Support package-manager builds without CPM/FetchContent downloads

[res2500]

Feature Description

I was able to build and run QGroundControl on FreeBSD 15.0 with Qt 6.10.2.

However, packaging it for FreeBSD Ports is currently blocked by the build system dependency model.

FreeBSD Ports builds with network access disabled during configure/build. Because of that, FetchContent/CPM cannot download dependencies during the build.

Currently QGroundControl tries to fetch several dependencies through CPM, for example:

• px4-gpsdrivers
• zlib
• xz / liblzma
• zstd
• libarchive
• MAVLink-related dependencies
• SDL-related dependencies

This causes configure failures when FETCHCONTENT_FULLY_DISCONNECTED is enabled.

Would you consider adding a package-manager/system-libraries mode, for example:

-DQGC_USE_SYSTEM_LIBS=ON

In that mode, CMake could prefer find_package() / pkg-config for system libraries, while keeping CPM as the fallback for normal developer builds.

This would help FreeBSD Ports and likely other package systems too.

Related PR:
#14568

Use Case

Build FreeBSD ports https://forums.freebsd.org/threads/ardupilot-sitl-on-freebsd-15-0-successful-build-and-a-question-about-porting.102939/

Flight Stacks

ArduPilot

Vehicle Types

Multirotor

Platforms

No response

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[HTRamsey]

CPM has a setting specifically for that. It used to not really be possible because we would download a required gstreamer plugin during configure but this is probably possible now

[res2500]

Would it be possible to make the minimum Qt version configurable?
At the moment, QGroundControl requires Qt 6.11+, but FreeBSD Ports currently provides Qt 6.10.2. If Qt 6.11-specific APIs are not actually required, allowing Qt 6.10.x would make it easier to build on FreeBSD and other platforms with slightly older Qt packages.
If Qt 6.11 is required because of specific API changes, could you point me to the relevant commits or features?

[DonLakeFlyer]

Would it be possible to make the minimum Qt version configurable?

There is no guarantee QGC will work correctly on a version of Qt other than what we require and test with. Anyone is welcome to hack the build with another version of Qt to see what happens but you are own your own with that.

[res2500]

Quick update on the FreeBSD build.

I updated the test environment to FreeBSD 15.0-RELEASE with Qt 6.11.1 (qt6-base 6.11.1) and retested against the current master (dc6a04d872a0c130b72237674738ceade6845c93).

The good news is that the number of build issues has been significantly reduced compared to earlier tests.

The current configuration now progresses much further and the remaining failures are concentrated in src/Utilities/Compression/CMakeLists.txt. The build currently stops because CPMAddPackage() is still used for dependencies such as zlib/xz, while the FreeBSD ports framework builds with FETCHCONTENT_FULLY_DISCONNECTED=ON, preventing CPM from downloading sources during the build.

I'm continuing to investigate the remaining CMake issues and test possible solutions.
`root@res:/usr/ports/comms/qgroundcontrol # make configure
===> Patching for qgroundcontrol-0.0.0
===> qgroundcontrol-0.0.0 depends on package: py311-Jinja2>0 - found
===> qgroundcontrol-0.0.0 depends on package: py311-pip>0 - found
===> qgroundcontrol-0.0.0 depends on file: /usr/local/bin/cmake - found
===> qgroundcontrol-0.0.0 depends on executable: ninja - found
===> qgroundcontrol-0.0.0 depends on executable: update-desktop-database - found
===> qgroundcontrol-0.0.0 depends on package: gstreamer1-libav>=1.28.1 - found
===> qgroundcontrol-0.0.0 depends on package: gstreamer1-plugins-bad>=1.28.1 - found
===> qgroundcontrol-0.0.0 depends on package: gstreamer1-plugins-gl>=1.28.1 - found
===> qgroundcontrol-0.0.0 depends on package: gstreamer1-plugins-good>=1.28.1 - found
===> qgroundcontrol-0.0.0 depends on package: gstreamer1-plugins-ugly>=1.28.1 - found
===> qgroundcontrol-0.0.0 depends on package: gstreamer1-plugins>=1.28.1 - found
===> qgroundcontrol-0.0.0 depends on package: pkgconf>=1.3.0_1 - found
===> qgroundcontrol-0.0.0 depends on file: /usr/local/bin/python3.11 - found
===> qgroundcontrol-0.0.0 depends on package: xorgproto>=0 - found
===> qgroundcontrol-0.0.0 depends on file: /usr/local/lib/qt6/bin/lupdate - found
===> qgroundcontrol-0.0.0 depends on file: /usr/local/share/qt6/translations/qt_en.qm - found
===> qgroundcontrol-0.0.0 depends on shared library: libudev.so - found (/usr/local/lib/libudev.so)
===> qgroundcontrol-0.0.0 depends on shared library: libxkbcommon.so - found (/usr/local/lib/libxkbcommon.so)
===> qgroundcontrol-0.0.0 depends on shared library: libepoll-shim.so - found (/usr/local/lib/libepoll-shim.so)
===> qgroundcontrol-0.0.0 depends on shared library: libunwind.so - found (/usr/local/lib/libunwind.so)
===> qgroundcontrol-0.0.0 depends on shared library: libzstd.so - found (/usr/local/lib/libzstd.so)
===> qgroundcontrol-0.0.0 depends on shared library: libarchive.so - found (/usr/lib/libarchive.so)
===> qgroundcontrol-0.0.0 depends on shared library: libGL.so - found (/usr/local/lib/libGL.so)
===> qgroundcontrol-0.0.0 depends on shared library: libGLESv2.so - found (/usr/local/lib/libGLESv2.so)
===> qgroundcontrol-0.0.0 depends on shared library: libEGL.so - found (/usr/local/lib/libEGL.so)
===> qgroundcontrol-0.0.0 depends on shared library: libgstreamer-1.0.so - found (/usr/local/lib/libgstreamer-1.0.so)
===> qgroundcontrol-0.0.0 depends on shared library: libQt6Core.so - found (/usr/local/lib/qt6/libQt6Core.so)
===> qgroundcontrol-0.0.0 depends on shared library: libQt6Charts.so - found (/usr/local/lib/qt6/libQt6Charts.so)
===> qgroundcontrol-0.0.0 depends on shared library: libQt6Bluetooth.so - found (/usr/local/lib/qt6/libQt6Bluetooth.so)
===> qgroundcontrol-0.0.0 depends on shared library: libQt6Qml.so - found (/usr/local/lib/qt6/libQt6Qml.so)
===> qgroundcontrol-0.0.0 depends on shared library: libQt6Graphs.so - found (/usr/local/lib/qt6/libQt6Graphs.so)
===> qgroundcontrol-0.0.0 depends on shared library: libQt6HttpServer.so - found (/usr/local/lib/qt6/libQt6HttpServer.so)
===> qgroundcontrol-0.0.0 depends on shared library: libQt6Location.so - found (/usr/local/lib/qt6/libQt6Location.so)
===> qgroundcontrol-0.0.0 depends on shared library: libQt6Multimedia.so - found (/usr/local/lib/qt6/libQt6Multimedia.so)
===> qgroundcontrol-0.0.0 depends on shared library: libQt6Positioning.so - found (/usr/local/lib/qt6/libQt6Positioning.so)
===> qgroundcontrol-0.0.0 depends on shared library: libQt6Quick3D.so - found (/usr/local/lib/qt6/libQt6Quick3D.so)
===> qgroundcontrol-0.0.0 depends on shared library: libQt6Sensors.so - found (/usr/local/lib/qt6/libQt6Sensors.so)
===> qgroundcontrol-0.0.0 depends on shared library: libQt6SerialPort.so - found (/usr/local/lib/qt6/libQt6SerialPort.so)
===> qgroundcontrol-0.0.0 depends on shared library: libQt6ShaderTools.so - found (/usr/local/lib/qt6/libQt6ShaderTools.so)
===> qgroundcontrol-0.0.0 depends on shared library: libQt6TextToSpeech.so - found (/usr/local/lib/qt6/libQt6TextToSpeech.so)
===> qgroundcontrol-0.0.0 depends on shared library: libQt6Svg.so - found (/usr/local/lib/qt6/libQt6Svg.so)
===> qgroundcontrol-0.0.0 depends on shared library: libQt6WebSockets.so - found (/usr/local/lib/qt6/libQt6WebSockets.so)
===> Configuring for qgroundcontrol-0.0.0
===> Performing out-of-source build
/bin/mkdir -p /usr/ports/comms/qgroundcontrol/work/.build
-- BuildConfig: Qt 6.11.1, GStreamer 1.28.1, NDK r27c
CMake Warning at cmake/modules/Git.cmake:11 (message):
QGC: Git not found or not a git repository. Using fallback version info.
Call Stack (most recent call first):
CMakeLists.txt:83 (include)

-- The C compiler identification is Clang 19.1.7
-- The CXX compiler identification is Clang 19.1.7
-- Detecting C compiler ABI info
-- Detecting C compiler ABI info - done
-- Check for working C compiler: /usr/bin/cc - skipped
-- Detecting C compile features
-- Detecting C compile features - done
-- Detecting CXX compiler ABI info
-- Detecting CXX compiler ABI info - done
-- Check for working CXX compiler: /usr/bin/c++ - skipped
-- Detecting CXX compile features
-- Detecting CXX compile features - done
-- QGC: PIE enabled
-- QGC: IPO/LTO enabled for Release build
-- Performing Test HAVE_LD_mold
-- Performing Test HAVE_LD_mold - Failed
-- Performing Test HAVE_LD_lld
-- Performing Test HAVE_LD_lld - Success
-- QGC: Using lld linker
-- Found Python3: /usr/local/bin/python3.11 (found version "3.11.15") found components: Interpreter
-- Found OpenGL: /usr/local/lib/libOpenGL.so
-- Found WrapOpenGL: TRUE
-- Found WrapVulkanHeaders: /usr/local/include
-- Found XKB: /usr/local/lib/libxkbcommon.so (found suitable version "1.13.2", minimum required is "0.9.0")
-- Performing Test QGC_HARDEN_CXX__fstack_protector_strong
-- Performing Test QGC_HARDEN_CXX__fstack_protector_strong - Success
-- Performing Test QGC_HARDEN_CXX__fstack_clash_protection
-- Performing Test QGC_HARDEN_CXX__fstack_clash_protection - Success
-- Performing Test QGC_HARDEN_LD__Wl__z_relro
-- Performing Test QGC_HARDEN_LD__Wl__z_relro - Success
-- Performing Test QGC_HARDEN_LD__Wl__z_now
-- Performing Test QGC_HARDEN_LD__Wl__z_now - Success
-- Performing Test QGC_HARDEN_LD__Wl__z_noexecstack
-- Performing Test QGC_HARDEN_LD__Wl__z_noexecstack - Success
-- Performing Test QGC_HARDEN_CXX__ffile_prefix_map__usr_ports_comms_qgroundcontrol_work_qgroundcontrol_dc6a04d872a0c130b72237674738ceade6845c93__
-- Performing Test QGC_HARDEN_CXX__ffile_prefix_map__usr_ports_comms_qgroundcontrol_work_qgroundcontrol_dc6a04d872a0c130b72237674738ceade6845c93__ - Success
-- Performing Test QGC_HARDEN_CXX__ffile_prefix_map__usr_ports_comms_qgroundcontrol_work__build___build
-- Performing Test QGC_HARDEN_CXX__ffile_prefix_map__usr_ports_comms_qgroundcontrol_work__build___build - Success
-- Performing Test QGC_HARDEN_CXX__ffile_prefix_map__usr_ports_comms_qgroundcontrol_work_qgroundcontrol_dc6a04d872a0c130b72237674738ceade6845c93__cache_CPM____cpm
-- Performing Test QGC_HARDEN_CXX__ffile_prefix_map__usr_ports_comms_qgroundcontrol_work_qgroundcontrol_dc6a04d872a0c130b72237674738ceade6845c93__cache_CPM____cpm - Success
-- QGC: Hardening — 7 compile flag(s), 3 link flag(s) (non-Debug configs)
-- Valgrind not found - runtime analysis targets not available
-- QGC: Enabling warnings as errors for main source code
-- Performing Test QGC_HAVE_W_deprecated_enum_enum_conversion
-- Performing Test QGC_HAVE_W_deprecated_enum_enum_conversion - Success
-- CPM: Adding package ArduPilotParams@ (main to /usr/ports/comms/qgroundcontrol/work/qgroundcontrol-dc6a04d872a0c130b72237674738ceade6845c93/.cache/CPM/ardupilotparams/7087)
-- Populating ardupilotparams
-- Configuring done (0.0s)
-- Generating done (0.0s)
-- Build files have been written to: /usr/ports/comms/qgroundcontrol/work/.build/_deps/ardupilotparams-subbuild
[1/9] Creating directories for 'ardupilotparams-populate'
[1/9] Performing download step (git clone) for 'ardupilotparams-populate'
Cloning into '7087'...
Already on 'main'
Your branch is up to date with 'origin/main'.
[2/9] Performing update step for 'ardupilotparams-populate'
-- Fetching latest from the remote origin
[3/9] No patch step for 'ardupilotparams-populate'
[5/9] No configure step for 'ardupilotparams-populate'
[6/9] No build step for 'ardupilotparams-populate'
[7/9] No install step for 'ardupilotparams-populate'
[8/9] No test step for 'ardupilotparams-populate'
[9/9] Completed 'ardupilotparams-populate'
-- Found Git: /usr/local/bin/git (found version "2.54.0")
-- APM: Found 38 parameter definition files
-- APM: Excluded 18 parameter dirs by QGC_APM_PARAMS_EXCLUDE: AP_Periph-1.3;AP_Periph-1.4;AP_Periph-1.5;AP_Periph-1.6;AP_Periph-1.8;AP_Periph-1.9;AP_Periph-4.7;Blimp-4.7;Blimp-4.8;Copter-3.5;Copter-3.6;Copter-3.7;Plane-3.10;Plane-3.8;Plane-3.9;Rover-3.4;Rover-3.5;Rover-3.6
-- CPM: Adding package px4-gpsdrivers@0 (cd6f506afda9bd6e8e4645f094dcf5415f1f8be4 to /usr/ports/comms/qgroundcontrol/work/qgroundcontrol-dc6a04d872a0c130b72237674738ceade6845c93/.cache/CPM/px4-gpsdrivers/0d45)
CMake Warning at /usr/local/share/cmake/Modules/FetchContent.cmake:2111 (message):
FETCHCONTENT_FULLY_DISCONNECTED is set to true, which requires the source
directory for dependency px4-gpsdrivers to already be populated. This
generally means it must not be set to true the first time CMake is run in a
build directory. The following source directory should already be
populated, but it doesn't exist:

/usr/ports/comms/qgroundcontrol/work/qgroundcontrol-dc6a04d872a0c130b72237674738ceade6845c93/.cache/CPM/px4-gpsdrivers/0d45                                                               

Policy CMP0170 controls enforcement of this requirement.
Call Stack (most recent call first):
/usr/local/share/cmake/Modules/FetchContent.cmake:2384 (__FetchContent_Populate)
cmake/modules/CPM.cmake:1208 (FetchContent_MakeAvailable)
cmake/modules/CPM.cmake:989 (cpm_fetch_package)
src/GPS/Driver/CMakeLists.txt:23 (CPMAddPackage)

-- CPM: Adding package zlib@1.3.2 (v1.3.2 to /usr/ports/comms/qgroundcontrol/work/qgroundcontrol-dc6a04d872a0c130b72237674738ceade6845c93/.cache/CPM/zlib/d34c)
CMake Warning at /usr/local/share/cmake/Modules/FetchContent.cmake:2111 (message):
FETCHCONTENT_FULLY_DISCONNECTED is set to true, which requires the source
directory for dependency zlib to already be populated. This generally
means it must not be set to true the first time CMake is run in a build
directory. The following source directory should already be populated, but
it doesn't exist:

/usr/ports/comms/qgroundcontrol/work/qgroundcontrol-dc6a04d872a0c130b72237674738ceade6845c93/.cache/CPM/zlib/d34c                                                                         

Policy CMP0170 controls enforcement of this requirement.
Call Stack (most recent call first):
/usr/local/share/cmake/Modules/FetchContent.cmake:2384 (__FetchContent_Populate)
cmake/modules/CPM.cmake:1208 (FetchContent_MakeAvailable)
cmake/modules/CPM.cmake:989 (cpm_fetch_package)
src/Utilities/Compression/CMakeLists.txt:45 (CPMAddPackage)

CMake Warning at cmake/CompilerWarnings.cmake:113 (message):
QGC: qgc_disable_dependency_warnings: Target 'zlibstatic' does not exist
Call Stack (most recent call first):
src/Utilities/Compression/CMakeLists.txt:61 (qgc_disable_dependency_warnings)

CMake Error at src/Utilities/Compression/CMakeLists.txt:70 (add_library):
add_library cannot create ALIAS target "ZLIB::ZLIB" because target
"zlibstatic" does not already exist.

-- CPM: Adding package xz@5.8.2 (v5.8.2 to /usr/ports/comms/qgroundcontrol/work/qgroundcontrol-dc6a04d872a0c130b72237674738ceade6845c93/.cache/CPM/xz/f76b)
CMake Warning at /usr/local/share/cmake/Modules/FetchContent.cmake:2111 (message):
FETCHCONTENT_FULLY_DISCONNECTED is set to true, which requires the source
directory for dependency xz to already be populated. This generally means
it must not be set to true the first time CMake is run in a build
directory. The following source directory should already be populated, but
it doesn't exist:

/usr/ports/comms/qgroundcontrol/work/qgroundcontrol-dc6a04d872a0c130b72237674738ceade6845c93/.cache/CPM/xz/f76b                                                                           

Policy CMP0170 controls enforcement of this requirement.
Call Stack (most recent call first):
/usr/local/share/cmake/Modules/FetchContent.cmake:2384 (__FetchContent_Populate)
cmake/modules/CPM.cmake:1208 (FetchContent_MakeAvailable)
cmake/modules/CPM.cmake:989 (cpm_fetch_package)
src/Utilities/Compression/CMakeLists.txt:77 (CPMAddPackage)

CMake Error at src/Utilities/Compression/CMakeLists.txt:124 (message):
liblzma target not found

-- Configuring incomplete, errors occurred!
*** Error code 1

Stop.
make: stopped making "configure" in /usr/ports/comms/qgroundcontrol`