An Automatic Build Incrementer for VC6

Introduction

Several weeks ago, I started trying to find a way to automatically increment build numbers on each compile. I found several articles on the subject and some source code but none of it did exactly what I wanted it to do, so I decided to write my own incrementer.

Add the code to an existing macro file or, if you don't have an existing macro file, create one and add one dummy macro so you can access the code snippet. Application_BeforeBuildStart() is a Visual Studio defined event handler and although the code is in a macro file, when you select the Tools|Macro menu item, you won't see it, so you need at least a dummy macro in the file to access the source code.

Note that these code snippets have been subjected to limited testing and that you use them at your own risk. They work correctly in the test environment, but you assume all risk for their use. I will not assume any liability whatsoever for their failure to work correctly in your environment.

Please e-mail any comments, suggestions for improvement, problems, etc. to me.

Sub Application_BeforeBuildStart()
   ' written 7/11/00 by Curt Blackmon
   ' e-mail any comments, corrections, etc. to curtblackmon@home.com
   ' updated versions will be at www.ccbcon.com on the Code Snippets page
   ' invoked automatically before build starts
   ' will open the project's *.rc file as text
   ' will search for the version info
   ' and will increment the build number

   dim oDoc
   dim sBuild
   dim sRCFile
   dim sOne
   dim sTwo
   dim iSelect
   dim lLineNbr
   dim bFound

   'get the name of the active project's .rc file
   sRCFile = application.activeproject & ".rc"

   'open *.rc file as text
   set oDoc = Documents.Open(sRCFile, "Text")

   'position to the correct section of the file
   oDoc.Selection.FindText " FILEVERSION", dsMatchCase
   'save the line number for the next search
   lLineNbr = oDoc.Selection.CurrentLine

   'use a regular expression search string for the first version search
   sOne = "[0-9]+,[0-9]+,[0-9]+,"

   'find the first string
   oDoc.Selection.FindText sOne, dsMatchRegExp

   if oDoc.Selection.CurrentLine = lLineNbr then
      'convert the regular expression to an absolute search string
      sOne = oDoc.Selection
      'build an absolute search string for the strings with embedded spaces
      sTwo = Replace(sOne, ",", ", ")
      'move to the build number
      oDoc.Selection.CharRight
      'select the build number
      oDoc.Selection.WordRight dsExtend
      'increment the build number
      sBuild = oDoc.Selection + 1
      'replace the old build number with the new one
      oDoc.Selection = sBuild
   else 'something went wrong
      msgbox "Version number 1 not found. Closing without changes."
      oDoc.Close dsSaveChangesNo
      set oDoc = nothing
      exit sub
   end if
   
   'now change the other 3 occurences of the build number
   for iSelect = 2 to 4
      if iSelect = 2 then
         bFound = oDoc.Selection.FindText(sOne)
      else
         bFound = oDoc.Selection.FindText(sTwo)
      end if
      oDoc.Selection.CharRight
      oDoc.Selection.WordRight dsExtend
      oDoc.Selection = sBuild
      if bFound = False then
         msgbox "Version number " & iSelect & " not found. Closing without changes."
         oDoc.Close dsSaveChangesNo
         set oDoc = nothing
         exit sub
      end if
   next

   'close and save *.rc
   oDoc.Close dsSaveChangesYes
   set oDoc = nothing
End Sub