Visual Studio integration - Use specified .bld file

[dgh]

Hi,

I would like to assign an existing bld file to the Visual Build button in the Visual Studio Tools menu item.

Is this possible an if so how?

[kinook]

No -- the Visual Build VS add-in always passes the name of the current solution to Visual Build.

You could create a custom external tool in VS to call Visual Build with a hard-coded solution filename (path+filename of visbuildpro.exe in the Command field and path+filename of the solution in the Arguments field).
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/libr.../76712d27.aspx

[dgh]

OK - thanks.

[dgh]

Originally Posted by kinook

No -- the Visual Build VS add-in always passes the name of the current solution to Visual Build.

The problem I am having is that when asked to save the changes it asks me for a filename, directory etc. I save that into the Projects root directory (<projectname>.bld) but starting up VSBuild from VS creates a new project each time.

[kinook]

The latest build (VisBuildPro.exe 9.0.0.1) has been updated to re-open the last project when called from the Visual Studio add-in (if Tools | User Options | General | Reload last project at startup is checked).

[dgh]

Originally Posted by kinook

The latest build (VisBuildPro.exe 9.0.0.1) has been updated to re-open the last project when called from the Visual Studio add-in (if Tools | User Options | General | Reload last project at startup is checked).

I really don't want to pay $149 for an upgrade until I can get this version (8.7) working

When I click on the VSBuild menu item, it repeatedly opens a blank new VS project with MSBuild as the first item. Great - exactly what's supposed to happen according to the docs . Now, when I click on save, what directory do I chose to save it in and assuming your help file is correct then it will save it as <projectname>.bld. Unfortunately I don't know which directory to insert as none of them appear to be correct - I have saved it everywhere that is obvious to me.

[dgh]

Originally Posted by kinook

The latest build (VisBuildPro.exe 9.0.0.1) has been updated to re-open the last project when called from the Visual Studio add-in (if Tools | User Options | General | Reload last project at startup is checked).

Whilst I haven't yet upgraded, are you saying that If I use VSBuild outside of the VS environment, If I click on the VSBuild option in VS -> Tools it will open whatever was the last VSBuild project that I opened with VSBuild?

If so, can this option (if it is an option) be disabled anywhere?

I only want the VS -? VsBuild button to ever open the VSBuild project that 'belongs' to that specific VS project.

Thanks.

[kinook]

Originally Posted by dgh

I really don't want to pay $149 for an upgrade until I can get this version (8.7) working

When I click on the VSBuild menu item, it repeatedly opens a blank new VS project with MSBuild as the first item. Great - exactly what's supposed to happen according to the docs . Now, when I click on save, what directory do I chose to save it in and assuming your help file is correct then it will save it as <projectname>.bld. Unfortunately I don't know which directory to insert as none of them appear to be correct - I have saved it everywhere that is obvious to me.

The documentation doesn't actually state whether the add-in opens a new .bld project or not (at least not http://www.kinook.com/VisBuildPro/Ma...ntegration.htm), just that a new Make VS step is inserted.

It doesn't matter which directory you save the .bld file in.

[dgh]

So it will open a new VSBuild project every time

What's the friggin point of even having a VS Integration

[kinook]

The point of the add-in is to create a step for building the current solution. The idea was that this step would be incorporated into the overall build process (added to a .bld file that would perform others steps like retrieving from source control, building other solutions, updating versions, building installers, deploying to web sites, etc.), and until now we've never had any feedback requesting it to work differently.

It sounds like maybe what you want to do is save the .bld file in the same location as the .sln file, and then be able to re-open that .bld file later on to build just the current solution outside of VS?

[dgh]

Originally Posted by kinook

It sounds like maybe what you want to do is save the .bld file in the same location as the .sln file, and then be able to re-open that .bld file later on to build just the current solution outside of VS?

That sums it up very well. I use VSBuild extensively on all my projects and some of the built scripts do quite a few tasks. VSBuild saves me heaps of time and effort and I highly recommend all and sundry to use it.

I have in the past used one VSBUILD project to control all my VSBuild projects spread over 15+ dll's and programs. I know this sounds familiar This has suited me fine to date and I have had no real need to use the button on the VS Toolbar. I am now changing my methodology so that individual programs and in particular dll's can be compiled and distributed individually. The use of the VS button has now become an important function for me.

Keeping the auto re-load of the last project would also be important to me when running VSBuild from the command line/desktop however I would expect the VS button would act the way you describe. I presume some configuration of the buttons functionality would be included somewhere within the VS solution itself.

Can this be implemented in a short space of time, if at all

Thanks.

[kinook]

In the latest download, the addins/extensions for VS 2008 and later have been modified: If a .bld file is saved in the same path as a .sln file with the same base name (i.e., c:\full\path\xyz.bld and c:\full\path\xyz.sln), the add-in will open that .bld file instead of opening the previous .bld file (or creating a new project) and inserting a new step for the .sln file.