binarycreator ... --exclude-regex "(.*\.git.*|.*\.pyc$|.*\.DS_Store)" Generate an installer that runs without UI (for enterprise deployment):
binarycreator -c config/config.xml -p packages -e myapp.core,myapp.docs MyAppOnlineInstaller.exe And for an (single big file with everything): binarycreator
binarycreator ... --silent-installer MyAppSilent.exe For online installers, add a repository URL so the app can self-update: What is it, how does it work, and
Today, we are pulling back the curtain on binarycreator . What is it, how does it work, and why should you care if you are packaging desktop software? binarycreator is the command-line tool provided by the Qt Installer Framework (Qt IFW) . Its job is simple to state but nuanced to execute: it consumes a set of XML configuration files and a folder of data, and produces a single, self-extracting executable installer. Download the Qt IFW from the official Qt
Download the Qt IFW from the official Qt site (open source under GPL/LGPL) and run binarycreator --help . Your first installer is only three files away. Have you used binarycreator in production? Or struggled with a peculiar bug? Let me know in the comments below.
binarycreator --verbose -c config.xml -p packages output.exe It will dump every file it packs and every XML node it reads. | Problem | Likely Cause | |---------|---------------| | "Could not find package 'A'" | You forgot -p or the folder name doesn't match <Name> in package.xml | | Installer crashes on launch | The stub architecture mismatches the target (e.g., using Windows stub on macOS) | | Files missing after install | Forgot to put them in data/ or used symlinks (not followed) | | Script errors are silent | Enable --verbose during build and run installer with --verbose too | Alternatives to binarycreator If you are evaluating packaging tools, here is how binarycreator compares: