Self-hosted github actions runners

[sdarwin]

This is the first pull request using the new runners and so it is a debug/validation phase also.

In other testing of URL there were a couple of errors on Windows. Potential solutions are:

1. fix a bug in the URL codebase
2. Or, if you have some idea why the error happens, suggest an update to the Windows images. I will add new packages to the Windows AMIs
3. Or, if it remains a mystery, set the runner label to 'windows-2022-no-aws' , which will cause that job to always run on a GitHub-hosted runner.

[alandefreitas]

Wow! That's amazing!

What is the relationship between the images in self-hosted runners and the github runners? Do they have similar packages, etc?

What are the criteria in terms of permissions? Are the criteria being from github.com/boostorg or github.com/cppalliance?

[sdarwin]

The self-hosted runners were approximately based on the Drone docker images which have a collection of packages allowing boost C++ libraries to build but not a huge number of other things, npm packages, Visual Basic, and so on. https://github.com/cppalliance/terraform-aws-github-runner/tree/cppal/images

Permissions are controlled by the GitHub App, meaning Peter or Glen modify the installation of the GitHub App to apply to a set of repositories.

[cppalliance-bot]

GCOVR code coverage report https://761.url.prtest.cppalliance.org/gcovr/index.html
LCOV code coverage report https://761.url.prtest.cppalliance.org/genhtml/index.html
Coverage Diff https://761.url.prtest.cppalliance.org/gcovr/coverage_diff.txt

[codecov]

Codecov Report

Merging #761 (07e5b9e) into develop (2bae458) will not change coverage.
The diff coverage is n/a.

Additional details and impacted files

@@           Coverage Diff            @@
##           develop     #761   +/-   ##
========================================
  Coverage    97.25%   97.25%           
========================================
  Files          155      155           
  Lines         8518     8518           
========================================
  Hits          8284     8284           
  Misses         234      234           

see 1 file with indirect coverage changes

---

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[alandefreitas]

The self-hosted runners were approximately based on the Drone docker images which have a collection of packages allowing boost C++ libraries to build but not a huge number of other things, npm packages, Visual Basic, and so on. https://github.com/cppalliance/terraform-aws-github-runner/tree/cppal/images

Nice. That's even better.

Permissions are controlled by the GitHub App, meaning Peter or Glen modify the installation of the GitHub App to apply to a set of repositories

What app? That means anyone who installs the apps can use these runners? I'm asking because I'm developing the cpp-actions we're using under https://github.com/alandefreitas/cpp-actions/actions.

On a side note, I think the biggest problem with public runners is how long they take to become available for boostorg rather than how slow they are. I believe that's why runner selection using ubuntu-latest is not running and is blocking everything else from happening. It kind of contradicts the value of the self-hosted runners because runners for other jobs will usually be available when runners for runner-selection are available. You probably already noticed by now anyway but it's worth mentioning because you might not be watching the jobs.

On the other hand, I really like the idea of the runner-selection job. It's pretty elegant.

I think we don't need needs: [cpp-matrix,runner-selection] for the build jobs, because cpp-matrix already depends on runner-selection and Github can figure this out.

[cppalliance-bot]

GCOVR code coverage report https://761.url.prtest2.cppalliance.org/gcovr/index.html
LCOV code coverage report https://761.url.prtest2.cppalliance.org/genhtml/index.html
Coverage Diff https://761.url.prtest2.cppalliance.org/gcovr/coverage_diff.txt

[sdarwin]

@alandefreitas

Documentation about the runners: https://github.com/cppalliance/githubactions

that's why runner selection using ubuntu-latest is not running

There are pros and cons with setting that initial job to [ self-hosted, linux, x64, ubuntu-latest-aws ], which will cause it to use self-hosted runners.

• If github is being responsive, and everything is pointed to using github, a self-hosted runner at the first step causes a delay.
• If github is slow, and everything is pointed to AWS, then it's faster to set self-hosted.

I have changed the initial job to "[ self-hosted, linux, x64, ubuntu-latest-aws ]".

A "GitHub App" is not an app, it's a collection of permissions in the GUI. https://github.com/apps/terraform-aws-runners-boost requiring an organization admin to install.

I think we don't need "needs: [cpp-matrix,runner-selection]"

Not sure if it needs the full "needs" or not. You're welcome to experiment and modify that line.

[sdarwin]

A few windows jobs failed as expected. Let me know if you have any ideas about fixes. "Allow edits by maintainers" is enabled, so you may push to the branch. Or I will. Whatever changes are made, the alternate "needs" syntax could be tested, at the same time.

[sdarwin]

I think we don't need needs: [cpp-matrix,runner-selection] for the build jobs, because cpp-matrix already depends on runner-selection and Github can figure this out.

Not the case. The needs: directive should stay in the workflow file, otherwise an error:

Annotations
2 errors
CI: .github#L1
Error when evaluating 'runs-on' for job 'changelog'. .github/workflows/ci.yml (Line: 271, Col: 14): Error parsing fromJson,.github/workflows/ci.yml (Line: 271, Col: 14): Error reading JToken from JsonReader. Path '', line 0, position 0.,.github/workflows/ci.yml (Line: 271, Col: 14): Unexpected value ''
CI: .github#L1
Error when evaluating 'runs-on' for job 'build'. .github/workflows/ci.yml (Line: 82, Col: 14): Error parsing fromJson,.github/workflows/ci.yml (Line: 82, Col: 14): Error reading JToken from JsonReader. Path '', line 0, position 0.,.github/workflows/ci.yml (Line: 82, Col: 14): Unexpected value ''

[cppalliance-bot]

GCOVR code coverage report https://761.url.prtest2.cppalliance.org/gcovr/index.html
LCOV code coverage report https://761.url.prtest2.cppalliance.org/genhtml/index.html
Coverage Diff https://761.url.prtest2.cppalliance.org/gcovr/coverage_diff.txt

[alandefreitas]

Not the case. The needs: directive should stay in the workflow file, otherwise an error:

Oh... I think I wasn't clear about that.

I meant we don't need needs: [cpp-matrix,runner-selection] because build only needs needs: [cpp-matrix].

I didn't mean that completely removing the needs directive and not declaring the requirements at all is something that could work.

[sdarwin]

The test was needs: [cpp-matrix], which resulted in the above mentioned errors.

I hadn't even noticed it before, but the generated "C++ Test Matrix" is really cool! All the output that appears on the Github Actions page of test results. Very nice.

[alandefreitas]

Merged as part of #773