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\*(n) -Build   (1) manpage
\*(n) -Build
1
  • NAME
      (n) -Build - build a change
  • SYNOPSIS
      (n) -Build [ option ... ][ filename ... ]
      (n) -Build -List [ option ... ]
      (n) -Build -Help
  • DESCRIPTION
      The (n) -Build command is used to build a project. The project configuration file is consulted for the appropriate build command, and that command is executed (see the build_% command and integration_%build_%command fields in aepconf(5) for more information.) Output of the command is automatically logged to the (n).log file at the root of the development directory tree. The build command will be executed with its current directory being the root of the development directory, irrespective of there the "(n) -Build" command was executed.

      If the change is in the "being integrated" state, references to the development directory, above, should be read as the integration directory. Integration build commands are executed with the user and group set to the project's owning user and group. That is, it is not necessary for an integrator to log in as someone else, the project account for instance, in order to do an integration. Process Side Effects This command will cancel any test registrations, because building the project logically invalidates them. If the project config file was deleted, any diff registration will also be canceled. Notification The actions of the command are controlled by the build_% command and integration_%build_%command fields of the project config file.  See aepconf(5) for more information.
  • PARTIAL BUILD
      If files are named on the command line, these files are appended to the build command. This is known as a partial build. Partial builds are not legal in the "being integrated" state, but can often be useful in the "being developed" state. Partial builds are not recorded in the change status, because builds are decoupled from aegis it is not possible for aegis to know if any set of partial builds is equivalent to a full build.

      Warning: no change state lock is taken for a partial build, only a baseline read lock. File Name Interpretation The (n) program will attempt to determine the project file names from the file names given on the command line. All file names are stored within (n) projects as relative to the root of the baseline directory tree. The development directory and the integration directory are shadows of this baseline directory, and so these relative names apply here, too. Files named on the command line are first converted to absolute paths if necessary. They are then compared with the baseline path, the development directory path, and the integration directory path, to determine a baseline-relative name. It is an error if the file named is outside one of these directory trees.

      The -BAse_RElative option may be used to cause relative filenames to be interpreted as relative to the baseline path; absolute filenames will still be compared with the various paths in order to determine a baseline-relative name.

      The relative_filename_preference in the user configuration file may be used to modify this default behavior.  See aeuconf(5) for more information.
  • SYMBOLIC LINKS
      Many dependency maintenance tools, and indeed some compilers, have little or no support for include file search paths, and thus for the concept of the two-level directory hierarchy employed by (n) . (It becomes multi-level when (n)' branching functionality is used.) To allow these tools to be used, (n) provides the ability to maintain a set of symbolic links between the development directory of a change and the baseline of a project, so it appears to these tools that all of the project's files are present in the development directory. Project Configuration Two boolean fields of the project config file control the behavior of this feature. They are the create_%symlinks_%before_%build and remove_%symlinks_%after_%build fields. See aepconf(5) for more information.

      If both fields are set to true , the user never sees the symbolic links, because they are added purely for the benefit of the dependency maintenance tool during the execution of the aeb(1) command.

      If only the create_%symlinks_%before_%build field is set to true (the other will default to false) the symbolic links will be created at develop begin time (see aedb(1) for more information) and also maintained by each aeb(1) invocation. Note that the symbolic links are only maintained at these times, so project integrations during the course of development may leave the symbolic links in an inconsistent state until the next build.

      When files are copied from the baseline into a change, using the aecp(1) command, the symbolic link pointing into the baseline, if any, will be removed before the file is copied.

      Note: Using this functionality in either form has implications for how the rules file of the dependency maintenance tool is written. Rules must remove their targets before creating them. (Usually with an "rm -f" command.) This is to avoid attempting to write the result on the symbolic link, which will point at a read-only file in the project baseline. This is similar to the same requirement for using the link_%integration_%directory field of the project config file. User Configuration There is a symbolic_%link_%preference field in the user configuration file (see aeuconf(5) for more information).  This controls whether aeb(1) will verify the symbolic links before the build (default) or whether it will assume they are up-to-date. (This field is only relevant if create_%symlinks_%before_%build is true.)

      For medium-to-large projects, verifying the symbolic links can take as long as the build itself.  Assuming the symbolic links are up-to-date can be a large time-saving for these projects. It may be advisable to review your choice of DMT in such a situation.

      The aedb(1) command does not consult this preference. Thus, in most situations, the symbolic links will be up-to-date when the build is performed.  The only Aegis function which may result in the symbolic links becoming out-of-date is the integration of another change, as this may alter the presence or absence of files in the baseline. In this situation, the default aeb(1) action is to ignore the user preference and the verify symbolic links.

      There are two command line options which modify aeb(1) behavior further: the --Verify_%Symbolic_%Links option says to verify the symbolic links; and the --Assume_%Symbolic_%Links option says to assume the symbolic links are up-to-date. In each case the option over-rides the default and the user preference.
  • THE BASELINE LOCK
      The baseline lock is used to ensure that the baseline remains in a consistent state for the duration of commands which need to read the contents of files in the baseline.

      The commands which require the baseline to be consistent (these include the aeb(1) , aecp(1) and aed(1) commands) take a baseline read lock. This is a non-exclusive lock, so the concurrent development of changes is not hindered.

      The command which modifies the baseline, aeipass(1) , takes a baseline write lock. This is an exclusive lock, forcing aeipass(1) to block until there are no active baseline read locks.

      It is possible that one of the above development commands will block until an in-progress "(n) -Integrate_PASS" completes. This is usually of short duration while the project history is updated. The delay is essential so that these commands receive a consistent view of the baseline. No other integration command will cause the above development commands to block.

      When (n)' branch functionality is in use, a read (non-exclusive) lock is taken on the branch baseline and also each of the "parent" baselines. However, a baseline write (exclusive) lock is only taken on the branch baseline; the "parent" baselines are only read (non-exclusive) locked.
  • METRICS
      Aegis is capable of recording metrics as part of the file attributes of a change.  This allows various properties of files to be recorded for later trend analysis, or other uses.

      The specific metrics are not dictated by Aegis.  It is expected that the integration build will create a metrics file for each of the source files the change.  These metrics files must be in the format specified by aemetrics(5) .

      The name of the metrics file defaults to ``filename,S'', however it may be varied, by setting the metrics_%filename_%pattern field of the project config file.  See aepconf(5) for more information.

      If such a metrics file exists, for each source file in a change, it will be read and remembered at integrate pass time.  If it does not exist, Aegis assumes there are no relevant metrics for that file, and proceeds silently; it is not an error.
  • OPTIONS
      The following options are understood:
      name=value
      Command line arguments of this form are assumed to be variable assignments for the build tool.  They are passed through unchanged.  They imply a partial build.
      -BAse_RElative
      This option may be used to cause relative filenames to be considered relative to the base of the source tree. See aeuconf(5) for the corresponding user preference.
      -CUrrent_RElative
      This option may be used to cause relative filenames to be considered relative to the current directory.  This is usually the default. See aeuconf(5) for the corresponding user preference.
      -Change number
      This option may be used to specify a particular change within a project. When no -Change option is specified, the AEGIS_CHANGE environment variable is consulted. If that does not exist, the user's $HOME/.aegisrc file is examined for a default change field (see aeuconf(5) for more information). If that does not exist, when the user is only working on one change within a project, that is the default change number. Otherwise, it is an error.
      -Help

      This option may be used to obtain more information about how to use the (n) program.
      -List

      This option may be used to obtain a list of suitable subjects for this command. The list may be more general than expected.
      -MINImum
      This option may be used to request a minimum set of symbolic links, when the create_symlinks_to_baseline functions are being used. This is useful if you want to simulate something like aeib -minimum in the development directory.  This option is not meaningful if symbolic links are not being used. If the change is in the "being integrated" state, and the developer specified -MINImum when issuing the (n) -Integrate_Begin command, then this option is set by default.
      -Not_Logging

      This option may be used to disable the automatic logging of output and errors to a file. This is often useful when several (n) commands are combined in a shell script.
      -Project name
      This option may be used to select the project of interest. When no -Project option is specified, the AEGIS_PROJECT environment variable is consulted. If that does not exist, the user's $HOME/.aegisrc file is examined for a default project field (see aeuconf(5) for more information). If that does not exist, when the user is only working on changes within a single project, the project name defaults to that project. Otherwise, it is an error.
      -Verify_Symbolic_Links
      This option may be used to request a scan for up-to-date symbolic links before and after the build.  This is the default. See also the ``symbolic_links_preference'' field of aeuconf(5) . This option is not meaningful if symbolic links are not being used.
      -Assume_Symbolic_Links
      This option may be used to request no scan for up-to-date symbolic links before and after the build, this is useful when you have just done a build and you know they are already up-to-date. See also the ``symbolic_links_preference'' field of aeuconf(5) . This option is not meaningful if symbolic links are not being used.
      -TERse

      This option may be used to cause listings to produce the bare minimum of information. It is usually useful for shell scripts.
      -Verbose
      This option may be used to cause (n) to produce more output. By default (n) only produces output on errors. When used with the -List option this option causes column headings to be added.
      -Wait
      This option may be used to require (N) commands to wait for access locks, if they cannot be obtained immediately. Defaults to the user's lock_wait_preference if not specified, see aeuconf(5) for more information.
      -No_Wait
      This option may be used to require (N) commands to emit a fatal error if access locks cannot be obtained immediately. Defaults to the user's lock_wait_preference if not specified, see aeuconf(5) for more information.


      All options may be abbreviated; the abbreviation is documented as the upper case letters, all lower case letters and underscores (_) are optional. You must use consecutive sequences of optional letters.

      All options are case insensitive, you may type them in upper case or lower case or a combination of both, case is not important.

      For example: the arguments "-project, "-PROJ" and "-p" are all interpreted to mean the -Project option. The argument "-prj" will not be understood, because consecutive optional characters were not supplied.

      Options and other command line arguments may be mixed arbitrarily on the command line, after the function selectors.


      The GNU long option names are understood. Since all option names for (n) are long, this means ignoring the extra leading '-'. The "--option=value" convention is also understood.
  • RECOMMENDED ALIAS
      The recommended alias for this command is 
      
csh% alias aeb '(n) -b \!* -v'
      

sh$ aeb(){(n) -b "$@" -v}
  • ERRORS
      It is an error if
      the change is not assigned to the current user.


      It is an error if
      the change is not in one of the
      "being developed"
       or
      "being integrated"
       states.


      It is an error if
      a partial build is requested and the change is in the
      "being integrated"
       state.





















  • EXIT STATUS
      The
      (n)
       command will exit with a status of 1 on any error.
      The
      (n)
       command will only exit with a status of 0 if there are no errors.
  • ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES
      See
      aegis(1)
      for a list of environment variables
      which may affect this command.


  • SEE ALSO
      aedb(1)
      begin development of a change
      aecp(1)
      file copy also takes a baseline read lock (non-exclusive)
      aeib(1)
      begin integration of a change
      aeipass(1)
      integrate pass takes a baseline write lock (exclusive)
      aet(1)
      run tests
      aemetrics(5)
      metrics values file format
      aepconf(5)
      project configuration file format
      aeuconf(5)
      user configuration file format























  • COPYRIGHT
      (n) version (V)


      Copyright (C) (Y) Peter Miller;
      All rights reserved.
      The (n) program comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY;
      for details use the '(n) -VERSion License' command.
      This is free software
      and you are welcome to redistribute it under certain conditions;
      for details use the '(n) -VERSion License' command.


  • AUTHOR
      l r l.
      Peter Miller;E-Mail:;millerp@canb.auug.org.au
      /\/\*;WWW:;http://www.canb.auug.org.au/~millerp/

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