BUILD

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Creates a Windows executable file (.EXE) from your dBASE Plus object files and resources.

Syntax

BUILD FROM <project or response file name>

or

BUILD <filename>[, <filename> ...] /FROM <resp-filename>
     [ICON <filename>] [SPLASH <filename>] [TO <exe-filename>]
     [WEB] [INI [ON | OFF | ROAM]]
     [UAC]

FROM <project or response file name>

Name of a dBASE Plus project or response file that contains the names of all object files and resources that are to be linked into your executable. If no extension is provided, .PRJ is assumed.

<filename list>

List of compiled program elements, separated by commas. If you provide a filename without an extension, .PRO (compiled program) is assumed.

ICON <icon filename>

Optional icon (.ICO) file used to identify your program in the Windows environment (e.g., when minimized or listed in the Windows Explorer or a program group).

SPLASH <bmp format filename>

Optional bitmap (.BMP) file that displays while your program loads.

TO <executable filename>

The name of the Windows executable file (.EXE) to create. If not specified, the base file name of the named project or response file (or the first file name in <filename list>) is used.

WEB

Specifies that an application will be used as a web application, rather than a desktop application.

When run, an application built using the WEB keyword will take advantage of optimizations built into PLUSrun.exe which allow it to load faster and use fewer resources than a non-WEB application. Please note that these optimizations restrict a web application from containing code to create, or use, visual components such as forms, buttons, toolbars, status bars, and other form components. Only non-visual objects such as sessions, data modules, queries, rowsets, non-visual objects and custom classes should be used.

In addition, when a web application .exe is run directly, rather than as a parameter to PLUSrun.exe, using the WEB parameter allows it to detect when it’s been prematurely terminated by a Web server (as happens when an application takes too long to respond). If a premature termination occurs, PLUSrun.exe also terminates to prevent it from becoming stranded in memory.

To determine if an application was built using the WEB parameter, see the _app object's web property. For additional information, see "Startup optimizations for Web applications" and "Change to command line for PLUSrun.exe".

INI

INI or INI ON - indicates that the application will create and use an ini file.  This is the same as NOT specifying an                              INI clause at all.

If _app.useUACPaths is True,

      - the .ini file will be located in the path contained in  _app.currentUserPath.

 If _app.useUACPaths is False,

      - the .ini file will be located in the path contained in _app.exeName

INI ROAM - indicates that the application will create and use an ini file under the path in _app.roamingUsersPath instead of the _app.currentUserPath

Note that the location of an .ini file can be overridden via the -c command line switch which can be used to specify an alternate folder in which to locate the .ini file.

UAC

When UAC is specified the resulting .exe is built with an embedded default to set _app.UseUACPaths to True when the .exe is run.

This embedded UAC setting overrides the runtime engine default set via the registry key:
HKLM\SOFTWARE\dBASE\Plus\Series1\useUACPaths

However, the embedded setting can be overridden by:

1- setting a RuntimeApp specific registry setting in registry key:
 HKLM\SOFTWARE\dBASE\Plus\RuntimeApps\<app file name>\useUACPaths
    useUACPaths is a string value set to "Y" or "y" for 'True'  and  set to "N" or "n" for 'False'
    (NOTE: the <app file name> is case sensitive so 'MyApp.exe' is NOT the same as 'myApp.exe')

Or

2 - by using the -v command line switch:
    -v1 sets UseUACPaths to true
    -v0 sets UseUACPaths to false

Description

Use the BUILD command to link compiled dBASE Plus program elements and supporting resources (such as bitmaps and icons) into a Windows executable (.EXE) file.

Though the new project file format is the default for build specifications, support for response (.RSP) files is offered for backward compatibility.

For Web based applications, it's important to use the WEB parameter. When a server terminates an application, the WEB parameter enables dBASE Plus to simultaneously terminate it's runtime.

Code Signing

dBASE has been upgraded so it can build .exe's that can be code signed.

New executables built with dBASE Plus will contain some additional information that will allow them to be loaded successfully with the newruntime engine whether or not they are signed with a digital signature.

The new dBASE runtime will check a dBASE built .exe for the new data. If found, it will be loaded using the digital signature safe way. If not found, it will be loaded the old way which will not support digital signatures.

The new runtime is therefore, backward compatible with executables built with prior versions of dBASE Plus.

In addition, executables built with the new version of dBASE Plus will work with older dBASE Plus runtime engines unless it requires features available only in the newer runtime engine.