diff --git a/.github/workflows/CompileAndDeploy.yml b/.github/workflows/CompileAndDeploy.yml
index b14da3da0..cd12f594e 100755
--- a/.github/workflows/CompileAndDeploy.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/CompileAndDeploy.yml
@@ -22,11 +22,6 @@ jobs:
       shell: bash
       run: |
         echo  ::set-output name=date::"$(date +%Y.%m)"
-    - name: Compiling external
-      run: |
-        cd src/external
-        qmake external.pro
-        make -j4
     - name: Compiling MeshLab
       run: |
         cd src/
@@ -70,11 +65,6 @@ jobs:
         echo '::set-env name=LD_LIBRARY_PATH::/usr/local/opt/qt/lib:${{env.LD_LIBRARY_PATH}}'
         echo '::set-env name=PKG_CONFIG_PATH::/usr/local/opt/qt/lib:${{env.PKG_CONFIG_PATH}}'
         echo  ::set-output name=date::"$(date +%Y.%m)"   
-    - name: Compiling external
-      run: |
-        cd src/external
-        qmake external.pro
-        make -j4
     - name: Compiling MeshLab
       run: |
         cd src/
@@ -109,11 +99,6 @@ jobs:
       run: |
         cd ..
         git clone --depth=1 --branch=devel https://github.com/cnr-isti-vclab/vcglib.git
-    - name: Compiling external
-      run: |
-        cd src\external
-        qmake external.pro -r
-        nmake
     - name: Compiling MeshLab
       run: |
         cd src\
diff --git a/.github/workflows/CompileMacOS.yml b/.github/workflows/CompileMacOS.yml
index 488f7f14c..a67a9798a 100755
--- a/.github/workflows/CompileMacOS.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/CompileMacOS.yml
@@ -25,11 +25,6 @@ jobs:
         echo '::set-env name=LD_LIBRARY_PATH::/usr/local/opt/qt/lib:${{env.LD_LIBRARY_PATH}}'
         echo '::set-env name=PKG_CONFIG_PATH::/usr/local/opt/qt/lib:${{env.PKG_CONFIG_PATH}}'
         echo  ::set-output name=date::"$(date +%Y.%m)"   
-    - name: Compiling external
-      run: |
-        cd src/external
-        qmake external.pro
-        make -j4
     - name: Compiling MeshLab
       run: |
         cd src/
diff --git a/.github/workflows/CompileUbuntu.yml b/.github/workflows/CompileUbuntu.yml
index 83d154a83..a80e0c011 100755
--- a/.github/workflows/CompileUbuntu.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/CompileUbuntu.yml
@@ -20,11 +20,6 @@ jobs:
       shell: bash
       run: |
         echo  ::set-output name=date::"$(date +%Y.%m)"
-    - name: Compiling external
-      run: |
-        cd src/external
-        qmake external.pro
-        make -j4
     - name: Compiling MeshLab
       run: |
         cd src/
diff --git a/.github/workflows/CompileWindows.yml b/.github/workflows/CompileWindows.yml
index 604a39761..7754a8c71 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/CompileWindows.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/CompileWindows.yml
@@ -19,11 +19,6 @@ jobs:
       run: |
         cd ..
         git clone --depth=1 --branch=devel https://github.com/cnr-isti-vclab/vcglib.git
-    - name: Compiling external
-      run: |
-        cd src\external
-        qmake external.pro -r
-        nmake
     - name: Compiling MeshLab
       run: |
         cd src\
diff --git a/src/meshlab_full.pro b/src/meshlab_full.pro
index 582e8f8c1..251cc5f72 100644
--- a/src/meshlab_full.pro
+++ b/src/meshlab_full.pro
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 #config += debug_and_release
+
 TEMPLATE      = subdirs
 CONFIG += ordered
-SUBDIRS       = common \
+SUBDIRS       = external \
+                common \
                 meshlab \
                 meshlabserver \
 # IO plugins
@@ -79,3 +81,13 @@ SUBDIRS       = common \
 				sampleplugins/sample_filtergpu \
 
 
+!equals(PWD, $${OUT_PWD}) {
+
+    #copying the "shaders" folder inside the build directory
+    copydata.commands = $(COPY_DIR) $$PWD/distrib/shaders $$OUT_PWD/distrib
+    first.depends = $(first) copydata
+    export(first.depends)
+    export(copydata.commands)
+    QMAKE_EXTRA_TARGETS += first copydata
+
+}
diff --git a/src/meshlab_mini.pro b/src/meshlab_mini.pro
index 0aa61892e..468a931d0 100644
--- a/src/meshlab_mini.pro
+++ b/src/meshlab_mini.pro
@@ -10,7 +10,8 @@ CONFIG       += ordered
 
 
                            # the common framework, used by all the plugins,
-SUBDIRS       = common \
+SUBDIRS       = external \
+                common \
                 meshlab \                         # the GUI framework
                 meshlabserver \
                 meshlabplugins/io_base\           # a few basic file formats (ply, obj, off), without this you cannot open anything
@@ -39,3 +40,13 @@ SUBDIRS       = common \
 #                meshlabplugins/io_collada \
 #                meshlabplugins/io_x3d \
 
+!equals(PWD, $${OUT_PWD}) {
+
+    #copying the "shaders" folder inside the build directory
+    copydata.commands = $(COPY_DIR) $$PWD/distrib/shaders $$OUT_PWD/distrib
+    first.depends = $(first) copydata
+    export(first.depends)
+    export(copydata.commands)
+    QMAKE_EXTRA_TARGETS += first copydata
+
+}