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Q102326: Generating Browser Information with an External Makefile

Article: Q102326
Product(s): Microsoft Programming Utilities
Version(s): 1.01,1.11,1.13,1.2,1.3,1.4,1.5
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 23-OCT-1999

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft NMAKE Utility for MS-DOS, versions 1.01, 1.11, 1.13, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4 
- Microsoft NMAKE Utility for Windows NT, versions 1.4, 1.5 
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SUMMARY
=======

You can modify an external project makefile to generate source browser database
information. However, to use the browser database, you must have either
Programmer's WorkBench, Visual C++ for Windows or Visual C++ 32-bit edition. You
must also have the BSCMAKE utility installed in one of the directories listed in
your PATH environment variable.

MORE INFORMATION
================

The text below assumes that you are creating a new makefile for a specified
project. The process of porting a .MAK file generated by Programmer's WorkBench
or by Visual Workbench involves other considerations that this article does not
discuss.

Source browser database information can be very helpful during the development
process as well as in the debugging process. Typically, an external makefile
does not call the BSCMAKE utility to generate a browser database. The five steps
required to add the dependencies to generate browser information are quite
simple and are as follows:

1. Add the "/FR" compiler option switch to each C/C++ compiler command line or
  to the variable that lists the compiler option switches. For example:

        CFLAGS = /Od /Zi /FR

  This variable is typically used to specify the command line for each object
  module as follows:

        CL /c $(CFLAGS) $(PROJ).C

2. Generate a .SBR file for each source file by adding a <name>.SBR target
  for each source file in the project, as follows:

        source1.sbr: source1.c
           cl /c $(CFLAGS) source.c

  If you delete the .SBR files but the project is otherwise up-to- date, BSCMAKE
  may fail to update the .SBR files.

3. Add a substitution variable that contains the list of .SBR files that
  compiler generates in response to the specified /FR compiler option switch:

        SBRS = source1.sbr source2.sbr source3.sbr     # and so on

4. Create an "ALL" pseudotarget and include the .BSC dependency using the
  project name as the base filename. Most makefiles define a variable to hold
  the project name for this purpose. For example,

        PROJ = proj1
        ALL: $(PROJ).exe $(PROJ).bsc

5. Finally, create the dependency that calls BSCMAKE to build the browser
  database file as follows:

        $(PROJ).bsc : $(SBRS)
           BSCMAKE /o$@ $(SBRS)

For more information about BSCMAKE or NMAKE options or commands, please refer to
the following resources provided with Visual C++ version 1.0 for Windows:
BSCMAKE.WRI or NMAKE.WRI installed in the Visual C++ help directory (by default,
C:\MSVC\HELP). You can also view these files through the "Tech Notes" icon in
the Visual C++ program group in Microsoft Windows Program Manager.

For more information about the BSCMAKE utility provided with Visual C++ 32-bit
edition, please refer to the Build Tools online help listed on the development
environment Help menu. For more information about NMAKE, please refer to the
NMAKE.WRI file in the HELP subdirectory.

Sample External makefile for Visual C++ for Windows
---------------------------------------------------

  PROJ=hello
  SBRS=hello.sbr
  CFLAGS = /Od /Zi /FR

  all: $(PROJ).exe $(PROJ).bsc

  hello.sbr:  hello.c
     cl /c $(CFLAGS) hello.c

  hello.obj:  hello.c
     cl /c $(CFLAGS) hello.c

  hello.exe:  hello.obj
     link /co hello.obj;

  hello.bsc:  $(SBRS)
     bscmake /o$@ $(SBRS)

Sample External makefile for Visual C++ 32-bit Edition
------------------------------------------------------

  PROJ=hello
  SBRS=hello.sbr

  CFLAGS = /Od /Zi /FR

  all: $(PROJ).exe $(PROJ).bsc

  hello.sbr:  hello.c
     cl /c $(CFLAGS) hello.c

  hello.obj:  hello.c
     cl /c $(CFLAGS) hello.c

  hello.exe:  hello.obj
     link /debug /debugtype:both hello.obj

  hello.bsc:  $(SBRS)
     bscmake /o$@ $(SBRS)

Additional query words: kbinf 1.20 1.30 1.40 1.50 .bsc .sbr

======================================================================
Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbVCsearch kbAudDeveloper kbNMAKESearch kbNMAKE101DOS kbNMAKE111DOS kbNMAKE113DOS kbNMAKE120DOS kbNMAKE130DOS kbNMAKE140DOS kbNMAKE140NT kbNMAKE150NT
Version           : :1.01,1.11,1.13,1.2,1.3,1.4,1.5

=============================================================================

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