Connecting Embedded Linux Devices

You can connect embedded Linux devices to the development PC to build, run, debug, and analyze applications on them from Qt Creator.

If you have a tool chain for building applications for embedded Linux devices (with no MADDE support) installed on the development PC, you can add it to Qt Creator. You can then select the Embedded Linux target to run applications on embedded Linux devices.

To be able to run and debug applications on embedded Linux devices, you must create device configurations and select them in the Qt Creator run settings.

You use a wizard to create the connections. You can edit the settings later in Tools > Options > Linux Devices > Device Configurations.

You can protect the connections between Qt Creator and a device by using either a password or an SSH key. If you do not have an SSH key, you can create it in Qt Creator. For more information, see Generating SSH Keys.

To configure connections between Qt Creator and embedded Linux devices:

1. Make sure that your device can be reached via an IP address.
2. Select Tools > Options > Build & Run > Qt Versions > Add to add the Qt version for the embedded Linux.
3. Select Tools > Options > Build & Run > Tool Chains > Add to add the tool chain for building the applications.
4. To deploy applications and run them remotely on devices, specify parameters for accessing the devices:
   1. Select Tools > Options > Linux Devices > Device Configurations > Add > Generic Linux Device > Start Wizard.

      

   2. In the The name to identify this configuration field, enter a name for the connection.
   3. In the The device's host name or IP address field, enter the host name or IP address of the device.
   4. In the The user name to log into the device field, enter the user name to log into the device and run the application as.
   5. In the The authentication type field, select whether to use Password or Key authentication, and enter the user's password or the file that contains the user's private key.
   6. Click Next to create the connection.
5. To specify build settings:
   1. Open a project for an application you want to develop for the device.
   2. Select Projects > Desktop > Build.
   3. Select the Qt version and tool chain for the embedded Linux device.
6. To specify run settings:
   1. Select Run > Add > Deploy to Remote Linux Host to add a new deploy configuration.

      

   2. In the Device configuration field, select the device connection.

   When you run the project, Qt Creator deploys the application as specified by the deploy steps. By default, Qt Creator copies the application files to the device. For more information, see Deploying Applications to Linux-Based Devices.