Build items

You can build one or more items from the web client or desktop client.

Considerations

The items you build are sources related to targets in a build configuration. The targets affected by the source items are the output of the build.

Guidelines:

  • To build items, you need the Build from a Project/Stream privilege.

  • You can build items only if the Dimensions CM project/stream to which they belong has one or more build configurations. For details about creating build configurations, see the Dimensions Build.

  • If you are building to deployment areas, first assign them to the Dimensions CM project/stream associated with the build configuration. For details, see Assign deployment areas.

  • You cannot build multiple item revisions that are at different stages.

  • You can use an asterisk (*) as a wildcard when specifying the source for a target.

    Example: If you specify *.java as the source for the target WebApp.jar, when you build any Java file, the target WebApp.jar is built.

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Item build configurations

The Build Configurations list in the Build Items wizard displays only the following build configurations:

  • Those associated with the current Dimensions CM project/stream.

  • Those where the items you selected have affected targets.

    For example:

In this example, Build_configuration_1 contains Item_1 that affects Target_1 and is displayed in the Build Configuration list. But Build_configuration_2 is not displayed as the item it contains does not affect any targets.

The Build Configuration list displays the latest checked-in versions of the build configurations in the following format:

<build configuration name>;<version>

Example: If you have two versions of the build configuration ANT_JAVA that are checked in, ANT_JAVA;1 and ANT_JAVA;2, the list displays:

ANT_JAVA;2

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Web client: Build items

You can build one or more items using the web client.

To build items:

  1. In the web client, open the project or stream containing the items you want to build.

  2. Select the items to build. For example, in the My Current Projects tab, select Folders and Items and expand the folder containing the items you want to build. Then select the items in the content pane.

  3. On the toolbar, click Build , and select Build. The Run Build wizard opens, displaying the name of the current Dimensions CM project or stream.

  4. Specify the following options and click Next:

    Option Description
    Build configuration Select the build configuration you want to build.
    Build area Select the build or work area where to build the targets. To build all deployment areas associated with the stage, select <All areas>.
    Build area user If required, enter the ID of the Dimensions CM user who owns the build area. Then enter and confirm the password.
    If you are building in a work area:
    Start search path from stage Select the stage where you want the search path to start.
    Download files to work area To download all or specific files before running the build, select All or Selected Only. You can then optionally select the option Apply system date/time to downloaded files.

  5. To capture the build outputs and check them in to Dimensions CM automatically, select the option Check in build outputs automatically, specify the following details, and click Next:

    Specify the request(s) the build outputs will be related to

    To relate the build outputs to specific requests when the outputs are checked in to Dimensions CM, click the browse button. In the Request wizard, select one or more requests. You can also enter request IDs in the following format:

    "QLARIUS_CR_44", "QLARIUS_CR_43"

    If your process model specifies that checked-in items have to be related to a request, this option is required.
    Specify the project where the build outputs will be checked in to To check in the build outputs to a different project or stream, click the browse button. In the Select Project/Stream wizard, select a project or stream.

  6. Select build options and click Next:

    Option Description
    Audit area(s) before build Produces an audit report for the build areas associated with the Dimensions CM project/stream. The report is produced before the build.
    Clean area(s) before build Runs the clean script (in the build configuration).
    Lock area(s) in search path Work area builds only: Locks all deployment areas associated with the build and prevents other changes to these areas while the build is running.
    Rebuild all targets

    Rebuilds all targets.

    To build only those targets whose source is at the correct stage, select Rebuild all targets and then Targets only in the current stage.
    Other build options Enter additional options, if any.

    For details about the build options, see the templating language and processor section in the API reference.

  7. Specify target selections for the target list:

    Option Description
    Show all targets from build configuration Displays all targets from the build configuration.
    Show final targets only Does not display intermediate targets.
    Show foreign items Displays items that are related to items in a different project or stream.
    Show side-effect targets Displays files created at the same time as the main target, such as a compile listing.
    Show predicted targets Display targets based on the item's previous revision. This is relevant when the selected revision has not yet been built.

    If you change target selections, click Re-query to refresh the target list.

  8. From the Build Targets list, select one or more targets to build. The list displays all targets that are impacted by the objects you selected to build. Follow the guidelines for specifying build targets, described in Run builds in Dimensions CM clients.

    For each target in the list the following build dependency information is displayed:

    Field Description
    Target The name of the target, as defined in Dimensions Build.
    Filename The file name of the target or mask, as defined in Dimensions Build.
    Found In

    The relationship of the objects that you are going to build to the target. Can be one of the following:

    • Build Config: Matches a rule in a build configuration (explicit relationship).

    • BOM: Named in a bill of materials (BOM) from a previous build (implicit relationship).

    • Build Config/BOM: Matches both Build Config (explicit) and BOM (implicit).

    • <blank>: No matches were found for the selected objects.
    Build Config The build configuration you selected. The configuration version may be different from that in the Build configuration list (the latter is ignored when this data is processed).
    Details

    Can be one of the following:

    • Prediction. The relationship is based on a previous item revision.

    • Foreign. Related to an item in a different project/stream.

  9. Click Next.

  10. Review the summary of the build command, and click Finish to start the build.

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Desktop client: Build items

You can build one or more items using the desktop client.

To build items:

  1. In the desktop client, open the project or stream containing the items you want to build.

  2. Select the items to build. For example, in the My Current Project/Stream view, expand the Catalog node and select Items. Then select one or more items.

    Note: You can use other methods to select items. For example, you can find items, run an item report, or open the Folders and Items view.

  3. Select Item > Build Items. The Build wizard opens, displaying the name of the current Dimensions CM project or stream.

  4. Specify the following options and click Next:

    Option Description
    Build configuration Select the build configuration you want to build.
    Build stage  Select the deployment stage at which to build the targets. To build in a work area, select <none>.
    Build area Select the build or work area where to build the targets. To build all deployment areas associated with the stage, select <All areas>.
    Build area user If required, enter the ID of the Dimensions CM user who owns the build area. Then enter and confirm the password.
    If you are building in a work area:
    Start search path from stage Select the stage where you want the search path to start.
    Download files to work area To download all or specific files before running the build, select All or Selected Only. You can then optionally select the option Apply system date/time to downloaded files.

  5. To capture the build outputs and check them in to Dimensions CM automatically, select the option Check in build outputs automatically, specify the following details, and click Next:

    Specify the request(s) the build outputs will be related to

    To relate the build outputs to specific requests when the outputs are checked in to Dimensions CM, click Select. In the Request wizard, select one or more requests. You can also enter request IDs in the following format:

    "QLARIUS_CR_44", "QLARIUS_CR_43"

    If your process model specifies that checked-in items have to be related to a request, this option is required.
    Specify the project where the build outputs will be checked in to To check in the build outputs to a different project or stream, click Select. In the Select Project/Stream wizard, select a project or stream.

  6. Select build options and click Next:

    Option Description
    Audit area(s) before build Produces an audit report for the build areas associated with the Dimensions CM project/stream. The report is produced before the build.
    Clean area(s) before build Runs the clean script (in the build configuration).
    Lock area(s) in search path Work area builds only: Locks all deployment areas associated with the build and prevents other changes to these areas while the build is running.
    Rebuild all targets

    Rebuilds all targets.

    To build only those targets whose source is at the correct stage, select Rebuild all targets and then Targets only in the current stage.
    Other build options Enter additional options, if any.

    For details about the build options, see the templating language and processor section in the API reference.

  7. Select the dependencies and targets to be built:

    Option Description
    Deployment analysis Runs dependency analysis.
    Predicted (using soft relationships) Displays targets based on a previous revision of an item. This is relevant when the selected revision has not yet been built.
    Foreign (cross project dependencies) Displays items that are related to items in a different project or stream.
    Side effect (from observed builds) Displays built items created at the same time as the main target, such as a compile listings and secondary targets.
    Configuration analysis Analyzes the build configuration.
    Final targets only Does not display intermediate targets.
    All targets Displays but does not necessarily select all targets in the build configuration.

    For details, see the BLD command in the Command-Line Reference.

    If you change target selections, click Query to repopulate the target list.

  8. From the Build Targets list, select one or more targets to build. The list displays all targets that are impacted by the objects you selected to build. Follow the guidelines for specifying build targets, described in Run builds in Dimensions CM clients.

    For each target, the following build dependency information is displayed:

    Field Description
    Target The name of the target, as defined in Dimensions Build.
    Filename The file name of the target or mask, as defined in Dimensions Build.
    Found In

    The relationship of the objects that you are going to build to the target. Can be one of the following:

    • Build Config: Matches a rule in a build configuration (explicit relationship).

    • BOM: Named in a bill of materials (BOM) from a previous build (implicit relationship).

    • Build Config/BOM: Matches both Build Config (explicit) and BOM (implicit).

    • <blank>: No matches were found for the selected objects.
    Build Config The build configuration you selected. The configuration version may be different from that in the Build configuration list (the latter is ignored when this data is processed).
    Details

    Can be one of the following:

    • Prediction. The relationship is based on a previous item revision.

    • Foreign. Related to an item in a different project/stream.

  9. Click Next.

  10. Review the summary of the build command, and click Finish to start the build.

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See also: