Update msvc and appveyor builds to use Qt5.12.11 binaries #22224

Synchronises the Qt version used in the msvc and Appveyor builds with #22054.

I needed to use switch to the Visual Studio 2019 Preview Appveyor image because the compiler version on the non-preview image is too far behind and I had difficulty building a compatible Qt version for it. Once the main Appveyor Visual Studio 2019 image reaches version 16.10.1 it can be used.

Concept ACK. @sipsorcery Many thanks!

@sipsorcery

I needed to use switch to the Visual Studio 2019 Preview Appveyor image because the compiler version on the non-preview image is too far behind and I had difficulty building a compatible Qt version for it.

Did I understand correctly that there are no difficulties with Qt 5.12.10?

Did I understand correctly that there are no difficulties with Qt 5.12.10?

The difficulty is not Qt it's the difference between the msbuild version on the machine I use to build the Qt binaries and the msbuild version in the Appveyor image. The Appveyor Visual Studio 2019 image is on version 16.9.5 and my machine is on 16.10.1.

I did install a separate msbuild 16.9.5 toolchain on my machine and while it built Qt 5.12.11 successfully the Appveyor image got a link error when it attempted to use it. I'm guessing the two msbuild installs aren't fully isolated somehow. From past experience these linker issues can take a while to solve and it seems more efficient to simply switch to the Appveyor Preview image.

For any devs wanting to use the Qt binaries to build locally it means they will need to update to the latest stable version of msbuild 16.10.1.

If there are any concerns I can dig deeper into the 16.9.5 version link issue.

With a patch:

--- a/.appveyor.yml
+++ b/.appveyor.yml
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ before_build:
 build_script:
 - cmd: msbuild /p:TrackFileAccess=false build_msvc\bitcoin.sln /m /v:q /nologo
 after_build:
-#- 7z a bitcoin-%APPVEYOR_BUILD_VERSION%.zip %APPVEYOR_BUILD_FOLDER%\build_msvc\%platform%\%configuration%\*.exe
+- 7z a bitcoin-%APPVEYOR_BUILD_VERSION%.zip %APPVEYOR_BUILD_FOLDER%\build_msvc\%platform%\%configuration%\*.exe
 test_script:
 - cmd: src\test_bitcoin.exe -l test_suite
 - cmd: src\bench_bitcoin.exe > NUL
@@ -59,5 +59,5 @@ test_script:
 # [#18623](/bitcoin-bitcoin/18623/)
 # - cmd: python test\functional\test_runner.py --ci --quiet --combinedlogslen=4000 --failfast --exclude feature_fee_estimation
 artifacts:
-#- path: bitcoin-%APPVEYOR_BUILD_VERSION%.zip
+- path: bitcoin-%APPVEYOR_BUILD_VERSION%.zip
 deploy: off

I got an artifact.

Running bitcoin-qt.exe from the downloaded archive, I got a terminal window open along with the GUI.

I don't think such behavior is expected.

Running bitcoin-qt.exe from the downloaded archive, I got a terminal window open along with the GUI. I don't think such behavior is expected.

I haven't noticed that as I always test my builds by running the GUI from the command line, e.g. bitcoin-qt -regtest.

I'm not sure why it occurs. I know next to nothing about Qt except how to build it. I vaguely recall something like this cropping up years ago but I can't even remember what the context was. Apologies for bringing you in @fanquake but perhaps you recall? I seem to hazily remember you being somehow involved. I could be completely wrong about that.

Either way this PR does not introduce that behaviour. Builds from master do the same thing.

ACK e25ea54dbfaf1c8ddc762a9a81bd5b761a3b8c73