Prepare specific QT version to be used by other workflows. The build is using GitHub Actions, work-flow file: main.yml. This workflow runs under the windows-latest virtual environment, currently this is Windows Server 2019.

The binaries generated by this workflow will be compatible with the builds made by the same virtual environment. This is an alternative of the official distributions from Qt Downloads, where it is not easy to find the compatible disribution.

Already generated QT distributions are in published in Releases.

The workflow needs a personal access token named REPO_TOKEN to be added to the repository's secrets. This is because the automatically created GITHUB_TOKEN usually expires before the build completes, see Authenticating with the GITHUB_TOKEN.

• Create personal a access token here: https://github.com/settings/tokens. Check the repo scope (Full control of private repositories), type some meaningful note like "QT-Build REPO_TOKEN" and copy the generated token.

• Open the repository's Settings -> Secrets and click on Add a new secret, write REPO_TOKEN under Name and paste the token generated by the above step under Value. Click on Add sectet.

• Open the repository's Settings -> Actions and select Enable local and third party Actions for this repository.

The build is triggered by creating a release, or by marking an existing release a pre-release, see Events that trigger workflows. The tag name of the release must match the tag from qt/qt5. The specific tag from the QT repository will be checked out and build by using MSVS tool-chain.

• Create new release Draft a new Release

• Type the tag of the QT version to be built under Tag version, leave target branch master

• Leave the This is a pre-relese unchecked and click on Publish release

• After approx. 10-20sec, the GitHub action will update the name/description of the release. A link to the running action will be added.

• The build takes about an hour and 15-20mins.

• After the build completes, the generated QT distribution will be uploaded to the release assets. The name/description will updated with the build status. In case of success the pre-release flag will be cleaned.

• Locate the release in Releases and click Edit.

• If the This is a pre-relese is checked, uncheck it, click on Update release and re-start editing.

• Check the This is a pre-relese and click on Update release.