ci: eliminate VS install from shader validation, add parallel hlslkit

.github/actions/prepare-shaders/action.yml

@@ -1,28 +1,51 @@
 name: "Prepare Shaders"
-description: "Prepare shaders for validation or analysis (requires setup-build-environment to be called first)"
+description: "Copy shaders into build/ALL/aio/Shaders for validation. Uses direct robocopy rather than cmake so the action needs no MSVC toolchain."
 
 inputs:
     cmake-preset:
-        description: "The CMake configure/build preset to use."
+        description: "Unused — kept for API compatibility. Shaders are now copied directly without invoking cmake."
         required: false
         default: "ALL"
+    output-dir:
+        description: "Destination directory for the assembled shader tree."
+        required: false
+        default: "build/ALL/aio/Shaders"
 
 runs:
     using: "composite"
     steps:
-        - name: Prepare shaders
-          uses: lukka/run-cmake@v10
-          with:
-              configurePreset: ${{ inputs.cmake-preset }}
-              configurePresetAdditionalArgs: "['-DBUILD_SHADER_TESTS=OFF']"
-              buildPreset: ${{ inputs.cmake-preset }}
-              buildPresetAdditionalArgs: "['--target prepare_shaders']"
+        # Copy shaders without invoking cmake or requiring a C++ toolchain.
+        # Matches the logic of the cmake prepare_shaders target:
+        #   1. package/Shaders/** → <output-dir>/
+        #   2. features/*/Shaders/** → <output-dir>/ (Tests/ excluded)
+        - name: Copy shaders
+          shell: pwsh
+          run: |
+              $dest = "${{ inputs.output-dir }}"
+              New-Item -ItemType Directory -Force -Path $dest | Out-Null
+
+              # Package base shaders
+              robocopy "package/Shaders" $dest /E /COPY:DAT /NFL /NDL /NJH /NJS /R:1 /W:1
+              $rc = $LASTEXITCODE; if ($rc -ge 8) { throw "robocopy package/Shaders failed (rc=$rc)" }
+
+              # Feature shaders (skip Tests subdirectories)
+              Get-ChildItem -Path features -Filter "Shaders" -Recurse -Directory |
+                Where-Object { $_.FullName -notmatch '\\Tests($|\\)' } |
+                ForEach-Object {
+                    robocopy $_.FullName $dest /E /COPY:DAT /NFL /NDL /NJH /NJS /R:1 /W:1 /XD "$($_.FullName)\Tests"
+                    $rc = $LASTEXITCODE; if ($rc -ge 8) { throw "robocopy $($_.FullName) failed (rc=$rc)" }
+                }
+
+              $count = (Get-ChildItem -Recurse -File -Path $dest).Count
+              Write-Host "Prepared $count shader files in $dest"
 
         - name: Setup Python
-          uses: actions/setup-python@v5
+          uses: actions/setup-python@v6
           with:
               python-version: "3.11"
+              cache: "pip"
+              cache-dependency-path: ".github/configs/hlslkit-requirements.txt"
 
         - name: Install hlslkit
-          run: pip install git+https://github.com/alandtse/hlslkit.git
+          run: pip install -r .github/configs/hlslkit-requirements.txt
           shell: bash

.github/actions/setup-build-environment/action.yaml

@@ -100,7 +100,11 @@ runs:
           uses: actions/cache@v5
           with:
               path: ${{ inputs.build-dir }}
-              key: ${{ runner.os }}-cmake-msvc-${{ steps.msvc_version.outputs.version }}-${{ inputs.cache-key-suffix }}-${{ github.event.inputs.cache-key-suffix || 'default' }}-${{ hashFiles('.gitmodules', 'extern/**', 'CMakePresets.json', 'vcpkg.json', 'vcpkg-configuration.json') }}
+              # Use submodule HEAD refs instead of hashing all of extern/** (~79 MB)
+              # to avoid slow hash computation on every cache lookup.
+              # actions/checkout with submodules:recursive writes .git/modules/<name>/HEAD
+              # for each submodule; hashing those 3 small files detects any submodule SHA change.
+              key: ${{ runner.os }}-cmake-msvc-${{ steps.msvc_version.outputs.version }}-${{ inputs.cache-key-suffix }}-${{ github.event.inputs.cache-key-suffix || 'default' }}-${{ hashFiles('.gitmodules', '.git/modules/CommonLibSSE-NG/HEAD', '.git/modules/FidelityFX-SDK/HEAD', '.git/modules/Streamline-DX12/HEAD', 'CMakePresets.json', 'vcpkg.json', 'vcpkg-configuration.json') }}
               restore-keys: |
                   ${{ runner.os }}-cmake-msvc-${{ steps.msvc_version.outputs.version }}-${{ inputs.cache-key-suffix }}-${{ github.event.inputs.cache-key-suffix || 'default' }}-
                   ${{ runner.os }}-cmake-msvc-${{ steps.msvc_version.outputs.version }}-${{ inputs.cache-key-suffix }}-

.github/configs/hlslkit-requirements.txt

@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+# hlslkit is pinned by commit hash so the pip wheel cache key is stable.
+# To update: find the latest commit on https://github.com/alandtse/hlslkit
+# and replace the @<hash> below, then delete the stale cache entry in
+# GitHub → Actions → Caches so the next CI run rebuilds the wheel.
+hlslkit @ git+https://github.com/alandtse/hlslkit.git@d30266d2d5280a2d8c5bef1949c5a8ae1d550c60

.github/workflows/_shared-build.yaml

@@ -142,19 +142,15 @@ jobs:
               with:
                   ref: ${{ inputs.ref }}
                   repository: ${{ inputs.repository }}
-                  submodules: recursive
+                  # Shader validation only needs source files — submodules (CommonLibSSE-NG,
+                  # FidelityFX, Streamline) are C++ dependencies not required here.
+                  submodules: false
 
             - name: Check for HLSL Changes
               id: check-hlsl
               uses: ./.github/actions/check-hlsl-changes
               with:
                   hlsl-should-build: ${{ inputs.hlsl-should-build }}
-            - name: Setup Build Environment
-              id: setup
-              if: steps.check-hlsl.outputs.skip != 'true'
-              uses: ./.github/actions/setup-build-environment
-              with:
-                  cache-key-suffix: "validation-${{ matrix.config.name }}${{ inputs.cache-key-suffix }}"
             - name: Prepare shaders
               if: steps.check-hlsl.outputs.skip != 'true'
               uses: ./.github/actions/prepare-shaders
@@ -195,7 +191,7 @@ jobs:
                     echo "fxc.exe not found - shader validation requires fxc.exe. Set --fxc to a valid path or ensure fxc.exe is in PATH." >&2
                     exit 1
                   fi
-                  hlslkit-compile --fxc "${{ steps.find_fxc.outputs.fxc_path }}" --shader-dir build/ALL/aio/Shaders --output-dir build/ShaderCache --config ${{ matrix.config.file }} --max-warnings 0 --suppress-warnings X1519
+                  hlslkit-compile --fxc "${{ steps.find_fxc.outputs.fxc_path }}" --shader-dir build/ALL/aio/Shaders --output-dir build/ShaderCache --config ${{ matrix.config.file }} --max-warnings 0 --suppress-warnings X1519 --jobs $(nproc) --strip-debug-defines
 
             - name: Upload shader validation logs
               if: failure() && steps.check-hlsl.outputs.skip != 'true'

.github/workflows/ci-manual-test.yaml

@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+name: "Manual CI Test (branch build)"
+
+# Runs the full build from THIS branch's ref using workflow_dispatch.
+# Unlike pull_request_target (which resolves workflow/action files from BASE),
+# workflow_dispatch resolves everything from the selected ref — so this
+# actually exercises changes to _shared-build.yaml, setup-build-environment,
+# prepare-shaders, and any other action files on the branch.
+#
+# Usage: Actions → "Manual CI Test" → Run workflow → select branch
+on:
+    workflow_dispatch:
+        inputs:
+            run-cpp:
+                description: "Run C++ plugin build"
+                type: boolean
+                default: true
+            run-shader-validation:
+                description: "Run HLSL shader validation"
+                type: boolean
+                default: true
+            run-shader-tests:
+                description: "Run shader unit tests"
+                type: boolean
+                default: true
+
+permissions:
+    contents: read
+
+jobs:
+    build:
+        name: Build and Validate
+        uses: ./.github/workflows/_shared-build.yaml
+        with:
+            ref: ${{ github.ref }}
+            repository: ${{ github.repository }}
+            run-cpp: ${{ inputs.run-cpp }}
+            run-shader-validation: ${{ inputs.run-shader-validation }}
+            run-shader-tests: ${{ inputs.run-shader-tests }}
+            hlsl-should-build: "true"
+            shader-tests-should-build: "true"
+            cache-key-suffix: "-manual-test"

BuildRelease.bat

@@ -1,13 +1,30 @@
 @echo off
 
 set preset="ALL"
-if NOT "%1" == "" (
+set skip_configure=0
+
+:parse_args
+if "%1"=="" goto done_args
+if /I "%1"=="--build-only" (
+    set skip_configure=1
+    shift
+    goto parse_args
+)
+if not "%1"=="" (
     set preset=%1
+    shift
+    goto parse_args
 )
+:done_args
 
 echo Running preset %preset%
 
-cmake -S . --preset=%preset%
-if %ERRORLEVEL% NEQ 0 exit 1
+if "%skip_configure%"=="1" (
+    echo Skipping CMake configure ^(--build-only^)
+) else (
+    cmake -S . --preset=%preset%
+    if %ERRORLEVEL% NEQ 0 exit 1
+)
+
 cmake --build --preset=%preset%
 if %ERRORLEVEL% NEQ 0 exit 1

CMakePresets.json

@@ -71,6 +71,20 @@
                 "AUTO_PLUGIN_DEPLOYMENT": "OFF"
             },
             "inherits": "skyrim"
+        },
+        {
+            "name": "ALL-FastDev",
+            "description": "Like ALL but disables zip packaging so the configure step is leaner",
+            "cacheVariables": {
+                "ENABLE_SKYRIM_AE": "ON",
+                "ENABLE_SKYRIM_SE": "ON",
+                "ENABLE_SKYRIM_VR": "ON",
+                "AUTO_PLUGIN_DEPLOYMENT": "OFF",
+                "ZIP_TO_DIST": "OFF",
+                "AIO_ZIP_TO_DIST": "OFF",
+                "BUILD_SHADER_TESTS": "OFF"
+            },
+            "inherits": "skyrim"
         }
     ],
     "buildPresets": [
@@ -115,6 +129,13 @@
             "configurePreset": "ALL",
             "configuration": "Debug",
             "targets": ["CommunityShaders", "AIO"]
+        },
+        {
+            "name": "FastDev",
+            "description": "RelWithDebInfo build: /O2 optimisation but NO LTO/LTCG and no zip packaging. Typical link is 3-4x faster than Release. Use for rapid shader/feature iteration.",
+            "configurePreset": "ALL-FastDev",
+            "configuration": "RelWithDebInfo",
+            "targets": ["CommunityShaders", "PREPARE_AIO"]
         }
     ]
 }

cmake/XSEPlugin.cmake

@@ -42,6 +42,9 @@ target_precompile_headers(
 
 set(CMAKE_INTERPROCEDURAL_OPTIMIZATION ON)
 set(CMAKE_INTERPROCEDURAL_OPTIMIZATION_DEBUG OFF)
+# RelWithDebInfo is the fast-iteration developer config; skip LTO so
+# link time stays short while keeping /O2 optimisation for realistic perf.
+set(CMAKE_INTERPROCEDURAL_OPTIMIZATION_RELWITHDEBINFO OFF)
 
 set(Boost_USE_STATIC_LIBS ON)
 set(Boost_USE_STATIC_RUNTIME ON)