ITK + VTK + QT on Window 7 64bit and Visual Studio 2010 Pro 32bit project

STEP ONE

• Download ITK, VTK, QT source code
• CMake: http://www.cmake.org/cmake/resources/software.html
• ITK: http://www.itk.org/ITK/resources/software.html
• VTK: http://www.vtk.org/VTK/resources/software.html
• QT: http://qt-project.org/downloads
• Note: In this tutorial, the used tool version numbers are listed here:
• cmake-2.8.10.2-win32-x86.exe
• InsightToolkit-4.2.1
• VTK5.10.1
• Qt4.8.4
• the main purpose of using cmake is taking the advantage of building a cross platform program

STEP TWO

• Organize Source code
• the recommended tree like this - 
• library
• library_version_number
• library_source_code
• library_build_platform1
• library_build_platform2
• library_build_platformX
• for example:
• 

• prons:
• organized and the binary codes for different platforms can be separated from each other
• easy maintenance
• easy upgrade

STEP THREE  (main part of this tutorial)

<<build a 32bit environment>> 

1. build QT -> already done, leave this directory alone!!
2. build ITK
1. CMAKE PART
• using CMake to build the visual studio 2010 32-bit environment
• fill up the paths of source code and binary
• click the "Configure" button
• choose "Visual Studio 2010" and "Use default native compilers" and then click "Finish"
• wait a few minutes....
• Generally speaking, the message will show "Configuring done" like this snapshot:
• Remember: Just leave default setting, because those unchecked items are not being used here for now.
• click "Generate" button and wait for the "Generate done" message
2. VISUAL STUDIO PART
• go to the build directory, e.g. "C:\itk\itk-4.2.1\vs10"
• open "ITK.sln"
• build them all under the Debug mode and Release mode
• wait a few minutes....( at lease one hour, depend on your machine )
• NOTE HERE: building on the release mode is necessary, because if we want to combine ITK and QT together, visual studio project need to be under the Release mode!!This is a tricky part.
• Until all the project being built successfully, the building process is over.
3. build VTK( careful! )
1. CMAKE PART
• using CMake to build the visual studio 2010 32-bit environment
• fill the paths of source code and binary up
• click the "Configure" button
• choose "Visual Studio 2010" and "Use default native compilers" and then click "Finish"
• wait a few minutes....
• Generally speaking, the message will show "Configuring done" like this snapshot:
  • 
• BE CAREFUL: 
• CHECK BUILD_EXAMPLES ( for QT + VTK project test )
• CHECK BUILD_SHARED_LIBS ( for VTK work with QT )
• CHECK VTK_USE_QT ( for VTK library to build QT-related components)
• CHECK VTK_USE_GUISUPPORT (  you need to check the "Advanced" item first in order to see this setting)
• click "Configure" button AGAIN!!
• if everything goes well, then the result should look like this:
• click "Generate" button and wait for the "Generate done" message
2. VISUAL STUDIO PART
• go to the build directory, e.g. "C:\vtk\VTK5.10.1\vs10"
• open "VTK.sln"
• build them all under the Release mode Release mode Release mode
• wait a few minutes....(  the needed time depends on your machine )
• NOTE HERE: building on the release mode is necessary, because if we want to combine VTK and QT together, visual studio project need to be under the Release mode!!This is a tricky part.
• Until all the project being built successfully, the building process is over.
3. QT SETUP PART
• go to "C:\vtk\VTK5.10.1\vs10\bin\Release" and check if there are two file name QVTKWidgetPlugin.lib and QVTKWidgetPlugin.dll 
• (Note: if they are NOT there, then you must have not check BUILD_SHARED_LIBS)
• Copy QVTKWidgetPlugin.lib and QVTKWidgetPlugin.dll from "C:\vtk\VTK5.10.1\vs10\bin\Release" to C:\Qt\4.x.x\plugins\designer
• if everything goes well, then open the QT designer. You will find the VTK WINDOW WIDGET at the bottom of the qt widget list like this snapshot:
4. ENVIRONMENT VARIABLE SETUP PART ( THE MOST IMPORTANT!!!!! )
• Add a new environment variable: QTDIR = C:\Qt\4.X.X (or whatever VERSION you installed QT)
• Append the environment variable PATH to add
• C:\Qt\4.8.4\bin
• C:\vtk\VTK5.10.1\vs10\bin\Release

STEP FOUR

• check whether the environment being setup correctly or not
• check ITK + VTK + QT
• Download Project
• Build it
• check ITK + QT
• Download
• check VTK + QT
• in the VTK source code, there are a few examples can be used for checking under the Example folder
• Tutorial Projects
  1. EasyView
  2. SimpleView
  3. Qtevents
  4. qtimageviewer
  5. QtVTKRenderWindows
  6. EventQtSlotConnect

References and other useful links

• VTK/Tutorials/QtSetup http://www.vtk.org/Wiki/VTK/Tutorials/QtSetup
• VTK + QT examples http://www.vtk.org/Wiki/VTK/Examples/Cxx#Qt

2014/02/25 update

Building a x64 Project