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Building NDEVR

NDEVR DevTools

We recommend using NDEVR DevTools for the building process.

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NDEVR License Key

The NDEVR License Key is issued as credentials for users with access to the NDEVR Source or NDEVR API. The key is protected via a password. The key may allow one to create activation keys for specific software or to access specific resources within the NDEVR engine. You will be prompted for a key when activating NDEVR DevTools.

Build Structure

The API Uses 4 primary Folders to build. The NDEVR Source Folder, NDEVR API Folder, the NDEVR Output Folder, and the NDEVR Package folder.

NDEVR Source Directory

$(NDEVR_SOURCE_DIR)

If you have access to the Source Code, you will build using the NDEVR Source Code directory. This folder contains the primary source code and is controlled via GIT repository.

NDEVR API Directory

$(NDEVR_API_DIR)

For customers with the enterprise package, we offer non-source code access to headers and library files which provide low-function level access to the API.

NDEVR Output Directory

$(NDEVR_OUT_DIR)

This folder stores all of the binary built files for the software. By default it is the target for all build operations. It is the staging area for all generated binary files and the typical location for testing builds before they are packaged for release.

NDEVR Package Directory

$(NDEVR_PKG_DIR)

When moving to deploy NDEVR, this folder is deleted and populated with the binaries necessary to deploy a specific product or release. The folder can be thought of as a mirror image of what will be installed on and end customer PC. This directory is always destroyed when running MSI Maker, meaning the files are always up-to-date after running the MSI Maker.

Source/API File Structure

Preparing For Build

  1. Install and open NDEVR Dev-Tools
  2. Install GIT if you want to use repositories or build from source.
  3. Download Qt 
  4. Run the Download Qt command
  5. Install Visual Studio (If using for build). See this guide for more details
  6. Fill out the path to msbuildtools.exe (Default is C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Community\VC)

Performing Build (API Users)

  1. Open up NDEVR Dev-Tools
  2. Enter path to License Key
  3. Set desired path for the NDEVR API Directory.
  4. Perform “Download API” command to pull the latest build onto your computer.
  5. Set desired folder for NDEVR Output Directory.
  6. Perform “Generate Out” Command to migrate pre-requisite resources from the API directory to the output directory.
  7. Perform build command on any external project solutions to further populate the output folder
  8. Choose appropriate NDEVR Package Directory
  9. Run the “Installer Builder” command. This deletes the current package directory and takes the module-defined dependencies and packages them into the package directory.
  10. Run the “Build Executable” command. This will generate the executable to $(NDEVR_PKG_DIR)/[app-name]/Launcher.exe
  11. Perform any desired testing
  12. Perform the “Build MSI” command to build the installer. This will build the installer to $(NDEVR_PKG_DIR)/[app-name].msi

The above process can easily be scripted and modified as needed. See the NDEVR Dev-Tools for information on how to export command line options or see the below example:

				
					#3. Set NDEVR API Directory
setx NDEVR_API_DIR "C:/NDEVR API/"
#4. Download API
NDEVR-Dev-Tools --download_api --password="123"
#5. Set NDEVR Output Directory
setx NDEVR_OUT_DIR "C:/NDEVR Output/"
#6. Perform "Generate Out"
NDEVR-Dev-Tools --generate_out
####### Build your own resources ########
#######example: msbuild.exe "MyModule.sln"

#8. Choose NDEVR Package Directory
setx NDEVR_PKG_DIR "C:/My App/"
#9. Run Installer Builder
Build-Tools
#10. "Build Executable"
msbuild.exe "$(NDEVR_API_DIR)/Launcher/Launcher.sln"
####### test, sign, etc ########
#12. "Build MSI"
msbuild.exe "$(NDEVR_OUT_DIR)/Installer/NDEVRMSI.sln"

Performing Build (Source Users)

  1. Open up NDEVR Dev-Tools
  2. Enter path to License Key
  3. Set desired path for the NDEVR Source Directory.
  4. Perform “Download Source” command to pull the latest source code onto your computer.
  5. Set desired folder for NDEVR Output Directory.
  6. Perform “Build Source” Command to build all the source files to the output directory.

Optionally you may build the API

    1. Choose a desired path for the NDEVR API Directory
    2. Choose Build API, which will ask for a password. The API folder will be populated from the contents of the output folder. Additionally, it will generate a password protected zip file next to the API directory to upload for API users.

Optionally you may generate installer

    1.  Perform build command on any external project solutions to further populate the output folder
    2. Choose appropriate NDEVR Package Directory
    3. Run the “Installer Builder” command. This deletes the current package directory and takes the module-defined dependencies and packages them into the package directory.
    4. Run the “Build Executable” command. This will generate the executable to $(NDEVR_PKG_DIR)/[app-name]/Launcher.exe
    5. Perform any desired testing
    6. Perform the “Build MSI” command to build the installer. This will build the installer to $(NDEVR_PKG_DIR)/[app-name].msi