[SOLVED] CMake copying Qt runtime libraries to executable output path

Issue

This question is a duplicate. However, after sifting through other posts, I still can't fix the problem. My problem: When trying to package my application, so after I run cpack, the runtime dependencies Qt5Core.dll, Qt5Gui.dll, Qt5Network.dll, Qt5Svg.dll, Qt5Widgets.dll are placed in the root of the directory, while the executable and the remaining dependences are in the bin folder.

Like I know, I could just copy then contents of the bin folder outside to the root and it'll work but like nah.

My suspicions are not sure but I do believe this issue comes from using the include(GNUInstallDirs). If anyone can provide an explanation and solution. Thank you

---

Error message when trying to run executable.

This application failed to start because no Qt platform plugin could be initialized! Reinstalling the application may fix this problem.

---

CMakeLists.txt

cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.11.0)

project(Translation_Verification VERSION 1.0.0 LANGUAGES CXX)

set(CMAKE_INCLUDE_CURRENT_DIR ON)

set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 17)
set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD_REQUIRED ON)

set(CMAKE_AUTOMOC ON)
set(CMAKE_AUTORCC ON)
set(CMAKE_AUTOUIC ON)

find_package(Qt5 5.15 REQUIRED COMPONENTS Core Gui Network Widgets)

set(QONLINETRANSLATOR_VERSION 1.4.5)
include(FetchContent)
FetchContent_Declare(qonlinetranslator
    GIT_REPOSITORY https://github.com/crow-translate/QOnlineTranslator.git
    GIT_TAG ${QONLINETRANSLATOR_VERSION}
)

FetchContent_GetProperties(qonlinetranslator)
if(NOT qonlinetranslator_POPULATED)
    FetchContent_Populate(qonlinetranslator)
    add_subdirectory(${qonlinetranslator_SOURCE_DIR} ${qonlinetranslator_BINARY_DIR})
endif()

set(PROJECT_SOURCES
    src/main.cpp
    src/addlanguagedialog.cpp
    src/addlanguagedialog.ui
    src/verification.cpp
    src/widgetwindow.ui
    src/widgetwindow.cpp
)

include(GNUInstallDirs)
add_executable(Translation_Verification WIN32 ${PROJECT_SOURCES})
target_link_libraries(Translation_Verification QOnlineTranslator Qt5::Core Qt5::Gui Qt5::Network Qt5::Widgets)
install(TARGETS Translation_Verification RUNTIME DESTINATION ${CMAKE_INSTALL_BINDIR})

target_include_directories(Translation_Verification PUBLIC
    "${qonlinetranslator_BINARY_DIR}/src"
    "${qonlinetranslator_SOURCE_DIR}/src")
    
##CPack
get_target_property(_qmake_executable Qt5::qmake IMPORTED_LOCATION)
get_filename_component(_qt_bin_dir "${_qmake_executable}" DIRECTORY)

set(CPACK_PACKAGE_NAME "Translation_Verification")
set(CPACK_PACKAGE_DESCRIPTION_SUMMARY "Translation Verification Installation")
set(CPACK_PACKAGE_VERSION "1.0.0") # Version of installer

if(CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME MATCHES "Linux")
    install(FILES ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/translationVerification.desktop DESTINATION share/applications/)
    set(CPACK_PACKAGE_FILE_NAME "${CPACK_PACKAGE_NAME}-${CPACK_PACKAGE_VERSION}-linux-${ARCHITECTURE}")
    set(CPACK_GENERATOR "TXZ")

elseif(CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME MATCHES "Windows")

    set(CPACK_PACKAGE_INSTALL_DIRECTORY "Translation_Verification")
    set(CPACK_NSIS_DISPLAY_NAME ${CMAKE_PACKAGE_NAME})
    set(CPACK_NSIS_COMPRESSOR lzma)
    set(CPACK_NSIS_INSTALLED_ICON_NAME Translation_Verification.exe)
    set(CPACK_NSIS_MENU_LINKS "Translation_Verification.exe" "Translation Verification")
    set(CMAKE_INSTALL_SYSTEM_RUNTIME_DESTINATION ${CMAKE_INSTALL_BINDIR})
    set(CMAKE_INSTALL_UCRT_LIBRARIES TRUE)

    include(InstallRequiredSystemLibraries)
    find_program(WINDEPLOYQT_EXECUTABLE windeployqt HINTS "${_qt_bin_dir}")

    add_custom_command(TARGET Translation_Verification POST_BUILD
                       COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E remove_directory ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/qtDeploy/
                       COMMAND ${WINDEPLOYQT_EXECUTABLE}
                               --release
                               --verbose 1
                               --no-compiler-runtime
                               --no-angle
                               --no-opengl
                               --no-opengl-sw
                               --no-webkit2
                               --no-quick-import
                               --no-translations
                               --dir ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/qtDeploy $<TARGET_FILE:Translation_Verification>
    )
    install(
        DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/qtDeploy/
        DESTINATION .
        FILES_MATCHING PATTERN "*.*"
    )
    set(CPACK_GENERATOR "ZIP;NSIS")
endif()

set(CPACK_SOURCE_PACKAGE_FILE_NAME "${CPACK_PACKAGE_FILE_NAME}-src")
set(CPACK_SOURCE_GENERATOR "ZIP;TGZ")
include(CPack)

Solution

You explicitly ask for your result by using DESTINATION . in

    install(
        DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/qtDeploy/
        DESTINATION .
        FILES_MATCHING PATTERN "*.*"
    )

That could be DESTINATION ${CMAKE_INSTALL_BINDIR} to point to the same directory you use for other binaries.

Answered By - sego