Starting a Build from within the IDE

Custom project systems must use IVsBuildManagerAccessor to start builds. This topic describes the reasons for this and outlines the procedure.

Parallel Builds and Threads

Visual Studio allows parallel builds which requires mediation for access to common resources. Project systems can run builds asynchronously, but such systems must not call build functions from within call backs is provided to the build manager.

If the project system modifies environment variables, it must set the NodeAffinity of the build to OutOfProc. This means that you cannot use host objects, since they require the in-proc node.

Using IVSBuildManagerAccessor

The code below outlines a method that a project system can use to start a build:

  
public bool Build(Project project, bool isDesignTimeBuild)  
{  
    // Get the accessor from the IServiceProvider interface for the   
    // project system  
    IVsBuildManagerAccessor accessor =  
        serviceProvider.GetService(typeof(SVsBuildManagerAccessor)) as     
        IVsBuildManagerAccessor;  
    bool releaseUIThread = false;  
    try  
    {  
        if(accessor != null)  
        {  
            // Claim the UI thread under the following conditions:  
            // 1. The build must use a resource that uses the UI thread  
            // or,  
            // 2. The build requires the in-proc node AND waits on the   
            // UI thread for the build to complete  
            if(NeedsUIThread)  
            {  
                int result = accessor.ClaimUIThreadForBuild();  
                if(result != S_OK)  
                {  
                     // Not allowed to claim the UI thread right now  
                     return false;  
                }  
                releaseUIThread = true;  
             }  
             if(isDesignTimeBuild)  
             {  
// Start the design time build  
                  int result = accessor.BeginDesignTimeBuild();  
                  if(result != S_OK)  
                  {  
                      // Not allowed to begin a design-time build at  
                      // this time. Try again later.  
                      return false;  
                  }  
             }  
         }  
         bool buildSucceeded = false;  
         // perform project-system specific build set up tasks  
         // Create your BuildRequestData  
         // This assumes a IHostServices variable (hostServices) set   
   // to your host services. If you don't use a project instance   
         // (you build from a file for example) then use another   
         // constructor.  
         BuildRequestData requestData = new   
             BuildRequestData(project.CreateProjectInstance(),   
             "myTarget", hostServices,   
             BuildRequestData.BuildRequestDataFlags.None);  
         // Mark your your submission as Pending  
         BuildSubmission submission =  
              BuildManager.DefaultBuildManager.  
              PendBuildRequest(requestData);  
         // Register the loggers in BuildLoggers  
         if (accessor != null)  
         {  
               foreach (ILogger logger in BuildLoggers)  
               {  
                    accessor.RegisterLogger(submission.SubmissionId,   
                        logger);  
               }  
         }  
         BuildResult buildResult = submission.Execute();  
         return buildResult;  
     }  
     // Clean up resources  
     finally  
     {  
         if(accessor != null)  
         {  
             // Unregister the loggers, if necessary.  
             accessor.UnregisterLoggers(submission.SubmissionId);  
             // Release the UI thread, if used  
             if(releaseUIThread)  
             {  
                  accessor.ReleaseUIThreadForBuild();  
             }  
             // End the design time build, if used  
             if(isDesignTimeBuild)  
             {  
                  accessor.EndDesignTimeBuild();  
             }  
         }  
     }  
}