Increment Build Number in VS.NET

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5 votes for this article.

Popularity: 3.18 Rating: 4.56 out of 5

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Introduction

In VS 6, we had an autoincrement of the build number, if we build a new *.exe file. In VS.NET, I miss this feature. Here I submit a quick and dirty program (60 lines) which updates the version line in AssemblyInfo.cs each time a Release version is build.

Basics

Beau Scinner has written a lot about the basics, but it works only in VS 6. In VS.NET is AssemblyInfo.cs file, which contains the information of the Application.ProductVersion in the form of one line:

// Version information for an assembly consists of the following four values:
//
//      Major Version
//      Minor Version 
//      Build Number
//      Revision
//
// You can specify all the values or you can default the Revision and Build Numbers 
// by using the '*' as shown below:

[assembly: AssemblyVersion("1.0.13")]

IncBuildNo reads this file, increments the last number by 1 and writes it back.

Calling IncBuildNo

IncBuildNo's 1^st arg is the path and filename to AssemblyInfo.cs.
Optional it reads a 2^nd arg Release. If the 2^nd arg is given, but if arg!="Release", IncBuildNo returns without any action, I add this option, that IncBuildNo is able to select the VS.NET environment Release/Debug.
If you omit this 2^nd arg or the 2^nd arg is Release IncBuildNo increments the last number of the version string (otherwise it skips incrementing).

In the new version, I add some error-output to the Application Event Log.

Installation

If you download the project above, you have a complete installed example.

In your own projects, take the following steps:

Copy IncBuildNo into the same directory as AssemblyInfo.cs (normally the $(ProductDir))
In VS.NET, select Project -> Properties -> Build Events

Insert in Post-build Event CommandLine:

"$(ProjectDir)IncBuildNo" "$(ProjectDir)AssemblyInfo.cs" $(ConfigurationName)

Select in Run the Post-Build Event? When build updates the project output

Now each time you build a new release, the last number of the version is incremented.

1^st Note: After a successful build of a release, AssemblyInfo.cs shows the version of the release +1.

2^nd Note: If you use a installation-project when you build your application, you can insert a line in the postbuild event property in the project properties of this installation project. I use e.g.

"$(ProjectDir)IncBuildNo" "$(ProjectDir)..\AssemblyInfo.cs" $(ConfigurationName)

Attention: In this case, the $(ProjectDir) points to the install project, not to the application project. This is the reason for the ..\ phrase in the above line. But then the increment happened only if the building process is running, i.e., you can build a Release-Version without incrementing the build number.

I hope this will help you.

License

This article, along with any associated source code and files, is licensed under The Code Project Open License (CPOL)

About the Author

Ariadne

Member

My first approach to computers was in 1970 a IBM1160, a real desk computer, this means it was as large as a desk and had a cartreader and 32 kByte Memory! But it runs FORTRAN! Ok 'run' is a little too fast

Later I was very proud on my Comodore CBM8032 32KbRAM+32KbRom (uff!) and 2 (in words 'TWO') floppies. But it was able to run a Basic-Interpreter. (There was a young gay in USA, who invent and developed the garbage collecter for such interpreter, his name was Bill G.)

Unfortunatly this CBM8032 burned away due to some "experiements"...

Ok, later I studied physics and work now since 20 years in the cancer research in Switzerland. My own little company Ariadne-Consulting delivers the login name:

Ariadne

Occupation:	Software Developer (Senior)
Company:	EndoTherm GmbH
Location:	Switzerland

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FAQ
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My version of that

PIEBALDconsult

9:30 28 Jan '08

Here's link to mine: http://www.codeproject.com/KB/cs/Versioner.aspx[^]
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Re: My version of that

Ariadne

21:22 28 Jan '08

nice structured. Did you do some tests with Umlaute äöü? I had a lot of trouble with it. Hint: Add an entry in the `eventlog` and 'return with integers' eg. `return -5`. If there is an error in the postbuild-process you get only the integer as result. Ariadne
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issues when implementing in c# SmartClient Project

SirGolphknut

9:24 4 Apr '06

1) After the post build command args exec, I end up with a few high-ascii characters at the beginning of my AssemblyInfo.cs file, and before a couple other characters (the (c) char) I have to manually remove these characters.

2) it updates the AssemblyVersion number just fine, but when I reference "Application.ProductVersion" in my code, I get the AssemblyFileVersion version number.

Basically, I just need the version num to be incremented, AND accessible at runtime...

Any thoughts?

Re: issues when implementing in c# SmartClient Project [modified]

Ariadne

3:46 28 Jan '08

SirGolphknut wrote:
I end up with a few high-ascii characters at the beginning of my AssemblyInfo.cs file

Workaround:
1. copy contents of AssemblyInfo.cs to Clipboard.
2. delete AssemblyInfo.cs from your project
3. add a new element to your project
4. select C#-class and name it AssemblyInfo.cs
5. Replace the default contents of the new class with contents of clipboard.

SirGolphknut wrote:
when I reference "Application.ProductVersion" in my code, I get the AssemblyFileVersion version number.

I use Application.ProductVersion.ToString() too, and get the right build #. Are you shure, that you use the appropriate AssemblyInfo.cs?

Ariadne

modified on Tuesday, January 29, 2008 2:06:43 AM

... and this is how to do it in VB.NET !!!

daniellus

4:07 10 Nov '05

Hi all,

Since there are also VB.NET users out there, but only C#.Net has `Build Events`, it seems that we guys and gals cant do this trick. Well, there is a work-a-round:

Download `PrePostBuildRules Add-in` from this page, that contains the "Visual Studio .NET 2003 Automation Samples":

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=3FF9C915-30E5-430E-95B3-621DCCD25150&displaylang=en#filelist

Follow the instructions as in the Readme file, that is:
(1) open and build this addin project,
(2) close all VS.net instances
(3) run the .reg file within the project dit

Then there will be added a `Solution Build Rules` to the Tools menu in VS.NET next time you open your project.
So, open your project (that you want the autoincrement working on) and click:

Tools > Solution Build Rules > Pre-Build rules > (select your project) > Add new

Set program to: IncBuildNo.exe (download from this code project page)
Set Command line to: (dont need to set this! I adjusted the code as seen below to always open AssemblyInfo.vb)

I replaced the code within the project with this one. The code supports the AssemblyInfo format used in VB.net. Also, I couldnt get command line arguments correctly passed. So, I deleted that piece of code and replaced it with the standard `AssemblyInfo.vb` string.
So, you will only be able to work ith and use this filename. Else change this source or get this arg[] thing working (see original source code!)

It works fine for me:


using System;
using System.IO;
namespace IncBuildNo{
	class IncBuildNo{
		[STAThread]
		static int Main(string[] args){

#region local variable definitions
			StreamReader file;
			string sLine;
			string filename = "AssemblyInfo.vb";
			string sFile="";
			string[] sTmp;
			int iPos=0;
#endregion
			
#region open and read cs file
			try {file = new StreamReader(filename,System.Text.Encoding.UTF7);}	//try to open the file
			catch (Exception Ex){
				Console.WriteLine("(0) File '"+args[0]+"' not found\nException thrown: "+Ex);
				return -1;
			}
			try{			//ge and read all lines
				while ((sLine = file.ReadLine()) != null){
					#region interpret version line
					iPos=sLine.IndexOf("Assembly: AssemblyVersion(");	//this line we want to change
					if(iPos>0){
						sTmp=sLine.Split('.');							//get the text between '.' separated in an array
						if(sTmp[sTmp.Length-1]=="*\")>")sTmp[sTmp.Length-1]="0\")>";
						int iTmp=int.Parse(sTmp[sTmp.Length-1].Substring(0,sTmp[sTmp.Length-1].Length-3))+1; //increment the last number by 1
						sTmp[sTmp.Length-1]=iTmp.ToString();
						sLine="";
						for(int i=0;i".";//concatenate the string again
						sLine=sLine.Substring(0,sLine.Length-1)+"\")>";
					}
#endregion
					sFile+=sLine+"\n";			//collect the rest
				}
			}
			catch(Exception ex){
				Console.WriteLine("(1) (Reading File) Exception thrown: "+ex);
				return -1;
			}
			file.Close();
			#endregion
			#region write cs file back
			try{
				StreamWriter fileW = new StreamWriter(filename,false,System.Text.Encoding.UTF8); //write the file back
				fileW.Write(sFile.Substring(0,sFile.Length));
				fileW.Close();
				return 0;
			}
			catch (Exception Ex){
				Console.WriteLine("(2) (Reading File) Exception thrown: "+Ex);
				return -1;
			}
			#endregion
		}
	}
}

NOTE: in VS.NET 2005, Build Events will be integrated, just like C# via the properties menu!

Re: ... and this is how to do it in VB.NET !!!

imxuf

13:58 23 May '07

Here is the actual VB.NET Code if desired:

Imports System.IO
Imports System

Public Class BuildNumberIncrmenter

Public Shared Function Main(ByVal aArgs() As String) As Int32

Dim oFile As IO.File
Dim oReader As StreamReader = Nothing
Dim sLine As String = String.Empty
Dim csFileName As String = "AssemblyInfo.vb"
Dim sFile As String = String.Empty
Dim aTmp() As String
Dim iPos As Int32 = 0

' Try to open the file
Try
'oFile = New StreamReader(csFileName, System.Text.Encoding.UTF7)
oReader = oFile.OpenText(csFileName)
Catch ex As Exception
Console.WriteLine("(0) File '" & csFileName & "' not found" & vbCrLf & "Exception thrown: " & ex.Message)
Return -1
End Try

Try

' Get and read all lines
While oReader.Peek <> -1
sLine = oReader.ReadLine()

' This is the ONLY line we want to change
iPos = sLine.IndexOf("Assembly: AssemblyVersion(")
If (iPos > 0) Then

' Get the text between '.' separated in an array
aTmp = sLine.Split(".".ToCharArray)

' Add a 0 if the last set is an asterisk
If aTmp(aTmp.Length - 1).Trim = "*"")>".Trim Then
aTmp(aTmp.Length - 1) = "0"")>"
End If

' Increment the last number by 1
Dim iTmp As Int32 = CInt(aTmp(aTmp.Length - 1).Substring(0, aTmp(aTmp.Length - 1).Length - 3)) + 1

aTmp(aTmp.Length - 1) = CStr(iTmp)
sLine = String.Empty

' Concatenate the string again
For i As Int32 = 0 To aTmp.Length - 1
sLine &= aTmp(i) & "."
Next
sLine = sLine.Substring(0, sLine.Length - 1) & """)]"

End If ' If (iPos > 0) Then

' Get the rest of the line
sFile &= sLine & vbCrLf

End While

oReader.Close()

Catch ex As Exception
Console.WriteLine("(1) (Reading File) Exception thrown: " & ex.Message)
Return -1
End Try

Try

' Write the file back
Dim oFileW As New StreamWriter(csFileName, False, System.Text.Encoding.UTF8)
With oFileW
.WriteLine(sFile.Substring(0, sFile.Length))
.Close()
End With
Return 0

Catch ex As Exception
Console.WriteLine("(2) (Writing File) Exception thrown: " & ex.Message)
Return -1
End Try

End Function

End Class

Increment build number in VS.Net

Koszyk

1:00 3 Aug '05

This is possible to use * in AssemblyInfo.cs. You can read:
"
You do not have to set and update each part explicitly because you can use wild characters (*) to automatically generate the build and revision numbers. Visual Studio .NET generates an AssemblyInfo source file with the AssemblyVersion attribute defined as follows:

[assembly: AssemblyVersion("1.0.*")]

The result of this is a build number set to the number of days since a random, designated start date and the revision based on the number of seconds since midnight.

You can either use auto-increment version numbers or opt to manually control version numbers as part of the build process. Each approach has associated benefits and drawbacks.
"
in
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/dnbda/html/tdlg_ch5.asp[^]
The problem is that in some cases this is better to control version number manually. However there is a number of build tools (relatively cheap), which help you with such type of task eg. FinalBuilder or Visual Build Professional. In VS 2005 will be introduced also some new build tool.

-------------------------
Adam Koszlajda

Re: Increment build number in VS.Net

Ariadne

4:53 3 Aug '05

In the same Microsoft Doc you see:

Disadvantages

Using auto-increment version numbers has the following disadvantages:

The internal assembly build number does not match your system build number, which means there is no easy way to correlate a particular assembly with the build that generated it. This may be particularly problematic when you need to support your system in a production environment.

Build and revision numbers are not increased by one but are based on the time an assembly is built.

A new version of an assembly is generated each time it is built regardless of whether any changes have been made to the assembly. For strongly named assemblies, this means that all clients of that assembly must also be rebuilt to point to the correct version. However, if the build process rebuilds the whole system this should not be an issue.

Even the 2nd point was the reason to write IncBuildNo

Ariadne

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Last Updated: 28 Jan 2008
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