Thought I would necro this thread incase someone is stuck.

If you're trying to build a previous version and are getting stuck with config errors,
try and replace bitcoin_qt.m4 with the newest bitcoin/src/m4/bitcoin_qt.m4.

# Using a fresh install Ubuntu 14.04 x64,
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install -y build-essential libtool autotools-dev autoconf automake \
libqt5gui5 libqt5dbus5 qttools5-dev qttools5-dev-tools libprotobuf-dev \
libqt5core5a:i386 libqt5core5a pkg-config git \
g++-mingw-w64-i686 mingw-w64-i686-dev g++-mingw-w64-x86-64 mingw-w64-x86-64-dev curl
cd
git clone https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin.git
cd bitcoin/depends
make HOST=i686-w64-mingw32
#or 64 bit setup :  make HOST=x86_64-w64-mingw32
cd ..
./configure --prefix=`pwd`/depends/i686-w64-mingw32 --with-gui=qt5 --enable-tests=no
#or 64 bit setup :  ./configure --prefix=`pwd`/depends/x86_64-w64-mingw32 --with-gui=qt5 --enable-tests=no
make

[EpyxZ]

Anyone try windows 10 bash with mxe compile? if not ill set up a vb and see if it works :p

[Varuna]

Anyone try windows 10 bash with mxe compile? if not ill set up a vb and see if it works :p

I get the same results whether I use a Linux VM or Windows 10 bash.

I think the problem is that the static libqwindows.a is not distributed with Qt. You get only the shared library qwindows.dll.

The platform plugin libraries are here:

C:\Qt\5.7\mingw53_32\plugins\platforms

I only have:

qminimal.dll
qminimald.dll
qwindows.dll
qwindowsd.dll

I am trying to follow the instructions for building a static Qt5.7 and I hope that also the missing libraries are built in the process.

[Varuna]

It works following the official guide:

    https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/blob/master/doc/build-windows.md

But first you have to build a static version of Qt5.7 by following the guide (it takes some hours):

    http://dimitris.apeiro.gr/2015/06/24/build-a-static-qt5-for-windows-by-compiling/

And copy all the files from:

    C:\Qt\Qt5_static\plugins\platforms

To the bitcoin source folder:

    [whatever]\bitcoin-0.13.2\depends\x86_64-w64-mingw32\plugins\platforms

[Desten]

How made it possible with current mingw64/msys2 to compile bitcoin(core) or other wallets?
Are there any guides to do that? This manual is outdated at all :/