Qt WebAssembly faster builds

Admittedly, building Qt WebAssembly apps takes what seems like forever. Technically, it is the linking part that takes a huge amount of time, as that is where the magic happens.

You may have missed my first blog regarding faster build times for Qt WebAssembly apps:
http://qtandeverything.blogspot.com/2019/06/faster-link-time-for-qt-webassembly.html

Here is how to get set up to use this now integrated feature.

1. You need emscripten with upstream clang, which has support for transpiling directly to wasm, instead of taking the intermediary step of building javascript, then outputting wasm binary with that. Starting with version 1.39.0, upstream clang is the default. You can use "latest" to get 1.39.x or something like "sdk-upstream-1.38.43-64bit" to get an earlier version.

./emsdk install latest
./emsdk activate --embedded latest
source ./emsdk_env.sh

You can then configure and rebuild Qt with  -device-option WASM_OBJECT_FILES=1

configure -xplatform wasm-emscripten -developer-build -nomake tests -nomake examples -opensource -confirm-license -verbose -compile-examples -no-warnings-are-errors -release -device-option WASM_OBJECT_FILES=1

Then you can build your Qt app as normal using the qmake from that build, and watch the build time speed up!

*NOTE* Using  WASM_OBJECT_FILES with a multi-threaded build is still experimental, as both threads and using wasm object files in emscriptem/wasm and Qt are experimental. I have not seen any real issues regarding the use of both of these at the same time.

You can read more about Qt for WebAssembly, mobile and embedded development in the book Hands-On Mobile and Embedded Development with Qt 5

Aussie firestorms

As some may know, I currently reside in Australia, which is undergoing an unprecedented bush fire season. Total burnt area is about the size of Demark, with no end in sight. Whole forests and towns are being incinerated. Millions of animals, both wild and farm are being killed and injured by the swiftly moving crown fire being whipped up by high dry winds.

There are people that need help, and people that rescue animal need help as well.
https://www.news.com.au/technology/environment/bushfire-relief-how-you-can-help-those-in-need/news-story/a0476ac3538b8c373f281ea6be204421

Some of you may have seen that I authored a book that was published by Packt this last year
Hands on Mobile and Embedded Development with Qt 5

I have decided the donate all my last quarters royalties to the WIRES Emergency Fund for Wildlife. It's not much, but I wanted to help out creatures that cannot help themselves or cannot seek out help. If there is any interest, I will donate the next quarters royalties as well.