Version Numbers and Stuff

[golcarlad]

Can someone explain to me how you can version your software everytime you do a release. I have tried this auto-increment thing, by putting an asterisk in place of the last 0, but it never changes. This is dll I am compiling, so I dont know if you can do what I am talking about.

Plus, what is the difference and use of changing the Version number in the setup project too? - how does this differ to the Assembley Version - should it be synchronised with this?? Its all a bit ambiguous, and not clearly explained in any books I have.

Any help much appreciated.

 

[chiph]

The asterisk thing is worthless for commercial-quality code.

If you're doing daily builds, use a tool like NAnt or MSBuild to automate your builds, and put script in to update your AssemblyInfo files with the current version number. This will ensure that all files in your product have the same number, and not whatever the IDE picked at that moment to assign.

There are two sets of version numbers in the AssemblyInfo. The AssemblyFileVersion and the AssemblyVersion.

The AssemblyFileVersion is used by the Windows Installer to determine when to overwrite old files. For this attribute, increment the build number with every build. This way when your testers install the app, the .msi will cause the new assemblies to overwrite the old ones.

The AssemblyVersion is used by the .NET runtime to determine compatability with older releases. You should change this set of numbers only at release time. Leave them alone during the development cycle.

More info:

http://blogs.msdn.com/msbuild/archive/2005/11/11/491947.aspx

http://code.mattgriffith.net/UpdateVersion/

Chip H.


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