How to build DFTFringe (by gr@gr5.org)

grab Dale's source code from github: https://github.com/githubdoe/DFTFringe

Dale builds on windows so I did the same.  I did this on windows 10.

Take an existing installation of DFTFringe and find all the dll files and copy certain ones to an otherwise empty folder.  These files.
If you copy too many you will get link errors when you compile the project:
-rwxr-xr-x 1 gr 197121 1051729 Jan 30  2016 libopencv_calib3d2410.dll*
-rwxr-xr-x 1 gr 197121 2654367 Jan 30  2016 libopencv_core2410.dll*
-rwxr-xr-x 1 gr 197121  873636 Jan 30  2016 libopencv_features2d2410.dll*
-rwxr-xr-x 1 gr 197121  666703 Jan 30  2016 libopencv_flann2410.dll*
-rwxr-xr-x 1 gr 197121 3148632 Jan 30  2016 libopencv_highgui2410.dll*
-rwxr-xr-x 1 gr 197121 2432977 Jan 30  2016 libopencv_imgproc2410.dll*
-rwxr-xr-x 1 gr 197121 1113600 Apr 21  2016 qwt.dll*

 
In Dale's code - among the cpp files there is a "DFTFringe.pro" (project) file.  Edit that 
with a text editor - got to the libraries section (search for "win32")
These lines need to point directly to where you put the dll files:
LIBS += C:/Users/gr770/DFTFringe/dlls/qwt.dll   (actually I ended up commenting this out as it's in the dlls folder also)
and a few lines of code below where he has the opencv dlls:
LIBS += C:/users/gr770/DFTFringe/dlls/*.dll


Download qwt.  Dale seems to be using version 6.1.2 so I googled "qwt 6.1.2 download".  I grabbed a version from sourceForge.net.
It was a zip file.  I unzipped it to the c drive to match what dale did so that I didn't have to edit this line in the project file:
INCLUDEPATH += C:\\qwt-6.1.2\\src

After unzipping you should be able to go to c:\qwt-6.1.2\src and see lots of ".h" files that are included
in Dale's code.  e.g. "qwt_plot_grid.h".  If you choose to put qwt in a different folder then you need to edit the project
file to match where the ".h" files can be found.



Next download opencv: https://opencv.org/releases/
Find version 2.4.10 (I figured out this is the right one as the dll's are *2410.dll) (also his includes are "opencv2/...")
download the windows installer.  You only need the .h and .hpp files but it's a pain to extract them all from the src
as they are distributed across dozens of folders.  When it asks where to extract to choose c:\ and then you won't have to
edit the project file.
Edit project file to point to them:
INCLUDEPATH += c:\\opencv\\build\\include


qt 5.3.2 (and qt creator 3.2.1)
https://download.qt.io/new_archive/qt/5.3/5.3.2/
Download the one that has the word "windows" and "mingw" in it.
Install into c:\qt\
This seems to install both qt 5.3.2 and also qtcreator 3.2.1
You might have to create a qt account at some point.  I downloaded so many different qt creators that I forget now which ones
needed the username and password to run.  The qt account is free.

When I launch qtcreator (found in c:\qt\qt5.3.2\qtcreator\bin) I then
load the ".pro" file.  It then asks what version of qt and by default selects qt5.3.2.
Click the button - I think it says "configure".  Now you can click the hammer (bottom left corner of qtcreator) to build.  Wait!
Before clicking the hammer, 3 icons above it there should have an icon that includes the words "DFTFringe" "debug".
Change that to "DFTFringe" "Release" unless you have access to the qwtd.dll file and configure it properly
for the debug build.

Ignore the 100 or so warnings.

I had to remove the .rc line from the project file to get it to build:
RC_FILE = DFTFringe.rc
If this file (DFTFringe.rc) is not in git then you need to remove this line from the project.  I think the only thing it does
is set the icon for the app.  Which is handy but not mandatory.  There is a way to pull the rc file out of an exe file.  Certainly
MSVC can do it.  Resource Hacker can do it.

The resulting file will be I believe in a subdirectory of your "home" folder.  For me that was here:
C:\Users\gr770\build-DFTFringe-Desktop_Qt_5_3_MinGW_32bit-Release\release


no: So you need qtcreator and also qt so I got both at once.  I went to qt.io/download and on lower right there is an
no: open source download thing - do that "go open source".  then I think I did the online installer?  Or maybe qt-unified something?
no: Somehow I installed qt 5.9.0 and it took over an hour to download (huge!) and it auto downloaded qtcreator version 4.14.0.
no: Even though I had just downloaded an older version.  Anyway I also had to create a qt account with password at this point.


no: start qtcreator.  Open the project file.  Select a build kit.  So do "tools" "options" and there are some tabs - the
no: key ones are "qt versions" and "kits".  For Kit I chose QT 5.9.0 Mingw 32 bit.  Somewhere I told it to create the Release
no: version of DFTFringe and not the Debug version (the debug version needs qwtd.dll).  Here's how to set to release:
no: click on the projects button left side with green wrench.  At the top - "edit build configuration" change to "Release".
no: While in there make sure the only thing that will build and run (list on left side) is the "desktop qt 5.9.0 mingw 32 bit".
no: Hit esc key to get out (I can't find close button).

no: Get qtcreator 4.2.1.  Google "downloading qtcreator 4.2.1".  Only trust things on *.qt.io domains.