Projecttool - avoid updating all projects

r_gigante

Hi Daniel, thanks for reaching us

With regard to your issue, although there's no option at the moment to include in the projectdefinition.txtto exclude a certain project from being rebuilt, what I suggest is to just run it over the project you need to rebuild rather than on the whole solution folder.

To be more clear, give the current SDK structure:

<Cinema 4D>
    |-corelibs
    |-...
    |-sdk
        |-frameworks
        |-plugins
            |-cinema4dsdk
                |-project (this contains the project)
                |-source
                |-...
            |-maxonsdk
            |-microsdk
            |-project (this contains the solution)

you can run:

kernel_app_64bit.exe g_updateproject=<Cinema4D>/sdk : to create/update frameworks/plugins
kernel_app_64bit.exe g_updateproject=<Cinema4D>/sdk/plugins/ : to create/update all the plugins
kernel_app_64bit.exe g_updateproject=<Cinema4D>/sdk/plugins/cinema4dsdk : to create/update only the cinema4dsdk project

Last but not least running kernel_app_64bit.exe g_updateproject=<Cinema4D>/sdk/plugins/cinema4dsdk or kernel_app_64bit.exe g_updateproject=<Cinema4D>/sdk/plugins/cinema4dsdk/project has the same effect

Looking forward comments on your side, give best.

Riccardo

C4DS

Hi Riccardo,
At first sight I thought "but of course, why didn't I think of that".
But on second thought, the whole purpose of running the Project Tool is because I need to add a new plugin to the solution.

So, I actually don't need to update a single plugin project, but need to update the solution project ... well, I mean, the project containing the solution.
As far as I have understood I would these need to run the Project Tool on /plugins/ which will thus update all plugins' projects.

r_gigante

Hi Daniel,

if you'd like to add a new plugin (<Cinema 4D>/sdk/plugins/plugin_X) to your solution without touching the other plugins' projects you can:

create the folder structure for plugin_X
create the projectdefinition.txt in the project folder of plugin_X
run kernel_app_64bit.exe g_updateproject=<Cinema4D>/sdk/plugins/plugin_X in order to create the corresponding project file for the plugin_X
modify the projectdefinition.txt in the project folder of plugins to include the plugin_X in the solution file
run kernel_app_64bit.exe g_updateproject=<Cinema4D>/sdk/plugins/project in order to update the solution file.

Obviously this is approach can also to work when it's needed to update any other single plugin or only the solution.

Hoping it makes sense, feel free to come back with further comments.

Best, Riccardo

C4DS

@r_gigante
Thanks for this. It ticks all the boxes for me.
Although I had hoped for a solution with less batch files, I now understand it's better to have separate batch files per plugin. And one for updating the project solution, without updating every plugin.
So obvious it's embarrassing, but some... ,ok, most times I need someone else to show me the obvious.

Still wondering about @mp5gosu 's answer.

Thanks again Riccardo.

mp5gosu

Hey there. I was not quite right about the Post-Build Script.
Years ago I started using an extension that configures my solutions before every run. Looks like I simply forgot about that.
However, it automatically sets the event on every run.

Sorry about the confusion.

C4DS

@mp5gosu
Thanks for the clarification.

mp5gosu

But since we are talking about that, I'd file a feature request.
It should be possible to define portions of the solution that should not be overriden.

a_block

I have filed a feature request in our development.
Cheers,
Andreas

a_block

Hi,

there are two more approaches, we discussed when suggesting this request to our development.

a) So obvious, we should have come up with in the first place and you probably already considered yourself: Use of your diff tool. Before running the project tool, save the old project files and afterwards use the diff tool to carry over the manual changes. I know, still cumbersome.

b) Maybe .props files can be put to use here. These shouldn't be touched by the project tool.

Nevertheless, it will also be considered to tackle this issue inside of the project tool.

Cheers,
Andreas

C4DS

@a_block
I am not so in favor of solution a) and as for b) I am no expert when it comes to props files. Someone will need to teach and tutor.
Still, I appreciate the suggestions.

a_block

Here's an older blog post about VS property sheets. Still for VS2010, but the principle is still the same.
Sharing project properties in Visual C++