Code Cook

Setting up Cruisecontrol - Continuous Integration System

Setting up Cruisecontrol is a pretty simple process. Make sure you check out the Cruisecontrol site for info on getting started and installation. The basic steps are:

1. Download the Cruisecontrol ZIP file (cruisecontrol-src-x.x.x.zip) and unzip the files to a directory on your computer. I’ve un-ziped the files to C:/cruisecontrol271
2. Then build the Cruisecontrol code using the BAT file build.bat in {INSTALL_DIR}/main/
   
3. Verify the install by running the following command in the command prompt:java -jar {INSTALL_DIR}/cruisecontrol-launcher.jarYou should get a error about a missing config file. If there are any other errors, you’ll need to figure out what’s missing (I’ve seen the missing tools.jar). Usually pretty easy things to fix though.
4. Cruise control is set up and ready to run.

*There is also a windows installer but I like the command line install, it gives the feeling of more control.

Now you’ve got Cruisecontrol installed. In my next post, I’ll show you how we set up an ActionScript 2.0 project and build loop in Cruisecontrol.

Posted in continious integration, flash, flex |

Continuous Integration - The pieces and parts!

I finally have some time to post about our Continuous Integration (CI) set up for ActionScript 2.0 and Flex/ ActionScript 3.0 projects. To continue on from the first post, I’ll explain all of the pieces & parts that are needed to get a similar CI system rolling.

First, the parts that you’ll need for any project:

• The project files - I’ve created a very simple same project that you can download for testing.
• SVN REPO for your project
• Cruisecontrol to manage the CI
• ANT so we can build the projects - This is included in the Cruisecontrol download.
• Java

Next if you are going to build ActionScript 2.0 projects you’ll need:

• Flash IDE for ActionScript 2.0 projects - Yeah a little bit of a bummer. You’ll need to install the IDE on the CI server so the projects can be built. I’m sure you could set it up with MTASC, but we needed to compile in the IDE.
• FlashCommand to build ActionScript 2.0 projects using the IDE (Mac Version) - Mike Chambers built this nifty tool and I’ve been using it for a while since I work in Eclipse with my ActionScript 2.0 projects.
• ASUnit for unit testing your ActionScript 2.0 projects
• The stand-alone flash player

Finally if you are going to build Flex Projects you’ll want the following:

• The Flex SDK - So we can compile our projects
• FlexUnit ANT tasks as well as FlexUnit if your going to integrate unit tests.

Yeah, that seems like a lot, but once everything is set up it is easy to maintain…almost set and forget. As a note, this is all going to be set up on a PC, I’m not a Mac guys, so sorry there, but I would hope the set up would translate nicely from PC to Mac. We now have the basic moving parts of the system. In my next few posts, I’ll explain setting up the system:

1. Setting up Cruisecontrol
2. Setting up an ActionScript 2.0 Cruisecontrol project
3. Setting up an Flex Cruisecontrol project
4. Integrating ActionScript 2.0 project unit test results
5. Integrating Flex project unit test results

I’ll also provide sample files and packages as we go so you have something to start from.

Posted in continious integration, flash, flex |

Continious Integration for Flash and Flex

Lately I’ve been working with CruiseControl, a continuous integration tool, and unit testing (ASUnit and FlexUnit) for our ActionScript 2, ActionScript 3/Flex projects. With the help of a couple of some great posts from eyefodder and Peter Martin, I’ve finally come up with a nice little system that isn’t too much of a headache to set up and is very easy to maintain once it is set up.

When I get some real time, I’ll be sure to blog about the set up and give some walk-throughs on how to get everything up and running.

The basic ‘gist’ of continuous integration is:

To build your code as soon as it changes. This helps to identify problems with the source code as quickly as possible after the problem is introduced. By introducting unit tests into the build process, you add more integrity to the build as well as your code.

So, like I said as soon as I get some real time, I’ll be sure to put together some set up information.

Posted in continious integration, flash, flex |