MSBuild and multiple Delphi versions

Question

I have a project for which I need to build two executables: one under Delphi XE2 and one under XE3. I have a build script which builds each version (i.e. one script for XE2 and one for XE3).

If I run the build script for the last version of the IDE I ran, all works well (i.e. run Delphi XE2, build app, run XE2 build script).

However if I run the build script having just run a different version of the IDE I get an AV as soon as my app starts (I.e. run Delphi XE2, built app, run XE3 build script).

It looks as though something about the build script is being cached/modified by the IDE and I need to restore the appropriate data for the version I want to build with. I've tried this with the .dproj, but no luck.

Or could it be loading form resources - both editions show errors due to non-existent properties at start up if the IDE. If so, is there an easy way around this without having maintain multiple versions of all the .fmx files?

Here's a sample build script:

set path=%path%;c:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v3.5
set path=%path%;c:\Program Files (x86)\Embarcadero\RAD Studio\10.0
set path=%path%;c:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents\RAD Studio\10.0
set BDS=c:\Program Files (x86)\Embarcadero\RAD Studio\10.0
set FrameworkDir=c:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\
set FrameworkVersion=v3.5

set failed=false
cd \myprogs\monkeystyler
msbuild monkeystyler.dproj /t:build /p:config=full||set failed=true
cd build
if not %failed%==true goto Done

echo ****FAILED TO BULD MONKEYSTYLER
****
Pause
exit

:done

Do they have the same output paths. Full clear out between builds or totally different output paths would be my first guess. — Tony Hopkinson
Do you run you scripts from the appropriate Rad Studio command prompt (which should set correct environment)? — kludg
Tony: I tried a /t:clean before the build with no difference. I assume that clears out everything. — Mike Sutton
Serg: I run from the DOS command line but the script should e setting everything necessary. I've added one of the scripts (the other is the same with different paths). — Mike Sutton
try crosschecking with the content of rsvars.bat which is in the ide's bin folder. — Brave Cobra

David Heffernan David Heffernan · Accepted Answer · 2012-10-06T16:53:19

Let's take a look at this line in your XE3 script:

set path=%path%;c:\Program Files (x86)\Embarcadero\RAD Studio\10.0

My guess is that you follow that up in the XE2 script with:

set path=%path%;c:\Program Files (x86)\Embarcadero\RAD Studio\9.0

At which point your path variable looks like this:

set path=%path%;c:\Program Files (x86)\Embarcadero\RAD Studio\10.0;c:\Program Files (x86)\Embarcadero\RAD Studio\9.0

And so the second script fails because the paths from the first script appear earlier.

The elegant way to fix this is to use setlocal and endlocal in your scripts to isolate them from each other.

setlocal
set path=%path%;c:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v3.5
set path=%path%;c:\Program Files (x86)\Embarcadero\RAD Studio\10.0
.....
endlocal

The hacky way to fix it is to set the path like this:

set path=c:\Program Files (x86)\Embarcadero\RAD Studio\10.0;%path%

Please use the elegant approach!

What's more you should use pushd and popd to isolate directory changes to each script.

If this doesn't solve everything, do give more information. For a start, error messages are very useful.

MSBuild and multiple Delphi versions

3 Answers