Visual Build

Features

• Tree display of steps, with ability to expand and collapse steps
• Custom action screens and components for many third party development tools to simplify the creation of build scripts
• Extensive debugging features (single-stepped execution, breakpoints, pause, etc.)
• Colorization of build output for easy navigation
• Editing and execution of Windows Script is fully integrated
• Full support for Microsoft Visual Studio .NET (of course, Visual Studio 6.0 is still supported as well)
• Ability to generate XML log files
• Many new user-configurable options
• Shortcuts to easily 1) jump to matching output for a step and vice versa, 2) Go to a top-level step, and 3) open a filename displayed in the build output (see View menu)
• Multiple failure steps can be defined in a project
• Subroutine steps allow modularizing code within a single project
• The build status of the steps can be saved in the project file

COM Automation interface to access all application and build components programmatically

• Console application to run locally or remotely without requiring interactive desktop access or a GUI
• Global macros and application options are stored in XML files instead of a user-specific registry key
• Drag-and-drop adding of steps for custom actions
• Single-click testing of steps
• Option for macros to be added to environment variables
• Search and replace in macros and script as well as steps
• Enhancements to tool tip feature
• Ability to specify multiple ranges of successful exit codes for the Run Program custom action

Benefits

• Save time and money - Automating your builds with Visual Build Pro can save many hours of manual effort every month and easily pay for itself in the first month alone.
• Improve product quality - By implementing a regular build process, your team's software quality will improve and bugs will be found and repaired more quickly.
• Avoid boring jobs - Visual Build Pro performs the menial, repetitive tasks so you can focus on the fun, challenging stuff.
• Eliminate key-person dependencies - 'Tribal knowledge' about the build procedure (often kept only in people's heads) will be replaced by a documented build framework.
• Create a permanent build record - XML project files and log files, which become part of your project's source code (and can be maintained in source control), provide a persistent, documented record of how builds are performed.

System Req.

Custom actions are available for:

• COM Register/unregister
• COM+ Applications/Components (add, configure, delete, report)
• Copy Files (copy, move, delete, and synchronize files/folders)
• CVS
• FTP
• GAC Install/uninstall
• Help & Manual
• INI File (read/write)
• Inno Setup
• InstallShield (Express, Professional, Developer, PackageForTheWeb)
• Log Message
• Process Files
• Registry (read/write)
• Replace in File
• Run Program, batch file, or OS Command
• Run Script
• Send Mail
• Set Macro
• Subroutine Call
• Telnet
• Visual Basic 6.0
• Visual C++ 6.0
• Visual SourceSafe
• Visual Studio .NET (C#, VB.NET, C++.NET, J#.NET; Windows and web projects)
• VS.NET Get Version
• VS6 Get Version
• Wait (elapsed time, specific date/time, file exists or modified)
• Wise (Wise Installation System, InstallMaster, Wise for Windows Installer)
• Write to File

Scripts, macros, and/or samples are also available for:

• Borland Delphi, C++Builder, and JBuilder
• Internet Information Services (IIS)
• Java SDK Tools
• Microsoft .NET Framework
• Microsoft Visual FoxPro
• MSMQ
• PVCS Version Manager
• Read File
• Set File Attributes
• SQL Server
• StarTeam
• WinZip

In addition, using the Run Program and Run Script actions, practically any other development tool can be integrated into your build process. Some other tools integrated into customers' builds include:

• Ant
• BoundsChecker
• ClearCase
• CppUnit
• Make
• MKS
• Perforce
• Robocopy
• Xcopy