The Make VB6 custom action creates a step for configuring all the available options for building Microsoft Visual Basic 6.0 projects and groups.  This action provides functionality that is missing from Microsoft's VB compiler.  It adds the ability to process large group files, 'make' intelligence to prevent unnecessary builds and speed up the build process, setting project compatibility and symbolic debug flags, setting project DLL base addresses, setting or incrementing project versions, and more.  See the VStudio.bld sample for sample usage.

 

When the step is built, for project group (VBG) files, this action parses the group file for individual projects and processes each one.  It builds a list of the VBP files in the group, their target (DLL/EXE) filenames, and each project's references to other projects in the group (it recognizes references to VBPs and executables). It then iterates over the list of projects, processing projects in the correct order according to their references.  If a project is set to project compatibility or no compatibility and other projects in the group reference that project, Visual Build detects the type lib GUID/version (reference) change and updates all references to the project from other projects in the group.  This prevents broken references, compile errors, and upgrade reminders on OCX references that can interfere with automated builds.

 

For individual VBP files, the action analyzes the project, and if the target executable doesn't exist or is older than any source files in the project, it invokes the VB compiler to build the project.  It logs the filename as it is being processed and a status indicating what is being done for that project (setting compatibility, incrementing versions, building, setting compatibility, etc.).  The action detects if the specified changes have already been made and only modifies the project files if necessary.

 

Project/Group Tab

 

Compatibility Tab

 

Versions Tab

 

Properties Tab

 

Options Tab

 

Advanced Tab

 

Remote Tab

 

Note: If Visual Build doesn't detect that this product is installed when first run, this action will not be displayed (existing steps will still be displayed in the Step panes and will build normally).  To show all hidden actions, right-click in the Actions pane and choose Show Hidden.