Methods

Compiler define: Set a preprocessor define passed to the compiler.

Keyword substitution: Provide a header with keywords into which substitutions are made.

Template header: Provide a template with keywords which are processed and output to a generated header.

Tools

TortoiseSVN: SubWCRev

svn: svnversion

git: git-describe

Implementation

Compiler Define

Subversion

-D`svnversion`

Requires svn command line tools (not installed by default with TortoiseSVN).

Git

-D`git describe`

Keyword substitution

  • An anti-pattern
  • Unsuitable for VCSs with no global version id (SVN).

Template Header

Subversion

Create a template header file "version.in" of the form: 

#ifndef VERSION_H
#define VERSION_H

#define VERSION\_VCS\_REV "$WCREV$"
#define VERSION\_BUILD\_TIME "$WCNOW$"
#define VERSION\_VCS\_PATH "$WCURL$"
#define VERSION\_LOCAL\_MODS $WCMODS?1:0$

#endif /\*VERSION_H\*/
 

and in the build script run 

SubWCRev . version.in version.h

The generated output looks like 

#ifndef VERSION_H
#define VERSION_H

#define VERSION\_VCS\_REV "120"
#define VERSION\_BUILD\_TIME "2013/02/21 17:44:46"
#define VERSION\_VCS\_PATH "http://path/to/repo/trunk"
#define VERSION\_LOCAL\_MODS 1

#endif /\*VERSION_H\*/
 

Git

No equivalent?

Problems

  • No way to pre-process the variables in the build script.
  • Windows platform only.

Generated Header

  • Dependency problems

Links

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