In an effort to give some feedback, I will be trying to blog some of the things I am working on, or will be working on next.

Hopefully this may inspire some feedback towards new development, just e-mail me and get involved.

I recently came across an article on CMCrossroads.com that I found quite interesting.

The Importance of Building Earnestly talks about the cons of not having an easily reproducible process for building, deploying and testing your product…

“Building your application is key to a successful, repeatable, development process. A reproducible build that works at all levels allows you to proceed with confidence and be more agile. Yet many organizations (agile and not) leave the build process to chance, even though all can benefit, regardless of their method”

Although BuildIT is primarily aimed at small ISVs and not large widely dispersed teams creating huge projects, it can still be very useful for a number of functions.

As you may have seen on the Help menu, there is a ToDo list shipped with BuildIT that contains my ideas for new features that would like to add.

Now if you agree or disagree, or have better ideas, please let me know. I am always willing to look into adding things that people will actually use, so long as BuildIT stays simple and easy to use that is.

One of those small changes that will make life easier for me but also because someone just requested it, was to specify a date in the File Management task so you can decide to copy/move/delete any files older than the date specified. Small change, big impact.

So, send me those ideas, I promise to look into all of them

A new build is available that adds a few features and fixes a couple of issues.

New Features/Changes: 
• Improved script error output to identify where the error lies. The line number now corresponds to the appropriate script segment ie task, user or system script

 

• File Macros can now use system macros within them like date handling

 

• Added project file being executed to command line output

 

• Added a Global Script toolbar button and moved some others around

 

• Can now right-click and drag and select “Run To” and it will Run between the two positions of drag

 

• Added new script functions:
  ## Returns the number of file macros set for this project file
  Int GetFileMacroCount()  

  ## Returns the macro name of the file macro index passed. uMacroNumber is zero indexed
  String GetFileMacroName( Int uMacroNumber )

  ## Returns the macro value of the file macro index passed. uMacroNumber is zero indexed. The value is parsed so any system macros (like one of the date variables) are expanded before returning
  String GetFileMacroValue( Int uMacroNumber )

  e.g.
  var nCount = GetFileMacroCount();
  OutputLog( “File Macro Count: ” + nCount );

  for( var n = 0; n {
  OutputLog( “Macro: ” + GetFileMacroName( n ) + ” = ” + GetFileMacroValue( n ) );
  }

Bug Fixes: 
• Fixed potential crash bug with tooltips in script windows

 

• Fixed/Improved so that a script can be cancelled when Build is stopped (i.e. if you are stuck in an infinite loop)

 

• Fixed error in docs for UploadFTPFile and UploadFTPFileIfNewer which had an incorrect BOOL bCreatePath attribute (it automatically creates the path so this attribute is incorrect)

 

• Editing log file size in “File Properties” now sets the modified file flag

 

• Fixed issue with script keywords being loaded when running command line version when it wasnt necessary

 

Well, just come back after my gall bladder operation yesterday and I feel surpisingly well.

Four small holes in various places across my stomach and a feeling of being beaten up, but all in all a pretty good experience.

Luckily, as chance turned out, I was waiting so long for my op and to keep their waiting list numbers down, the local NHS hospital booked me into the private hospital across the road …. WOW! lovely.

Private en-suite room with carpets and satellite telly, 3 course meal with wine list (not that I was allowed any) and the nursing staff were absolutely amazing, really friendly, helpful, concerned and sincere … not what I have experienced in NHS hospitals when visiting friends and family which, by all accounts, is a very different experience altogether.

So, if you can wangle or afford it … go private! You are treated by the same doctors/surgeons anyway, its just sooo much better and you wont get your operation cancelled at the last minute due to an emergency case coming in!

Anyway, a few days rest in bed catching up on some DVD’s and then I will be able to move about a bit easier and get some work done.

This has been linked to quite a lot it appears but upon reading, I found it quite useful:
The Noguchi Filing System

After just looking into Ajax a bit for work, I have seen a couple of uses that were useful but nothing groundbreaking. This site (again not groundbreaking) is pretty cool…
netvibes.com

A new build is available that adds a few features and fixes a couple of issues.

New Features/Changes: 
• Script Editor Improvements:
  • Added hover help for inbuilt functions

   

  • Now maintains indentation when editing JScript so its more convenient

   

  • In-built functions are now coloured along with other objects/functions

   

  • AutoComplete implemented, just type “BuildIT.” and a popup of built-in functions appears for selection. Also pressing CTRL+Space presents the same popup at any other time

   

   

• Can specify max size for log file on a per-file basis

 

• Changed “Comments” on File menu to “Properties” as it now serves comments and maximum log file size (above)

 

• Added New File Macros Ability: Can now create macros for a file that are used in all tasks (saves having to use script functions to do the same)

 

• Added toolbar buttons for “File Properties”, “File Admins” and “File Macros”

 

• Added FTP abilities to rename and delete files

 

• Added new script functions:
  ## Connects to an FTP server without proxy and using default port 21 and passive connection
  BOOL ConnectFTPBrief( String strServerName, String strLoginUser, String strLoginPassword )  

  ## Renames a given file with the chosen new name
  BOOL RenameFTPFile( String strSourceFile, String strNewFilename )

  ## Deletes the specified file
  BOOL DeleteFTPFile( String strSourceFile )

 

Bug Fixes: 
• Fixed bug where FTP Upload fails would not retry cos file handle wasnt closed

 

• Fixed bug where Escape key when in script edits would not close window

 

• Fixed bug where command line version would not attach log files to emails

 

• FTP now allows either “/” or “\” in remote paths and you can also use relative or absolute paths (e.g. “/rootfolder/” or “relative/folder/”)