Check out Part1 first!
Please seePart 1
first if you have not done so already!
#5 A quick run through of a typical build process
The full build for all components takes about 12 hours to complete. In the following example we run through a typical build for the AutoCAD OEM 2023 based application called AutoSTAGE 2023.For brevity and clarity, we publish here only an excerpt of all processes to give you an overview.
When starting the build, there is done some preliminary work where the file system is set up, the custom commands are extracted from the code for later use, and other preparatory work is happening to ready the codebase and associated files for the build.
20220617_15-03-30-850 -------------------------------------------------------------------
20220617_15-03-30-850 -------------------------------------------------------------------
20220617_15-03-30-850 -------------------------------------------------------------------
20220617_15-03-30-850
20220617_15-03-30-850 BUILD is running... PLEASE WAIT!
20220617_15-03-30-850
20220617_15-03-30-850 -------------------------------------------------------------------
20220617_15-03-30-850 -------------------------------------------------------------------
20220617_15-03-30-850 -------------------------------------------------------------------
20220617_15-03-30-850
20220617_15-03-30-850 Delete Temp Build Directory...
20220617_15-03-30-960 Delete Temp Build Directory...DONE!
20220617_15-03-30-960
20220617_15-03-30-960 Add Temp Build Directory...
20220617_15-03-30-960 Add Temp Build Directory...DONE!
20220617_15-03-30-960
20220617_15-03-31-366 Set Build Number to -> 2.3.28.1
20220617_15-03-31-366
20220617_15-03-32-241 Extract Commands from Code...
20220617_15-03-32-413 Extract Commands from Code...DONE!
20220617_15-03-32-554
20220617_15-03-32-554 Edit files -> UpdateXml...
20220617_15-03-32-554 Edit files -> UpdateXml...DONE!
20220617_15-03-32-554
20220617_15-03-32-554 Edit files -> SetSfxInstallerText...
20220617_15-03-32-694 Edit files -> SetSfxInstallerText...DONE!
20220617_15-03-36-554
20220617_15-03-36-569 Run Batch _CopyArxDbgToRelease_fromSDK.bat...
20220617_15-03-36-647 Run Batch _CopyArxDbgToRelease_fromSDK.bat...DONE!
20220617_15-03-36-647
20220617_15-03-36-647 Run Batch _CopyLibxlToRelease.bat...
20220617_15-03-36-991 Run Batch _CopyLibxlToRelease.bat...DONE!
20220617_15-03-36-991
20220617_15-03-36-991 Run Batch _CopyMigraDocToRelease.bat...
20220617_15-03-37-663 Run Batch _CopyMigraDocToRelease.bat...DONE!
Then the build of the codebase is started.
First, icon resource dll’s get build:
20220617_15-03-40-100 -------------------------------------------------------------------
20220617_15-03-40-100 BUILD RELEASE started...
20220617_15-03-40-100 -------------------------------------------------------------------
20220617_15-03-40-100
20220617_15-03-40-100 Run Batch SetBuildFolder.bat... Param -> RELEASE
20220617_15-03-40-132 Run Batch SetBuildFolder.bat... Param -> RELEASE DONE!
20220617_15-03-40-272 -------------------------------------------------------------------
20220617_15-03-40-272 BUILD RELEASE Icon ACAD2023_OEM started...
20220617_15-03-40-272 -------------------------------------------------------------------
20220617_15-03-40-272
20220617_15-03-40-272 Building RELEASE AuStIcon ACAD2023_OEM x64 ...
20220617_15-03-41-757 FOUND -> D:\REL\RELEASE\ACAD2023_OEM\AuStIcon.dll
20220617_15-03-41-757 Building RELEASE AuStIcon ACAD2023_OEM x64 ...DONE!
20220617_15-03-51-883
20220617_15-03-51-883 -------------------------------------------------------------------
20220617_15-03-51-883 BUILD RELEASE Icon ACAD2023_OEM ended -> Counted(13) ...DONE!
20220617_15-03-51-883 -------------------------------------------------------------------
Then the build of the object enablers commences:
20220617_15-03-51-883 -------------------------------------------------------------------
20220617_15-03-51-883 BUILD RELEASE Object ACAD2023_OEM started...
20220617_15-03-51-883 -------------------------------------------------------------------
20220617_15-03-51-883
20220617_15-03-51-883 Building RELEASE AuSt10Object ACAD2023_OEM x64 ...
20220617_15-04-08-025 FOUND -> D:\REL\RELEASE\ACAD2023_OEM\AuSt10Object.dbx
20220617_15-04-08-025 FOUND -> D:\REL\RELEASE\ACAD2023_OEM\AuSt10ComArx23OEM.arx
20220617_15-04-08-025 FOUND -> D:\REL\RELEASE\ACAD2023_OEM\AuSt10Wrapper.dll
20220617_15-04-08-025 Building RELEASE AuSt10Object ACAD2023_OEM x64 ...DONE!
20220617_15-05-36-957
20220617_15-05-36-957 -------------------------------------------------------------------
20220617_15-05-36-957 BUILD RELEASE Object ACAD2023_OEM ended -> Counted(39) ...DONE!
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Followed by some core and interface arx files, as well as managed dotnet dll’s and additional exe files.
20220617_15-05-36-957 -------------------------------------------------------------------
20220617_15-05-36-957 BUILD RELEASE Core ACAD2023_OEM started...
20220617_15-05-36-957 -------------------------------------------------------------------
20220617_15-05-36-973
20220617_15-05-36-973 Building RELEASE AuStCore ACAD2023_OEM x64 ...
20220617_15-06-21-337 FOUND -> D:\REL\RELEASE\ACAD2023_OEM\AuStCore.arx
20220617_15-06-21-337 Building RELEASE AuStCore ACAD2023_OEM x64 ...DONE!
20220617_15-06-35-894
20220617_15-06-35-894 -------------------------------------------------------------------
20220617_15-06-35-894 BUILD RELEASE Core ACAD2023_OEM ended -> Counted(43) ...DONE!
20220617_15-06-35-894 -------------------------------------------------------------------
20220617_15-06-35-894
20220617_15-06-35-894 -------------------------------------------------------------------
20220617_15-06-35-894 BUILD RELEASE Interface ACAD2023_OEM started...
20220617_15-06-35-910 -------------------------------------------------------------------
20220617_15-06-35-910
20220617_15-06-35-910 Building RELEASE AuSt10 ACAD2023_OEM x64 ...
20220617_15-07-10-151 FOUND -> D:\REL\RELEASE\ACAD2023_OEM\AuSt10.arx
20220617_15-07-10-151 Building RELEASE AuSt10 ACAD2023_OEM x64 ...DONE!
20220617_15-07-10-151
20220617_15-08-33-019 -------------------------------------------------------------------
20220617_15-08-33-019 BUILD RELEASE Interface ACAD2023_OEM ended -> Counted(52) ...DONE!
20220617_15-08-33-019 -------------------------------------------------------------------
20220617_15-08-33-019
20220617_15-08-33-019
20220617_15-08-33-019 -------------------------------------------------------------------
20220617_15-08-33-019 BUILD RELEASE Mgd ACAD2023_OEM started...
20220617_15-08-33-019 -------------------------------------------------------------------
20220617_15-08-42-456
20220617_15-08-42-456 Building RELEASE AuSt10Mgd ACAD2023_OEM x64 ...
20220617_15-08-43-347 FOUND -> D:\Rel\RELEASE\ACAD2023_OEM\AuSt10Mgd.dll
20220617_15-08-43-347 Building RELEASE AuSt10Mgd ACAD2023_OEM x64 ...DONE!
20220617_15-08-43-347
20220617_15-08-51-581 -------------------------------------------------------------------
20220617_15-08-51-581 BUILD RELEASE Mgd ACAD2023_OEM ended -> Counted(66) ...DONE!
20220617_15-08-51-581 -------------------------------------------------------------------
20220617_15-08-51-581
20220617_15-08-51-581 -------------------------------------------------------------------
20220617_15-08-51-581 BUILD RELEASE Exe Release started...
20220617_15-08-51-581 -------------------------------------------------------------------
20220617_15-08-53-831
20220617_15-08-53-831 Building RELEASE AuStComRegisterExe Release x64 ...
20220617_15-08-54-628 FOUND -> D:\REL\RELEASE\_APP\AuStComRegister.exe
20220617_15-08-54-628 Building RELEASE AuStComRegisterExe Release x64 ...DONE!
20220617_15-08-54-628
20220617_15-08-59-340 -------------------------------------------------------------------
20220617_15-08-59-340 BUILD RELEASE Exe Release ended -> Counted(75) ...DONE!
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When all is built well and done, the release folder is copied to a secondary folder and check for plausibility:
20220617_15-08-59-340
20220617_15-08-59-340 Run Batch Copy_Release.bat... Param -> ACAD2023_OEM XRELEASE
20220617_15-09-00-736 Run Batch Copy_Release.bat... Param -> ACAD2023_OEM XRELEASE DONE!
20220617_15-09-00-749
20220617_15-09-00-749 Check Build with Param -> RELEASE ACAD2023_OEM...
20220617_15-09-02-786 SUCCESS -> Build and CheckBuild MATCHES! (113)(113) for D:\REL\XRELEASE\ACAD2023_OEM
20220617_15-09-02-786 Check Build with Param -> RELEASE ACAD2023_OEM...DONE!
20220617_15-09-02-790
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20220617_15-09-02-792 BUILD RELEASE ended...
20220617_15-09-02-793 -------------------------------------------------------------------
The secondary folder is necessary because we build a release version as well as a separate trial and educational version, which are slightly different codebases.
AutoSTAGE 2023 needs to have an extra runtime environment installed, which sets up the system for the real installation of the main application. The runtime is created after the AutoCAD OEM Make Wizard has run through. But before, we need to harvest and edit some files that are consumed by the runtime installer:
20220617_15-09-02-794 -------------------------------------------------------------------
20220617_15-09-02-794 Create Runtime started...
20220617_15-09-02-795 -------------------------------------------------------------------
20220617_15-09-02-795
20220617_15-09-02-795 -------------------------------------------------------------------
20220617_15-09-02-795
20220617_15-09-02-795 Run Batch AuStRtHarvest.bat... Param -> D-REL-RELEASE-_APPDATA APPDATA
20220617_15-09-02-939 Run Batch AuStRtHarvest.bat... Param -> D-REL-RELEASE-_APPDATA APPDATA DONE!
20220617_15-09-02-939
20220617_15-09-02-941 Run Batch AuStRtHarvest.bat... Param -> D-BLK-AuStTemplate AUSTTEMPLATE
20220617_15-09-03-081 Run Batch AuStRtHarvest.bat... Param -> D-BLK-AuStTemplate AUSTTEMPLATE DONE!
20220617_15-09-03-082
20220617_15-09-03-084 Run Batch AuStRtHarvest.bat... Param -> D-BLK-AuStUser AUSTUSER
20220617_15-09-03-214 Run Batch AuStRtHarvest.bat... Param -> D-BLK-AuStUser AUSTUSER DONE!
20220617_15-09-03-354
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20220617_15-09-03-357
20220617_15-09-03-357 -------------------------------------------------------------------
20220617_15-09-03-357
20220617_15-09-03-358 (1) D:\DEV\\AuSt_RuntimeInstaller\AuStHarvest_APPDATA.wxs -> READ *OK*!
20220617_15-09-03-359 (1) D:\DEV\\AuSt_RuntimeInstaller\AuStHarvest_APPDATA.wxs -> WRITE *OK*!
20220617_15-09-03-359
20220617_15-09-03-359 (1) D:\DEV\AuSt_RuntimeInstaller\AuStHarvest_AUSTTEMPLATE.wxs -> READ *OK*!
20220617_15-09-03-360 (1) D:\DEV\AuSt_RuntimeInstaller\AuStHarvest_AUSTTEMPLATE.wxs -> WRITE *OK*!
20220617_15-09-03-360
20220617_15-09-03-360 (1) D:\DEV\AuSt_RuntimeInstaller\AuStHarvest_AUSTUSER.wxs -> READ *OK*!
20220617_15-09-03-360 (1) D:\DEV\AuSt_RuntimeInstaller\\AuStHarvest_AUSTUSER.wxs -> WRITE *OK*!
20220617_15-09-03-362
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20220617_15-09-03-362
20220617_15-09-03-362 -------------------------------------------------------------------
20220617_15-09-03-363 Create Runtime ended...
20220617_15-09-03-363 -------------------------------------------------------------------
Now the AutoCAD OEM Make Wizard can run its magic:
20220617_15-09-03-379 -------------------------------------------------------------------
20220617_15-09-03-380 BUILD OEM WIZARD started...
20220617_15-09-03-380 -------------------------------------------------------------------
20220617_15-09-03-380
20220617_15-09-03-381 -------------------------------------------------------------------
20220617_15-09-05-638
20220617_15-09-05-638 Edit ACAD2023OEM AuSt OEM Make Wizard xml file...
20220617_15-09-06-657 Edit ACAD2023OEM AuSt OEM Make Wizard xml file...DONE!
20220617_15-09-06-658
20220617_15-09-06-658 BUILD ACAD2023OEM AuSt...
20220617_15-09-06-658
20220617_15-09-06-658 Run Batch Build_Oem.bat... Param -> ACAD2023OEM AuSt 06<serial>17
20220617_15-09-30-450 Run Batch Build_Oem.bat... Param -> ACAD2023OEM AuSt 06<serial>17 DONE!
20220617_15-09-30-450
20220617_15-09-30-450 BUILD ACAD2023OEM AuSt...DONE!
20220617_15-09-40-580
20220617_15-09-40-595 -------------------------------------------------------------------
The OEM build is done, now the runtime can be created:
20220617_15-09-40-595 -------------------------------------------------------------------
20220617_15-09-40-595
20220617_15-09-40-595 Run Batch AuStRuntimeInstaller.bat... Param -> AUST2023
20220617_15-10-06-969 Run Batch AuStRuntimeInstaller.bat... Param -> AUST2023 DONE!
20220617_15-10-06-977
20220617_15-10-06-977 -------------------------------------------------------------------
When the runtime is done, the AutoCAD OEM Installer Wizard is called to create the installer:
20220617_15-10-06-979 -------------------------------------------------------------------
20220617_15-10-10-992
20220617_15-10-10-992 Deployment Path deleted --> D:\DEPLOY\getAuSt2023\AutoSTAGE_2023__Installer_2.3.28\
20220617_15-10-10-992
20220617_15-10-10-992 Edit ACAD2023OEM AuSt OEM Installer Wizard xml file...
20220617_15-10-12-014 Edit ACAD2023OEM AuSt OEM Installer Wizard xml file...DONE!
20220617_15-10-12-014
20220617_15-10-12-014 BUILD ACAD2023OEM AuSt OEM INSTALLER WIZARD started...
20220617_15-10-12-014
20220617_15-10-12-014 Run Batch Build_OemInstaller.bat... Param -> ACAD2023OEM AuSt D-DEPLOY-getAuSt2023-AutoSTAGE_2023__Installer_2.3.28-
20220617_15-10-40-406 Run Batch Build_OemInstaller.bat... Param -> ACAD2023OEM AuSt D-DEPLOY-getAuSt2023-AutoSTAGE_2023__Installer_2.3.28- DONE!
20220617_15-10-40-406
20220617_15-10-40-422 BUILD ACAD2023OEM AuSt OEM INSTALLER WIZARD started...DONE!
Changing the OEM installer msi file and adding some registry, application and dependency data needed for installation:
20220617_15-10-50-426 Edit files -> OemMsi...
20220617_15-10-50-426
20220617_15-10-50-426 D:\DEPLOY\getAuSt2023\AutoSTAGE_2023__Installer_2.3.28\x64\AuSt\AuSt.msi -> READ *OK*!
20220617_15-10-55-544 D:\DEPLOY\getAuSt2023\AutoSTAGE_2023__Installer_2.3.28\x64\AuSt\AuSt.msi -> EDIT *OK*!
20220617_15-10-55-544
20220617_15-10-55-544 Edit files -> OemMsi...DONE!
20220617_15-10-55-560
20220617_15-10-55-560 Edit files -> OemRegistry...
20220617_15-10-55-560
20220617_15-10-55-560 D:\DEPLOY\getAuSt2023\AutoSTAGE_2023__Installer_2.3.28\registry.txt -> READ *OK*!
20220617_15-10-55-566 D:\DEPLOY\getAuSt2023\AutoSTAGE_2023__Installer_2.3.28\registry.txt -> EDIT *OK*!
20220617_15-10-55-566
20220617_15-10-55-582 Edit files -> OemRegistry...DONE!
20220617_15-10-55-582
20220617_15-10-55-582 Edit files -> OemSetupXml...
20220617_15-10-55-582
20220617_15-10-55-582 D:\DEPLOY\getAuSt2023\AutoSTAGE_2023__Installer_2.3.28\setup.xml -> READ *OK*!
20220617_15-10-55-582 D:\DEPLOY\getAuSt2023\AutoSTAGE_2023__Installer_2.3.28\setup.xml -> EDIT *OK*!
20220617_15-10-55-582
20220617_15-10-55-582 Edit files -> OemSetupXml...DONE!
20220617_15-10-55-582
20220617_15-10-56-147 AuStPreviewLib.exe copied...
20220617_15-10-56-664
20220617_15-10-56-664 AuStUninstaller.exe copied...
20220617_15-10-57-189
20220617_15-10-57-189 AutoSTAGE Runtime copied...
20220617_15-10-57-723
20220617_15-10-57-723 CodeMeter Runtime copied...
20220617_15-10-57-723
20220617_15-10-57-723 Edit files -> OemEditDependencyPackageXml...
20220617_15-10-57-723
20220617_15-10-57-723 D:\DEV\DependencyPackageXml\pkg.AuStPreviewLibExe.xml -> READ *OK*!
20220617_15-10-57-738 D:\DEV\DependencyPackageXml\pkg.AuStPreviewLibExe.xml -> WRITE *OK*!
20220617_15-10-57-738
20220617_15-10-57-738 Edit files -> OemEditDependencyPackageXml...DONE!
20220617_15-10-57-738
20220617_15-10-57-738 Edit files -> OemEditDependencyPackageXml...
20220617_15-10-57-738
20220617_15-10-57-738 D:\DEV\\DependencyPackageXml\pkg.AuStUninstallerExe.xml -> READ *OK*!
20220617_15-10-57-738 D:\DEV\\DependencyPackageXml\pkg.AuStUninstallerExe.xml -> WRITE *OK*!
20220617_15-10-57-738
20220617_15-10-57-738 Edit files -> OemEditDependencyPackageXml...DONE!
20220617_15-10-57-738
20220617_15-10-57-738 Edit files -> OemEditDependencyPackageXml...
20220617_15-10-57-738
20220617_15-10-57-738 D:\DEV\\DependencyPackageXml\pkg.AuStRuntimeMsi.xml -> READ *OK*!
20220617_15-10-57-738 D:\DEV\\DependencyPackageXml\pkg.AuStRuntimeMsi.xml -> WRITE *OK*!
20220617_15-10-57-738
20220617_15-10-57-738 Edit files -> OemEditDependencyPackageXml...DONE!
20220617_15-10-57-738
20220617_15-10-57-738 Edit files -> OemEditDependencyPackageXml...
20220617_15-10-57-738
20220617_15-10-57-738 D:\DEV\\DependencyPackageXml\pkg.CodeMeterRuntimeMsi.xml -> READ *OK*!
20220617_15-10-57-738 D:\DEV\\DependencyPackageXml\pkg.CodeMeterRuntimeMsi.xml -> WRITE *OK*!
20220617_15-10-57-738
20220617_15-10-57-738 Edit files -> OemEditDependencyPackageXml...DONE!
20220617_15-10-57-754
20220617_15-10-57-754 Edit files -> OemEditProductPackageXml...
20220617_15-10-57-754
20220617_15-10-57-754 D:\DEPLOY\getAuSt2023\AutoSTAGE_2023__Installer_2.3.28\x64\AuSt\pkg.aust.xml -> READ *OK*!
20220617_15-10-57-754 D:\DEPLOY\getAuSt2023\AutoSTAGE_2023__Installer_2.3.28\x64\AuSt\pkg.aust.xml -> WRITE *OK*!
20220617_15-10-57-754
20220617_15-10-57-754 Edit files -> OemEditProductPackageXml...DONE!
Now the installer is done and good, we pack this into a self-extracting archive, one with regular user interface and one with silent mode for quiet installation:
20220617_15-10-57-754 -------------------------------------------------------------------
20220617_15-10-57-754
20220617_15-10-57-754 BUILD ACAD2023OEM AuSt OEM SFX INSTALLER started...
20220617_15-10-57-754 Compile to -> D:\DEPLOY\_getAuSt2023\AutoSTAGE_2023__Installer.exe
20220617_15-14-31-285 BUILD ACAD2023OEM AuSt OEM SFX INSTALLER started...DONE!
20220617_15-14-31-285
20220617_15-14-31-285
20220617_15-14-31-285 BUILD ACAD2023OEM AuSt OEM SFX INSTALLER started...
20220617_15-14-31-285 Compile to -> D:\DEPLOY\_getAuSt2023\AutoSTAGE_2023__Installer_SILENT.exe
20220617_15-16-46-587 BUILD ACAD2023OEM AuSt OEM SFX INSTALLER started...DONE!
20220617_15-16-46-587
20220617_15-16-47-590 -------------------------------------------------------------------
We generate update installer if the application has already installed on a user client machine. The update installer is, compared to the regular full installer, very lightweight and therefore easy to deploy. The update installer will be bundled with another needed component for installation.
20220617_15-16-47-590 -------------------------------------------------------------------
20220617_15-16-47-590
20220617_15-16-47-590 Run Batch AuStAppInstaller___OemUpdate.bat... Param -> AUST2023_UPDATE getAuSt2023
20220617_15-17-21-799 Run Batch AuStAppInstaller___OemUpdate.bat... Param -> AUST2023_UPDATE getAuSt2023 DONE!
20220617_15-17-21-799
20220617_15-17-21-799
20220617_15-17-21-799 Run Batch BundleApp.bat... Param -> AUST2023_UPDATE ACAD2023OEM AutoSTAGE_2023__Update_Bundle
20220617_15-17-29-611 Run Batch BundleApp.bat... Param -> AUST2023_UPDATE ACAD2023OEM AutoSTAGE_2023__Update_Bundle DONE!
20220617_15-17-29-611
20220617_15-17-29-619 -------------------------------------------------------------------
Finally, the AutoSTAGE EasyInstall.exe is build, which is a mechanism for the detection of already installed applications on the user client machine and to download the needed software for installation from our web resources.
20220617_15-17-29-619 -------------------------------------------------------------------
20220617_15-17-29-619
20220617_15-17-29-619 BUILD ACAD2023OEM AuSt OEM EasyInstall started...
20220617_15-17-29-619 Compile to -> D:\DEPLOY\_getAuSt2023\EasyInstall\AutoSTAGE_2023__EasyInstall.exe
20220617_15-17-33-128 BUILD ACAD2023OEM AuSt OEM EasyInstall started...DONE!
20220617_15-17-33-128
20220617_15-17-33-128 BUILD ACAD2023OEM AuSt OEM EasyInstall started...
20220617_15-17-33-143 Compile to -> D:\DEPLOY\_getAuSt2023\EasyInstall\AutoSTAGE_2023__EasyInstall_SILENT.exe
20220617_15-17-36-640 BUILD ACAD2023OEM AuSt OEM EasyInstall started...DONE!
20220617_15-17-36-640
20220617_15-17-36-640 -------------------------------------------------------------------
20220617_15-17-36-640
20220617_15-17-36-640 -------------------------------------------------------------------
20220617_15-17-36-640 BUILD OEM WIZARD ended...
20220617_15-17-36-640 -------------------------------------------------------------------
20220617_15-17-36-656
20220617_15-17-36-656 -------------------------------------------------------------------
20220617_15-17-36-656 -------------------------------------------------------------------
20220617_15-17-36-656 -------------------------------------------------------------------
20220617_15-17-36-656
20220617_15-17-36-656 BUILD is DONE!
20220617_15-17-36-656
20220617_15-17-36-656 Elapsed Time --> 00:14:05.8067045
20220617_15-17-36-656
20220617_15-17-36-656 -------------------------------------------------------------------
20220617_15-17-36-656 -------------------------------------------------------------------
20220617_15-17-36-656 -------------------------------------------------------------------
The result of the build: Two self-extracting installation files and a very small update executable. These are the files that will be deployed to the user.
#6 Logging
Logging of the build process is extremely important. With a comprehensive logging it is very easy to find the source of any build errors. For every step of the build process, a respective build log will be created, logging the functions and outputs.There are two log folders:
- The _BuildLog folder, where the logs of every BuildTool process step is saved
- The _DetailLog folder, where the logging of the msbuild process is stored
If a build error occurs, the last created log can be consulted to query the source of the disturbance.
#7 Integration of new platform versions
When Autodesk releases a new AutoCAD and AutoCAD OEM Version, the Visual Studio solutions as well as the BuildTool need to be updated. This is in general a fairly straightforward matter and takes usually not more than two or three days until everything is up and running. If some refactoring of the BuildTool is needed, the preparation can take a little longer, as seen with the current AutoCAD OEM 2023, where the OEM installer uses a new installation mechanism. When everything is done and running, the build process is fixed in place and can be repeated indifferently and continuously.#8 Could the BuildTool give aid to you in your build process?
As always: everything you do not have to do by hand or yourself is much preferable. Or: Automation is king. With the BuildTool, I have developed an automation and productivity tool which speeds up the development and deployment cycle enormously and frees the developer of a lot of annoying chores. And I have to say: I am rather proud of this, because the productivity gain I can realize with this is immense and invaluable. And without it, we would not be able to publish an application like AutoSTAGE with all the options and different flavours at all.For quite a while now I have been thinking that there may be other developers out there, especially for AutoCAD, who may have the need for a BuildTool like this. There are considerations to extent and open the BuildTool and to offer this to other developers. As I see it, this cannot happen for free as free- or shareware. Over the years, there has been put too much development time and effort into developing this tool. Also, when targeting a general publication for other developers, there is still the need for some mayor refactoring to make it more flexible and open to alternate workflows. Also, some service and documentation from our side should be included, as well as frequent updates, for example when a new AutoCAD version comes along. So, it has to become a commercial product. But it should be very competitive when you work without a build tool more than a couple of hours a month on your build and deployment pipeline.
What do you say? Please let me know what you think and add your thoughts below. Thanks for reading this and your feedback! Looking forward to it.
#9 About the author
My name is Jens Mueller and I am the lead developer, chief designer, managing director and owner (all in one and chief entrepreneur) of the AutoSTAGE GmbH, based in Germany.20 years ago, I aspired to become a lighting designer for concerts, shows and events. I did an internship at a lighting design company in Los Angeles, where I got hooked instantly on AutoCAD 2000. Soon, I was writing some small VBA scripts to automate more mundane drawing tasks doing lighting designs.
I realized that maybe others could need such productivity tools that I was developing, so in 2007 I released (beside my regular work) my first product called “AutoSTAGE for AutoCAD”: This was a plug-in for AutoCAD based on VBA with an extensive dwg symbol library, targeting all the people that work in the concert, event and showbusiness industry.
In 2012, I finally gave up on VBA (at last!) and my lighting design career for good and switch to the AutoCAD ObjectArx-API and developed a brand new and much better application with C++ and C#. Over time, along the way, the barebones start-up CAD shop became a real CAD company.
The new version was released at the end of 2014 and called AutoSTAGE App, also as a plug-in for AutoCAD. With this we (as a company) were also the first in the market to offer a standardized product to do structural analysis with drawing data.
A year later, we jumped onto the AutoCAD OEM bandwagon and released the first AutoCAD OEM application called AutoSTAGE 2016. Since then, we released every year a new AutoSTAGE standalone AutoCAD OEM based application for customers in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
The AutoSTAGE application bundled together with the AutoCAD OEM platform resulted in a solid business right up until the corona pandemic hit home, concerts, shows and events being the first activities getting cancelled. Nevertheless, we now stand on the cusp of releasing AutoSTAGE with an English language version to “the world”.
After two decades, it turned out that I am a much better and prolific software engineer than lighting designer. This has been a wild ride: learning so much stuff and scaling so many walls, it has been actually very much fun and not boring at all!
So, I consider myself a (humble) expert on everything about developing and deploying applications for and with AutoCAD and AutoCAD OEM. Time permitted, I am looking always for new frontiers and learnings, but time is usually the scarcest resource.