PlatformIO
v5.1.1

Getting Started

Configuration

Instruments

Professional

Integration

Miscellaneous

Qt Creator

The Qt Creator is an open source cross-platform integrated development environment. The editor includes such features as syntax highlighting for various languages, project manager, integrated version control systems, rapid code navigation tools and code autocompletion.

Refer to the Qt-creator Manual page for more detailed information.

../../../_images/ide-qtcreator-7.png

Integration

Integration process consists of these steps:

  1. Open system Terminal and install PlatformIO Core (CLI)

  2. Create new folder for your project and change directory (cd) to it

  3. Generate a project using PlatformIO Core Project Generator (pio project init --ide)

  4. Import project in IDE.

Project Generator

Choose board ID using pio boards or Embedded Boards Explorer command and generate project via pio project init --ide command:

pio project init --ide qtcreator --board <ID>

# For example, generate project for Arduino UNO
pio project init --ide qtcreator --board uno

Then:

  1. Import project via File > Open File or Project and select platformio.pro from the folder where is located “platformio.ini” (Project Configuration File)

  2. Select default desktop kit and click on Configure Project (Projects mode, left panel)

  3. Set General > Build directory to the project directory where is located “platformio.ini” (Project Configuration File)

  4. Remove all items from Build Steps, click on Build Steps > Add Build Step > Custom Process Step and set:

    • Command: platformio

    • Arguments: -f -c qtcreator run

    • Working directory: %{buildDir}

  5. Remove all items from Clean Steps, click on Clean Steps > Add Clean Step > Custom Process Step and set:

    • Command: platformio

    • Arguments: -f -c qtcreator run --target clean

    • Working directory: %{buildDir}

  6. Update PATH in Build Environment > PATH > EDIT with the result of this command (paste in Terminal):

# Linux, Mac
echo $PATH

# Windows
echo %PATH%

  1. Switch to Edit mode (left panel) and open source file from src directory (*.c, *.cpp, *.ino, etc.)

  2. Build project: Menu: Build > Build All.

../../../_images/ide-qtcreator-3.png

Warning

The libraries which are added, installed or used in the project after generating process won’t be reflected in IDE. To fix it you need to reinitialize project using pio project init (repeat it).

Manual Integration

Setup New Project

First of all, let’s create new project from Qt Creator Start Page: New Project or using Menu: File > New File or Project, then select project with Empty Qt Project type (Other Project > Empty Qt Project), fill Name, Create in.

../../../_images/ide-qtcreator-1.png

On the next steps select any available kit and click Finish button.

../../../_images/ide-qtcreator-2.png

Secondly, we need to delete default build and clean steps and configure project with PlatformIO Build System (click on Projects label on left menu or Ctrl+5 shortcut):

../../../_images/ide-qtcreator-3.png

Thirdly, change project file by adding path to directories with header files. Please edit project file to match the following contents:

win32 {
    HOMEDIR += $$(USERPROFILE)
}
else {
    HOMEDIR += $$(HOME)
}

INCLUDEPATH += "$${HOMEDIR}/.platformio/packages/framework-arduinoavr/cores/arduino"
INCLUDEPATH += "$${HOMEDIR}/.platformio/packages/toolchain-atmelavr/avr/include"
../../../_images/ide-qtcreator-4.png

First program in Qt Creator

Simple “Blink” project will consist from two files: 1. In the console, navigate to the root of your project folder and initialize pio project with pio project init 2. The main “C” source file named main.c must be located in the src directory. Let’s create new text file named main.c using Menu: New File or Project > General > Text File:

../../../_images/ide-qtcreator-5.png

Copy the source code which is described below to file main.c.

#include "Arduino.h"
#define WLED    13  // Most Arduino boards already have an LED attached to pin 13 on the board itself

void setup()
{
  pinMode(WLED, OUTPUT);  // set pin as output
}

void loop()
{
  digitalWrite(WLED, HIGH);  // set the LED on
  delay(1000);               // wait for a second
  digitalWrite(WLED, LOW);   // set the LED off
  delay(1000);               // wait for a second
}

  1. Locate the project configuration file named platformio.ini at the root of the project directory and open it.

../../../_images/ide-qtcreator-6.png

Edit the content to match the code described below.

; PlatformIO Project Configuration File
;
;   Build options: build flags, source filter, extra scripting
;   Upload options: custom port, speed and extra flags
;   Library options: dependencies, extra library storages
;
; Please visit documentation for the other options and examples
; https://docs.platformio.org/page/projectconf.html

[env:arduino_uno]
platform = atmelavr
framework = arduino
board = uno

Conclusion

Taking everything into account, we can build project with shortcut Ctrl+Shift+B or using Menu: Build > Build All.