[vtkusers] VTK + Qt static or dynamic build

[Marcus D. Hanwell]

On Sat, Aug 17, 2013 at 11:22 AM, John Anaia <john.anaia at gmail.com> wrote:
> Dear vtkusers,
>
> I am using LGPL Qt with VTK on Windows and I know that I should use dynamic
> Qt build (DLLs) though there are exceptions. In the case of dynamic Qt
> build, may I use a static VTK build to reduce the number and size of my
> distribution files? BTW, what type of build should I choose for my
> application, static or dynamic? Any specific concerns and considerations for
> any of static and dynamic build combinations?
>
You are entirely constrained by the LGPL license, and that is in Qt.
Any libraries/executables that statically link to Qt would be covered
by the conditions placed upon it by the LGPL (including any of the VTK
Qt integration libraries. VTK is BSD licensed, and you can statically
link to it without any concerns over copyleft licensing clauses. I am
not a lawyer, and to be certain you need someone who knows software
licensing well to examine your particular situation, but you must
ensure that all LGPL components are dynamically linked in order for
your application to remain free of any GPL licensing requirements.

You can always buy a commercial Qt license too, and then be free to
statically link Qt too. Your questions are best directed to a Qt list
as it is their license that most tightly constrains your options.

Marcus