Building

Building on Windows x64

The active build uses MSVC x64 and Qt 6.8.3. Other operating systems and compilers are outside the current delivery scope. Use the repository's committed wrappers; the pinned dependency inventory and bootstrap route are the source of truth.

.\download-dependencies.bat /s
.\build.bat /s
.\build-installer.bat /s -Version 2.8.13202

The version above is an example local candidate. Choose the intended candidate version explicitly; never rename an old executable or package to claim a new version. These commands build and package, and do not authorize installation over an existing user installation.

For external owned output directories, use scripts/build-windows.ps1 or scripts/build-squirrel.ps1 with their documented BuildDirectory, StageDirectory and ArtifactDirectory parameters. The wrappers require committed source, validate path ownership, preserve previous generations, stage the selected compiler's MSVC runtime DLLs, and bind the application version and file hashes to a provenance receipt.

-UseExistingStage accepts only a stage whose recorded commit, version, inventory and executable match the requested candidate. It is not a way to relabel a previous build.

A case-only difference in a cached compiler path is retained only after filesystem identity proof. A genuinely different compiler requires a new build directory. When invoking CMake directly from PowerShell, quote the complete version argument, for example "-DOVERRIDE_VERSION=2.8.13202", and reconfigure for each candidate commit so generated provenance remains current.

Packaging and verification boundaries

The supported installer is genuine unsigned Squirrel.Windows: Setup.exe, RELEASES, a full .nupkg, and deltas when generated. Unknown Publisher or SmartScreen warnings may appear. Package hashes prove integrity agreement, not publisher authenticity.

Local package-byte validation and focused tests are separate from installation and update acceptance. Installation must use a disposable normal user or VM, with the supported headless route. Changing LOCALAPPDATA is not isolation, and a system-context install is not normal-user proof.

See the maintained build scripts article, packaging safety article, and current verification record.