The general tab of the application options dialog configures the following options:

 

Default script language: Specifies the language to use when executing script expressions within step and macro properties.  Clear this field to disable scripting or if Windows Scripting is not installed.

 

Set current directory to project folder after loading or saving projects: If checked, whenever a project file is loaded or saved, the current directory for the process (VisBuildCmd.exe for the console app, VisBuildPro.exe for the GUI app, or the process that instantiated the object model) is updated to the folder containing the project file.  This will allow filenames and paths specified relative to the project file path in step and macro properties to work correctly when building.  If unchecked, the current directory of the process will not be modified.  The PROJDIR system macro can also be used to specify paths relative to project path.

 

Note: The Set Current Dir action can also be used to set the working directory.

 

Persist build status when saving project files: Normally, the build status of a project is not saved in the project file.  Check this option to cause changes in the build status to mark a document as modified and for the build status to be saved with the project when saved from the GUI app.  This can be useful for continuing an automated build from a point of failure.  Be aware that the project will not automatically be saved in this case (the GUI App will prompt that changes have been made, and the console app will discard changes without prompting) -- it is recommended to add Run Script steps to the project which saves the project with status on failure or without status on success if this option is enabled (also see the SaveStatus.bld sample).

 

Include environment variables in system macros: If checked (the default), the operating system environment variables are included in the Visual Build system macros.  If you don't need these variables and want to shorten the list of system macros, uncheck this item.  A few environment variables (COMSPEC, TEMP, and WINDIR) will still be defined as system macros even if this option is unchecked).

 

Case sensitive comparisons in conditional build rules: If checked, comparisons in build rules are performed with case sensitivity (the default is non-case-sensitive).

 

Re-evaluate all conditional build rules for each step: If checked, all build rules that apply to the current step (its rule and the rule of any parent steps if nesting of build rules is enabled) are re-evaluated before each step is built; if not checked, only the current step's rule is evaluated, and the previous evaluation result of any parent steps' rules are used.

 

Build failure steps when build is stopped: If checked, failure steps will be built if the build is aborted (and the step is configured to build failure steps).  If the build is aborted again while building failure steps, the build will stop immediately without completing all failure steps.  If this option is unchecked, failure steps will only be built if an error occurs while building a step.

 

Fail overall build if any steps failed during the build: If checked, the overall build completion status will be set to failed if any steps failed (but the build continued) during the build.

 

Delete temporary macros after successful build: If checked, any temporary macros will be deleted when a project successfully completes building.  This is useful if you are prompting for temporary macro values; this will cause the value to be prompted for again if the project is built again.

 

Delete temporary macros on rebuild or reset: If checked, any temporary macros will be deleted before a build is reset or a rebuild is performed.