JoePack

Ultra Light Packaging for Large Teams

The Problem

The Result

The Cure• Catalog.xml: Catalog file stored on a share. This file contains the location (BuildOutput) of all shared assemblies.• Build Output: Location where the shared assemblies are build by the CI process.• Dependencies.xml: file listing all dependencies for 1 solution.• JoePack.exe will create a “_Reference” folder on the root of the solution. This folder host all packages for a solution.• JoePack.exe will add or sync all files in the packages.• You should add references to your shared assemblies in VisualStudio from the _Reference folder.

How-To 1: Adding JoPack to your Solution

-1) If you do not have a catalog file create a new one on a network share. Example can be found on:\Doc\Demo\Catalog or on: \Dev\JoPack\Catalog.xml*Note: the source element is the source path of each package – this is the root folder of the CI output-2) Create a dependency file on the root of your solution. Example can be found on:\Dev\JoPack\Dependencies.xml-3) Edit the file and add all dependencies -3)Run JoPack (see print screen) -JoPack has created a _Reference folder on the root of your solution.-6) Open Visual Studio solution and add all referenced assemblies from the _Reference” folder.

Dependencies.xml

Catalog.xml

How-To 2: Working in Team1) Add the _Reference folder created by JoPack

to your check-in or add the dll to your Visual Studio Project.

2) Check-in your solution.Every time a dev will get the latest version he will also get the latest assemblies.

You can include JoPack in your CI build process – create a post build target that checkout the _reference folder and run JoPack on the server. If the build succeed check-in the _Reference folder.

It’s recommended to add a UpdateReferences.bat on the root of the solution. This file should contain a small script that simplify the procedure - so that dev’s can simply double click on it to update their local ref folder.

Example of UpdateReferences.bat ->

HowTo-3: Syncing1) Go to the root folder of your Solution2) Checkout your local _References Folder3) Execute jopack -s=[Path to solution

folder] –c=[Path to catalog file]

HowTo 4: Adding new dependent assemblies-1) Locate the Catalog File on the network-2) Check-out the catalog file via the Source Control checkout-3) Edit the catalog -4) Update your local dependencies.xml file located on the root of your solution-5) Launch JoPack (see HowTo 3)