Batch processing in Flare 6

[ax_skatz]

I know that Flare has enhanced batch processing in Flare 6 (which we don't yet have). I am wondering if I can still use the batch file approach from Flare 5. The approach we use is as follows: my Flare project is stored in an svn repository. The continuous integration machine has a copy of Flare and the batch jobs. The continuous integration process kicks off an automated build of the targets whenever we check in a new file. Once the targets are built, they are managed by the continuous integration process. We do not publish the outputs to a destination; we only build.

Can we continue to use this same process with Flare 6?

Thanks,
Susan

[doc_guy]

madbuild.exe is still distributed in Flare v6, so you can still run builds from the command line. Thus, I would expect that building from the command line (like you are doing) would continue to work the same way it did in previous versions, especially since MadCap didn't say anything about command line compiling, so I assume they didn't touch it for this release. The help system for Flare V6 gives detailed instructions on running builds from the command line, and after a quick overview, I can't see any noticeable differences (with the exception that you can either build a single target using the command line or you can build a batch using the command line).

[Andrew]

It seems like the v6 functionality (I haven't used it, but based on demos / docu) is sort of a shell around the existing madbuild that does the pesky batch file and scheduling stuff for you (plus, adds publishing). However, I would most certainly test my builds in v6 (as I would in any new version) to ensure that nothing had been broken. Regressions can come from strange places.

[ax_skatz]

Thank you both. Hopefully, all will run smoothly:-).
Susan

[alaltenburg]

I had a command line that would build all of my chapters, but now with V6, it does not seem to work well at all. The only change I made was change the -target "name" to -batch "name" (and change the program to open v6 instead of v5
Any ideas?

Andrea

[doc_guy]

Did you create a batch target in the Project Organizer? You can't use the -batch- command on the command line unless you have created a batch target in the Project Organizer. (Right-click on the Targets folder and choose "Create Batch target".

If you just upgraded from 5 to 6 and you were using command-line builds in 5, you shouldn't need to change anything to get what you were getting before. But if you want to build multiple targets from a single command-line prompt then you need to first create a batch target in Flare, then use the command-line option with the batch switch to build the batch target.

Does that make sense?

[dbryan]

I have set up a batch target and a scheduled task to run the build-publish process. Based on the help, my understanding is that you do not have to have Flare open in order for the task to run. Is that understanding correct?

Also, do we have to be logged on to our computer in order for scheduled tasks that we set up in Flare to be run? For the Windows task scheduler, we only needed to have the computer on; we did not need to be logged on.

[alaltenburg]

The first thing I did after installing Flare 6 was create batch targets in all of my projects as I was so excited about the new feature, still unable to get it to work in command line, as stated before, all I did was change -target to -batch and changed the target file names so they were the batch target names. Not sure what else to do.

In the meantime, I'm just running each batch individually within Flare.

Andrea

[dbryan]

I finally figured out (by accident) how to make it work without using the 'command line' process or logging into computer. Once you create the batch target and set up scheduling in Flare, it creates a task in the Windows Task Scheduler. Just access the task in Windows Task Scheduler, click on the Properties option (Actions pane) and select the "Run whether user is logged on or not" option. You will be prompted to enter your Windows login password. Once you enter and save, you are good to go. Before you go home, instead of shutting down your computer, just select the Log Off option and leave your computer on. The task runs as specified. It's slick!