Introduction

Dimensions Build is a build management, execution, and monitoring tool that is part of Dimensions CM.

Dimensions Build enables you to run builds from the Build Administration Console in the Administration Console, or from the desktop, web, and ISPF clients. For details, see the Dimensions CM online help.

Supported Platforms

Dimensions Build runs on all major Dimensions CM supported platforms: Windows, Solaris, HP-UX, IBM AIX, Linux, and z/OS mainframe (MVS and USS).

Build Engines

Dimensions Build is build engine independent and integrates with third-party engines on distributed and mainframe platforms.

On the distributed side, build managers can use their preferred third-party build engine such as Apache Ant or ChangeMan Builder (Openmake). Dimensions Build integrates with those tools and can import Openmake target definition files and Ant XML build configuration files.

On the mainframe side Dimensions Build natively supports the mainframe build utility that is installed with Dimensions for z/OS. For more information, see Build Utility Programs.

Versioning and Repeating Builds

You can create multiple versions of build configurations and repeat these builds whenever you want. Each version of a build configuration includes the following information:

- The target definitions including high-level dependencies.

- The templates used to build each target.

- The build area definitions (host, authentication details, file system location, and so on).

For more information, see Managing Build Configurations.

Scheduling Builds

You can schedule the execution of builds to suit your build paradigm. When you set up a scheduled build job you specify the build configuration and version that will be executed, the targets, the build area, and the start time. You can also specify the frequency at which a build reoccurs. For more information, see Scheduling Build Jobs.

Monitoring Builds

You can monitor the status of builds that are currently running and view the history of completed builds. For each build event you can view the expanded script used to build the step, the output log of link and compile listings for the target, and the error log (if applicable). For more information, see Monitoring Builds.

Notifications

You can create and subscribe to e-mail notifications that update you about the progress of your build jobs. For more information, see Managing Notifications.

Integration with Dimensions CM

Dimensions CM performs the following functions for Dimensions Build:

- Drives the population of deployment areas.

- Preserves outputs and intermediate files generated by the build engines.

- Preserves bill-of-materials and post-build dependency information to enable you to perform impact analysis and traceability.

- Records which build configuration versions were in use at the time a baseline is taken.

Build Administration

Dimensions Build is administered in the Build Administration Console of the Dimensions CM Administration Console. For more information about the user interface, see Build Administration Console User Interface.